Open Digital Framework

Open Digital Architecture

Ian Turkington
VP Architecture and APIs

15 Apr 2021

© TM Forum | 1
Introducing TM Forum: The Global Association for Digital Business
TM Forum is the member-led global industry association transforming business agility
through expert-led collaboration and co-innovation
 30 years accelerating transformation through worldwide collaboration
 Neutral, not-for-profit, led by the world’s leading service providers

Mission: To enable the service provider businesses of tomorrow

Digital Business
Cloud Native IT AI, Data & Autonomous Networks &
& Agility Analytics the Edge
Transformation
Core
Themes

Unlock Growth and

Beyond Digital Experience & Human Factor Societal Impact
Connectivity Trust

© TM Forum | 2
10/10 of the world’s largest CSPs are now TM Forum members

© TM Forum | 3
 The industry wants to go ‘beyond connectivity’, but most
transformation efforts fall short of the change required

Digital Subsidiaries Digital Partner

Blue Ocean
Opportunities
Correcting course requires:
• Embracing business model diversity
• Building ecosystem partnerships
• Transforming operating models
• Deploying new ways of working
Traditional Telco Digital Telco • … and more
Digital enablement

Red Ocean
Battlegrounds

Digital efficiency
© TM Forum | 4
Illustrative only. 4-box model inspired by IBM Research.
Addressing the challenge requires a clear ambition at industry level
Industry Challenges Market Requirements/Ambition

1. E2E Business Agility  Launch new products in days (MVP)

How fast? (Concept-to-Cash cycle time)  Deliver new features in minutes

2. Cost Optimization  Double OpEx Efficiency

At what cost?  Dramatically improve CapEx efficiency

3. Digital Experience & Trust  100% of interactions through digital

With what experience?  Build on reputation for Trust

4. B2B Growth  40% growth in wholesale (B2B2x)

With what growth from B2B?  10% growth in ‘pure’ B2B

5. B2C Growth  3-5% growth in B2C

And what growth from B2C?  Ability to self-disrupt (‘Engine 2.0’)

© TM Forum | 5
Delivering on the ambition requires change in mindset, end-to-end
Simplification, automation and intelligence are key principles driving the change

Traditional CSP Digital Service Provider

Zero-touch Partnering

CSP domain Digital SP domain Partner domains

Operations AI-Enabled, Real-Time Operations

(processes & people)

Zero-touch Interoperability
Augmented Intelligence

BSS
Cloud Native IT & Network Components
Re-usable, ‘Plug and Play’, Open API oriented
OSS

Autonomous Infrastructure
Network (physical) 5G + Edge + Data + AI

© TM Forum | 6
Open Digital Framework (ODF)

© TM Forum | 7
Open Digital Framework (ODF)
A blueprint for intelligent operations fit for the 5G era Open Digital Framework

• Provides a migration path from legacy systems and processes to Transformation Tools Maturity Tools Data

Open Digital Architecture

modular, cloud native software orchestrated using AI
Information
Business
Systems
Practical tools

Governance
• ODF comprises tools, code, knowledge and standards Deployment
Implementation
(machine-readable assets, not just documents) & Runtime

Delivering business value for TM Forum members today

Goals of the Open Digital Framework
• Accelerating concept-to-cash, eliminating IT & network costs,
enhancing digital customer experience • Transform business agility (accelerate
concept-to-cash from 18 months to 18 days)
Developed through TM Forum’s collaboration programs • Enable simpler IT solutions that are easier
• Created and used by leading service providers and software and cheaper to deploy, integrate & upgrade
companies, building on TM Forum’s established standards • Establish a standardized software model and
market which benefits all parties (service
providers, vendors & SIs)
© TM Forum | 8
Core elements of ODF
Transformation Tools Maturity Tools & Data
• Guides to navigate digital • Maturity models and readiness checks to baseline digital capabilities
transformation • Data for benchmarking progress and training AI

• Tools to support the migration

from legacy architecture to ODA

Open Digital Architecture

• Architecture framework,
common language, design
principles
• Open APIs exposing business
services
• Software components
• Reference implementation and
test environment

