Take the road to operational efficiency with next-generation software maintenance

sandra.decius
October 22, 2012
IN: Mobile networks
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This post is by Manish Chandra from the Nokia Siemens Networks Services team

How can operators be sure their software assets are delivering the highest possible efficiency?
Here’s a scenario that provides the answer to this question. Mr. Smith, head of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) at a large mobile operator, was looking for ways to improve the operational efficiency of his company’s O&M activities especially around software assets.

His main objectives included:
• Minimal network downtime
• Reliable fault prevention with regular software updates
• Raised operational efficiency
• Higher degree of O&M automation

Mr. Smith had defined a clear scope of responsibility for his internal team, who handle all the routine maintenance. He understood that prevention brings clear benefits, and therefore preventive maintenance is his priority. In fact, there was a major alarm in the network of Mr. Smith’s company recently. The source of the alarm was a radio network controller (RNC) that handled a significant amount of the operator’s traffic. To tackle the problem, Mr. Smith had mobilized a large internal team, but he learned afterwards that he could have avoided the entire incident with regular follow-up of recurring RNC software updates and regular checks. Mr. Smith also realized that if his team collaborated on a regular basis with experts from his vendor, potential network faults could be identified earlier, categorized and avoided, in many cases in a collaborative and preventive manner. So Mr. Smith came to understand that he needed a different approach to tackle O&M issues.

With this in mind, he met the expert team from Nokia Siemens Networks, and together they made a detailed analysis of his O&M challenges. The expert team proposed an “Active Software Support Service” (ASWS) package to help Mr. Smith reduce the workload per work item by analyzing the triggers for operational actions like alarms, trouble tickets and work orders.

The ASWS package, which also included 24/7 health check (preventive services) of the network elements, provided substantial benefits to Mr. Smith’s team. It also provided an easy, transparent view of the ‘quality status’ of network elements. The vendor’s expert team was able to improve the efficiency of field maintenance by coordinating and grouping tasks and reducing the number of site visits. The ASWS package also helped Mr. Smith make some critical decisions on capacity optimization in the network.

As a result, Mr. Smith needed no convincing of the significant role that ASWS could play to improve network performance. Extended ASWS features and product coverage, smooth contacts and collaboration with the vendor team via ‘online application support’ were the key factors for successful preventive maintenance and operational efficiency improvements. They were further backed up by a comprehensive set of key performance indicators for better management of network performance and quality.

What are your views about making the most of software investments via enriched software support services? Please share your thoughts and ideas on managing software assets in today’s networks.

Nokia Siemens Networks is offering a new generation software maintenance services. Click here for more information.