VIEWPOINT

Shanthi Ravindran, Principal Analyst at Appledore Analysis, offered and launched the white paper An Structure Evolution: Pondering in another way to attain success on the Autonomous Networks Business Summit in Dubai, which TM Discussion board hosted through the Extremely-Broadband Discussion board (UBBF) 2023. The paper focuses on the structure evolution of Autonomous Networks (AN), outlines the most recent developments in AN, and affords a number of AN case research and options for the business.

Shanthi Ravindran, Principal Analyst at Appledore Analysis

The telecom business is present process vital transformation, as outlined within the white paper. With new applied sciences akin to 5G and cloud computing, main communications service suppliers (CSPs) have quite a few alternatives. Nevertheless, in addition they face stiff competitors from rising CSPs. To handle new networks successfully, CSPs should undertake an progressive mindset and make basic modifications. Within the new digital ecosystem, CSPs should additionally deploy agile AN to capitalize on the alternatives for income development. Surveys point out that the enterprise WAN market alone has the potential for income development exceeding USD 100 billion. To reap the benefits of these alternatives, CSPs should implement computerized and clever community operations.

AN implements self-management by means of a closed management loop, considerably bettering agility and operational effectivity. A hierarchical and loosely-coupled structure is important for AN. This structure includes totally different technical domains forming impartial, autonomous domains (AD) that work together with the cross-domain service orchestration layer by means of intent-driven APIs. Every AD should carry out closed-loop management for full-lifecycle service administration. This structure allows the seamless integration of recent applied sciences sooner or later. Famend gadget distributors in several domains have began growing AN controller based mostly on their experience. Many CSPs, together with China Cell and AIS Thailand, are actively deploying AN in numerous key situations.

The AN structure contains two layers: a technical-domain autonomous controller on the backside layer and a cross-domain service orchestrator on the higher layer. The underside layer contains units offered by distributors from totally different domains, whereas the higher layer is collectively deployed by system integrators and CSPs. Sooner or later, networks will evolve into an ecosystem the place providers are chosen from a site service library and assembled. This method is essential to bettering reusability and agility whereas additionally decreasing prices.

Rules for AN deployment embody:

• Whereas AN is a long-term technique, you will need to obtain fast wins to result in mindset modifications inside the group and ship rapid worth.
• The community consists of varied ADs and is domain-specific. Community software program and O&M software program should be layered and loosely coupled. Self-management of particular person technical domains should be realized with out affecting the service layer.
• Information and logic should be distributed as a substitute of being remoted in separate info silos.
• All interactions should be carried out based mostly on intents (declarative APIs) reasonably than crucial particulars.
• Intent translation should be achieved by means of numerous algorithms, akin to a rule engine and AI.
• Analytics and AI are crucial in guiding the management loop to heal, scale, and ultimately optimize.

To attain AN, CSPs have to redefine their processes, organizational constructions, and worker capabilities. Typical OSSs are intently tied to those constructions and should be reconstructed. Workers should additionally undertake a mindset that embraces the dynamic modifications in enterprise and know-how.

Regardless of the challenges, the telecom business is steadily working towards community intelligence. CSPs can start deploying ADs in key technical domains after which progressively develop towards cross-domain automation on the service layer. This transformation requires collaborative improvements in software program, {hardware}, and organizational processes. In the end, it’ll unlock the great potential of CSPs, enabling them to take part within the digital ecosystem and uncover new sources of development.

Learn the white paper at https://appledoreresearch.com/report/autonomous-networks-thinking-differently/.

Appledore Analysis is a world analysis and consulting agency specializing within the telecommunication and software program market. We offer market share, forecast, enterprise fashions, business pattern experiences, and customized analysis within the areas of community automation, 5G, Edge compute, SD-WAN, SDN, AI, and analytics, within the telecommunication and media market segments.