EXFO introduces what it is calling the industry's first solution that automatically links performance measurements to network topology to enable service degradation diagnosis in record time. EXFO Ontology's automated common cause analysis module uses insights from the company’s network/service topology and real-time performance analytics solutions to automate the most labor-intensive steps of the troubleshooting process. Communications service providers (CSP) can find the source of severe service disruptions quickly, even those that arise from obscure network transmission problems that are otherwise difficult to pinpoint.
CSPs have flagged the deficit of automation in service assurance applications and lack of integration of assurance across services and infrastructures as important roadblocks on the road to network operations automation, even in advance of preparations for NFV and 5G. Diagnosing issues that simultaneously affect multiple services, cells or subscribers can take weeks and pinpointing the common root cause requires a multidisciplinary team. Creating that temporary team of highly skilled and valued subject matter experts is extremely disruptive to operations. In addition, escalation of support requests are often the result of a lack of automated diagnostic tools.
Automation is an essential way to both speed up resolution and keep many complaints from happening in the first place. Automated common cause analysis is the first solution to automatically detect both multiple and distributed KPI violations and then trigger a topology-driven analysis to determine the common cause and dramatically speed up troubleshooting. The use of an accurate, real-time topology is a unique central enabler; the ability to compute impacts of both alarms and KPIs violations across all network layers is a game changer.
For greater insight, checkout EXFO Ontology.