Solving OSS Challenges through Standards

Global OSS Summit 2001

Session A3

9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

Tuesday, March 6, 2001

Miami, Florida

ATIS Overview• A member organization of U.S. and North American

telecommunications companies that represent every segment of the industry.

• The sponsor of sixteen critical industry committees, which address the most pressing technical, operational issues affecting telecom facilities and services.

• ATIS activities involve 3,000+ participants from 400+ telecommunications companies.

• Provides an open, established environment where the industry reaches consensus on technical, operational, and business issues.

ATIS Overview

ATIS produces telecommunications...– standards– guidelines– operating procedures– verification testing

. . .that provide innovative responses to complex industry problems.

. . .that speed new telecommunications products and services to market.

For More Information ...• See ATIS staff

– John Bernhards, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, jbernhards@atis.org, 202-434-8850

– Kristen Nye, Business Development Specialist, knye@atis.org, 202-434-8837

• Visit ATIS Booth Number 513

Speakers• Stephanie Cowart (Chairperson), Manager, Billing,

BellSouth, and Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) Moderator

• Michael Fargano, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, Qwest, and T1M1 Chairman

• Jan Johnson, Industry Staff Specialist, WorldCom, Inc, and Advisor/Coordinator of the OBF/T1M1/ECIC Cross-Forum Team

• Debbie Stipe, Director of Market Development, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, and TCIF Chair

Ordering and Billing Forum Structure and InitiativesMarch 6, 2001

Stephanie Cowart

OBF Moderator

BellSouth

205/321-2878 stephanie.cowart@bridge.bellsouth.com

OBF Mission

• To provide a forum for customers, providers and vendors in the telecommunication industry to identify, discuss and resolve national issues which affect ordering, billing, provisioning and exchange of information about access services, other connectivity and related matters.

OBF Process• Participation: 400+ representing 90+

companies• Meeting Frequency: quarterly in week-long

General Sessions; Interim meetings scheduled to meet work load

– Activity virtually on-going

• Nature of Outputs: design of or changes to business processes which include:

– Specific interface guidelines– Informational requirements

OBF Top Initiatives

• UNE Remand Issues

• Line Sharing Issues

• Internet Protocol Detail Record Interfaces

• Digital Subscriber Line Services

• Uniform Order Modeling Implementation

• SMS/800 System Constraints

• National Repository for Line, Switch and Company Level Information

Seven OBF Standing Committees• Billing (BLG) Committee

– Addresses access and local interconnection billing related issues.

• Directory Services (DSC) Committee – Addresses issues pertaining to the ordering and exchange

of end user listing information

• Interconnection Services Ordering (ISOP) Committee – Responsible for all business processes and documentation

management associated with the Access Services Ordering Guidelines (ASOG)

Seven OBF Standing Committees• Local Services Ordering (LSOP) Committee

– Responsible for all business processes and documentation management associated with the Local Services Ordering Guidelines (LSOG)

• Message Processing (MSG) Committee – Addresses non-access issues relative to message

processing and maintains the Exchange Message Interface (EMI) document

Seven OBF Standing Committees• Subscription (SUB) Committee

– Addresses national subscription issues and maintains the CARE document

• SMS/800 Number Administration (SNAC) Committee – Addresses issues related to the toll free number

administration

OBF Committee Co-Leaders• BLG Committee

– Meri-Louise Thompson, AT&T

– Randall Reeves, BellSouth

• DSC Committee – Sharon Neighbors, SBC

– Andy Fitzsimmons, AT&T

• ISOP Committee – Debbie Sartino, BellSouth

– Georgina Young, AT&T

• LSOP Committee– Christine Cole, Verizon

– Gail Grenier, MCI Worldcom

• MSG Committee – Chris Read, SBC

– Pat Keatley, Telus

• SUB Committee– Frank Culmone, Verizon

– Dave Thurman, Sprint

• SNAC – Pat Parker, Verizon

– Leslee Strohm, Qwest

OBF/IPDR Organization Activities

• Message Processing Issue 2101 opened at OBF #69 on February 10, 2000– Desired Result of the Issue

• Initiate a liaison with the Internet Protocol Detail Record Organization to establish guidelines for IPDR record exchange to bill IPDR Usage Records (VoIP) in Billing Systems outside of the IP Network arena (e.g., a wire-line or wireless customer).

