ASMM 8.2 - Overview

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AMDOCS MEDIATION

RELEASE 8.0

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager 8.0

Overview


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1997 2011 Amdocs. All Rights Reserved.

The included software and/or documentation cannot be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published,transferred, or combined with any other materials, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, without the prior

written consent of Amdocs. The included software may contain and utilize third-party software products. These

materials are confidential, and shall be returned to Amdocs upon request.

Amdocs reserves the right to revise the included software and/or documentation and to make changes in the content

from time to time without notice. The trademarks and service marks of Amdocs, including the Amdocs mark and

logo, Ensemble, Enabler, Clarify, Return on Relationship, Intelecable, Collabrent, Intentional Customer Experience,

CES, Cramer, Qpass, SigValue, DST Innovis, JacobsRimell, ChangingWorlds and jNETx are the exclusive property

of Amdocs, and may not be used without permission. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Document Information

Release: 8.0Publication Date: December 2009; updated November 2011 for Service Pack 2

Catalog Number: 1531915

Information Security: Level 1 Confidential


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Information Security Level 1 Confidential iiiProprietary and Confidential Information of Amdocs

1 Int roduct ion......................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose and Scope.............................................................................................................................2

Target Audience..................................................................................................................................2

Prior Knowledge..................................................................................................................................2

Related Documents.............................................................................................................................3

Typographical Conventions.................................................................................................................3

Terms and Definitions .........................................................................................................................4

2 System Features ................................................................................................................. 7

Highlights and Benefits........................................................................................................................8Convergent Mediation Platform...........................................................................................................9

Distributed Architecture and Carrier-Class Scalability.......................................................................10

Modular, Adaptable, and Easily Configurable...................................................................................10

Next-Generation, Customer-Level Service Assurance......................................................................12

Extensibility.......................................................................................................................................12

High Reliability...................................................................................................................................13

Adaptability to the Network, Business Support Systems and Operator Support Systems................13

Manageability....................................................................................................................................14

System Repository for Managing Components.................................................................................15Advanced Monitoring and Reporting Capabilities .............................................................................16

J MX Monitoring .................................................................................................................................17

Integration with Operational ..............................................................................................................18

Security Features ..............................................................................................................................18

Ability to Select the Security Mechanism................................................................................................18

Session Timeout.....................................................................................................................................18

Secure Communication Channel ............................................................................................................19

Support for Multi-Language Text Encoding and Decoding................................................................19

Mediation Types................................................................................................................................20

Active Mediation................................................................................................................................20

Active Mediation Examples.....................................................................................................................21

Architecture.............................................................................................................................................21

Incremental Deployment.........................................................................................................................24

3 System Components ........................................................................................................ 25

Introduction........................................................................................................................................26

Table of Contents


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Amdocs Service Mediation Manager 8.0 Overview

iv Information Security Level 1 ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential Information of Amdocs

Central Event Manager .....................................................................................................................27

User Interface Server........................................................................................................................27

Gatherers ..........................................................................................................................................28

External and Modular Components...................................................................................................28

Information Sources................................................................................................................................28

Information Source Modules...................................................................................................................29

Types of ISMs.........................................................................................................................................30

Configuration Database.....................................................................................................................31

4 System Functions ............................................................................................................. 33

Supported Data Formats...................................................................................................................34

Data Processing in Batch-Mediation Projects ...................................................................................35

Collecting Data........................................................................................................................................35

Enhancing and Processing Data.............................................................................................................35

Storing Data............................................................................................................................................36

Exporting Data to External Systems and Applications............................................................................36

Data Processing in Active-Mediation Projects...................................................................................37

Component Repository......................................................................................................................38

Reporting...........................................................................................................................................38

Error Management............................................................................................................................39

Auditing.............................................................................................................................................39

Audit Service...........................................................................................................................................39

Project-level Audit...................................................................................................................................40

Monitoring..........................................................................................................................................42

Event Infrastructure and Log Files ..........................................................................................................42

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Monitoring Interface .....................................................................43

Monitoring Runtime Operation of Projects..............................................................................................43

Chain Monitor..........................................................................................................................................44

Statistics............................................................................................................................................44

Statistics Service.....................................................................................................................................44

Statistics in Batch-Mediation Projects.....................................................................................................45

Statistics in Active-Mediation Projects ....................................................................................................45

Patch Management...........................................................................................................................46


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Information Security Level 1 Confidential 1Proprietary and Confidential Information of Amdocs

1 Introduction

Amdocs Service Mediation Manageris a carrier-class business infrastructure converged

mediation solution that combines data collection, data processing and data synthesis, data

export, and automated user-account provisioning on a single platform. It collects

information from data and voice networks and transforms the data into business

intelligence, enabling providers to understand how their networks are used and to translate

this knowledge into new revenue by developing and managing new profitable services.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager consists of the Network-to-Business platform and

modules (ISMs). Amdocs Service Mediation Manager provides a bi-directional, real-time

link between the physical network infrastructure and Operations and Business Support

Systems (OSS/BSSs) to enable advanced network and service usage and automated

service provisioning.

