Telecom Operation Support System reimagined: cloudifying tomorrow's operational landscape

1. Introduction

At a time when the telecommunications industry is rapidly evolving, a radical new approach is needed to reap the benefits of cutting-edge technologies. Traditional Operations Support Systems (OSS) must transform to meet the demands of modern networks. This transformation hinges on integrating telecom expertise with IT innovation to create a cloud-native, open-source-driven ecosystem that helps telecom organizations stay competitive and agile.

2. Current market situation

3. NTT DATA's Next Gen OSS solution design principle

NTT DATA's Next Gen OSS solution was developed based on the principle of three layers designed to tackle the challenges mentioned above while helping operators capture the associated business opportunities:

• Cross-silo integration: This layer focuses on enabling full integration across processes, ensuring end-to-end visibility and actionability.
• COTS and open-source combination: This principle blends commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions with open-source components to maximize capital and operational expenditure potential.
• Decoupled layers for end-to-end automation: This layer emphasizes the importance of decoupling hardware and software to drive virtualization maturity and cloud-native network evolution, while enabling end-to-end automation through an API-centric strategy.

4. NTT DATA's Next Gen OSS implementation methodology

Based on our design principle, our implementation methodology also plays an important role in the development and implementation of our Next Gen OSS. By adopting this methodology, NTT DATA can provide end-to-end service from consulting to system implementation. Our methodology consists of 1. Center of Excellence, 2. Adaptation of cloud-native and open source architecture, and 3. Comprehensive OSS framework.

Centers of Excellence for open networks:

NTT DATA's Network CoE has been dedicated to accumulating and evolving open and disaggregated network technology, as well as legacy technologies. Network CoE also plays a critical role in driving innovation, ensuring that the latest advances are integrated into the OSS framework. Through investments in assets, a go-to-market strategy and active participation with international organizations, we have positioned ourselves as a leader in 5G development and beyond. The focus on adopting open-source projects and XaaS models further enhances this agility, allowing for continuous innovation and improvement.

Cloud-native and open source architecture:

Our Next Gen OSS architecture is designed to deliver a robust, scalable, and flexible framework for telecom operators. Key features include an integration layer that supports a cloud-native microservices approach, ensuring scalability and adaptability to dynamic network demands. The architecture emphasizes open architecture principles, embracing open data and open-source technologies to enhance interoperability and foster innovation.

This fully managed and automated system supports industry-specific API adoption, ensuring standardized and seamless integration with other solutions. Security is paramount, with secured access for both external users and internal applications. The architecture also provides a unified view of events, metrics and network entities, enabling operators to manage their networks with a comprehensive and consistent interface. Overall, the architecture offers a future-proof, scalable and highly automated solution tailored to meet the evolving needs of telecom operators.

Figure 1: Next Gen OSS architecture

Comprehensive OSS architectural framework:

NTT DATA's cutting-edge OSS architectural framework was developed to address the diverse needs of telecom operators, offering a comprehensive and scalable solution designed for modern network management. This framework includes an advanced assurance module that ensures consistent network performance and service quality.

Central to our solution is the federation of inventories and a unified topological view, which eliminates data replication and provides accurate network representation. We use standardized orchestration, adhering to TM Forum standards, to enable zero-touch provisioning for both B2C and B2B products, streamlining operations and reducing manual effort.

Our framework supports multivendor end-to-end network slicing through a flexible combination of modules and third-party components, ensuring efficient resource management. It simplifies automation by decoupling functional and technical features, which accelerates system integration and enhances operational efficiency. It also includes specific support for fully standardized Open RAN networks, including Non-RT-RIC and multivendor integration.

Figure 2: NTT DATA's comprehensive OSS architectural framework

The solution is built on several key components, including user portals for a unified data view and an enrichment engine, an automation engine, a notification engine, an analysis engine, a correlation engine, a knowledge engine, a data-collection engine, a configuration engine and a discovery engine. These elements collectively support a vision of Next Gen OSS architecture characterized by open integration, open data, open-source technologies, full management and automation. Key features of the framework include cloud-native scalability, industry-standard API adoption, secured access, seamless integration, a unified view of network metrics, zero-touch automation, massive data-processing capabilities and portability across major hyperscalers and private cloud vendors. This robust framework ensures that telecom operators can efficiently manage their networks while adapting to the evolving technological landscape.

5. Use cases

6. The future roadmap

Building on the foundation of our cutting-edge OSS architectural framework, we're committed to evolving and expanding our solutions to meet the ever-changing demands of the telecom industry. Our roadmap focuses on enhancing the flexibility, scalability and efficiency of our OSS framework to support the next generation of network technologies.

• Expansion of cloud-native capabilities: Continue to strengthen our cloud-native architecture, enabling telecom operators to leverage the full potential of cloud technology. Includes deeper integration with leading cloud providers, ensuring seamless scalability, cost optimization and enhanced resilience in network operations.
• Advanced AI-driven automation: The integration of advanced AI and machine-learning algorithms to drive automation in network management. Incorporate predictive analytics and self-healing capabilities to achieve fully autonomous, zero-touch operations.
• Enhanced multivendor interoperability: Broaden our support for multivendor environments, focusing on improving interoperability and flexibility. Further refine our framework to facilitate easier integration with a wider range of third-party components, ensuring that operators can seamlessly manage diverse network elements.
• Next-generation network slicing and orchestration: Extend our support for end-to-end network slicing, enabling operators to efficiently manage resources in increasingly complex network environments. Develop more sophisticated orchestration tools, adhering to evolving TM Forum standards, to ensure seamless and automated service delivery across both B2C and B2B markets.
• Open RAN and 5G integration: Enhance support for Open RAN and 5G networks within our OSS framework. Includes optimizing integration with Non-RT-RIC and ensuring full compliance with emerging standards to facilitate robust multivendor network deployments.
• User-centric enhancements: Prioritize the development of user-centric features, such as advanced dashboards and analytics tools, to give operators deeper insights into and greater control over their networks. These tools will improve decision-making, optimize performance and simplify the management of complex network environments.
• Continuous innovation and collaboration: On-going innovation through collaboration with industry partners, standards bodies and telecom operators. Continue to invest in R&D, pilot new technologies and contribute to the evolution of global telecom standards to ensure our solutions remain at the forefront of the industry.

This roadmap reflects NTT DATA's commitment to providing telecom operators with the tools and technologies needed to navigate the complexities of modern networks, drive operational efficiency and unlock new business opportunities.