A report by Stratecast - a division of Frost & Sullivan
Executive Summary
Network planning and engineering, like most OSS/BSS functions, is being reinvented to support a rapidly evolving and changing infrastructure and service environment. While core networks have largely been converted to run IP/MPLS over fiber, aggregation and access networks are still in transition. Access networks include radio access networks (RANs) for mobile services as well as copper, cable, and fiber distribution networks running a variety of protocols and applications. Designing network infrastructure has always included cable plant, switching/routing, capacity and redundancy designs but now engineers must also contend with designing service elements and access networks that include variable technologies, protocols, and capacities. In addition, communication service providers (CSPs) that serve business customers must accommodate virtual local area networks (VLANs), high quality unified communications, secure remote data transfer and storage, and other complex offerings in addition to traditional virtual private networks (VPNs).
In response, vendors have developed products to design and optimize individual network segments (e.g., RANs, fiber distribution, IP interconnect) as well as offerings that address both the physical and logical connectivity required. Some are based on geographical information services (GIS) that track the exact location of fibers, routers and network elements; others are integrated with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that track assets and create a bill-of-materials and purchase orders. However, as networks converge and bandwidth becomes precious, network planning and engineering can no longer be accomplished on a segment by segment basis. CSPs are looking for network planning and engineering tools that accommodate multiple network segments and access, aggregation and core technologies while maintaining a current view of assets. Beyond that are the workflow issues of ensuring that field personnel have access to current views of the network, understand where infrastructure is installed, determine what changes need to be made, and then accurately track those changes to ensure timely repairs and restoration of service. Integration with finance, marketing, sales, fulfillment, and assurance is also becoming critical both for data input to the planning process and access to the subsequent designs.
This report will outline the need for next generation tools to support network planning and engineering that are inclusive of business and service needs. In addition to profiles of vendor products, Stratecast has documented implementation of these tools that further highlight the strategies of CSPs in specific markets.