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THE OSS EVOLUTIONARY PATH TO OPERATIONAL/BUSINESS

BENEFITS

Tim Packer (Boss Portal Ltd), Dean Veverka (Southern Cross Cables Ltd), Brian Hart (Southern Cross Cables Ltd), Laurie Doyle (Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks), Norman Lam (Boss Portal Ltd)

Email: <tim.packer@boss-portal.com>

Boss Portal Limited, PO Box 5118, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141, New Zealand

Abstract: Operational Support Systems (OSSs) have lagged behind advances in other aspects of submarine networks and have often become bottlenecks to better customer experience. OSS transformation efforts have not always produced the expected business benefits. Many of these challenges are well recognised, and industry bodies have developed various frameworks and models to help overcome them. However, almost invariably, these frameworks and models only describe the end game, and do not necessarily provide a strategy on how to achieve it. The lack of experience in the transformation process has led to setbacks in implementation, sub-optimal operation, and under-realised business benefits.

The OSS Maturity Model is proposed as a practical means to help manage the transformation. It is a planning tool used to assess and prioritise OSS system requirements according to business priorities. It formulates an OSS Roadmap that represents an evolutionary path towards the longer term strategic goals where tactical business benefits can be readily realised at each intermediate step along the way.

This paper describes the OSS Maturity Model, and how this methodology has been validated by the successful transformation of Southern Cross Cables Limited’s (SCCL) OSS.

1 OSS BOTTLENECK Submarine transmission technologies have made great strides in recent years and submarine network operators are deploying these technologies at unprecedented speed to keep pace with the explosive demand for bandwidth. Yet the Operational Support Systems (OSSs) used to manage submarine networks have remained largely unchanged. They have often become bottlenecks to better customer experience. Outages and service level violations due to inaccurate or inaccessible information have become more commonplace.

The underlying reasons are numerous. The successive and increasingly frequent network upgrades have left many

submarine network operators with a plethora of Network (NMSs) and Element Management Systems (EMSs). The task of maintaining the network has become more complex and resource intensive.

Another common reason is that a lot of the OSSs are comprised of collections of point solutions that lack integration. This has led to problems that permeate the entire organisation and beyond. It can sometimes be difficult for management, as well as hands-on operational staff, to have a holistic view of the network and operations. Customers often notice this too, for example by having to talk to a number of service representatives before they can get information that they would expect to be on their own service portal.

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Furthermore this widening gap between the OSS and the network has also meant new services and improvements are not being introduced as swiftly or with as much flexibility as they would otherwise be, directly limiting customers' choices and the operators' competitiveness.

2 THE END GAME Many of these challenges are well recognised, and industry bodies have developed various frameworks and models to help overcome them.

To name a few, the TeleManagment Forum (TM Forum) has developed the Enhanced Telecom Operations Map (eTOM) to manage business processes [1], the Shared Information and Data model (SID) as an enterprise-wide data model to facilitate inter-operation [2], and the Telecom Applications Map (TAM) to tie functions and data together into system components [3].

Another popular framework among telecom operators is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) by the United Kingdom’s Office of Government Commerce. It describes best practices in information technology service management [4].

However, almost invariably, these frameworks and models only describe the end game, and do not necessarily provide a strategy on how to achieve it. Network operators, especially those with legacy systems, are left with the daunting task of bridging the gap between theoretical ideals and business realities. Potentially costly mistakes are often made.

Two mistakes are widespread. The first is the tendency to attempt to run before being able to walk. Network operators are often tempted to set sight on the system that will deliver the most business benefits without fully considering the readiness of other supporting systems. This often leads to a series of patchwork solutions being applied

to the supporting systems that may not always align with the larger strategy.

The second one is the ‘big bang’ project approach that tries to avoid the shortcomings of the first one by delivering everything at once. However, the project then becomes so large and complex that by the time it completes, the business might already have moved on and requirements for the OSS have changed.

This general lack of experience in the transformation process has led to:

• setbacks in implementation with budget and time over-runs, and costly reworks

• sub-optimal operation that needs to be compensated for by additional staffing resources to maintain service level

• under-realised business benefits, many of which were not aligned with business priorities to start with.

3 OSS MATURITY MODEL The OSS Maturity Model was developed by Boss Portal as a practical means to help manage OSS transformation. It is a strategic planning tool that is complimentary to all of the established frameworks and models mentioned earlier.

The OSS Maturity Model is similar to TAM in that it divides the OSS system landscape into functional components but there are a number of differences. It focuses on the OSS-centric areas of resource, service, customer and partner management only; and it replaces the dimension of eTOM process areas with capability maturity. This new dimension brings with it the concept of prioritisation, an aspect that has not been addressed by other prevailing models, into the consideration process.

The OSS Maturity Model, as shown in Figure 1, is divided into three tiers with increasing maturity of system capabilities going towards the top.

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Figure 1 : OSS Maturity Model

Tier 1 (Core Operations) components are often referred to as foundation systems such as inventory, provisioning, alarm and case management systems. They are primarily concerned with delivering service to customers and keeping the network up and running.

Tier 2 (Managed Business Operations) components are generally concerned with operational excellence. They involve business process standardisation and automation, as well as performance assurance.

Tier 3 (Intelligent System Operations) components are about furthering business values through service differentiation and improved competitiveness using intelligent system capabilities.

The business objectives of these three tiers are closely correlated to the characteristics of market forces. In a nascent market where the first-mover advantage is significant, time to market is more important than process or system efficiency. Competition is centred on

service availability, in terms of both the availability of new types of services and keeping services uninterrupted.

