A logical layer of a telecommunication network is often very complex. The majority of the services provided to the customers are transmitted in various technologies: xWDM, IP / MPLS, SDH, PDH. These are directly supported by devices and systems of many different suppliers. Telecommunication operators are often forced to use several systems instead of one to manage their network efficiently which is without a doubt is a challenge. In most cases, data about the network and its services is stored in Network Management Systems (NMS) also dedicated to the very specific devices of a particular supplier. To make things even more complicated, there are still a few systems requiring manual configuration documented in separate files (e.g. Excel or Visio) without standardized formats.
- Verification of technical capabilities for new services
- Implementation of new services
- Disabling completed services
- Failure analysis
- Reconfiguration of the network due to failures and planned maintenance works
To complete all of these operations, network operators usually have to work simultaneously with several NMS systems (or other data sources). This situation can be easily changed with Logical Network Inventory (LNI). The system allows creating a complete model of the logical network in one database regardless of the number of NMS systems used to provide services to the end-customers. LNI supports operational activities (e.g. automatic path matching) and it can also generate complex reports on network capacity.
To run the network management process successfully using LNI, we need to first obtain data on the logical network configuration from both NMS and other sources. LNI Data Migration Tool (LNI DMT), created by Globema, helps to simplify and automate data collection and migration processes from legacy solutions to LNI.
The process of dispersed data integration using LNI DMT – practical application
One of our clients from the United States was managing their telecommunications network, supporting the energy infrastructure systems, basing mostly on ununified documentation stored in various databases. The network was expanding along with the company’s growth, which was also associated with intelligent metering. It became necessary to reorganize and unify data on network infrastructure. The client chose LNI as the solution best tailored to the project’s requirements.
To perform the data migration process with LNI DMT, we had to take the following steps:
- Collecting information from existing databases: NMS systems, dispersed paper / electronic documentation.
- Unification of data from various sources into one format, supporting internal LNI rules.
- Uploading standardized data to LNI using LNI DMT.
Benefits of using LNI DMT
- The unified data format (required by LNI DMT) standardizes the data migration process, which can be implemented by specialists of particular NMS and other data sources.
- Data migration is held in several iterations – from the most to the least important. This limits interference in the business model and ensures the continuity of network monitoring.
- The automated process means fast data implementation in the new production environment.
- During the data migration process, it is possible to verify and adapt it to the conceptual model and consistent network naming rules imposed by SW LNI.
- Loaded data is fully checked using LNI rules. This ensures the highest possible quality of information and its efficient processing.
Benefits of using LNI
Choosing Logical Network Inventory as a tool for storing information on the logical layer of a telecommunications network brings many benefits:
- Complete service overview in heterogeneous network
- Design / planning
- Reaction to unexpected situations / maintenance works
- Higher customer satisfaction
- A consistent picture of service resources at logical (regardless of technology provider) and physical level.
- Due to the wide spectrum of supported technologies (xWDM, SDH, SONNET, Ethernet, MPLS, CWDM, DWDM), LNI is a universal tool that can be used by telecommunications operators and companies from other various industries with own dedicated network.
- No necessity to track multiple NMS systems to identify the services.
- Bidirectional end-to-end call tracking.
- Planning new investments is more time- and cost-effective, by overall view on the following parameters:
- Existing own / leased resources
- New/planned resources
- Previously used technologies
- Operator’s internal services necessary to maintain the network.
- Designation and mapping cut-off recipients in case of failure or planned works on the network infrastructure.
- Minimizing the number of users without services due to the quick reconfiguration of network connections.
- Proactive notification of customers about the unavailability of services.
- Quick response to customer inquiries about the availability of services at a given address.
- The ability to provide the highest quality telecommunications services, thanks to access to the current network capacity, using its full potential.
Do you want to manage your network easier and more effective? The growing number of data systems makes your work time and cost consuming? Maybe you’re planning new investments, but the solutions and tools you use are no longer sufficient?