Purpose and Scope.............................................................................................. 2

Target Audience.................................................................................................... 2

Prior Knowledge................................................................................................... 2

Typographical Conventions .................................................................................. 3

Terms and Definitions ........................................................................................... 4


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2 Information Security Level 1 ConfidentialProprietary and Confidential Information of Amdocs

Purpose and ScopeThis book provides an overview of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager.

This book contains the following chapters:

Chapter 1, Introduction, (this chapter) explains the purpose and scope of this book

and how to use it.

Chapter 2, System Features, describes the features and benefits of Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager.

Chapter 3, System Components, contains a high-level description of the

applications architecture the core system components and their functions.

Chapter 4, System Features, provides an overview of how the system operates,

provides information about the modules, explains some important concepts in the

operation of the system, provides information about the functionality that the system

supports, which you can use to collect, process, and output the data.

Target AudienceThis document contains information useful for anyone who needs to understand the

purpose, architecture, and functionality of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager, including,

but not limited to:

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager administrators who set up and configure the

system

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager operators who monitor the system after it is

installed Implementers who use Amdocs Service Mediation Manager either as a standalone

mediation solution or as a mediation solution integrated with other Amdocs products

Users who need to understand the mediation and data processing functionality of

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager, such as marketing teams, trainers, testers, and

installers

Amdocs professional services and support staff who provide product support for

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager

Prior KnowledgeThis book assumes familiarity with basic mediation concepts.

Familiarity with Amdocs billing products is helpful, but not required.

This book is part of the set of documents in Related Documents and is designed to be

used in conjunction with them.


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Chapter 1. Introduction


Related Documents Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Installation Guide

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager User Guide

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Operator Guide

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Business Logic SDK Programmer Guide

Amdocs Mediation Glossary

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Release Notes

Typographical ConventionsThe following table presents typographic conventions used in this guide.

, unless stated otherwise, is the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager home directory. Forexample, / Shar ed/ .

Typeface/ Symbol Meaning Example

Italics References to other documents,

new terms, and placeholders

For detailed definitions of terms,

see the Amdocs Mediation

Glossary.

Bold Names of menus, options,

command buttons, and fields

From the Object menu, choose

Edit.

Cour i er New Command-line input, on-screen

computer output, sample code

examples, names of files,

commands, and directories

Execute the following command:

ps - ef | f grep vol d

Courier New

Bold

What you type contrasted withcomputer output

Type the following:

./xacct_install

angle brackets Variable

square brackets Optional parameter or flag. . / xacct _conf i g run_t ask -i si d - q [ - f] [ - u{User Name} - p {Passwor d}]

curly brackets A parameter that is mandatory

when the optional flag or

parameter in square brackets is

selected.


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Terms and DefinitionsThe following table lists terms and acronyms used in this document. For more detailed

definitions and a complete set of Amdocs Mediation terms, see theAmdocs Mediation

Glossary. For definitions of Amdocs billing terms, see theAmdocs Billing PlatformGlossary.

Terms Definitions

AMC Amdocs Monitoring and Control

Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager

Monitor

An AMC plug-in that enables the monitoring of Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager using AMC.

BL SDK Business Logic SDK. An infrastructure of Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager that allows users to develop customized code

plug-ins geared at resolving specific business needs in a mediation

solution.

Central Event Manager A component of the Network-to-Business platform that

coordinates, manages, and controls the operation of the platform.

Component Repository A single place to define and manage components in the system. This

way you can define a component, such as record, rule, or function

once and then use it in the Business Logic for several ISMs.

Data Collection Module A type of ISM that serves as an interface between a Gatherer and a

network element that feeds data from the network element into

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager.

Data Enhancement

Module

A type of ISM that acts as an interface between a Gatherer and a

network element that provides functions (DEM functions), which canbe used to query the DEM in order to enhance the collected data with

data from other sources such as reference tables or other modules.