© TM Forum | 9
Open Digital Framework & Open Digital Architecture
Open Digital Framework
Transformation Tools Maturity Tools Data
‘As-Is’ OSS/BSS Application Transformation
Metrics Maturity Models Benchmark Data AI Training Data
Map (TAM) Toolkits

Governance Business Information Systems

Information
Framework (SID)
Open Digital Architecture

Business Capability Process Framework Functional Framework

Repository (eTOM) & Architecture
Integration
Framework
Concepts & Principles

Design Guides

API Governance Deployment Implementation

& Runtime Operation
AI Governance Open APIs
frameworks
Technical Architecture
Canvas & Components
Data Governance Reference TM Forum
Implementation Data Model
Security Governance

© TM Forum | 10
Open Digital Architecture (ODA)

© TM Forum | 11
Open Digital Architecture (ODA)
• ODA is a complete enterprise architecture blueprint for "Open Digital Architecture is a
open digital platforms, replacing traditional operational and catalyst to cultural change."
business support systems Thierry Souche
Group CIO, Orange
• Comprises standardized, reusable, cloud native software
components organized into loosely coupled domains
• Components connect via standardized Open APIs which:
‒ Provide zero-touch interoperability (plug-&-play components)
‒ Expose business capabilities for zero-touch partnering
• ODA transforms business agility with simpler IT solutions
that are easier and cheaper to deploy, integrate & upgrade
• Built by industry agreement
‒ TM Forum members are actively developing the ODA
standards, leveraging mature, proven TM Forum assets

© TM Forum | 12
Structure of ODA

Business Architecture
• Business capability map & value stream
mappings
• Multi-layered model of the key business
processes for efficient, agile operations
(eTOM)

Information Systems Architecture

• Functional architecture (a set of structured
and simplified implementation independent
views enforcing decoupling)
• Data architecture, with standard definitions
for the information that flows through the enterprise Deployment & Runtime Environment
and between service providers & their partners (SID) • Canvas – a standard technical framework and DevOps
environment for plug-and-play ODA components
Implementation Architecture
• Lab-deployed reference implementation and
• Suite of 50+ REST-based Open APIs for standardized test environment
interoperability of IT systems and partner integration
• Standardized data model, enhanced for AI operations Governance
• Definition of the ODA Components for reuse and • Principles, design guides, metamodels
simple integration • Tools for agile management of the architecture lifecycle

© TM Forum | 13
ODA Core Concepts
Capability Driven Transformation
• Business capabilities  functions
 components
• Enables business / technical agility
• Common language for Business
(requirements) and IT (design)
• Enables the software marketplace

Orchestration of business capabilities to

execute value stream workflows (eTOM)
• Supports consistent automation &
intelligence

Standard data language (SID) & data model Standardized components, built for a Component capabilities are discoverable
(optimized for AI) deployment canvas (via Catalogs)
• Supports zero-touch interoperability • Supports cloud native deployment • New services can be designed from existing
• Supports AI training services
Capabilities of components exposed • No need for manual configuration of new
Functional framework, organized in loosely using Open APIs service chains
coupled domains • Enables zero-touch interoperability and
• Simplifies the architecture and enables zero-touch partnering
pace layering

© TM Forum | 14
ODA Key Industry Benefits
Ambition Today’s Challenges ODA Solutions

Accelerate Concept-to-Cash • Lack of business agility • Modular, reusable software components

Launch new products in days • Designed for rapid experimentation and agile ways of working

Monetize 5G in the enterprise • Lack of business / technical alignment • Common language for business & technology domains
40% growth in B2B2X • Systems & processes designed for • Supports any product via catalog-based data and rules
traditional telco business • Zero-Touch Partnering via Open APIs

Eliminate costs • High IT procurement & integration costs • Enables a marketplace for standardized software components
Double OpEx efficiency • High maintenance cost of customized IT • Open standards to minimize software customization
• Zero-Touch Interoperability via Open APIs
• High operational cost of complex,
manual processes • Optimized for cloud native deployment
• Zero-Touch Operations via AI-enabled automation

