Ericsson announces strategy for management of packet backbone networks

Ericsson announces strategy for management of packet backbone networks - Enhanced carrier-class management solutions enable wireless and wireline operators to provide and maintain end-to-end quality services for both IP and ATM backbone networks Ericsson today announced, at the TeleManagement World exhibition in Nice, France, a strategy for managing backbone networks with its enhanced Multiservice Management Suite (MMS). This strategy ensures operators a reduced cost of network ownership, rapid introduction of next generation services and ability to introduce different service levels for the highest customer satisfaction. Ericsson's MMS is a comprehensive portfolio of flexible, carrier-class IP and ATM management applications that address the core requirements for managing multiservice backbone networks, including provisioning, monitoring and billing for services and guaranteeing Quality of Service offerings. MMS is designed to operate across Ericsson's recently announced Packet Backbone Network (PBN), a carrier-class data backbone for wireless and wireline operators transitioning to next generation networks. Ericsson's PBN hardware platforms currently include the AXI 520 IP Core Router, AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router and the AXD 301 High-Performance ATM Switch. MMS incorporates both Ericsson-developed applications as well as those from a variety of best-in-class partners including EHPT, Micromuse Inc., Remedy Corporation and BullSoft, the worldwide software division of Bull. The MMS strategy combines Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), central databases and directory services. Those elements create a common information model that enables applications to share data and communicate among themselves for ease of configuration and managing service levels across backbone networks. Ericsson also provides integration services that allow operators to utilize existing legacy management systems and augment them with these new and enhanced MMS applications. "Managing public operator networks is a much larger task than managing LANs, and in many cases, requires integration into existing management systems," says Ragnar Erkander, Ericsson Datacom's general manager of infrastructure. "As wireline and wireless operators transition to packet backbones, Ericsson's ability to provide integration services for MMS will be critical. These services allow operators to protect initial investments by integrating new and existing management systems and network elements." MMS includes new products and enhancements to Ericsson's existing management offerings, and addresses the challenges of managing backbone networks in four key areas - network provisioning, service and network assurance, service provisioning and customer care and billing. Network Provisioning involves configuration of network elements, sub- networks and networks. Ericsson's MMS addresses network provisioning with the following application: * Network Resource Manager (NRM) is a distributed and secure management application for provisioning IP environments. New enhancements enable NRM to support the following Ericsson PBN platforms: AXI 520 IP Core Router and AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router. NRM is currently available. Service and Network Assurance involves monitoring and assuring Quality of Service while keeping the network running and problem-free. MMS addresses these challenges with five applications: * Network Surveillance Multiservice (NSM) is a new application to MMS that provides visibility of topology and alarm status for efficient fault management. NSM is based on Ericsson's Network Surveillance product, with added support for packet backbone networks. NSM supports the Ericsson PBN platforms: AXD 301 ATM Switch and AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router, as well as the AXD 311 Multiservice ATM Edge Switch and the AXD 321 Integrated Access Device. NSM is currently available. * Service Level Manager (SLM) provides fault and service-level management for IP networks. New enhancements to SLM include the ability to monitor Internet services such as dial-up access, RADIUS authentication and HTTP web servers, as well as support for additional network elements. SLM supports the Ericsson PBN platforms: AXI 520 IP Core Router and AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router, as well as the AXC 711 Tigris MultiService Access Platform and Ericsson's range of DWDM optical solutions, known as ERION. SLM is currently available. * Performance Monitor (PMR) provides information about overall network performance and supports the retrieval, storage and analysis of performance measurements. PMR supports the Ericsson PBN platform: AXD 301 ATM Switch. PMR is currently available. * Internet Network Monitor (INM) is a new application that collects, stores and forwards performance characteristics that network operators can use to detect and analyze delays in IP networks. INM supports all of Ericsson's IP products, including the PBN platforms. INM is currently available. * Trouble Manger (TM) is a trouble ticketing application that dispatches trouble tickets to appropriate engineers regarding network problems reported by other MMS applications, needing repair. TM is currently available. Service Provisioning involves rapidly provisioning services while simultaneously making any necessary modifications to network elements. Ericsson addresses service provisioning with the following application: * Connection Manager (CMG) is a new application that automates end-to-end network configuration and provisioning activities to allow operators to manage connection-oriented technologies such as ATM. CMG supports the Ericsson PBN platform: AXD 301 ATM Switch. CMG is currently available. Customer Care and Billing addresses the customer-facing aspects of an operator's offerings, including billing and "self care" services. MMS addresses this area with the following applications: * Billing Gateway (BGw) is a billing mediation application for heterogeneous networks that provides a gateway between operators' billing systems and their network equipment, and converts diverse usage data into a consistent, usable format. BGw supports the Ericsson PBN platform: AXD 301 ATM Switch as well as the AXD 311 ATM Edge Switch. BGw is currently available. * NET-CHARGER is a flexible IP billing and customer care solution, from partner EHPT, with charging principles that allow operators to control their revenue stream, including web-based customer and services registration, multidimensional rating and processing, account statement and invoice preparation and web-based account and invoice queries. NET- CHARGER is currently available. In addition to packet backbone management products, Ericsson provides a complete line of wireless and wireline management solutions from its Telecom Management Systems unit. Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of Mobile Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications tools. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for customers all over the world. Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Paula Angel-Jones, Director Public Relations, Ericsson Datacom Inc. Phone: +1 781 505 6245; E-mail: paula.angel-jones@ericsson.com Ragnar Erkander, General Manager, Infrastructure, Ericsson Datacom Inc. Phone: + 46 8 719 4245; E-mail: ragnar.erkander@etx.ericsson.se About MMS For more information on the MMS and the range of leading Ericsson datacom management applications, please visit Ericsson Datacom's website at: http://www.ericsson.com/datacom About Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network (PBN) is an Internet-class, carrier- class data backbone and a key component to both wireless and wireline operators' transitions to next generation networks. PBN enables operators to offer new or expanded services over an IP infrastructure in an extremely reliable and ultra-scalable configuration. PBN is based on the following hardware platforms from Ericsson: the AXI 520 IP Core Routers, AXI 540 Edge Aggregation Router and AXD 301 High-Performance ATM Switch. PBN includes a Multiservice Management Suite (MMS) of products that includes in-house developed tools optimized for next generation networks and tools from best-in-class partners to address management issues in four key areas: network provisioning, service provisioning, service and network assurance, customer care and billing. PBN also employs Ericsson's innovative range of robust DWDM optical networking products: ERIcsson Optical Networking (ERION). For more information on Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network, see: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom/20000505-0011.html ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/24/20000524BIT00680/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/24/20000524BIT00680/bit0002.pdf