Data Export Module A type of ISM that receives data from another ISM and exports it to a

batch file where the data can be accessed by post-processing

applications, referred to as Customer Care and Billing (CCB)

systems, such as rating and billing applications.

Data Processing

Module

A type of ISM that receives data, processes it, and stores or outputs

the processed records.

Data Storage Module A type of ISM that acts as an interface between a database server and

a Gatherer. It can store the data the system collects in the database

and query the database.

DCM Data Collection Module

DEM Data Enhancement Module

DEM function .A synchronous function of a DEM (a special type of task) that can

be used in the enhancement process as part of the Field Enhancement

definition. Seetask.


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Chapter 1. Introduction


DPM Data Processing Module

DSM Data Storage Module

DXM Data Export Module

DC See direct connection.

DC group A group of IS instances connected through Enhancement Procedure

instances configured to work in direct connection (DC) reliability

mode.

direct connection A reliability mechanism of an Enhancement Procedure (EP) instance

used for transferring data between IS instances residing on the same

Gatherer.

Enhancement Procedure The set of operations that define the route of the data in Amdocs

Service Mediation Manager from its source (the trigger) to its

destination (the target). For flat record streams, the EP includes Field

Enhancements for every field in the target that receives data from the

trigger. From the perspective of the Network-to-Business

platform, a hierarchical record stream appears to have a single field

whose data type is record, and the EP includes one simple Field

Enhancement. Enhancement Procedure is the generic term that refers

both to an Enhancement Procedure template and an Enhancement

Procedure instance. The generic term (Enhancement Procedure) is

used when the distinction between the Enhancement Procedure

template and the Enhancement Procedure instance is not relevant

(either because the statement applies to both types of objects or

because the object type is clear from the context).

EP Enhancement Procedure

Field Enhancement Part of an Enhancement Procedure transferring records that defines

how the data obtained from a field in the trigger is processed to fill a

single field in the target.

Gatherer A component of the Network-to-Business platform that hosts IS

instances.

IS An instance of an ISM.

ISM An add-on to the Network-to-Business platform, which enables it

to collect, enhance, process, store, and export usage data, typically by

providing an interface between a Gatherer and a specific network

element, device, or database server.

job A file that is processed along a chain.

JRE Java runtime environment

node A core component in the Network-to-Business platform, such as

the CEM, the UIS, and a Gatherer.

Terms Definitions


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project A subset of the system configuration, which includes a collection of

configuration objects.

task A synchronous function exposed by an ISM instance that can beinvoked from the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface,

from a command line interface, or from another ISM instance using

an internal API. Compare to DEM function

template A blueprint of a configuration object used to create multiple

instances of the object. A template can include one or more IS

templates and Enhancement Procedure templates that are associated

with these IS templates.

UIS User Interface Server

User Interface Server A component of the Network-to-Business platform that provides

local and remote control of the system by enabling users to access the

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface.

Terms Definitions


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2 System Features

This chapter describes the features and benefits of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager.

Highlights and Benefits ......................................................................................... 8

Convergent Mediation Platform............................................................................ 9

Distributed Architecture and Carrier-Class Scalability........................................ 10

Modular, Adaptable, and Easily Configurable..................................................... 10

Next-Generation, Customer-Level Service Assurance....................................... 12

Extensibility......................................................................................................... 12

High Reliability.................................................................................................... 13

Adaptability to the Network, Business Support Systems and Operator SupportSystems.............................................................................................................. 13

Manageability...................................................................................................... 14

System Repository for Managing Components .................................................. 15

Advanced Monitoring and Reporting Capabilities............................................... 16

J MX Monitoring................................................................................................... 17

Integration with Operational................................................................................ 18

Security Features................................................................................................ 18

Support for Multi-Language Text Encoding and Decoding................................. 19

Mediation Types.................................................................................................. 20

Active Mediation................................................................................................. 20


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Highlights and BenefitsAmdocs Service Mediation Manager is a convergent mediation platform for all networks,

services, and processing modes that reduces the total cost of ownership by enabling

consolidation of business processes and systems.Amdocs Service Mediation Manager serves as a network abstraction layer for Operation

Support Systems and Business Support Systems. It provides all information related to

network services (such as subscriber-level usage data and quality-of-service data) that is

needed to create a complete picture of the network. Amdocs Service Mediation Manager

enhances and processes information based on customized business criteria, and then

distributes the results to target systems in a ready-to-use format.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager provides these key features and benefits:

Convergent mediation platform for all types of networks, services, and processing

modes.