Delight Customers • Poor customer experience due to • Pace-layering for rapid evolution of customer-facing systems
100% digital interactions disconnected systems • 360o customer view built on a common data model
• No single view of the customer • AI-ready for optimizing personalized customer experiences

© TM Forum | 15
ODA APIs
TM Forum Open API table (extract) https://projects.tmforum.org/wiki/display/API/Open+API+Table

© TM Forum | 16
Open API dashboard for March 2021

DOWNLOADS CERTIFICATIONS WHAT’S NEW

API downloads 11,964 OPEN API CERTIFICATION LEADERBOARD LATEST APIs PUBLISHED
Unique organizations 431 TMF630 API Design Guidelines 4.2.0 | TMF641 Service Ordering 4.1.0 |
20 TMF687 Stock 4.0.0 | TMF704 Test Case 4.0.0 | TMF705 Test Environment
Unique individuals 2,578 4.0.0 | TMF706 Test Data Management 4.0.0 | TMF707 Test Result 4.0.0 |
TMF709 Test Scenario 4.0.0 |TMF710 General Test Artifact 4.0.0
11 11 11

TOP DOWNLOADERS MOST POPULAR APIs

6 6 Rank Change. Organization Downloads
Rank Change Organization Downloads
1 TMF666 Account Management API 1183
1 Vodafone Group 762 2 TMF620 Product Catalog Management API 729
2 Deutsche Telekom AG 755 TOP CERTIFICATIONS 3 TMF622 Product Ordering API 698
3 Accenture 482 4 TMF637 Product Inventory Management API 582
API # Certifications
4 Orange 459 5 TMF629 Customer Management API 562
5 Tata Consultancy Services 457 1 TMF629 Customer Management API 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6 TMF632 Party Management API 395
6 Ericsson Inc. 418 2 TMF620 Product Catalog Management API 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 TMF641 Service Ordering Management API 381
7 IBM Corporation 296 8 TMF621 Trouble Ticket API 379
3 TMF639 Resource Inventory Management API 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 Tecnotree 276 9 TMF639 Resource Inventory Management API 328
4 TMF641 Service Ordering Management API 1 2 3 4 5 6
9 Tech Mahindra Limited 246 10 TMF679 Product Offering Qualification API 313
241
5 TMF622 Product Ordering API 1 2 3 4 5
10 NEC Corporation 11 TMF651 Agreement Management API 237
11 Telenor ASA 223 5 TMF666 Account Management API 1 2 3 4 5
12 TMF678 Customer Bill Management API 217
12 Telia Company 217 5 TMF640 Activation and Configuration API 1 2 3 4 5
13 TMF663 Shopping Cart API 216
13 CSG 206 5 TMF637 Product Inventory Management API 1 2 3 4 5 14 TMF646 Appointment API 212
14 America Movil 186 5 TMF638 Service Inventory Management API 1 2 3 4 5 15 TMF638 Service Inventory Management API 206
15 Oracle Corporation 181 LATEST OPENTicket
5 TMF621 Trouble APIAPICERTIFICATIONS
1 2 3 4 5
16 Infosys 172 NEW API RESEARCH & CASE STUDIES
17 Dish Network 170
What’s driving Open API adoption?
18 TELUS 147
Ericsson makes it easier to implement Open APIs
19 Amdocs Management Limited 142
20 BT Group plc 137

Accelerating the path to digital transformation

Jack Raynor, Senior Director at CommScope
Empowering agility and flexibility for partnerships
Useful links Open API table Early Adoption (Beta) Open API table Latest Open API Adoption Assessment Report
Antonio González Kirchenmayer, CTO at Satec
Following an API-first strategy
Karthik T S, Head of the CoE for Torry Harris © TM Forum | 17
Contact: [email protected] https://www.tmforum.org/open-apis/
Open API adoption
2.8X increase 20,000 API downloads 71
in reported Open API adoption from by 3,750 users from 185 companies organizations have signed
2Q19 to 2Q20 in 12 months to May-20 the Open API manifesto

