Page 404 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

Network Management and Administration 3-195

in their own domains. However, they want more business from telecommunications service provid-
ers. Using their strong positions, they can broaden their one-stop-shopping offers through strategic
acquisitions—and they have been doing so over the past couple of years.

3.7.6.3 Potential Entrants
Potential entrants include Computer Associates, Hewlett-Packard, Nortel, SAP, Sun, and Telcordia.
Some of these companies come from the enterprise network management market. Telcordia main-
tains a strong OSS/BSS portfolio but needs new, innovative, and lean products in addition. HP has
been very ambitious under its new leadership. This acquisition of EDS places them in the front posi-
tion with respect to professional services. Surprisingly, SAP has been very passive in terms of solu-
tion offerings for service providers. Maintaining its strong ERP position will not be enough over the
long term.
3.7.6.4 Smaller, Mostly Private Buyers
Companies in this group include Aricent, Comptel, Exfo, InfoVista, Intec, Ixia, and Subex. Each of these
companies has excellent niche products and, as a result, good entry positions with telcos. Subex is in the
process of putting together a portfolio through acquisitions. This portfolio will consist of a management
framework, provisioning software, and billing and revenue assurance applications. This offer can be
completed by outsourcing professional services to India.
Table 3.7.1 gives an overview on available products and solutions. This table must be considered
dynamic given that new entrants and suppliers will appear, portfolio changes will be made, and certain
products and services will be retired. The list is recommended only as a starting point when evaluating
suppliers and their offers.

3.7.7 Summary and Trends
Management frameworks are key for successfully managing communication infrastructures. The frame-
works of the future will include very strong core components and a rich set of management applications.
These management applications will be provided by independent software vendors and will address
management process areas that are important for telecommunications services suppliers and enterprise
users. Integration is most likely deeper in the telecommunications industry than in the enterprise envi-
ronment. Some management applications are the same for both areas. Web technologies will take over
certain integration tasks. OSS/BSS framework suppliers will follow the business process trends expected
with service providers, such as opening their infrastructures to content providers, supporting external
application development, and engaging in careful use of open source software. Most likely, framework
suppliers will be differentiated according to the field they support best. This categorization will follow
industry trends and will include the following groups: infrastructure, domain management, service
delivery platforms, customer care, service fulfillment, service assurance, and billing and revenue assur-
ance. OSS/BSS framework suppliers are expected to support strong and secure information exchange
alternatives with customers, workforces, and partners of service providers.