DWDM ROUTE PLANNING: MOVING INTO THE LIGHT

WhitepaperW

Introduction

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) route planning is the heart of service configuration and access to revenue. Yet, when armed with inadequate tools, the Communications Service Provider (CSP) can face significant impact to staff productivity, increased time to revenue, poor customer experience due to service delays, and unnecessary CAPEX spending resulting from network underutilization. DWDM route planning is one of the most critical and challenging processes within the CSP domain, with issues that only increase as network complexity grows.

Ciena, the network specialist, understands the challenges faced by CSPs associated with DWDM route planning in todays networks. This white paper will outline some of the key obstacles to optimal route planning, as well as Cienas approach to resolving them. This approach combines industry-leading software, network and engineering best practices, and consulting services to tailor a solution to each CSPs specific business objectives, thereby overcoming or mitigating all of these issues.

Route Planning: Moving into the Light

With network technologies moving ahead at what CSPs would perceive to be light speed, DWDM route planning often may still feel like the Dark Agespredominantly a manual process, with knowledge concentrated in small pockets of expertise, using scattered documentation and tracking tools, all leading to one consistent result: significant but unnecessary operational costs.

Ciena has defined a path that will move CSPs into the state-of-the-art in DWDM route planning, overcoming much of the manual process and many of the current obstacles network operators face.

Cienas solution comprises three key principles:

1. Considering the network as the database

2. Consolidating the planning process

3. Centralizing the repository for network information

Ciena implements these principles best by partnering with the CSPs planning team, allowing Ciena to analyze the current planning process first-hand, identify off-the-shelf or customized software solutions to increase accuracy, and assess the credibility of the data used in the planning process. Ciena can then specify how to simplify the tasks performed by the planners to minimize the risk of errors

associated with these tasks, as well as better control the quality of the data transferred throughout the planning process, from the initial design request to service deployment.

By applying this solution, the CSP can improve team productivity by reducing the planning cycle while relying on consistent, up-to-date data, improve the customer experience by executing accurately the first time and shortening delivery cycle; and, finally, improve CAPEX investments by better utilizing network capacity and reducing churn.

Keeping in Lockstep with the Network

One of the biggest challenges for operators is to keep their network data current, especially related to the fiber plant (assignment, loss) and wavelength allocation. This information is often tabulated and updated manually as a part-time, low-priority activity. As a result, an additional round of queries to different teams is required when planning new services to ensure the data is accurate. Additionally, as networks evolve to topologies on which services are less constrained than in the former point-to-point and rings configurations, the legacy toolsnormally based on spreadsheetscannot scale with the size and meshiness of the networks, amplifying the challenge to keep network records up-to-date. Finally, some CSPs have been provisioning services on a node-by-node basis instead of end-to-end, increasing the risks of introducing errors in the provisioning information and making the data more difficult to reconcile.

By starting with the premise that the deployed network contains the most accurate data available, the next step is to find ways to easily extract and process pertinent data from the network and make it available to planners in a usable format and a timely fashion.

While this information is currently partially available via the Element Management System (EMS) or the Network Management System (NMS), the CSP organization structure often makes the data not easily accessible to planners, who have to request it from the operations team and significantly process it to have it in a format usable for their task.

Cienas solution extracts this data automatically, at a frequency determined by the customer. The data is made available directly to the planner in formats appropriate to each task and via interfaces compatible with the task to be performed, such as link engineering, wavelength assignment,

or inventory queries. The extracted network data resides in a single database accessible via a Web portal to provide specific, specialized reports. Data reports are also available via a design tool that will import only the data required to add the new services, equipment, or network expansion.

Ciena evaluates the CSPs current network data extraction tools and assesses how Ciena tools can operate in the CSP network with any customization or additional development of the existing tools. This service provides a smoothly performing network tracking tool that will ensure data consistency and trust, in turn shortening the planning cycle, improving staff productivity, and decreasing the time to revenue.

A study done with a major North American operator showed close to 90 percent time savings in network inventory queries when relying on an automated extraction tool directly accessible by planners using a Web portal. The study estimated up to 95 percent time saving when tracking wavelengths using the extracted data imported directly in a planning tool, with which they could identify any path in the network and display wavelength usage along the selected path.

Keeping in Lockstep within the Organization

Another major challenge CSPs face is the number of teams required in the planning and deployment process, multiplying the source of errors and the number of intermediate places where information is stored and

processed. Even when operators are using centralized servers and file management systems, ensuring everyone is working with up-to-date documents at different stages of the projects can be a major concern.