© TM Forum | 18
75 Open API Manifesto signatories

“
The Open APIs are fundamental to
our API-led connectivity design
principle that unlocks data from
systems, composes data into
processes and delivers them as an
experience to the final user.”
Abhi Sur,
Senior Director, Communications Industry,
Salesforce
© TM Forum | 19
ODA Domains
Decoupling &
Components are organized into Integration Intelligence
loosely coupled domains Management
• Decoupling of the domains
simplifies the architecture and Party
enables separation of concerns Management
• Each domain can change at its
own pace without affecting other
domains (pace-layering) Engagement Core
Management Commerce
• Business functions of the domains
Management
are exposed via Open APIs

Production

© TM Forum | 20
ODA Domains
Engagement Management
• For a single coherent customer experience

Party Management
• Supporting complex business models

Core Commerce Management

• Supporting third party & marketplace offers,
service composition and orchestration

Intelligence Management
• To support systems of insight, AI, Machine
Learning and Cognitive capabilities

Production
• Abstracting the complexity of infrastructure

© TM Forum | 21
ODA Components
Provided Required
ODA specifies standardized, reusable software- Open APIs Open APIs
defined components connected via Open APIs
• Support real time, dynamic integration via TM Forum
Open APIs (components can be assembled like Lego
blocks - Open APIs and a standard data model enable
zero-touch interoperability)
• Expose their business capabilities (discoverable via
Catalogs) externally through Open APIs, enabling
zero-touch partnering
• Support a common data architecture; contain their
own data and share it in real-time (AI-ready)
• Components are microservices-based, supporting
cloud native deployment (e.g. autonomous, self-
healing, self-scaling…)
• Can be automatically deployed and managed in an
operational ‘Canvas’, exposing operational interfaces
for management, monitoring, security…

© TM Forum | 22
ODA Components
are Self-describing Component YAML definition

1 2

5 3

4 3

4
5 © TM Forum | 23
49 Open API & Open Digital Architecture Manifesto signatories

“Concepts like Open APIs, artificial intelligence, platform business models, and digital ecosystems will help drive agility and
innovation. The TM Forum Open Digital Architecture provides a pragmatic way to bring these concepts together and sets
the blueprint for digital transformation.” Lester Thomas, Chief IT Systems Architect, Vodafone © TM Forum | 24
 Migration to the
Open Digital Architecture (ODA)

© TM Forum | 25
Delivering on the ambition requires change in mindset, end-to-end
How does ODA help this migration?

Traditional CSP Digital Service Provider

Zero-touch Partnering

CSP domain Digital SP domain Partner domains

Operations AI-Enabled, Real-Time Operations

(processes & people)

Zero-touch Interoperability
Augmented Intelligence

BSS
Cloud Native IT Components
Re-usable, ‘Plug and Play’, Open API oriented
OSS

Autonomous Infrastructure
Network (physical) 5G + Edge + Data + AI

© TM Forum | 26
Migration to ODA
Traditional CSP Typical Migration Architecture Digital Service Provider
Zero-touch Partnering
CSP domain CSP domain Digital SP domain Partner domains
Operations AI-Enabled, Real-Time Operations
Party Management

Engagement Management

Intelligence Management
(processes & people) Augmented Intelligence

Zero-touch Interoperability
Decoupling and Integration
BSS
Core Commerce Cloud Native IT Components
Management Re-usable, ‘Plug and Play’, Open API oriented
OSS
(Open APIs)
Autonomous Infrastructure
Network (physical) Production Domain 5G + Edge + Data + AI

This is the starting position for most service providers. A typical first step is to wrap the existing systems in The final stage is the introduction of cloud native
At this stage, the business architecture and Open APIs to introduce loose coupling and to lay the components. These will include components from
information systems architecture is most relevant for foundation for agile transformation. In addition to the partners. The whole of ODA is now relevant to define
governing changes to the existing landscape. And the business architecture and information systems the business and information systems architecture
transformation guides can be used to define your architecture; the Implementation architecture now and also the implementation and deployment
transformation strategy. become relevant for the Open APIs. architecture.