As the market evolves and competition intensifies, operators need to focus on operational excellence in order to improve efficiency and maximise profitability.

When the market matures and profit margin lowers, it is essential to have the ability to maintain profits through service differentiation and better cost control and resource utilisation.

It is this close parallel with business cycle that underlies the OSS Maturity Model’s effectiveness in facilitating the assessment and prioritisation of OSS system requirements according to business priorities. These system requirements when prioritised form an OSS Roadmap that represents an evolutionary path towards the longer term strategic goals where tactical business benefits can be readily realised at each intermediate step along the way.

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4 THE SOUTHERN CROSS CABLES EVOLUTION

This OSS Maturity Model based approach to system evolution has been validated by the successful transformation of Southern Cross Cables Limited’s (SCCL) OSS. A summary of SCCL’s experience can serve as an example of how the approach can be applied in practice.

The impetus for SCCL to perform a complete review of its overall OSS strategy came at a time when two of its critical OSS components, namely customer information and case management systems, had reached end of life due to discontinuation by vendors. In addition to the immediate need to replace these systems, it was also decided that the inventory and alarm management systems be replaced for a better integrated overall system that would provide a platform for the OSS to evolve with SCCL’s business objectives over time. Through application of the OSS Maturity Model, the resulting OSS Roadmap is shown in Figure 2.

An alternative roadmap that would implement Resource Planning/ Optimisation (or Resource Planning for short) prior to Business Process Standardisation/Automation (or Process Automation for short) was also evaluated for its potential to generate more immediate benefits. No strict system dependencies exist between Resource Planning and Process Automation, meaning Resource Planning could be implemented without Process Automation. However, an operator’s ability in

maintaining its service level agreements (SLAs) is an important factor in the determination of future network capacity needs. SLA Management in turn benefits from Process Automation and improved management of internal key performance indicators (KPIs).

It was concluded that the benefits to both SCCL and its customers from better SLA performance through Process Automation and better KPI Management are more direct; and would outweigh the incremental and partial benefits from fast-tracked improvements in Resource Planning. Customers benefit from improved service, and SCCL from reduced penalties for SLA violations, service differentiation and growing customer base in the face of growing competition. The roadmap in Figure 2, that aligns with the OSS Maturity Model, was therefore preferred.

In recognition of the integral role that seamless integration with underlying NMS/EMS plays on any effective OSS, SCCL brought together its network equipment suppliers and OSS vendors since the inception of the roadmap. The collaboration has enabled a much richer set of network information to be made available within the OSS.

SCCL is well on its way with the implementation of its OSS Roadmap. The first four stages of the roadmap have now been completed. The emphasis on business alignment of the roadmap has ensured new system capabilities are introduced and available as the business requires them.

Figure 2 : SCCL’s OSS Roadmap

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The following are some of the benefits realised at the completion of each stage thus far:

• Stage 1: A ubiquitous platform that eliminates the physical boundaries of the network operation centre by putting essential OSS information such as network inventory, customers’ services, trouble tickets and work permits online.

• Stage 2: Automatic inventory synchronisation with NMS/EMS that ensures an accurate as-built view of the network within the OSS at all times.

• Stage 3: Real-time impact analysis that identifies customer circuits affected by each alarm.

• Stage 4: Management of the day-to-day operations of the entire field team, including landing parties, within the OSS, from planning and work coordination to their actual measurable performance. This also sets the foundation for the next stage of development by facilitating an understanding of the existing business rules and processes, and establishing a baseline.

5 SUMMARY Prevailing OSS frameworks and models do not address the alignment between OSS system evolution and evolving business needs in response to market forces. The OSS Maturity Model was developed in an attempt to bring that missing piece back into the strategic planning process. It serves as a sanity check to ensure the necessary business questions get asked.

Like most frameworks or models, exceptions to the OSS Maturity Model are to be expected, especially when there are no one-size-fit-all business models for something as dynamic as the telecom business. Given one's particular circumstances, an alternative roadmap to the one based on the OSS Maturity Model might sometimes be more appropriate. The important thing is to ensure all the

business questions asked are answered satisfactorily by the selected roadmap.

For example in the case of SCCL, application of the OSS Maturity Model highlighted the question of whether it would be more beneficial to prioritise Resource Planning over Process Automation. While it is now clear after careful consideration that it is both more logical and beneficial to implement Process Automation first, it can sometimes be difficult to see with this level of clarity, especially when under day-to-day operational pressure. The OSS Maturity Model is used to help visualise scenarios and facilitate discussion.

The OSS Maturity Model based approach has been trialled by a number of other telecom operators, and is found to consistently produce roadmaps that are better aligned with their business objectives.

6 REFERENCES [1] TeleManagement Forum, “Business Process Framework, Enhanced Telecom Operations Map (eTOM) Release 8.0”, ver 0.8, 2008, New Jersey, USA.

[2] TeleManagement Forum, “Shared Information/Data (SID) Model, Business View Concepts, Principles, and Domains Release 7.5”, ver 7.7, 2009, New Jersey, USA.

[3] TeleManagement Forum, “Tm Forum Applications Framework (TAM), The BSS/OSS Systems Landscape Release 3.0”, ver 3.2, 2008, New Jersey, USA.

[4] A Cartlidge, A Hanna, C Rudd, et. al, “The IT Infrastructure Library, An Introductory Overview of ITIL V3”, ver 1.0, 2007, London, UK.