Centralized database storage and process automation are key concepts in Cienas solution to minimize data manipulation outside the team responsible for specific parameters and ensure accuracy and consistency of the information throughout the process. The solution relies on the enrichment of the database, originally populated with the network data, by the different teams adding their inputs via a Web portal that shows them the specific information in which they are interested, auto-populated with the information captured in previous steps of the process.

Using default values and a limited set of suggested values, the controls imposed by the Web portal environment significantly minimize the chance of involuntary data modifications while shortening the time otherwise spent copying and pasting data between files and environments.

By applying these concepts, a major North American operator estimated that the time required for some of the planning and engineering steps could be reduced by as much as 80 percent, shortening phases that currently take hours to a matter of tens of minutes.

Additionally, because the same database is used throughout the project, it is possible to envisage a final step in the planning and deployment process consisting of validating the service and equipment installation and commissioning by extracting the network data and comparing it with the planned design, before the service or equipment is placed in service. By doing so, the CSP will quickly intercept design/implementation misalignments and avoid having problems arise in front of customers, which would result in negative customer experience.

Once again, Ciena is uniquely positioned to partner with the CSP organization to evaluate their current planning process, data management, and hand-off transitions, assess if and how existing Ciena tools can operate in the CSP network, and suggest customization or additional development of the existing tools. This insight can give CSPs a performing, integrated planning process tool that offers data consistency

2

Network Planning and Engineering

Retrieves the as built configuration directly

from the network

Reduce time/effort for efficient network planning via accurate representation of deployed photonic network

Figure 1. Life Cycle Management

and trust, shortens the planning cycle, improves staff productivity, and decreases time to revenue. This enhanced planning process, combined with the use of the network management end-to-end provisioning capabilities resulting in up to 70 percent savings in provisioning time, will ensure data consistency throughout the network. By delivering new services more quickly and with more predictability, the customer experience will automatically be enhanced and most likely will result in increased competitiveness and responsiveness in providing new services in the marketplace.

Summary

The route planning process is a complex, multi-departmental task that has not evolved significantly in the last few years, despite networks and supported services changing drastically. Many operators have reached a point where they absolutely need to revamp their planning process to gain efficiency and improve service deliverya process that currently takes monthsinto a much more agile process that will take only a few weeks.

Conclusion

Ciena, through its consultancy services, software portfolio, and customization capability, can partner with its customers to evolve to a new planning process based on the accuracy of network data, the efficiency of the process automation, and the consistency of a centralized database and end-to-end provisioning. Cienas solution for the operator is to significantly increase personnel productivity, leaving staff more time to investigate growth opportunities and improve the customer experience by engineering correctly the first time and accelerating services delivery, resulting in improved time to revenue and reduced churn.

About Ciena Network Transformation Solutions

Cienas Network Transformation Solutions (NTS) practice, through its consultative engagement approach, delivers business and technical insight to customers built upon a strong foundation of network analytics, transformational planning, and expert execution.

To ensure customers achieve the optimum ROI from any newly deployed hardware or software technology, NTS provides a best-practice approachborne out of the experience and expert knowledge of consultant engineers and business solutions specialiststo offer customized strategic technical, operational, and business programs, delivered according to customers business and technical requirements.

Ciena operates a comprehensive services practice responsible for delivering a complete Network Modernization solution. Customized consultancy, expertise, analysis, and advice have helped operators optimize their existing network infrastructure and deploy intelligent optical and Ethernet solutions that establish ever-higher benchmarks of efficiency and performance.

Cienas technology solutions form the foundation for many of the largest and most reliable networks globally. Many of todays leading global operators already have modernized their networks with Cienas consultancy, achieving significant performance and business value.

To learn more about Cienas Network Transformation Solutions, call (800) 207-3714 US or +44-20-7012-5555 International, or visit us at www.ciena.com/solutions/network-transformation-solutions/

Ciena may from time to time make changes to the products or specifications contained herein without notice.

Copyright 2013 Ciena Corporation. All rights reserved. WP145A4 11.2013

Networks that changethe way you compete.

Quantified Business Values

Accelerate Timeto Revenue

Increase StaffProductivity

Improve CustomerExperience

Improve CAPEXInvestments

> Quote to cash> Data consistency

> Forecasting accuracy> Reduced churn

> Right-first-time execution

> On-time delivery of services

> Reduced cycle times> Process automation

> NMS software> Applications> Custom software

> Planning> Implementation/execution> Project management

> Training> Ciena Specialist Services> Staff augmentation

Technology Process OrganizationT P O

Figure 2. DWDM Route Planning