Network assets are a fundamental component of communications services offered to customers. Accurate network inventory therefore is crucial for maintaining reliable and efficient communication service provider (CSP) processes, from network planning and optimization to fulfilment and assurance. Utilizing a workflow-assisted approach, a modern network inventory solution can help automate tasks and reduce human errors.
Although every network is different, they often share common building blocks. This could include network device makes and models, topological patterns and connectivity protocols. These commonalities mean that a modern network inventory solution must be in the widest sense technology- and vendor-independent, but at the same time make use of off-the-shelf, standardized components, templates and best practices from across the industry.
Why are network inventory solutions so important?
Network inventory solutions work by documenting and managing data about a service provider's network and infrastructure. Just as a satellite navigation relies on map data (such as roads, buildings, addresses and network congestion), a network inventory solution also compiles a “map” of various assets that make up the complete network.
This network inventory data “map” usually consists of:
- Geo-referenced locations and sites such as data centers, PoPs, manholes and customer premises
- Active assets such as routers, switches, mobile base stations and optical multiplexers
- Passive assets such as cabinets, patch- and fixed cables, junction boxes and trenches
- Logical and virtual overlays such as optical circuits, virtual private networks (VPNs), RAN cells, virtual network functions (VNFs) and network slices
- Leased resources such as dark fibers and network interfaces with a third party
Each of these entities will generally have many associated attributes including object name, object type, installation date, and lifecycle status.
The essential components that make up network inventory solution include a GUI to input the data directly, workflow engine (where custom business rules and logic are applied), a means of automatic data collection and reconciliation (usually coupled with a network management system, or NMS), as well as the data visualization tools. Each of these components plays a critical role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of network inventory data.
Common challenges linked to legacy solutions
Legacy network inventory management solutions often present challenges and limitations for communication service providers. Network resource management, just like travelling, is much more labor-intensive, error-prone, and inefficient without modern satellite-assisted navigation systems. Some providers may even be familiar with managing their network assets using spreadsheets or a home-grown database. However, as networks get larger and more sophisticated, the need for off-the-shelf, productized inventory solution becomes more apparent.
Common limitations experienced with legacy inventory management solutions include:
- Flexibility and functionality gaps – as networks become more sophisticated, many traditional inventory solutions are unable to adapt to networks that have fundamentally changed in nature (e.g., programmable, software-defined networking, or SDN). Traditional inventory solutions were often developed before virtualization was even imagined and aren’t flexible enough to adapt today.
- Insufficient speed and adaptability – networks of the past were relatively static in their configurations. Modern networks are far more dynamic, often changing automatically in response to evolving infrastructure conditions. Since other solutions, such as network assurance and customer activations rely on accurate inventory information, it means that inventory must now collect and manage network inventory far more dynamically than in the past.
- Security and privacy – following many high-profile breaches of infrastructure and systems in recent times, service providers have become far more aware of the importance of security and privacy of their network and customer data. Far greater protection measures are now expected of network inventory solutions because they contain such valuable operational and customer data.
- Fixed workflows and limited automation – legacy inventory solutions were designed to be manually operated across most workflows. Service providers now expect systems that are far more autonomous (fully or semi-automated) to improve operational efficiency, accuracy, and performance. The performance of legacy network inventory systems can be likened to the days prior to satellite-assisted navigation, where drivers fumbled around with multi-page street maps as they tried to navigate across the city, causing accidents from looking down at the maps and taking suboptimal routes.
Additionally, one of the biggest challenges faced by service providers with legacy inventory solutions is the transformation. Similar to the transition from analog street maps to digital satellite-assisted navigation, a new way of thinking and approach is required to modernize network inventory management in the virtualized age.
Key features and benefits of a modern inventory solution
A modern network inventory management can provide many benefits including improved visibility of network assets and resources, faster and more accurate provisioning of services, improved network performance and reliability, enhanced security and compliance, and the ability to make insightful data-driven decisions. An optimized inventory solution can also provide cost savings through various mechanisms that include better asset utilization, reduced downtime, faster service turn-up and efficient resource allocation.
For some service providers and network operators, network inventory solutions are merely an afterthought once significant investment has already been committed to building more advanced networks. However, to truly reap the benefits of investing in modern network infrastructure, existing network inventory management must be reevaluated to determine if it can deliver a competitive edge.
When evaluating a modern, forward-looking inventory solution, providers should consider the following features and functionality:
- Possibility for documentation, planning, and management of IT, data center, cable and network resources combined in a single consolidated tool
- A central data model to map all physical and logical assets, virtual components, applications, and services – including all dependencies. 100% transparency – from physical to services!
- Integration and API functionalities for automated data exchange with third party systems and simple data import from any other system
- Integrated process and workflow engine for efficient management and monitoring of planned changes to the infrastructure – including sending work orders to field force and third-parties.
- Comprehensive options for data visualization and analysis, which will allow for faster, knowledge-based decisions
- The flexibility to be deployed in the public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud
Overall, the importance of network inventory management for service providers cannot be overstated. Optimized inventory solutions can provide such significant speed, cost, and efficiency benefits that they can represent a strategic advantage for service providers in today's competitive and rapidly changing telecommunications landscape.
