Page 464 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

Network Management and Administration 3-255

What is needed is not just a specification of the technology to use and the communication patterns,
but the syntax and semantics of the interface. Two groups had been working on this within the scope of
the TMF: OSS through Java (OSS/J) and Multi-Technology Operations System Interface (MTOSI). These
two groups are now joining as the TMF Interface Program (TIP). While the success of TIP will need to
be evaluated over time, it has set out in the right direction.
By using these standardized interfaces, HP has successfully integrated its applications with those
developed by other vendors, cutting the integration costs by about half.
While the technology and communication patterns remain important, if interfaces are defined at the
syntactical and semantic level, it is possible to have the same interface with different integration profiles.
While OSS/J started defining interfaces only for EJB, two additional integration profiles were added:
XML/JMS and Web services. HP now implements their OSS interfaces using technology that allows
additional integration profiles to be easily created. A single adapter can communicate through mul-
tiple integration profiles simultaneously, allowing the most appropriate technology to be used. Different
technologies can be chosen to integrate two applications that are part of the same operations domain
as those that are controlled by different departments, or even those between the service provider and a
customer, yet the interfaces remain consistent.

3.10.5.1.2 Considerations for the Implementation View
After we determine the why, what, and how of a system, we finally come to the “with what” questions of
the architecture. While the business, functional, and technical views of an architecture provide critical
and necessary structure to the final system, the implementation view provides the bricks and mortar
that ultimately makes up the system. Two things need to be especially considered here: the deployment
steps that need to take place and the actual products that will be used.

3.10.5.1.3 Deployment Steps
Whether one is looking at an NGOSS, a regular OSS, or any other complex system, there is a basic set
of steps that need to be followed to ensure proper diligence. These can be summarized as define, design,
develop, deploy, and operate. The steps need to be brought together through program management.
3.10.5.1.3.1 Define The first step is to define or plan what needs to be done. This includes defining
the policies, principles, and architecture that will guide the implementation of the OSS. HP Services
uses the methodology outlined here to help service providers develop the necessary plans. While many
aspects of the architecture may match what is described here, every service provider has a different busi-
ness environment and business goals, resulting in each company’s architecture needing to be different.
An important aspect of planning is defining the sequence of phases that need to be followed to
transform an existing OSS into an NGOSS. Big-bang replacements do not work. The phasing needs to
determine which processes and applications need to be replaced and when. The complete OSS needs to
remain a viable and working system throughout the phases and rework needs to be minimized.
The definition stage should also validate that the plans are financially viable. Through processes like
HP’s Financial Returns Assessment, it is possible to understand the financial impact of each phase and
the complete transformation.
3.10.5.1.3.2 Design The design step takes the defined plans and provides the specifications needed to
be able to implement the system or phase. A valuable approach to use for the design step is to take the
business and functional views defined in the architecture and elaborate these into business scenarios, or
use cases, that can drive the design.
An important aspect of the design step is to select the components that will be used. Business rules
may mandate competitive selection of vendors, so the design step may need to include creating a Request
for Proposal and evaluating the submissions of the vendors.
The design needs to take into account not just the technology, but also the business processes that
need to be supported by the technology. To aid in keeping the technology aligned with the processes,