– Issue Champions• Marcia Lucus, AT&T Broadband

• Kelly Anderson, SCC Communications

Exchange Message Interface

• General Description

– The EMI is a guideline used for the exchange of telecommunications message information between Sending and Billing Companies. Data is provided between companies via multiple unique record layouts that contain message data, customer billing information, account summary information and tracking analysis.

Exchange Message Interface

• Types of Records– End User Billing

– Access/Local Interconnection Billing

– Informational, Statistical, Notification

– Settlements

– Miscellaneous

IPDR/OBF Liaison• Message Processing Letter to IPDR dated August

20, 2000– Requested a formal liaison be established between OBF and

IPDR

• OBF #71 Activities– Kelly Anderson, SCC Communications, is the IPDR Liaison

to the OBF Message Processing Committee– Consensus to establish an OBF Message Processing

Committee Liaison to the IPDR Organization– OBF Message Processing Task Force established

• Mike Norris, Telus

• Kelly Anderson, SCC Communications

IPDR/OBF Activities• Possible new issue to be opened at OBF #74

– Requesting new EMI record types be established for exchange of information between IP companies and telecommunications companies

• End User Records• Access/Local Interconnection Records

• Task Force is reviewing other possible IP message exchange requirements – More OBF issues will be opened as new record

exchange requirements are identified.

For More Information…….

• Visit the ATIS/OBF website at:– http://www.atis.org/atis/clc/obf/obfhom.htm

T1M1Business Driven

OAM&P Standards

Michael J. Fargano - T1M1 Chairman(Qwest, 303-541-6081, mfargan@qwest.com)

March 6, 2001

Outline• OAM&P/OSS Challenges• T1M1 Strategy• T1M1 Basic Value proposition• OAM&P Simplified Systems Interface Reference

Model• Major Initiatives:

– Overview– 2000 Highlights– 2001 High Level Plans

• T1M1 Leadership Team

OAM&P/OSS Standards Challenges• OSS/OSS interconnect

• Rapidly changing IT environment (to facilitate network management)

• Rapidly changing network technology environment (to be managed)

T1M1 Strategy• Market Driven approach, e.g.:

– Rapid adopter of technology that needs standards– Implementation centric mindset, i.e., the wide

availability of implementations being the measure of success

• Focus on Industry Priorities: Leverage industry priorities and industry fora collaborations

• Attract and Retain Talent: Challenging work with growth potential; Fair & open process for interests

T1M1 Basic Value Proposition• Provide high interest and essential

telecommunications OAM&P guidelines, requirements, and standards

• Support voluntary and mandated systems interoperability in a rapidly changing industry

• Business value seen in operations cost reductions, opening of markets, improved time to market for services, and scaling of services and operations.

• The end result is an effective and efficient multi-supplier and multi-service-provider telecommunications OAM&P environment.

OAM&P Simplified Systems Interface Reference Model

Core OSS Infrastructure

EMS Infrastructure

Network Infrastructure

Standard T1M1/ITU CORBA (going forward);potential tML (XML) play

Various standards (i.e., SNMP, CMIP, CORBA, MML, TL1 …)

Suite of standard telecomm B2B (interconnect) interfaces (CORBA, CMIP, EDI, ...); including tML(XML T1M1/ITU work)

X

Q

Q

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Major Initiatives - Overview

The following major initiative areas categorize the T1M1 work efforts and value delivery:

• Common OAM&P Functionality and Technology

• Inter-Administration OAM&P

• Network Technology Specific OAM&P

Common OAM&P Functionality and Technology

• Basic Value: Standards efficiency and industry efficiency via common frameworks and models

• ANSs and key contributor to and driver of ITU, e.g:– CORBA Framework and Information Model for

OAM&P– tML (XML) Framework for OAM&P– Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) for TMN Security– Alarm Report Control (ARC) Function

