▁interface ▁of ▁a ▁component ▁is ▁an ▁interface ▁that ▁allows ▁the ▁component ▁to ▁communicate ▁with ▁a ▁higher ▁level ▁component , ▁using ▁the ▁latter ▁component ' s ▁south bound ▁interface . ▁The ▁north bound ▁interface ▁concept ual izes ▁the ▁lower ▁level ▁details ▁( e . g ., ▁data ▁or ▁functions ) ▁used ▁by , ▁or ▁in , ▁the ▁component , ▁allowing ▁the ▁component ▁to ▁interface ▁with ▁higher ▁level ▁layers . ▁ ▁In ▁architect ural ▁over views , ▁the ▁north bound ▁interface ▁is ▁normally ▁drawn ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁component ▁it ▁is ▁defined ▁in ; ▁hence ▁the ▁name ▁north bound ▁interface . ▁A ▁south bound ▁interface ▁decom poses ▁concepts ▁in ▁the ▁technical ▁details , ▁mostly ▁specific ▁to ▁a ▁single ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁architecture . ▁ ▁South bound ▁interfaces ▁are ▁drawn ▁at ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁an ▁architect ural ▁over view . ▁ ▁Typ ical ▁use ▁ ▁A ▁north bound ▁interface ▁is ▁typically ▁an ▁output - only ▁interface ▁( as ▁opposed ▁to ▁one ▁that ▁accepts ▁user ▁input ) ▁found ▁in ▁car rier - grade ▁network ▁and ▁tele communic ations ▁network ▁elements . ▁The ▁languages ▁or ▁protocol s ▁commonly ▁used ▁include ▁SN MP ▁and ▁T L 1 . ▁For ▁example , ▁a ▁device ▁that ▁is ▁capable ▁of ▁sending ▁out ▁sys log ▁messages ▁but ▁that ▁is ▁not ▁configur able ▁by ▁the ▁user ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁implement ▁a ▁north bound ▁interface . ▁Other ▁examples ▁include ▁S MA SH , ▁IP MI , ▁W S MAN , ▁and ▁SO AP . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁is ▁also ▁important ▁for ▁software - defined