Distributed architecture and carrier-grade scalability enabling providers to leveragetheir hardware investment, scale with the growth of the network, upgrade quickly and

easily.

Highly modular, adaptable, and easily-configurable design that speeds up the

time-to-market for new services and reduces operational costs.

Support for next-generation service assurance at the customer level thereby improving

customer relationship management and enabling quality-of-experience-based

charging.

Enhanced integration with Amdocs Charging enabling users to speed up and reduce

costs of implementing a network-to-bill solution and to enhance revenue assurance.

Extensibility allowing users to use a Business Logic SDK to customize the system tomatch their business needs.

High reliability ensuring high system availability.

Adaptability to the network, Business Support System, and Operation Support System

environments and needs.

Advanced manageability that enhances usability and reduces maintenance and

operational costs.

Advanced monitoring and reporting capabilities.

Support for multi-language text encoding and decoding.


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Chapter 2. System Features


Convergent Mediation PlatformAmdocs Service Mediation Manager is a convergent mediation platform for all networks,

services, and processing modes.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager integrates with all types of networks(packet-switched and circuit-switched), including fixed, mobile, cable, satellite, and

next-generation networks. It also supports all types of services, including voice, VoIP,

data, content, and video services. Amdocs Service Mediation Manager collects usage data

from both data and voice networks from a variety of network elements, such as switches,

routers, firewalls, proxy servers, mail servers, directory servers, and application servers.

The gathered information provides a complete view of network activity detailing the

parameters of every session.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager can handle the data in its original (raw) format or as

records (flat or hierarchical). The variety of data formats and processing modes the system

supports provide users with the ability to preserve the information about the original

context of the data, and the flexibility to process the data as individual records or as wholefiles.

Having one mediation platform for all their mediation needs enables providers to eliminate

multiple mediation silos and thus to reduce their total cost of ownership and to enhance

their business agility. Managing all mediation streams on one platform allows providers to

consolidate their business processes so that they use your system resources more

effectively and efficiently. Any new developed or implemented system capabilities for one

line of business can be re-used by all mediation lines of business. Because providers need

to maintain, monitor, and control only one system across their entire organization, they are

able to substantially reduce their operational costs for mediation as well.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager dynamically processes the data it collects from all

layers of the network and transforms the data into meaningful business information,linking network elements to real-world entities. The system combines and consolidates

data from multiple network elements to provide a clear and detailed picture of user-level

service utilization because the complete view of network activity is often not readily

available from a single information source.


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Distributed Architecture and Carrier-Class ScalabilityAmdocs Service Mediation Manager has a highly distributed architecture that allows it to

scale with the growth of the network and with the increase of the network traffic.

The distributed architecture ensures data integrity and high system availability by placingintelligent software agents throughout the network, enabling transmission to multiple data

repositories. The architecture is composed of several functional layers that give Amdocs

Service Mediation Manager virtually infinite scalability, flexibility, and manageability.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager enables users to install multiple systems on the same

computer taking advantage of multi-processor servers to scale up and run several

Gatherers on a single computer concurrently. A system configuration can be shared by

several distinct mediation projects, each of which can be accessed by separate users,

further expanding the scalability and manageability of the system.

The distributed architecture of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager enables users to better

leverage their hardware investment and to use the vertical scalability of the system to

transfer higher volumes of data without any extra cost.

The efficient distributed processing of the system, its horizontal and vertical scalability

and its support for low-cost platforms contribute to cost-efficient scalability that is needed

in order to handle the ever-increasing demands of processing large volumes of data.

Modular, Adaptable, and Easily ConfigurableAmdocs Service Mediation Manager includes a vast array of network data collection,

processing and distribution modules (also referred to as ISMs) for legacy and

next-generation services in all types of networks.

With comprehensive libraries of off-the-shelf independently configurable mediation

building blocks for collection, processing, and distribution, and plug-and-play

architecture, Amdocs Service Mediation Manager lets users quickly create mediation

processes. The modular design enables quick and easy upgrades and adaptation to service

changes: implementing a change typically only requires local updates to the relevant

building blocks.

