Aexio Whitepaper Jan 20101

7/30/2019 Aexio Whitepaper Jan 20101

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Mul Vendor Network

Parameter Management

Whitepaper

Published: January 2007

Revised: Rev A June 2007

Rev B October 2009

For more information , please visit :

http://www.aexio.com


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Glossary

BSC BaseStaonController

GPEH GlobalParameterEventHandler

MGw MediaGateway

MSC MobileSwitchingCenter

MTR MobileTracRecording

NMS NetworkManagementSystem

NOC NetworkOperaonsCenter

OSS OperaonsSupportSystem

RBS RadioBaseStaon

RNC RadioNetworkController

UETR UserEquipmentTracRecording

UI UserInterface


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Contents

1.Introducon......................................................................................

1.1RadioNetworkOpmizaonProcessess........................................

QualityManagementProcesses.................................................

BasicQualityManagement.........................................................

1.2.1 DailyProcesses................................................................

1.2.1.1WorstCellTrouble-Shoong...........................................

1.2.1.2NetworkParameterManagement..................................

1.2.2 WeeklyProcesses...........................................................

1.2.2.1StascalPerformanceMonitoring................................ 1.2.3 MonthlyProcesses..........................................................

1.2.3.1BenchmarkingIntegrityCheck(Oponal).......................

EnhancedQualityManagement.................................................

1.2.4 Bi-weeklyAutomacDriveTestReview............................

1.2.5MonthlyCustomerDrivenNetworkQualityReview........

1.2.6 YearlyOpmisaonStrategyReview................................

SpecialisedQualityManagement...............................................

NetworkParameterManagement........................................................

2.TheNeedforNetworkParameterManagement..............................

2.1ManagingParameterConsistency.........................................

FigureX:............................................................................

2.2Intraandinterdepartmentalcoordinaon............................

FigureY:............................................................................

2.3Rehoming..............................................................................

FigureZ:Rehomingexample............................................

3.HighLevelSoluonforNetworkParameterManagement..............

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Introducon

RadioNetworkqualityinacellularnetworkcanbeusedasabarometertogaugetheoverallquality

ofanetwork.Thisisinalargepartduetothefactthatthemobilenetworksqualityisdominated

byasubstanalnumberofenvironmentalfactors.Bytrackingafewkeyperformanceindicators(KPIs)intheradionetwork,callqualityandsubscribersperceponofthequalityofthenetwork

canbemonitored.TheseKPIinclude,forexample,blockedcalls,droppedcalls,voicequalityand

throughput.

RadioNetworkOpmizaonisgearedtowardsthemaximizaonofcallqualityinalivemobilenet-

workatanygivenpointinme,fromtheperspecveoftheradionetwork.Byopmizingtheradio

networkonadailybasis,subscriberscanenjoythebestcallqualityatwhateverstagethecellular

networkisinwhetherduringexpansionormaintenancephases.

PartIofthiswhitepaperisageneralintroducontotheRadioOpmizaonProcessinageneric

mobilenetworkOperator.ItaemptstodescribetheQualityManagementProcessforRadioOp-

mizaondepartmentsasaseriesofoverlappingprocesseswhich,inconcert,aimtomaintainand

improvQualityofServiceforthesubscribersfromaday-to-dayperspecverightuptothemedium

andlongerterm

PartIIwilladdressoneaspectoftheOpmizaonProcesswhichdealswithmanagingkeyparam-

etersin themobilenetworkinamul-vendorandmul-technologyenvironment.Management

oftheseparametersisthemostbasicrequirementtomaintainQoSinamobilenetworkenviron-

mentwhichiseverdynamicintermsofitsgrowthandsubscriber mobilityandformsthebasis

forfurtherworktoimprovenetworkQoS.PartIIshowsthatfailuretoaddresstheseinconsistent

parameterscanleadtodegradedQoSsuchasdroppedcalls.

