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Recently, China Mobile and Huawei showcased the innovative catalyst project, build value-to-development driven network O&M transformation, (Catalysts Project C21.0.266) at TM Forum Digital Transformation World Summit 2021(DTWS 21).

TMF Autonomous Network has become the major driver for digital transformation in CSPs. China Mobile Group is making reference to TMF’s Autonomous Network (AN) architecture and proceeding digital transformation in Group level. Currently, we are in the critical stage to transform from Level 2 to Level 3 and aims to achieve Level 4 by 2025. 

In this project, we have developed a Value-to-Development Driven Control Loop mechanism which facilitate CSPs to develop the Intent-Driven Control Loop as per requested by TMF for AN architecture and a Network O&M Transformation Model which is China Mobile transformation practice case for in-house AN capabilities development that supported by No-Code tools, Huawei GDE Low-Code tools and Pro-Code tools

1. Industry Challenges

Nowadays, CSPs are transforming towards Autonomous Network and they are facing many challenges like how and effectively deploy AN capabilities for different O&M scenarios as well as how to handle those surplus staff after the AN deployment. 

Same as other global operators, it is also our challenges on how to improve customer experience and service quality throughout the following two major enhancements during the transformation:

– Orchestrate & invoke network capabilities automatically for different O&M scenarios. However, CSPs are traditionally supported by third parties to develop new capabilities over IT systems. The development efficiency is almost lower than the expectation since third party developers are not fully understand our operation processes and scenarios which resulting in high developing cost.

– Driving internal staff transformation towards new roles. After the Autonomous Network deployment, manual maintenance activities will be replaced by autonomous capabilities. Therefore driving internal staff transformation to new roles is one of the best way to re-deploy those staffs with new capabilities.

2. Catalyst Project & Solutions
 
As mentioned in TMF Autonomous Network related documents, Intent-Driven interactions and closed control loop are mandatory for autonomous networks. In order to make the development of the control loop be simple and easy, a Value-to-Development Driven Control Loop mechanism is built. 
 
The purpose of this Value-to-Development Driven Control Loop is to facilitate CSPs to develop the Intent-Driven Control Loop based on value operations and close the loop once the activity is finished. This mechanism allows developers easier to understand the intent requirement from business initiatives, design the operation tasks (awareness, analysis, decision and execution) and close the control loop to feedback corresponding information/data at the end of each perspective.
 
 
The O&M Transformation Model is our practice cases for in-house development of Autonomous Network capabilities. It includes 
 
1. Develop new roles with new capabilities for internal staffs to transform from on-site equipment maintenance to Autonomous development roles, they are Network Policy Engineer for Autonomous product & professional rules design, Application Orchestration Engineer for IT development and Data Analytics Engineer for Data analysis modeling & value assessment. 
 
2. Build Full Stack DevOps Platform with agile development tools. The platform provide Orchestration Center, RPA No-code development tools, Huawei GDE Low-code tool and python java Pro-code tools which supporting staff requirements on different development skills.
 
3. Standardize R&D processes with control loop management, which mainly composed of three steps, intent management, agile development and value assessment. In intent management, Network Policy Engineer and Data Analytics Engineer are responsible for Business Scenario Identification, Autonomous Capabilities and data algorithm design. Agile Development process is mainly depended on SCRUM Development Model including backlog compiling, Sprint Plan Meeting and Daily Task Meeting so that the development task can be completed as planned by Application Orchestration Engineer. Finally, Data Analytics Engineer will conduct value assessment for close loop of value achievement.
 
 
We have applied the captioned to our O&M scenarios where Zero-X user experience as well as Self-X capabilities are deployed: 
 
– Self-Provisioning of Cloud Leased Line Service with Zero-Wait experience
– Self-Inspection for Cloud Resource Pool with Zero-Touch experience
– 5G Fault Management Robot with Zero-Touch experience
– Cut-Over Management Robot with Zero-Touch experience
– Network Complaint Management Robot with Zero-Touch experience
 
3. Value & Established Result
 
The New Network O&M model is established and successfully practiced in China Mobile Jiang Su Corporation. L3 Autonomous capabilities for 5 Zero-Wait and Zero-Touch core O&M functions are deployed with our “Value-to-Development Driven Control Loop” mechanism.
 
As a result, our Catalysts project has achieved significant result in business value, such as:
 
– Shortened provisioning lead time for leased-line by 50%
– Guaranteed more than 3 million USD new revenues
– Improved maintenance efficiency by 70%
 
In addition, 30+ internal staffs are successfully transformed from on-site equipment maintenance to Autonomous development with improvement on their R&D capabilities as well.
 
The long-term objective of us is to leverage the experience granted from this valuable Catalysts project to facilitate China Mobile Group to achieve L4 AN and sustainable for on-going efficiency improvement, cost reduction, quality improvement and new service benefits generation.
 
We do believe that our experience in this project will also be worthwhile for other global operators so that they can make reference to and develop autonomy network successfully in future. 
 
If you are interesting on our project, please feel free to browse our Catalysts Space at the below link:

 
 

 

 

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