Figure 2.1 Modular Design

GathererGatherer

Gatherer

IP switch

-

Radius server

Collector Parser

Validationmodule

De-Duplicator

Aggregator Formatter Distr ibutor

Gatherer

Collector Parser

externalapplication


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Amdocs Service Mediation Manager has a modern, feature-rich graphical user interface of

the system that you can use to configure the system and monitor its operation. Complex

configuration tasks are assisted using the familiar window-based configuration guiding

techniques of wizards. Even tasks involving writing custom code plug-ins are done

through user-friendly graphical interfaces.Figure 2.2 displays the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager main screen. The menus and

tabs available are determined by the project that is currently open.

Figure 2.2 Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Main Screen

Amdocs Convergent Mediation allows providers to launch new services quickly and

cost-effectively to market through its flexible modular architecture, adaptability features,and simple configuration. It is interoperable with existing infrastructure systems and offers

high extensibility and scalability. System administrators can easily customize mediation

flows and external interfaces for existing and new services.


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The advanced modular system architecture helps keep maintenance and upgrade costs to a

minimum because changes are implemented by replacing modules rather than the entire

system. In addition, the GUI-driven system configuration allows fast and independent

change implementation. The system can also be used as an interfacing and processing

bridge between Business Support Systems and Operator Support Systems, covering inter-systems functionality gaps that are created as a result of convergence or systems upgrade.

The overall effect of the system flexibility translates into faster time-to-market for new

services and reduced operational costs.

Next-Generation, Customer-Level Service AssuranceAmdocs Service Mediation Manager enables providers to improve service assurance and

customer service because it can collect and process quality-of-experience information at

the customer level. Using the information the system collects, providers gain an

understanding of the customer service experience that they can use to provide proactive,

rather than reactive, customer service. Amdocs Service Mediation Manager can collectvital customer service experience information from both network elements and from

Operator Support Systems, depending on the type and depth of information that is needed.

This raw data includes details such as service failures and different types of service quality

measurements. The system then correlates, aggregates, and adds this service experience

data to the customer usage data and in that way provides an integrated view of the

customer service experience. This information can be used to improve customer service by

enabling an optimal and proactive response to customer problems. It also allows providers

to improve the handling of service problems because it enables them to prioritize these

problems more effectively based on the actual customer impact. Providers can also use the

information to charge customers based on the quality of the entire experience, whereby

customers are charged based on their usage and their service experience.

ExtensibilityMediation processes can be independently customized according to business needs by

employing the Business Logic software development kit (SDK). The kit provides

advanced tools for mediation processes creation including a configuration manager,

processing functions manager, data mapping manager, rule manager and more. Amdocs

Service Mediation Manager is the quintessential mediation applications development

platform.

For more information about the Business Logic SDK, see theAmdocs Service Mediation

Manager Business Logic SDK Programmer Guide.


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High ReliabilityAmdocs Service Mediation Manager is designed to assure the highest level of reliability.

The high system reliability of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager prevents the risk of

data loss and data duplication. The system also has swift and efficient data recoverymechanisms. For more details about the reliability features, seetheAmdocs Service

Mediation Manager User Guide.

The system has a high availability that is achieved through the Watchdog process, which

runs in the background and monitors the operation of each component. The Watchdog

restarts the component if one of its critical functions fails. Amdocs Service Mediation

Manager allows users to implement a High Availability solution in a LAN and a WAN

environment, ensuring uninterrupted functioning of all its components in the event of

hardware failure.

Adaptability to the Network, Business Support Systemsand Operator Support SystemsAmdocs Service Mediation Manager is fully adaptable to all major network technologies,

including hardware, software, operations, and business support systems.

The system is designed to work with industry standard protocols, which allows for the

rapid and seamless assimilation of new, emerging network standards, devices and

applications. A variety of flexible interface connectors enable quick and simple integration

of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager with network and environments of Business

Support Systems and Operator Support Systems, and quick responses to network changes.

When network technology providers introduce new hardware or software, the extensive

library of ISMs that Amdocs supplies allows service providers to quickly launch newservices. As new network elements are deployed, new ISMs can be designed to collect and

process any relevant information the network elements provide Interpretability with

existing infrastructure systems is further supported by the open architecture and the use of

technologies such as Java and XML.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager enables users to process the data according to their

own business rules, and output it in a variety of formats to fit the needs of the downstream

processing applications.


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ManageabilityThe following features make it easy to set up, manage, and maintain Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager:

Web-based graphical user interface through which authorized users can access thesystem

System-wide and component-specific upgrades

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager enables system-wide and component-specific

upgrades, configuration changes and activation/deactivation of any of its components.

