report - Light Reading

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT EVOLUTION WITH WEB SERVICES
Self-provisioning
Self-subscription and self-provisioning are provided
through Web portal support applications, which link Web or
TV GUIs to the relevant support systems. They interface with
OSS applications to automate the interactions with
service/network provisioning, assurance, and billing applications
as regards information about the new user or subscription.
In particular, this process relies on the GUP server to
safely create, update and access user related data in the
appropriate network databases.
Service activation
Service activation has different meanings according to the
service type:
• it may refer to an end user-action to request the use of a given
subscribed service through an appropriate means, e.g. by
invoking a (SIP) call; selecting a service proposed on a TV
screen; or clicking on a Web page link;
• it may refer to an action by an operator using a (cross-)
domain manager to activate a transport service, such as a
VPN (Virtual Private Network) or VLL (Virtual Leased Line).
In this case, service activation refers to “opening” the contracted
and already provisioned transport service to end
users. Such services are less dynamic in nature than the former.
On top of such an activated transport service, other
services may be activated by the end user, e.g. a call over
a Voice VPN.
While the service activation process for transport services
is today quite well known for technologies such as SDH or
ATM, new technologies such as LSPs or VLANs, which are used
to handle IP/Ethernet traffic, bring new challenges, especially
in the Service Assurance area. Features to manage these trans-
Figure 6: Service activation, assurance, and billing
Service Activation
Subscribers
Voice, Video,
HSI, IPVPN
Safe
Alcatel
NMS/
EMS
Transport
SDP
1430 HSS
5750 SSC
OSS Solution (network-facing)
Network Assurance
Network Performance
Legacy
SDP
GUP Server
Network Assurance
Fault Management
Network & Service
Omnibus
Alcatel OSDE
OSDE
Orchestration Environment
All services
IMS
SDP
port service aspects are provided by the Alcatel 5620/1350
Domain Managers.
The activation of end user-invoked Web services is a new
requirement. The orchestration environment is not only used
to create a new service, but also in the activation of this service.
An end-user’s service activation request will result in triggering
the execution of this service’s BPEL (Business Process
Execution Language) specification, e.g. via the URL used by
the GUI through which the service is invoked.
For the My Own TV service, end users may subscribe either via
the operator’s Web portal, or via a set-top box, which will create
an entry in the operator’s order system. This in turn will trigger the
addition of user data to the appropriate databases and the
required network provisioning actions (e.g. via the Alcatel 8950 Provisioning
system). This might include the configuration of the subscriber’s
DSL access line on the 7301 ISAM (via the Alcatel 5523
AWS); the application of related VLAN QoS policies to the 7450
ESS edge router (via the 5750 SSC); and related information
updates in OSS systems such as the billing system (e.g. LHS).
Activation of the My Own TV service will consist of the end
user adding content (home videos), filling his “buddy list”, and
publishing My Own TV channels to show content to his buddies.
Service assurance
Service assurance is considered by many operators to be the
major problem area for next-generation service delivery, and
involves guaranteeing Quality of Service (QoS) from both the
SP and end-user perspectives (see Figure 6).
It complements standard network assurance processes, such
as alarm analysis, network SLA (service level agreement) management
and traffic performance with service assurance and quality
management (e.g. by the Alcatel 8950 Assurance and Alcatel 8920
Traffic Management and Service Monitoring (TMSM) applications).
278 - Alcatel Telecommunications Review - 4 th Quarter 2005 www.alcatel.com/atr
Video
SDP
Service Assurance
SLA Management
Network & Service
RAD
3 rd pp
SDP
Billing
DWH, Invoice,
Statement
End-user
Self-
Management
Rating
Pre/postpaid
CDR collect