Inter-Administration OAM&P• Basic Value: Provide for interoperability among

service providers• Collaboration with other ATIS Fora, e.g., OBF, TCIF• Common Language for Information Interchange -

Provides the structure and coding of information that is essential for inter-administration communications, e.g., Identification of IP NEs

• OSS to OSS Interconnect Interface Applications - Provides for applications that are essential for automated inter-administration communications, e.g, Local Pre-Order

T1M1 and Other ATIS Fora Collaborations

Other ATIS Fora(e.g., OBF &TCIF)

T1M1

• Written Liaison• Personal Liaison• Joint work teams (e.g., Unified

Ordering Model team)

• ANSI Accredited Standards Formulation Process

• OAM&P Standards

• Business Requirements (e.g., OBF - OSS/OSS Interconnect)

• Technical Guidelines (e.g., TCIF - Implementation)

Network Tech Specific OAM&P• Basic value: Network tech specific OAM&P inter-op

among service providers' and suppliers' systems (OSS, EMS, NEs, …)

• Various types of collaborations with T1 TSCs and other forums, i.e., joint work, support work, etc.

• Transport layer 1 in-service digital performance monitoring: T1.231.x - general/common and specific documents (OTN, SONET, xDLS, DSx,…)

• Optical Networking OAM&P: Major in-progress work effort - joint work between T1X1 and T1M1

• Other areas: SS7, IP Telephony, and Wireless

2001 High Level Plans• Common OAM&P Func and Tech: Continued

expansion - tML (framework, etc.) and CORBA (Alarm Surveillance and Performance Mgt)

• Inter-Admin OAM&P: High interest common language standards (e.g., Company Code expansion); mandated and high interest OSS interconnect standards (e.g., Unified Ordering Model); first tML application standard is expected

• Network Tech Specific OAM&P: Continued support for high interest network technology standards (i.e., Optical Networking, xDSL, Wireless, etc.)

T1M1 Leadership Team• T1M1 Vice Chairman - Jim Stanco (Siemens)• T1M1.3 (Al White - Chair / Sprint LD, Bill Cardarette - Vice Chair / Motorola

Broadband, Bill Goodson - Secretary / Lucent) – Transport - Jon Neubaum (Tellabs)– Common Language - Paul Levine (Telcordia)– Signaling & Protocol - Norb Lucash (USTA)

• T1M1.5 (Gopal Iyengar - Chair/Nortel, John Portschy - Vice Chair/Lucent, Greg Bain - Secretary/NCS)

– Architecture - Beth Marshburn (Lucent)– Management Services - Lakshmi Raman (Teraburst)– Ordering & Billing - Brian Bearden (SBC)– Security - Bob Barker (Verizon)– Unified Ordering Model AHG - Jay Whitney (WorldCom)

• tML AHG - Ed White (WorldCom)• Information Director - Beth Marshburn (Lucent)

Conclusion• Business value provided:

– Operations cost reductions– Opening of markets– Improved time to market for services– Scaling of services and operations

• Goal:– Effective and efficient multi-supplier and multi-

service-provider telecommunications OAM&P environment

IEC OSS Global Summit 2001

OSS Challenges and Standards

Presented by:

Debbie Stipe, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young

TCIF Chair

dstipe@usa.capgemini.com

(904) 491-0201

TCIF Purpose and Scope

• Develop guidelines for use by the telecommunications industry that facilitate effective information exchange among trading partners

• Use existing voluntary standards and/or industry requirements related to the exchange of information

TCIF Value Proposition

Facilitate Bi-lateral definition and implementation

– Implementation Requirements for a uniform industry solution

– Identify and resolve the issues effecting the implementation of mechanized interconnection

– Identify cost effective solutions– Strike a balance between technology & business

process

P rod u c tC h an g e

A d m in is tra tion

P rod u c tM ark in g

S h ip p in g &R ec e ivin g

L ab e l

U .P .C .Im p lem en ta tion

S teerin g

B ar C od eS tan d ard C od e

(B C S C )

A cc ess O rd erin g

Trou b leA d m in is tra tion

L oc a l O rd er/P re -o rd er(L O P O )