Import and export functionality

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager has an import and export feature that enables

users with the required access rights to export, import, and edit the configuration of the

system, of individual projects, and of the environment variables, using Extensible

Markup Language (XML).

Support for templates

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager is configured using self-contained building

blocks (templates) that are configured once and can be re-used many times. You re-use

a template by creating multiple instances of the template. In each instance only some

of the properties are modified. Using templates allows you to quickly configure

repeating patterns of objects.

Support for self-contained independent projects

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager has multi-project development environment that

makes it easy for users to set up the system, manage its configuration, and monitor its

operation.

Each project includes a set of related objects allowing administrators to configure the

system incrementally and to implement a sophisticated security policy that lets groups

of users work on individual projects independently.

In addition, support for projects makes it easier and less costly to make updates to

individual projects without affecting the configuration of the entire system or of the

other projects.

Support for users and user groups

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager enables administrators of the system to

implement a flexible user management policy tailored to their individual needs.

Support for environment variablesAmdocs Service Mediation Manager supports environment variables: configuration

parameters that are modified for every instance and stored in an external file, allowing

users to easily migrate configurations from one environment to another.

For more information about templates and projects, see theAmdocs Service Mediation

Manager User Guide. For more information about setting up a security policy, see the

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Operator Guide.


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System Repository for Managing ComponentsAmdocs Service Mediation Manager allows administrators of the system to create,

manage and search for components in a single component repository (referred to as the

repository).The component repository enables configuring components (such as custom data types,

records, and functions) and using the components in ISMs of the current project or projects

across the system.

Components in the repository are defined for use as follows:

Project-specific Can be used by all ISMs that belong to a specified project

Common Can be used by all ISMs in the system

Components defined in the component repository appear in the Business Logic

Configuration window of the ISMs in read-only mode. To modify a component that was

defined in the component repository, you must first change the component in the

component repository and then publish the repository.

In the Business Logic configuration of ISMs, you can use components defined in the

component repository in one of the following ways:

Attach the component The configuration of the component is referenced in the

repository. If changes are made to the component in the repository and then published,

the new configuration is automatically updated in the ISM.

Attach and replace a component Attach a component from the repository to replace a

local component.

Detach the component The ISM deletes the component from the local configuration

and no longer references it.

Copy the component locally The ISM copies the component configuration locally.

Changes that you make to the component are local and, therefore, do not affect other

ISMs.

Share a component with the component repository Adds components that are

currently defined in the Business Logic configuration to the repository.

You can share a component in one of the following ways:

Share After you share the component with the repository, the component

becomes read-only and you can no longer make changes to that component from

the Business Logic configuration. The ISM attaches the component and references

the component in the repository, and the component becomes available to other

ISMs.

Share as Owner The repository attaches the component and references it. Other

ISMs can use the component. However, only the ISM that is the owner of the

component can make changes to the component. This is useful for components that

are generated by ISMs, such as an ASN.1 record.


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The components in the repository are organized in folders. The system-defined folders

define which ISMs can use the components. You can also create additional folders that are

used for display purposes only and enable to easily locate components.

Using the component repository ensures that:

Changes to repository components are updated across the system.

If you change the configuration of a repository record, Enhancement Procedures that

use the record are not deleted.

If you change the configuration of a repository record, input and output tasks in the

Business Logic configuration that use the repository record are automatically

redefined.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager contains a Flow to Repository Integrator wizard that

enables integrating records in an existing flow with the repository automatically.

For more information about the component repository, seeAmdocs Service Mediation

Manager User Guide.

Advanced Monitoring and Reporting CapabilitiesAmdocs Service Mediation Manager provides you with a variety of ways to get

information about its operation:

The log files of the system and its components

Monitoring applications

System Alerts Monitor

Component Monitor

Chain Monitor (relevant for monitoring chains in batch-mediation projects)

SNMP Trap Exporter

Service Mediation Manager Monitor (batch-mediation projects only)

The Management Information Base (MIB) extensions of the system and the ISMs that

have a MIB

User-interface indicators, such as color of icons or the status indicators for system

components

JMX-based monitoring

You can monitor the system or objects in the individual projects according to your access

rights. You can define thresholds, configure filters and SNMP traps for all events in the

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager also integrates with Amdocs Monitoring & Control.

For more information, see Integration with Operational.