Information Information Information

Business Business Business
Systems Systems Systems

Deployment
Implementation Implementation
& Runtime

Transformation Continuum
It is important to note that at any point in time some parts of the landscape may be in stage one, while others will be in stage two or even three.
Therefore, the appropriate ODA guidelines should be applied to the appropriate parts of the landscape.

© TM Forum | 27
ODA – An Example

© TM Forum | 28
ODA – Domains
An architecture for the digital era! Party Management
supporting complex
business models Intelligence Management to
support systems of insight, AI,
Machine Learning and
Engagement Cognitive capabilities.
Management for a Party Management
single coherent
customer experience
Management Decoupling and Integration
Engagement

Management
Intelligence
Core Commerce Management

(Open APIs)

Production Domain
Core Commerce Management Production abstracting the complexity
supporting third party and marketplace of infrastructure. (Production is the
Operational Business Processes
offers and service composition and combination of the Service
orchestration Management and Resource
Management Domains of Frameworx)

Separation of concerns and simplification through decoupling of the domains

© 2020 TM Forum | 29
ODA simplified e2e order management
Typical depiction of a telco ordering process (eTOM) within ODA
Choose process
Assign subscriber,
rights, BA Customer Payment
Party
Engagement Management

Welcome
API Hub

Pay Information Management

Manage Party, BA Management

Invoicing
Management
Party (360o view) Pre-sales
Rights
Billing Account Launch configuration subprocess
Invoice (offer for create, contract for change) Copy bill items, charges
Front Ends

Manage Catalog
Configure
offer & product
Manage Offer &
Product
Catalogue
Order
Capture Bill calculation Core
Validate order
Order Commerce
Management
Customer Order follow-up Rating & Usage
Orchestration & Follow up
Catalog Distribution
Order
Contract Service order Usage elements (CDR…)

Legend : Charging
BE-BE API Manage Service Order Resource Order
Technical
Production
Process Mgt (SOM) Mgt (ROM)
Catalogue
Process – GUI
Business exchanges Service Usage
event
Read (data) © 2020 TM Forum | 30
Component overlay
Component based representation of ODA
Choose process Billing (Inv/Pay)
Assign subscriber, Customer service support Customer Care
rights, BA Customer Payment
Party
Engagement Management

Welcome
API Hub

Pay Information Management

Manage Party, BA Management

Invoicing
Management
Party (360o view) Pre-sales
Rights
Billing Account Launch configuration subprocess
Invoice (offer for create, contract for change) Copy bill items, charges

Product Catalogue Product Order Billing (Rate & Bill)

Front Ends

Manage Catalog
Configure
offer & product
Manage Offer &
Product
Catalogue
Order
Capture Bill calculation Core
Validate order
Order Commerce
Management
Customer Order follow-up Rating & Usage
Orchestration & Follow up
Catalog Distribution
Order
Contract Service order Usage elements (CDR…)
Service/Resource Technical Service Operation Resource Operation Billing (usage/charge)
Catalogue
Legend : Charging
BE-BE API Manage Service Order Resource Order
Technical
Production
Process Mgt (SOM) Mgt (ROM)
Catalogue
Process – GUI
Business exchanges Service Usage
event
Read (data) © 2020 TM Forum | 31
API overlay
API based representation of ODA
Choose process Billing (Inv/Pay)
Assign subscriber,
Customer Service Support Customer Care
rights, BA Customer Payment
Party
Engagement Management

Welcome
API Hub

Pay Information Management

TMF676
TMF629 Cust TMF666
Manage Party, BA Mgmt Management
Account Mgmt Payment Mgmt

TMF632 Party
Mgmt
TMF673
Geo Addr Invoicing
Management
Mgmt
Party (360o view) Pre-sales TMF678 Cust
Rights TM685 Resource Bill Mgmt
TMF648 Quote Pool Mgmt
Billing Account Launch configuration subprocess Mgmt
Invoice (offer for create, contract for change) Copy bill items, charges