Tec h n o log yS u p p ort

P ic /C A R E

S teerin g

E lec tron ic C om m u n ic a tion sIm p lem en ta tion C om m ittee

(E C IC )

S ervice O rd erS u b -com m ittee

(S O S C )

Te lep h on e B illW ork G rou p

(TB W G )

G u id e lin eC on s is ten cy

E lec tron ic D a taIn te rch an g e

(E D I)

B ylaw s R eviewG rou p

P rocessIm p rovem en t

G rou p

F in an c ia lR eview G rou p

L ead ersh ipD eve lop m en t

G rou p

E xecu tive B oard

TC IF

Telecommunications Industry Forum

OSS Challenges

• Telecom Act– Local Competition– Open OSSs

• New Technology– Corba– XML

• Regulatory Mandates– PIC Requirements

TCIF Highlights

• Response to the Telecom Act– Industry agreement reached on technology to support local

ordering– SOSC defines the EDI specifications for the implementation

of the LSOG (OBF defined Local Service Ordering Guideline)

– ECIC developed Generic Implementation Guidelines for Local Ordering using EDI, TCP/IP and Local Pre-order using Corba

– ECIC developed a technical specification (Interactive Agent) enabling rapid and secure transport of Local Order transactions

TCIF Highlights

• React to the FCC– The California PUC Slamming Cramming

rulemaking required the development of new data elements to support PIC changes

• OBF, T1M1 and ECIC worked together to deliver the required data elements, process flows and documentation eight weeks before PUC deadline

TCIF Highlights

• Technology Advances– Worked with T1 to define Corba Pre-order

interface for Local– Investigating the formation of a committee to

support XML

TCIF LeadershipTC IF C h a ir

D eb b ie S tip eC ap G em in i E rn s t & Y ou n g

TC IF V ice C h a irN a th an M oe lle r

S p rin t

TC IF S ec re ta ria tA TIS

C arrie r R ep resen ta tiveM on ica R ooks

B e llS ou th

C arrie r R ep resen ta tiveK en S m ith

V erizon

M /S R ep resen ta tiveD ou g M artin

F u jitsu

M /S R ep resen ta tiveV acan t

C ross In d u s try R ep .D on W ern er

Q u in tessen t C om m u n ica tion s

C ross In d u s try R ep .V acan t

In d u s try C a teg ory R ep resen ta tives

B C S C C h a irB ob F oxTe lcord ia

B C S C V ice C h a irB ob Y an d ers

Q W E S T

E C IC C h a irB ill A rkw rig h t

C ap G em in i E rn s t & Y ou n g

E C IC V ice C h a irV acan t

E D I C h a irTom V a lig a

V erizon

E D I V ice C h a irV acan t

W ork in g C om m ittee L ead ersh ip

TCIF Leadership• EDI Committee

– SOSC Chair - Buzz Swanston, SBC

Vice Chair - Carolyn Mitchell, Accenture / BellSouth

– TBWG Chair - Nancy Porter, Verizon

Vice Chair - Jim Horton, QWEST– Guideline Consistency TBD

TCIF Leadership• ECIC

– Access Ordering Co-chair1 – Jay Whitney, WorldCom

Co-chair2 – vacant

– Trouble Administration Co-chair1 – Glen Cantrell, SBC

Co-chair2 – Dan Busetti, QWEST

– Pic/CARE Co-chair1 – Gary Baker, BellSouth

Co-chair2 – Morgynne North, Verizon

– LOPO Co-chair1 – Barbara Wallace, BellSouth

Co-chair2 - vacant

– Technology Support Co-chair1 – Bob Buegler, Sprint

Co-chair2 – Jim Bertsch, Mantiss

TCIF Leadership• BCSC

– Product Change Administration Dennis Miller, Fujitsu– Product Marking Bob Fox, Telcordia

– Shipping Label Committee Allan Gilligan, Lucent– U.P.C. Implementation Bob Fox, Telcordia

Conclusion

The TCIF will work toward developing a greater understanding and coordination of existing voluntary standards and guidelines relating to the exchange of information for provision, procurement, and use of telecommunications equipment, products, and services.