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Radio Network Opmizaon

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1 Radio Network Opmizaon Processes

RadioNetworkOpmizaondepartmentsencapsulatethisqualitydrivennetworkopmizaon

process in their own departmental processes. Figure A below shows the quality driven radio

networkopmizaonprocessesdividedintothreelevelsaspicturedbelow:

FigureA:Genericqualitydrivenradionetworkopmisaonprocesses

Quality Management Processes

TheQualityManagementprocesscanbedividedinto3highlevelprocesses,denedhereas:

1. BasicQualityManagement

2. EnhancedQualityManagement

3. SpecializedQualityManagement

InBasicQualityManagement,opmizaonprocessesencompassacviesthatarerequiredto

minimallymaintainthenetworkqualityandprovideabasisforconsistentnetworkperformance.

Suchconsistentnetworkperformanceisfundamentaltoprevenngchurnduetonetworkquality

issues.

InEnhancedQualityManagement,opmizaonprocessesareputinplacetoprovideaddional

quality improvementsinsteadofpuremaintenance. EnhancedQualityManagementprocesses

includebroad basedstrategies suchasareabased frequency / scramblingcodeplanningand

networkreviews.

InSpecializedQualityManagement,opmizaonprocessesincludelaunchingofnewfeaturesand

parametertuningaswellasspecializedtaskforcesforareassuchin-buildingsorkeycustomer

routes.

ENHANCED QUALITY MANAGEMENT

MonthlyNetworkQualityReviewbased

on customercomplaint

Bi-

review andanalysisorGeo-coded

Yearlyreviewofnetworkpolicies,

frequency/scramblingcodeplanning,

capacityreview etc.

SPECIALIZED QUALITY MANAGEMENT

complaintsNew Service launch

BASICQUALITY MANAGEMENT

DailyConsistencyCheck,Review

MonthlyBenchmarking

IntegrityCheck

DailyWorst Cell

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Basic Quality Management

1.2.1 Daily Processes

1.2.1.1WorstCellTrouble-Shoong

Onadaytodaybasis,worstperformingcellsinthenetworkneedtobeidenedandrootcausesforsuchlowperformanceinvesgated.Theprocessoftroubleshoongthesecellsensuresthat

onadailybasis,highprioritycellswithQoSissuesarealwaysmonitored.Whilstthismayseem

an operaonalissue,opmizaonorqualitydepartments,as theprimarypartyresponsiblefor

networkquality,needtoalsoensurethatthereisalwaysasoluonavailabletosolvethesecauseof

networkqualitydegradaon,beitanoperaonal(suchasahardwarex)oropmizaonacvity

(suchasascramblingcodeorparameterchange).

1.2.1.2NetworkParameterManagement

NetworkParameterManagementandtheunderlyingacvityofparameterconsistencychecking

isdonetoensurethatparameterssuchasneighbordenionsareconsistentwithintheBSS(in-

tra-andinter-BSCorRNC)andbetweentheBSSandcorenetwork(BSC/RNCtoMSC)evenasthe

networkconnuouslychangesfromdaytodaytositeexpansions,re-homingandopmizaon

work.

ConsiderableproblemsdoarisefrominconsistentparametersengsintheBSSdatabaseandcore

networkwhichcancausehandoverfailuresanddroppedcalls. Insinglevendorenvironments,a

largepartofthiscanbetakencareofwithinternalconsistencycheckswhicharepartoftheNMS

sowarepackageandshouldberundaily.Inamul-vendorenvironment,astheformatsforpa-

rameterdatabasesarenotstandardized,thisisdoneviainternalmacros,custommadesoware,

aninternalprocedureor,insomecases,notatall.

1.2.2 Weekly Processes

1.2.2.1StascalPerformanceMonitoring

ThisprocessinvolvesthemonitoringofstascsfromthecorenetworkandtheBSSonaweekly

basis.RawcountersfromboththeswitchesandeventheRBSnodesareaggregatedtoprovide

stascal informaonona varietyofareas fromcall setupand handoverperformance tocall

terminaons.

Opmizaonengineersusethisinformaontoidenfyworstperformingcellsinthenetworkand

withtheappropriateanalysisofbasecounters,areabletoidenfy,insomecases,therootcause

oftheproblemcells.

