Deploying a New Performance Management and Automation Solution

Read the case study about a leading European operator: Deploying a Performance Management solution with automation – enabled by DataOps technology.

Extending the Scope of Performance Management Programs

The scope of Performance Management is changing. Historically based on data sourced from three key inputs – OSS data, configuration data, and network inventory reference data, they need to evolve. That’s because today’s networks are not just evolving technically, towards cloud-native architectures based on 5G SA and soon, fixed 5G, they are also required to meet new expectations in terms of customer experience.

This means that legacy, silo-based, telecoms Performance Management solutions may be left behind, unable to deliver the insights and reporting required. In particular, they may not be able to deliver a true end-to-end view of services and the ways in which they are experienced, as services can span across solutions that are outside the traditional OSS / BSS domains.

To keep pace and ensure competitive advantage, Performance Management solutions need to evolve. They need to be able to ingest data from new sources and to combine these with existing inputs, mixing them together and making that data available to different users, from any role in the telco organization. Recognizing this problem, a leading European operator with operations in multiple countries, identified the need to adopt a common platform for data capture and processing – which can fuel Performance Management goals and meet other data analysis goals.

Woman Telecom Engineer working with Performance Management Data

Eliminating Silos

– and Building a Common Data Platform for the Future

The operator wanted to eliminate the different data silos it had to support in its network and move towards a common DataOps platform for Performance Management, and for other types of network data – bringing everything together into a single data hub.

Consolidating data would also provide a foundation for future automation activities, because a common platform will enable e.g. data to be used for training algorithms, and to support contextual adaptation and learning. As such, the desired platform should be able to support multiple use cases – and a growing variety in the future.

However, while this was the ambition, the first task was to replace the legacy Performance Management platform. This was a dedicated, stovepipe solution, provided by a leading network equipment vendor, that had been in place for many years. While it had provided sterling service, there was no future roadmap or evolution path towards the desired common platform, so the operator needed to find a new solution that would meet its goals.

Abstract dark image visualizing DataOps in Telecommunications

The Path to DataOps

The operator was already familiar with Polystar, having long used our Service Assurance solutions (OSIX and KALIX) for service assurance and analytics. As with many operators, it is the IT organization that leads the procurement process. It is their task to collect requirements from users – which are then converted to an RFP definition for potential providers.

During the resulting process, it became apparent that a single solution could meet both goals and also be used as a foundation for future automation – streamlining the process, reduce number of systems and reducing the overall costs anticipated. Key to this decision was the recognition that DataOps technology provided the key to realizing the best overall solution.

DataOps processing allows data from different sources to be consolidated and then accessed for different purposes. By bringing data together and standardizing the format for processing, it can be made available by different applications and, crucially, processes. That means, with the right solution, a DataOps-driven platform can provide enhanced Performance Management, as well as the data that is required to fuel process automation. This vision was tightly aligned with that of Polystar.

An engineer with a tablet: Unlock the power of DevOps

Realizing the Common Platform with Polystar

- A Combined Performance Management and Automation Project

Polystar was selected as the solution provider to meet the requirements of the combined Performance Management and automation project. With KALIX already in place, the primary task was to implement a new DataOps platform.

DataOps processing solves the problem of siloed data Management and the challenge of data sharing. The Polystar DataOps platform makes all data — from any source ­— in existing silos accessible to different user groups through a virtualized, cloud-native data layer.

As such, it improves efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness by reducing redundancy and increasing the use of shared resources. This unlocks new data processing capabilities, while also being fully integrated with the KALIX solution which offers powerful portals for visualizing the captured data.

The new solution provides access to relevant data, in a future-proof, modern platform. It offers the ability to generate dynamic reports, as well as create customized reports whenever required. So, more data can be searched, and more results obtained – building efficiency in the organization and accelerating problem resolution. As a result, the overall Customer Experience is enhanced, with better QoS across the service portfolio. Finally, with enhanced CE, there are fewer calls to customer care.

Towards Automation

The realization of an enhanced and expanded Performance Management solution is the first step in the journey towards automation. Because the integration of the DataOps solution brings massively more data into a usable platform, it can also be made available for the automation of new processes – and to drive ML-based optimization for the automations obtained.

As a result, all the automation solutions within the Polystar portfolio can be implemented in the operator’s network. These include the virtual NOC – a closed loop solution that allows network operators to automate ticket handling processes, reduce OPEX, accelerate time to action – and enhance customer experience by dramatically reducing the total number of incidents.

FRINX Machine, meanwhile, automates transport network operations, maintaining real-time information on the network state, device configuration and network topology. It serves multi-vendor networks and automates connectivity across domains. FRINX Machine enables zero-touch configuration for devices, transport service provisioning and software upgrades, among other key functions.

Results obtained by deploying Polystar's Performance Management Solution

Results Obtained

The migration and deployment are ongoing, with the legacy Performance Management solution expected to be gradually shut down. During the implementation phase, the two solutions are run in parallel, allowing for a graceful migration.

Once this phase has been completed — and more data has been accumulated in the DevOps platform — attention will turn to new use cases and new data sources, and to the automation of different processes.

Benefits Include:

  • Reduced maintenance and service costs
  • Hundreds of users trained in data access and insight discovery
  • Wider access to insights, across the organization, with more users
  • Accelerated problem resolution
  • Fewer calls to customer care
  • Flexibility to add new use cases and data sources
  • Enhanced CE across the network – extensible to new domains

Introduction of Zero-Touch Processes

In conclusion, the operator has transformed its Performance Management practice with the replacement of a legacy solution with a modern, DataOps-driven platform that integrates new sources of data and consolidated multiple silos, reducing costs and extending data access to more users.

At the same time, the data platform and tools from Polystar provide the foundation for an ongoing program of automation, introducing zero-touch processes and supporting the drive for efficient operations that drive ongoing Customer Experience enhancements and cost reduction.

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