Product Catalogue Product Order Billing (Rate & Bill)

Front Ends

Manage catalog
Configure
offer & product
Manage Offer &
Product
Catalogue
Order
Capture Bill calculation Core
Commerce
TMF622 Product
Validate order TMF620 Product TMF678 Cust
Ordering
Catalog Mgmt Bill Mgmt
Order

Management
TMF679 Product Customer Order follow-up Rating & Usage
Offer Qual Orchestration & Follow up
Catalog Distribution TMF637 Product
Inventory Mgmt
Order
Contract Service order Usage elements (CDR…)
Service/Resource Technical Service Operation Resource Operation Billing (usage/charge)
Catalogue
TMF652 Resource
Legend : Ordering Mgmt Charging
BE-BE API Manage Service Order Resource Order
Technical
Production
Process Mgt (SOM) Mgt (ROM) TMF635 Usage
Catalogue
TMF633 Service TMF641 Service Mgmt
Process – GUI Ordering Mgmt
TMF664
Resource
Catalog
Business exchanges Function
Service Usage
Activation TMF639 Resource
event TMF634 Resource TMF640 Inventory Mgmt
Catalog Activate and TMF673
Read (data) TMF638 Service TMF674
© 2020 TM Forum | 32
Configure Geo Addr Geo site
Inventory Mgmt
Mgmt Mgmt
Autonomous Networks

© TM Forum | 33
Drivers of Automation
Architectural innovation to solve the structural problems

Silo, Fragmented OpEx ratio: 50%->67%

Complexity 75B devices by 2025 TCO > Revenue

160 exabytes of mobile data by 2025
Simplification OpEx Vs CapEx: 3:1
Autonomous
Infrastructure & Operations Automation Cost & Growth
Intelligence
Networks
Manual, error-prone
Collaboration
Efficiency Isolation
OTT Vs Telco to maintain Lack of global business collaboration

Networks need the freedom to act independently, to govern themselves and to control their behavior through
previously defined policies, it means self-governing, with no external humans or machine are acting upon them.

The Autonomous Networks consist of a simplified network architecture, virtualized components, automating agents,
intelligent decision engines and present self dynamic capabilities to create intelligent business and network operations
based on closed-loops.

© TM Forum | 34
Opportunities to ICT Industry --- “Zero X” Experience
- Autonomous Networks/ICT Services for Intelligent Society

Smart city Smart industry Smart government Smart xxx…

As a Service As a Platform
“Zero X” Experience
 One stop, real-time, on demand,  Enablement of business collaboration &
ecosystem between verticals and
 Deliver simplicity automated，E2E full lifecycle ICT network/ICT service providers
network/ICT services
to the users
 Leave the
complexity with
the providers
Zero Wait Zero Touch Zero Trouble
• • Operating • Business
Launch
Simplified Self-
Swift • Delivery • Development • Services
• Care • Maintenance healing • Infrastructure

Autonomous Agile All-inclusive

Network Operations Services
© TM Forum | 35
Autonomous Networks
The revolution is happening now!
Layers and closed-loops of Autonomous Networks
• We will develop the framework/blueprint/architecture
for the management of tomorrows network
• It requires:
‒ Fragmentation of the networks into domains
‒ Virtualization of the network functions within domains
‒ Implementation of the network functions as software
components that expose services
‒ Encapsulation of the network function complexity within the
relevant domains as a set of network services
‒ Automation of network function repair within the domain
‒ Exposure of the networks services from the domains using
industry standard Open APIs
• It uses:
‒ Automated closed loop control within a domain   & 
‒ Automated closed loop control of the network across all
domains of the architecture 
‒ AI, big data, cloudification and virtualization
• It delivers:
‒ Simplification of the management of the network
‒ Agile, flexible delivery of network services and resources
‒ Self-optimizing networks
‒ Self-healing networks
‒ Intent based operations
‒ An ecosystem that goes beyond the boundary of Telco and
enables digital transformation across many industries
© TM Forum | 36
Revolution through Evolution
Autonomous Cars vs Autonomous Networks

Human Machine

Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

No Driver
Awareness Intervention
Cruise Traffic
for Take Over
No Every
Active Control
Control
Assistance
router and
Network senses something is
No Driver
wrong and
switch is Network recognizes need and optimizes No Take Over
System Take Over corrects
Request
manually Longitudinal and Request
Longitudinal or
configured Transverse Guide
Transverse Guide

Hands On Hands On Hands Temp Off Hands Off Hands Off Hands Off
Eyes On Eyes On Eyes Temp Off Eyes Off Mind Off Driver Off

. . . . .

