How well can Intelligent Network Automation Assist Operators?

FREMONT, CA – As the emerging technologies such as 5G, internet of things (IoT), and cloud computing are taking over the communication industry, operators are trying to migrate from traditional network management to intelligent network automation. The overwhelming demands of the technological era have necessitated the incorporation intelligent network automation, without which organizations might find it almost impossible to scale the requirements of the rapidly changing network.

However, the approach adopted by the operators in transitioning into an automated network management system (NMS) is of vital importance. To enable quick time-to-market for services like IoT, the automated NMS should directly enable services according to the requirements of the application as well as intent. An automated NMS can automatically recover from network degradation and network behavior variations, eliminating the downtime associated with manual recovery. Also, it can interpret network configuration parameters and facilitate end-to-end networks based on the requirement.

The effective incorporation of automated NMS requires a seamless transition which does not disrupt the operations. In this regard, operators can also consider the utilization of overlay-based systems, which allows phase-by-phase deployment, incorporating automation subsequently as required by the operations. Adopting this strategy will enable operators to quickly onboard new services, meet customer commitments, and optimize network processes.

The adoption of automated NMS should complement the existing network services and configurations. Hence, operators need to consider the impact of automation on different levels of network management, including fault management, configuration, accounting, performance, and security.

An intelligent NMS overlay can enable seamless integration into the existing network services. It can integrate machine learning-based algorithms to enhance internal workflows. Consequently, the recovery capabilities of internal workflows can increase. Besides, it can predict potential network degradation based on the internal network and external events, and provide relevant data to facilitate efficient network recovery.

Organizations can leverage the capabilities of automated multi-domain systems to automate the connectivity of interfaces in the elementary management systems. Intelligent network automation can facilitate service-oriented operations, which allows organizations to better cater to the needs of the customer.  Also, intelligent automation can empower the NMS to efficiently control the network components and resolve issuers without human intervention. Based on the efficiency of automated NMS, there is no question about the benefits of its incorporation into the network systems.