IP-based networks offer unprecedented opportunities to integrate business systems and services. Services providers that adopt IP NGNs can break through the limitations of multiprotocol, multi-network architectures or proprietary systems that drive up cost and complexity.

The primary objective of the IP NGN Expertise Center's OSS Delivery Service is to provide solution development and deployment services for FAB:

• Fulfillment, or timely delivery of customer orders
• Assurance, or timely response and resolution of customer- or network-triggered problems, and management of all aspects of services
• Billing systems for timely and accurate customer billings

Cisco OSS Delivery Services enable FAB by providing:

• Operations assessment using industry standard Enhanced-Telecom Operations Map (e-TOM) and New-Generation (NGOSS) models. Cisco uses the eTOM Business Process Framework to identify gaps in the current state architecture (CSA) and then to fill those gaps by defining the target state architecture (TSA) that can support emerging services.
• End-to-end, "plug-and-play" management capabilities across the network.
• OSS deployment services and training for Cisco and third-party applications.
• Secure and scalable IP services creation across multiple platforms and products.

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Cisco OSS Delivery Services increase the value of your operations staff by relieving personnel of many routine management tasks, freeing them up for strategic, revenue-generating activities. Administrative burden decreases when intelligent and robust automated management capabilities are built into the network itself. By using industry standards for protocols, links, and application programming interfaces (APIs), Cisco can build or write applications that easily integrate with an existing framework, making it easier to deploy systems.

Service providers often use different support systems for Business Management, Service Management, Network Management, and Element Management-that do not share information. In fact, systems within each layer often do not integrate. Cisco overcomes the problem with its Service-Oriented Architecture.

Cisco Systems uses a deployment methodology based on a six-phase project lifecycle: prepare, plan, design, implement, operate, and optimize (PPDIOO). Using a systematic process and standardized templates, the IP NGN Expertise Center can provide you with rapid assessment and high-quality development and deployment.

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During the transition to an IP NGN, service providers rarely need make wholesale network or business application upgrades because the cost and risk is seldom warranted. Instead, you can make incremental changes as you build out the foundation. Such changes often require integration with other systems using different platforms, software architecture, and network protocols. A Service-Oriented Architecture, or SOA, facilitates integration by representing every application or resource as a service with a standard interface.

The Cisco IP NGN Expertise Center applies the Service-Oriented Architecture by using an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) that unifies and connects services, application, and resources within a business. The ESB manages connectivity needs by providing standards-based application integration with support for Web services, message-based transport, and mediation. You gain the flexibility to quickly combine new and existing applications to address your changing business needs and more readily reflect business processes.

In today's competitive environment, service providers strive to reduce time to market and improve profitability. A well-defined OSS architecture is critical and strategic to success.

To see how you can increase your service offerings, enhance the customer experience, and reduce your costs, try the Cisco OSS demonstration.