StascalinformaonisusuallyprovidedbythenetworkequipmentvendorfromtheirNetwork

ManagementSystem(NMS)or3rdpartysoluons.

1.2.3 Monthly Processes

1.2.3.1BenchmarkingIntegrityCheck(Oponal)

Insomecases,Operatorsalsooptformonthly(orquarterly)benchmarkingexercisesbasedon

drivetestdata.DataandreporngfromsuchexercisesallowstheOperatortomeasuretheir

compevenessintheirregionsorcountries.Incertaincases,andmoresointhepresentme,

marketregulatoryrequirementsoenstatesbenchmarkingasanecessarypartoftheOperators

acvieswhichisthenusedtoensurecompliancewithlocalregulaonsandpolicies.

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Enhanced Quality Management

EnhancedQualityManagementProcessesarethoseprocesseswhichareneededtobedoneto

introducemoreproacvequalitymanagement.Itinvolvesobtainingmoreperspecvesonquality

issuessuchasobtainingandreviewingcustomercomplaintdataaswellasstrategicplanningforcopingwithcapacityincreasesinthemediumterm.Thefrequencyofsuchacviesvary,withthe

followingprovidingapragmacapproachinatypicalOperatorenvironment.

1.2.4 Bi-weekly Automac Drive Test Review

Whilst network stascs provide a quick view of network performance, it is dicult to

understandthe(individual)subscribersexperienceofthenetwork.AssumingthatanOperators

subscriberssignicantlyulisetheirmobilesontheroad,drive-tesngprovidesaverygoodidea

ofasubscribersexperienceiftheQoSissuesaregeo-locatedinthesamevicinity.Automateddrive

testsprovidehughamountsofdatawhichcanbeusedtoidenfytheseQoShotspots.Withtheadventofgeo-locatedmobiletracrecordings,thiswouldbeanotheravenuetoidenfysuchQoS

hotspotswhichimpactsubscriberperceponofthenetwork.

1.2.5 Monthly Customer Driven Network Quality Review

Whilstinthepast,CRMsystemshavebeendisjointfromOpmizaon,moreandmoretodaythe

qualitymanagementprocessesincludedirectfeedbackfromtheCRMsystem.Customerckets

providea relevantinputto theopmizaonprocessbyhigh-lighngweakspotsin thenetwork

andpriorisingproblemsthatneedtobeaddressedwithurgency.ACustomerdrivenNetwork

QualityReviewaimstodojustthatbyensuringareas,whethergeographical,logicalorprocesses

areconnuouslyreviewedandimproved.

1.2.6 Yearly Opmisaon Strategy Review

On a yearly basis, as the network expands and grows, it is important to always review and

update opmizaon policies and strategies. Such reviewsand audits ensures that the opmi-

zaondepartmentcankeeppacewithnetworkgrowthtoalwaysmeetitsprimaryobjecveof

maximizingqualityforthesubscribers.

Specialised Quality Management

SpecialisedQualityManagementProcessesarethoseprocesseswhichareaimedatlookingatthe

longertermqualityorcapacityissuesofthenetwork.FeatureandspecicParameterTesngas

wellasnewServiceLaunchesfallintothiscategory.Theseprocessesarenotdailyprocessesbut

arerequiredonanad-hocbasiswhennetworkqualityorcapacityissuesdemand.Thesead-hoc

processescanbelaunchedwhen,forexample,theyearlyopmizaonStrategyReviewindicates

aneedforthem.OtherprocessesuniquetoeachOperatorsuchasVIPRouteTroubleshoongwill

alsofallundertheSpecialisedQualityManagementProcesses.

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PART II

Network Parameter Management

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2 The Need for Network Parameter Management

NetworkParameterManagementfullstheneedinadynamicnetworkenvironmenttoensure

thatparametersinthecellularnetworkareconsistentwithinvendors,betweenvendorsandalso

betweentechnologiessuchas2G,3Gand3.5G.

ThefollowingproblemdescriponsandscenariosexplaininmoredetailtheneedforNetwork

ParameterManagement.

