By Tom Van Caenegem, Technology Lead on Fixed Access at Nokia and OB-CAS Project Lead at Broadband Forum
More devices, more demanding applications and more connected users are adding complexity to our networks as we respond to greater requirements. Network automation is key for ISPs to scale and operate, and ISPs need to be able to operate their networks in an efficient way. Reactive and pro-active monitoring play a key role for improved maintenance and utilization of the network.
Broadband Forum’s Open Broadband CloudCO Application Software Development Kit (OB-CAS) is aiming to make monitoring and maintenance easier for ISPs by providing an open API framework through which applications can be easily integrated into their access network management platforms. Greater still, it is enabling ISPs to capitalize on a sea of applications at their fingertips to provide more efficient network management, resulting in an increased ARPU and lower OPEX.
Network automation reduces operational complexity
One of the main issues for network operators is the growth of operating costs for the network. The need for new digital technologies, cloud adoption, and IoT devices has soared, resulting in infrastructure complexity and data management challenges, which are quickly outpacing manual capabilities. Up to 95 percent of network changes are performed manually, resulting in operational costs two to three times higher than the cost of the network.
To align with the robust requirements for the network and the demands of the end user, software application vendors are increasingly introducing sophisticated solutions to enhance network management capabilities. This includes applications that enable service and network optimization, trend analysis, pro-active anomaly detection, network planning, and root cause analysis.
For network operations to become more efficient in managing a growing number of complex devices and services, it needs to become more dynamic and automated in the way it deploys these solutions.
OB-CAS: the open ecosystem for network automation software
As networks grow in complexity, automation is key for ISPs to scale and operate in an efficient way. Pro-active monitoring and closed-loop automation will play a key role for improved maintenance and utilization of the network and its services.
The Broadband Forum’s OB-CAS project is set to create an automated network management application ecosystem for the broadband industry. It will develop an open platform software environment to foster innovation and provide ISPs with the freedom to select fit-for-purpose applications from a community of independent software vendors.
The project aims to lower the barriers for developers to embed their software applications in a CloudCO environment enabling them to integrate their cloud applications into the application management ecosystem more easily. This allows products or services to be developed faster and ensures faster time-to-market.
OB-CAS builds on existing open source APIs and is ideally positioned for ISPs to introduce and embrace Automated Intelligent Management (AIM) as defined in BBF TR-436 and TR-486 specifications to help service providers automate their operations. Depending on the use case, the data analysis - with optional support from AI - and potential actions triggered by the result of the analysis can enable closed loop network automation. Closed loop network automation enables network management processes to be automated using real-time data and analytics, allowing service providers to continuously optimize network performance and ensure reliability.
The project team made an initial selection of existing open-source APIs, through which applications can access resources and (telemetry) data from the underlying network management platform. A sandbox environment will be created consisting of an App SDK, network device simulators and an access domain controller platform that leverages code developed in the OB-BAA project.
To demonstrate the principles of OB-CAS, the project team has developed an alarm correlation application which can result in faster troubleshooting performance.
Uniting the best-of-breed solutions for network automation
The broadband market is increasingly more competitive and offering different types of broadband connectivity options. To facilitate the shift towards an ecosystem that incorporates the intelligence and products from a number of different vendors, it is vital that the industry integrates global broadband standards and open source software to ease the complexity of network operations.
With the improved network maintenance and monitoring, processing of data and associated recommendations enabled by OB-CAS, service providers can offer improved end user experience, reduce operating costs and increase ARPU.
Management and data analysis software application providers are invited to join the project to help shape the API requirements and test the Software Development Kit to see how their applications can operate in a CloudCO environment. Learn more about how to participate and contribute to the OB-CAS project here.
You can also view a real-life OB-CAS demo at the Broadband Forum Member Pavilion – Stand C46 at Network X on October 8-10 in Paris, France. Register your attendance at the event here.