Page 537 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

4-68 CRC Handbook of Modern Telecommunications, Second Edition

4.4.5 Certification of SLAs

4.4.5.1 Difficulties with Different Techniques and Tools
In a multiprovider environment, there are many procedures and tools for supervising the quality of
Service-Level Management processes. The certification process helps to unify and simplify the imple-
mentation of processes and tools. Furthermore, the certification process helps determine whether pro-
cesses and tools are capable of meeting expectations. The overall goal is to use as many standards as
possible and for them to be as meaningful as possible to support operations. The certification process
concentrates on the basics, but permits the implementation of multiple options. These options relate to
the improvement of existing processes and tools through innovation.
4.4.5.2 Attributes of a Professional Solution
Open and standardized interfaces are required for the integration of measurement processes and
tools into the existing OSS/BSS (Operations Support Systems/Business Support Systems) environ-
ment. Scalability is also extremely important in order to manage growth. A very flexible reporting
system can help service providers to differentiate themselves from their competitors. These report-
ing systems are helpful in meeting the requirements of new technology, suppliers, services, and
customer needs. Some of the reports address future needs as well. Change is constant, and SLAs are
the key to success.
It is unfortunate when clients presume that they are not getting the right service for the right
price. But focusing simply on revenue is a short-sighted view. Open-minded views of service quality
are more important. These views allow the service provider to optimize network performance and
meet customer needs based upon existing network infrastructures. Both short-range and long-range
observations are important; modeling and traffic simulation help to predict the performance of future
network configurations.
Service providers are expected to understand their networks very well. Only those who understand
are able to utilize the infrastructure to offer high-quality services and achieve higher revenues. When
weaknesses are known, resources may be optimized to fill gaps and avoid bottlenecks. This may be
done without significant new investments in hardware and software. Return on investment (ROI) is
elementary for each service provider in these days. Service-Level Management solutions are gaining
momentum, and they help to achieve secure ROI for each service provider.
SLAs may vary greatly. Not everyone is interested in getting very detailed performance reports.
Management needs overview-type reports for their decision-making processes for investments.
Marketing and sales need reports about quality levels of new services or customer-level service quality.
SLA metrics may also be used successfully in billing and for control purposes.
One of the key certification criteria for SLAs and performance management are client-specific content
and a simple presentation format. Reports must be easily understandable for them to be used for service
improvements. Customer satisfaction is the key to success. Overseer must certify SLAS on the basis of
customer care and satisfaction.
New services will be accepted and implemented when quality requirements are met by using mutu-
ally accepted metrics.

4.4.5.3 Measurement Procedures
In all cases, a number of questions should by answered by the contracting parties at the very beginning:
• Art of information collection
• Time of measurements
• Overhead due to measurements
• Compression hierarchy of measurements
• Art of information presentation