Where appropriate or necessary standards do not exist, the TCIF will act as a catalyst to ensure that an appropriate standards setting organization addresses the need for such standards.

Unified Ordering Model (UOM)Unified Ordering Model (UOM)

Jan Johnson - OBFJan Johnson - OBFWorldComWorldCom

972-792-5690972-792-5690

Jan.Johnson@wcom.comJan.Johnson@wcom.comMarch 6, 2001March 6, 2001

Outline• Challenges of Service Ordering• UOM Strategy • UOM Benefits• 2001 UOM Project Plans• 2001 UOM Meetings• Cross Forum Team Leadership

Challenges of Service Ordering• Telecommunication Companies have different

OSS Systems– Individual specific Business Requirements dictate

• Unique data models• Different processing flows

• Legacy Service Ordering standards have their basis in paper forms and early mainframe batch implementations– Originally forms were mailed and eventually faxed.– Electronic application to application legacy interfaces are

based on transporting mainframe text files with many batch transactions via. NDM.

– NDM (batch method) doesn’t support the accurate and timely gathering of information of Service Order Requests by provisioners.

Challenges of Service Ordering (Cont.)

• Legacy Service Ordering standards are confined to ordering and ordering responses.– Pre-Order and Post-Order phases are manually

accomplished through manual faxes or telephone calls, which is non-productive and often costly.

– There is currently not a standard for Post-Ordering Inquiries for Access Ordering.

• Pre-competition, large Telecommunication Companies using legacy interfaces were traditionally limited to providing interfaces only with each other. – In today’s environment, competition requires larger

telecommunication companies interface with a variety of different size companies who use various methods of issuing Service Requests.

UOM Strategy• Accepted by OBF as an Issue in May, 2000.

– Business need is to create a single integrated model for ordering access service requests electronically with the assumption that local could be integrated.

• Cross-Forum Team (CFT) was formed in June, 2000.– Membership composed of OBF, T1M1, and TCIF participants– Experts from each forum lend their expertise in the

development of the model.• CFT has completed a draft Unified Modeling

Approach and corresponding User Guide– Defines an end-to-end structured methodology to be used to

create requirements, perform analysis, and design multiple technological solutions.

– Describes a common approach that can be applied across telecommunication companies’ interface applications, such as ordering, provisioning, billing, repair, etc.

UOM Strategy (Cont.)• UOM Process and Document Development

– A complete set of telecommunication national industry specifications will be documented to support electronic bonding, B2B interfaces.

– Documentation will include an end-to-end set of pre-ordering, ordering, and post-ordering specifications.

– Protocol neutral modeling using Unified Modeling Language (UML) will be used in the UOM documentation.

• UOM will be documented in 4 Volumes– Business Requirements– Analysis– Design– Implementation

NOTE: Volumes 1-4 will be updated/managed by the the appropriate committee and housed in one location.

UOM Strategy (Cont.)UOM Process and Document Development

Unified Model

1. Business Requirements High Level Use Cases Data/Presentation Req. Business Validation Rules

Scenarios

2. Logical Model Class/Object Diagrams Data Traceability Interaction Diagrams

State Diagrams

3. Information Model Technology Information Model

4. Implementation Guidelines Technology Specifications Implementation Profile

1. Business ProcessDefinition

2. Analysis

3. Design

4. Implementation

Process

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Volume 4

OBF

ECIC

T1M1/EDI

ECIC

UOM Strategy (Cont.)• The development of the UOM Volumes 1-4 relies

on an Iterative Approach.– Iterative lifecycle requires involvement from all

participants of the CFT, with activities occurring simultaneously across all phases of the project.

– Deliverables will undergo a level of rework or “iteration” as the project proceeds and better ideas emerge re: how to specify the whole system in a flexible and reusable manner.

• The UOM is the application of Project Management Principles and Software Engineering development UML methodology. – In order to ensure that objectives are met, the four phases

of the UOM are designed to provide a natural separation of project activities into manageable groups.