2.1 Managing Parameter Consistency

Onadaytodaybasis,theparameterdatabasesinnetworknodesareconstantlyupdatedand

modiedduetooperaonalissuesandopmizaonwork.Asmegoesby,asparametersaremodied,inconsistenciescancreepintothedatabaseduetooverlappingacvies,thediculty

ofcoordinangacrossdepartmentsandsomeme,simplehumanerror.

Takeasimplescenariooutlinedhere.

AnetworkconguraonasseeninFigureXbelowisdescribed.

Figure X:

TheexamplenetworkconguraonisaNokia2G/3GRANnetworkconnectedtoaSiemensMSC

andanEricsson3GRANconnectedtoanEricssonMSC.

When implemenng a simple parameter modicaon, for example, a (Ericsson) neighbour

addiontoaNokia2Gcell,mulplestepsneedtobedonetobeimplemented.

1.AddtheEricssonneighbourtotheNokiaCellneighbourlistasa2wayneighbourwithcorrectly

denedBCCH-BSIC

2.Ifundened,createanexternalcelldenionintheEricssonRNC.

3.AddtheNokiaCelltotheEricssonneighbourasa2wayexternalcell.

4.IfundenedintheMSClevel,addtheLACforthetargetcells.

3G

Ericsson Nokia

3G

2G

Siemens MSCEricsson MSC

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Up to 4 steps is required for updang a single parameter due to the requirements of each

vendorandthetechnologytype.Withmanyparametersbeingupdatedeveryday,thepossibility

thatsomeerrorismadeinthisprocessishigh.Furthermore,conversionofchangerequeststo

MMLscriptsis,byandlarge,amanualprocesswhichisalsopronetoerror.Thecomplexityand

numberofMMLscriptsrequiredalsoincreasewiththenumberofincreasingnodes,technology

typesandvendors.Failuretomanagethissituaoncanleadtoaninconsistentparameterdatabasewhichcanleadtomoredroppedcallsinthesystem.

OneofthesowaresoluonstomanagethiswouldbetoautomatethecreaonofallMMLscripts

forallparameterchangescenarios.However,itisintheopinionofthisauthorthatsuchasystem,

ifconceived,wouldbehighlyexpensiveduetotheverylargenumberofscenariospossible.The

alternaveistousesowaretoonlydetectandcorrecttheinconsistentparametersinthesystem,

aso-calledcheckandbalanceforthenetwork.

2.2 Intra and interdepartmental coordinaon

Hereisanotherexampleofapossiblescenariothatcouldleadtoinconsistentparametersinthe

network.

Figure Y:

Inatypicaloperatorenvironment,opmizaonengineersareresponsibleforspecicareas/ven-

dorsand/ortechnologies.InthecaseinFigureY,RalphistheOpmizaonengineerforEricsson

3GandJohn,forNokia2G-3G.

Inaday,RalphmaychoosetoopmiseAreaAattheborder,changingparametersbasedonhis

understandingofthenetworkattheme.HemayhavealsoalreadycommunicatedwithJohnwho

wouldhavetoldhimthathehasalreadychangedcertainparametersattheNokiaborder,which

heassumedhadbeenchangedastheywerepreviouslysubmied.Ralphmayproceedtosubmit

hisChangeRequesttoopmizehisborderareas.AtOperaons,bothChangeRequestsareimple-

mented,however,notnecessarilyintheorderthatbothRalphandJohnenvisaged.Asthereisno

in-builtmul-vendorcheckattheOSS,bothEricssonandNokiasystemsacceptthechanges.

2G

3G3G

Ralph John

Area A Area BOPERATIONS

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Whilstsuchascenariomayseemtrivial,suchchangesdointroduceinconsistenciesinthenet-

work.Ifthechangedoesnotimmediatelycauseanydroppedcall,aseriesofuncoordinatedevents

suchasthiscan lead to parameter databaseswhicharevery inconsistent and loweredQoS in

thelongrun.AstheQoSdegradesgradually,departmentsdonotimmediatelydetectthatitis

inconsistenciesintheparameterdatabasethatisthecause.

