Unlocking the Future of Telecom with Advanced Network Automation Technologies

Clarifying the Terminology and Layers of Network and Service Automation

However, there are many different terms of reference used in relation to network and service automation, which are often used interchangeably and in potentially confusing ways. However, there are layers of capability shown in the following diagram and description that may help to avoid inconsistency.

 

Foundational Concepts in Network Automation

The bedrock of telecom network automation lies in several key concepts that have evolved over time, with each playing a distinct role in the complete network automation landscape. Each layer sees an increase in abstraction and automation from managing the network itself (navy blue cloud):

Network Observability: This foundational layer (in orange) provides deep insights into the network's operational state by correlating various events, telemetry data, and network topology into a coherent data set. These tools employ complex algorithms to contextualise network operations, ensuring that network administrators have a clear and comprehensive view of network and service health. It also provides insights into the operational state of the many other elements that make up the technology estate, including IT and cloud infrastructure that underpins network virtualisation technologies and OSS/BSS stacks themselves.

Network AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for Operations): At this layer (in grey), the focus is on leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning models to predict potential network anomalies before they occur. In addition to being proactive, AIOps can also deliver reactive improvements by identifying patterns, root causes and recommending next actions to perform (including initiating automations). Proactively recommended actions can thereby reduce downtime and improve service quality.

Closed Loop Assurance: Building upon the observability and AIOps capabilities / layers, closed loop assurance (in yellow) introduces self-healing capabilities into the network. By autonomously detecting and rectifying faults, this aspect of network automation has the potential to play a crucial role in enhancing network resilience and service reliability.

Autonomous Networks: Representing a more advanced stage of automation than some of the closed-loop assurance rules, autonomous networks (in light blue) aim for complete operational autonomy - from service deployment to ongoing assurance. In doing so, it thereby significantly reduces the need for human intervention and enables more agile network operations.

Intent-Based Networks (IBN): At the pinnacle of network automation (and abstraction from complexities of dealing with the underlying networks), IBN (in green) shifts the paradigm from managing 'how' the network performs tasks to defining 'what' the desired outcome should be. By expressing intent, network operators can dynamically adapt what happens in the tech stack to achieve desired outcomes, thereby aligning network operations with business objectives.

Impact on OSS/BSS Stacks

The progressive realisation of these technological advances should have significant implications for the future of OSS/BSS stacks in telecom operations, spanning multiple dimensions, including:

• Enhanced Efficiency and Reduced Costs: Automation technologies minimise manual interventions, reducing the likelihood of human error and accelerating response times. This not only improves operational efficiency but also translates into cost savings through optimised resource utilisation and reduced labour expenses. This factor alone is the “perfect solution” that the telco industry craves. However, it also scares many in the industry because it represents a significant operational change where ramifications are not yet fully known

• Agility and Scalability: As customer demands evolve and operational states change constantly throughout each day, telecom providers must be able to quickly deploy new services and then assure and scale existing ones. Automation enables this agility, allowing OSS/BSS stacks to dynamically adapt to changing health status, market conditions and customer requirements

• Improved Customer Experience: Self-healing is a primary objective of automations. By ensuring higher network uptime and enabling rapid service restoration when outages do occur, automated networks contribute to a superior customer experience, which is a critical competitive differentiator in the telecom industry. When all competing networks are more-or-less fully operational, then network reliability isn’t such a front-of-mind factor. However, whenever a major outage occurs, a significant advantage is handed to competitors as many customers tend to churn

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The vast amounts of data generated by automated network solutions can be harnessed to inform strategic decision-making. Predictive analytics can help in ensuring network health, but can equally be used for forecasting demand, optimising network capacity and guiding optimal infrastructure investments

• Innovation Facilitation: Operational staff today are often kept busy just keeping the network and services available. Once the heavy lifting of network management is being handled by automation technologies, telecom operators have the opportunity to redirect their focus towards innovation. Based on the assumption of resource reallocation to higher-value tasks rather than purely cost reduction, automation could facilitate the development of innovative new services, practices and business models

Challenges and Considerations of Automation

Despite its potential, the transition to fully automated networks is not without challenges. Interoperability between different vendors' equipment, the integration of legacy systems and the need for highly-skilled personnel to build, then manage advanced automation tools are all hurdles that must be overcome. Additionally, as networks become more autonomous, security concerns become paramount. Safeguarding against cyber threats in an increasingly automated environment requires robust security protocols and continuous vigilance. Other safeguards need to be put in place for:

• "Runaway processes," is where there is a loss of control over automations, or sometimes as a result of clashing automations, which can lead to escalating / accelerating failures or undesired actions without human intervention or oversight

• “Automation complacency" where users become over-reliant on automated systems and fail to properly monitor and intervene when needed

• "Automation bias," which refers to the tendency to favour suggestions from automated systems and to ignore contradictory information made without automation, even if the latter is correct

Telco Automation Summary

The evolution of telecom network automation technologies is already transforming the landscape of OSS/BSS stacks. By integrating network observability, AIOps, closed loop assurance, autonomous networks, and intent-based networking, telecom operators can significantly improve tech-stack health, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and even the potential capacity for innovation. As these technologies continue to mature, their more widespread adoption will become a hallmark of forward-thinking telecom providers and OSS/BSS providers. 

However, the journey towards fully automated networks is a lofty and complex goal. The benefits of the up-side potential of automation are irrefutable. For telecom operators, the message is unequivocal: embrace automation or risk obsolescence in an industry that is relentlessly marching towards an automated future.