Agent Orchestration Control Layers

AOCL protocol explainer. 11 layers, full observability, open specification.

Why AOCL?

AI agents are increasingly complex systems making decisions that affect real-world outcomes. Most AI systems are black boxes. AOCL changes that.

The 11-layer stack

Like the OSI model revolutionized understanding of network communications, AOCL provides a standardized layer model for AI agent operations.

OSI model analogy

Event schema

All layer events follow the AEE envelope structure with AOCL-specific payload:

interface LayerEvent {
  v: "1"                     // Protocol version
  id: string                 // ULID
  ts: string                 // ISO timestamp
  type: "event"              // Always "event" for layers
  from: "system.aocl"        // AOCL system
  to: "audit"                // Audit target
  intent: string             // aocl.layer.{start|complete|bypass|reject}
  corr: string               // Correlation ID (links to conversation)
  payload: {
    layer: string            // L0-L10
    status: string           // start|complete|bypass|reject
    duration_ms?: number     // Execution time (on complete)
    reason?: string          // Why bypassed/rejected
    [key: string]: any       // Layer-specific data
  }
}

Real-time visualisation

What a trace looks like

This is the Compliance Suite's trace waterfall — showing a real AOCL request with inline summaries, decision badges, and timing.

Available in the AOCL Compliance Suite.

Premium plugins

AOCL Core is free in QuoxCORE. Premium plugins extend AOCL for enterprise and developer use cases.

Benefits

Open Specification