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You can use the following methods to view auditing information:

Audit Service Configure the modules (ISMs) used to output audit information about

the data that is being processed. You can direct the audit streams to external systems

for further analysis or to a database, and then use the audit information that is collected

to produce audit reports using the native Amdocs Service Mediation Managerreporting engine or other reporting tools. For more information, see Audit Service.

Project-level Audit Tracks and reports the audit data for the entire project, rather than

in the scope of the individual IS, and helps service providers reduce revenue leakage

and billing errors through auditing of data. Project-level audit incorporates the audit

counters and events of the Audit service. If your implementation uses the Audit

service, you can either continue to use it or replace it with project-level audit. For more

information, see Project-level Audit.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager has sophisticated reporting tools that allows

administrators, operators, and other users of the system to configure and generate reports

using the data the system collects. Amdocs Service Mediation Manager supports a variety

of output formats and formatting options allowing users to configure the system to sendreports to an email address, to save them to a disk, and so on. Users can also configure the

system to run scheduled reports at pre-defined intervals.

For more information about the monitoring and reporting capabilities of the system, see

theAmdocs Service Mediation Manager Operator Guide.

J MX MonitoringJava Management Extensions (JMX) is a Java technology that is used in Amdocs

Mediation to expose monitoring information about IS and enhancement procedure

instances. You can use this information, for example, to identify potential bottlenecks orproblems in a data flow and balance system load.

The JMX server runs on the User Interface Server (UIS), and it receives up-to-the-minute

status and statistical information from the monitoring server, including:

For each enhancement procedure, its ID, information about input and output rates,

queue size, and current status.

For each IS instance, its name and ID, information about the processing rate and status

(such as whether it is working, paused or stopped)

For each IS instance, statistical data defined in the Statistics Collection Point

component and in the Statistics tab of the last page of the Information Source

Properties wizard.

You can also view this information from any generic console (such as JConsole) or

in-house monitoring application.


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Integration with OperationalSupport for operating system environment variables enables you to use standard operating

system environment variables to configure the system (IS templates and IS instances).

This way you can update the values in a centralized location during runtime and theconfiguration parameters are streamlined taking advantage of standardized operating

system features.

Security FeaturesAmdocs Service Mediation Manager has advanced security features that enable users to

implement to protect the integrity of their system and data. The security features include:

Ability to select one of the two supported security mechanisms

Native security mechanisms

Amdocs Security Manager

Session Timeout

Support for a secure communication channel

Ability to Select the Security Mechanism

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager has its native security mechanism that enables

administrators to easily implement and modify a flexible security policy. The security

policy is based on having users, user groups, and permissions to perform certain actions.

Managing users, user groups, and permissions.

In addition to the native security mechanisms, Amdocs Service Mediation Manager

supports Amdocs Security Manager. The integration of Amdocs Service Mediation

Manager with Amdocs Security Manager enables using the security features of Amdocs

Security Manager and managing the security policy of all Amdocs applications using the

same application.

For more information about the features and benefits of these security mechanisms and

how to select the security mechanism, see theAmdocs Service Mediation Manager

Operator Guide.

Session TimeoutAmdocs Service Mediation Manager provides a mechanism to handle session timeout after

a configurable period of inactivity (inactivity period). The inactivity periodspecifies how

long a user login session remains active when there has been no user activity. If there is no

user activity for the pre-defined inactivity period, Amdocs Service Mediation Manager

displays a countdown alertthat informs you that your log in session to the Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager user interface will close and provides you with the option to resume

the session.


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Secure Communication Channel

The Amdocs Service Mediation Manager components communicate using a proprietary

TCP/IP-based protocol called Comm. The secure channel uses Secure Sockets Layer

(SSL), a protocol for transmitting information securely on the Internet. SSL uses

encryption to transmit the data securely. The URLs that use SSL start with https rather

than http.The secure port for communication with the UIS should be used to log in when

using https (and when the system works in secure mode).

Support for Multi-Language Text Encoding and DecodingAmdocs Service Mediation Manager supports the Unicode standard, enabling users to use

all major world languages in the system. Unicode is a single encoding scheme that

supports all the currently known characters. Support for Unicode strings allows the system

to accurately manipulate data in all languages, such as Japanese, Russian, and Hebrew.

Support for Unicode strings has the following main applications:

Allows using international characters (that is, characters that are not part of the Latin

alphabet set, such as characters in Cyrillic, Devanagri, and Chinese characters) in the

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface. For example, users can enter the

names of configurable system objects, such as queries, reports, users, and Gatherers in

the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface using international characters.