Intent-based research
The human monitors the driving environment Self-driving Network
The automated system monitors the driving environment)

The introduction
Similarly of new
Telco Networks engine
require: (electric,sensors
distributed hybrids…), sensors,
actuators video elements
on network camera, actuators, communication
infrastructure (Wifi, BT,
(SENSE-PROCESS-ACT), V2X…)
Slicing supportedand
customization thedynamic
evolutional journey!
creation of new slices, dynamic coverage on demand, e2e ©SLA
TM Forum | 37
Autonomous Networks: automation levels
Data & knowledge driven intelligent, simplified networks

Self-configured, self-healing, self-optimized

Knowledge as a Service

Full lifecycle closed-loop

Simplified architecture
Best user experience, full lifecycle automation, maximum utilization

© TM Forum | 38
Levels of Autonomous Networks
Definition of automation levels and functionality

Level 0 - manual management: The system delivers

assisted monitoring capabilities, which means all
dynamic tasks have to be executed manually.
Level 1 - assisted management: The system executes a
certain repetitive sub-task based on pre-configured to
increase execution efficiency.
Level 4 - high autonomous network: Building on L3
Level 2 - partial autonomous network: The system capabilities, the system enables, in a more complicated
enables closed-loop O&M for certain units based on an cross-domain environment, analyze and make decision
AI model under certain external environments. based on predictive or active closed-loop management
Level 3 - conditional autonomous network: Building on of service and customer experience-driven networks.
L2 capabilities, the system with awareness can sense Level 5 - full autonomous network: This level is the goal
real-time environmental changes, and in certain network for telecom network evolution. The system possesses
domains, optimize and adjust itself to the external closed-loop automation capabilities across multiple
environment to enable intent-based closed-loop services, multiple domains, and the entire lifecycle,
management. achieving autonomous networks.
© TM Forum | 39
 Applying ODA principles to the network
A set of autonomous domains that represent networks of the future
• “Softwarization” of the Network
• Transforming the network layer through
virtualization
• Telstra have mapped their entire network to a
set of operational Domains
• Each Domain has a Catalog of the services it
supports
• Each Domain exposes a well-defined standard
set of services to the order delivery
orchestrator so that products and offers can be
composed with minimal dependencies on the
network resources
• Telstra will manage the lifecycles of these
network services autonomously using the
customer’s intent, policy, closed control loops,
data analytics and machine learning.

© TM Forum | 40
Autonomous Networks
Autonomous Domain • Identify an industry agreed set of autonomous domains that represent the network of the future

• Decouple one domain from another and expose a set of domain-based services via Open APIs to upper layer or
Service Exposing other domains

• Definition of network elements (or functions) within the various autonomous domains. These network elements or
Network Element Definition functions will expose a set of standard resource services at the domain level instead of at the element or function level

Network Element • Network elements can configure themselves and expose their characteristics to other layers or other domains to
Configuration allow them to be externally controlled

Network Element • Support the ability to combine a set of network elements to build or deliver a higher-level network service
Combination

• Model the exposure of a set of network capabilities as a set of platform services to enable higher level business
Network Capability Model services to utilize network services

• Develop the ability to deliver a service using a combination of flexible network services and resources that can be
Service Delivery Ability automatically orchestrated, configured, monitored and repaired

• Enable the ability to specify a set of rules at the business level that can be automatically monitored and effected
Business Rule Specification across all domains of the architecture

© TM Forum | 41
Self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing, self-evolving networks
© TM Forum | 42