There are 2 ways of managing this. The rst would be strict adherence to intra and inter

departmentalprocessesandcommunicaon.However,evenwithsuchdiscipline,itissllpossible

forerrorstobemade,asinanycomplicatedprocess.Amorepragmacapproachthenwouldbeto

haveacheckandbalancesystemthatcandetectwhensuchinconsistenciesoccurinthenetwork.

2.3 Rehoming

Inanotherscenario,arehomingexerciseiscarriedoutasinFigureZbelow.

Figure Z: Rehoming example

Therehoming(orreparenng)exerciseforoperatorsoccursduringtheearlymorningmaintenance

windoworwhenthetracislowestsoasnottodisturbsubscribers,whoexpectnochangein

theQoStheyreceive.However,thisisnotalwaysthecaseasintheprocessofcellsmigrangto

anewBSC (or RNC),a largenumberofreconguraon changesaremadebothphysically and

conguraon.Carefulchecksneedtobeperformedinbothareas.Inthelaer,alargenumberparametersneedtobecarefullycheckedtoensureconsistencyinthenewnetworkconguraon.

Thisisanotherareawhereanetworkparametermanagementsoluonincorporangconsistency

checksisuseful.

2G

Cells

3G

Ericsson Nokia

3G

2G

Siemens MSCEricsson MSC

BSC A BSC B

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3 High Level Soluon for Network Parameter Management

Anadequatesoluonfornetworkparametermanagementwhichensuresconsistentparametersin

themobilenetworkshouldhavethefollowingfeatures:

Befullyautomatedforscheduleddailychecks

Parametercheckingneedstobedonedailytoensureparametersareconsistentevenwith

newsitescomingonairand/oranynetworkchangesoccurringduringthepreviousnight

hours.

Bedepartmental-wideorenterpriselevel

Allopmizaonengineersandmanagersshouldhaveaccesstotheparametersoware.In

anidealsituaon,otherdepartmentscouldhaveaccesswithdierentauthoriessetfor

dierentgroupsofusers.

Bemul-vendorandmul-technology

The sowarehas to have the ability to checkparameter consistency between asmany

vendorsandtechnologiesaspossible.

Easytouse

Thesowareshouldbeintuivetouseforanopmizaonengineer.

Providecellhistories

Cell histories provide opmizaon engineers the history of parameter changes in the

system.Thishelpsinplanningopmizaonstrategiesandprovidesacheckandbalancefor

inter-departmentalprocessesbetweentheOpmizaondepartmentandtheNOC.

Provideexcellentreporngandexportpackages

Witha strong reporngpackage, OpmizaonEngineeringmanagement cancontrolthe

changesintheparameterdatabaseanditsimpactonthenetworkquality.Withexportsto

variouseasilyavailableformatssuchasExcel,Opmizaonengineerscandomorepost-pro-

cessing,ifrequired,fortheirownanalysis.

Semi-orautomatedinconsistencycorrecons

Apart from detecng inconsistencies, a good soluon will need to be able to correct

inconsistencieseitherinasemi-automatedorautomatedmanner.Semi-automatedsoluonswillservethechangemanagementprocessbeerwhereitprovidesanapprovalpointfor

engineerstoconrmtherecommendedchangesareinlinewiththeirengineeringdesign.

Inherentlysupportchangemanagement

Support for change management is a pre-requisite. With in-built change request

management,thesoluoncanautomacallycontrolunauthorizedchangestoimportantpa-

rameters(opmizedparameters)inaclosedloopmanner.

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For more informaon, please visit us at www.aexio.com

Aexio Soware Sdn. Bhd.

Suite 1107, Block B, Phileo Damansara I

No. 9, Jln. 16/11

46350 Petaling Jaya

Selangor, MALAYSIA.

Tel: +603 - 7665 0255

Fax: +603 - 7665 0256

Key Contacts:

Aandy Johan +6012 - 320 7926

[email protected]

Andre Sequerah +6016 - 255 8000

[email protected]

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Aexio Whitepaper Jan 20101