UOM Strategy (Cont.)An Iterative and Project Management Approach

REQUIREMENTS- Volume 1 - Requirements- Requirements Matrix

ANALYSIS- Volume 2 - Logical Model- Data Mapping

DESIGN- Volume 3 - Information Model- Requirements Mapping

DESIGN- Volume 3 - Information Model- Requirements Mapping

IMPLEMENTATION- Volume 4 - ImplementationGuidelines

IMPLEMENTATION- Volume 4 - ImplementationGuidelines

N Iterations

PROJECT MANAGEMENT- Scope Document- Schedule- Process Improvement

CHANGE MANAGEMENT- CCB- Status Documents REVIEWS

- Balloted documents

...

UOM Benefits• Provides a Single Integrated Model for Service

Requests. Unifies Service Request processes

• Links Pre-order, Ordering, and Post-Ordering Activities • Provides same Implementation for Access and Local • Provides consistent Implementation for all Service Types, including DSL

Adds New Functionality• Validation of Order Prior to Submission, reducing supplementals• Provides Jeopardy Notifications • Performs Order Status and Information Inquiries• Performs mechanized Completion Notifications • All Electronic with Interactive, Near Real Time Features

Technology Model• Supports Current OBF Forms with NDM Files for Ordering • Protocol Independent Model (supports web and B2B interfaces)• Likely Technology Choices are: CORBA, XML over CORBA, XML over

Interactive Agent.

UOM Benefits (Cont.)• Provides Process Improvement

Uses UML to Complete Business Requirement Analysis Creates a Flexible B2B Ordering Model

• Links Pre-Ordering with Ordering functions• Provides Interactive Order Validation ( to reduce SUPPS)• Supports current ASOG-based data without impacting current NDM

process.• Provides a Single Model supporting multiple technologies• Provides a Single Model supporting large and small implementations

– WEB applications for small volumes– B2B applications for larger volumes

• Combines ASR and LSR functions Can reduce or eliminate ASR and LSR data duplication Allows common functions such as Location Inquiry, Jeopardy

Notification, and Completion Notification.

UOM Benefits (Cont.)• Benefits Common to Providers & Customers

Reduces implementation risks through improved analysis Supports multiple protocols using same business and data models Supports new technologies through protocol independence Entices vendors to build comprehensive gateways Reduces manual phone calls to convey order processing info.

• Benefits for the Service Provider Provides a single model to support all customers

• WEB interface for small customers• EB interface for large customers

• Benefits for the Service Customer Reduces SUPPS (validate orders prior to providing a PON) Speeds problem detection by improving error and jeopardy

notifications. Speeds circuit acceptance by improved circuit completion notices.

2001 UOM Project Plan• The following Deliverables are targeted for

Completion by 4th Quarter, 2001. UOM Vol. 1 - Business Requirements document UOM Vol. 2 - Analysis document UOM Vol. 3 - Design document UOM Vol. 4 - Implementation document Technologies will be selected for UOM Project Test Plan will be selected with Criteria for UOM

Project• During 2002, UOM will be tested, and the test

results will be reviewed for further Implementation.

2001 UOM Meetings• T1M1 Feb 26 - Mar 2 Tempe, AZ

• ECIC Mar 12 - 16 Haines City, FL

• T1M1 May 14 - 18 TBD

• ECIC Jun 11 - 15 Rancho Mirage, CA

• T1M1 Aug 13 - 17 Torrance, CA

• ECIC Sept 10 - 14 TBD

• T1M1 Nov 12 - 16 TBD

• ECIC Dec 03 - 07 Tampa, FL

Cross-Forum Team Leadership• UOM Advisor/Coordinator

– Jan Johnson, OBF (WorldCom)

• UOM Volume 1– Business Req. Lead - Robert Horne, OBF (Sprint)¯ UOM Vol. 1 Editor - Shaun Chung, T1M1 (GE)

• UOM Volume 2– Analysis Lead - Jay Whitney, ECIC ( WorldCom)– UOM Vol. 2 Editor - Shaun Chung, T1M1 (GE)

• UOM Volume 3– Design Lead - Alba Johnson, T1M1 (Verizon)– UOM Vol. 3 Editor - TBD

• UOM Volume 4– Implementation Lead - Marta Turnbull, ECIC (Qwest) UOM Vol. 4 Editor - TBD