Allows users to get and store data from Information Sources in languages that use

international characters. For example, a file with data in Chinese can be used as anInformation Source.

Note:A Unicode-enabled browser, operating system, and database that supportUTF-8 standard are required to take advantage of this feature.

Note: In addition to the requirement for using a Unicode-enabled operatingsystem and database configured to work with UTF-8, the ISMs that get, process,

store, and export the data must support the Unicode standard for the system to

get data in languages that use international characters.


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Mediation TypesAmdocs Service Mediation Manager supports two types of mediation:

Batch Passive, uni-direction mediation that collects usage data from the network,

processes the data, and then sends the results to the target system. Batch mediationreceives requests, collects files off-line, and then processes the data. Batch processing

does not return answers immediately. Use batch mediation for applications that do not

require real-time processing of data, such as postpaid billing applications.

Active Bi-directional mediation that responds to service-authorization requests in

real-time, directly from network elements. Using active mediation you can support

highly available and dynamically load-balanced environments that handle transactions

in real-time. Active mediation enables to use services that require real-time response,

such as prepaid data services, sophisticated content services authorization, and

dynamic re-provisioning. For more information, see Active Mediation.

Each project can use either batch mediation or active mediation.

Active MediationActive mediation enables Amdocs Service Mediation Manager to act as a Decision Engine

that intercepts service events of different types in real-time, and then activates a decision

process that is based on Business information to determine the service flow. The decision

process uses pre-defined decision trees that can be created or modified dynamically. Both

event details and BSS/OSS parameters are used to get to a service decision. The service

decision can be to approve the use of a service, to reject the use of a service, or it can

define the next service execution step. The decision is then forwarded to the relevant

network elements for implementation.The decision process is divided into two steps:

Sorting process Sorts the different types of events based on data that is part of the

event data

Decision process Defines the result of the process based on parameters that are part

of part of the event data and external parameters obtained from the BSS/OSS

Active mediation enables to:

Automate the handling and validation of service-authorization requests and guarantee

continuous service availability.

Respond to service-authorization requests in real-time directly from network elements,including content-aware gateways and routers, to correlate the requests, price them

according to flexible pricing rules, debit or replenish customer accounts, and then send

service-authorization responses to calling applications.

Provide an interface between new network elements (such as GGSN) and BSS.

Maintain a mirror-image of the current state of each service-authorization request,

thereby minimizing the risk of data loss and assuring a high level of service reliability.


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Operate in a Highly available and dynamically load-balanced environments that

handle transactions in real-time.

Provide content and Access control.

Active Mediation Examples

The following scenarios provide examples for active mediation:

Define charging of a prepaid customers

When a prepaid customer requests to use a certain data service such as MMS, the

Service Control system sends a request for service authorization to the decision

engine. The decision engine then requests rate and balance information from the rating

and balance management systems. After the decision engine receives the information

it determines whether to approve or reject the service. If the request is approved, quota

for the session is reserved and the decision engine keeps tracking the session to enable

proper charging and to terminate the session if the balance ends.

Dynamic re-provisioning that enables dynamic bandwidth management.

When a request to increase bandwidth for a specific subscriber is received, the

decision engine consults the provisioning system, which holds relevant information,

and then decide whether to grant the request. If the request is approved, the decision

engine sends the re-provisioning request to the provisioning system, which in turn

implements it.

Architecture

An Active Mediation flow is constructed of one or more Clusters. Each cluster isconstructed of nodes, which are represented by one or more Gatherers that operate

according to schema-rules.

Each Gatherer is a node in the cluster and contains a single instance of a template, which

represents the business logic of a single node.

A primary node in a partition handles tasks. A secondary node in a partition receives and

saves updates of the current state of transactions that are handled by the primary node of

that partition so that it can replace the primary node without any loss of data, if the primary

node fails.

Figure 2.3 describes the active-mediation architecture. Monitoring, statistics, and audit

functions are not depicted.


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Figure 2.3 Active-Mediation Architecture

The active mediation architecture is modular and hierarchical, consisting of the following

main elements:

ISMs and ISs Enable to collect, enhance, and process data. An IS is a configured

instance of an ISM. Each IS is assigned a unique name and is configured to belong to a

cluster. The ISMs in an active-mediation project fall into the following main

categories:

Network-interface module Interacts with network elements, such as GGSN,

handles service-authorization requests, and converts the incoming requests from

raw data into hierarchical records. Network-interface modules are configured in

non-partitioned clusters, in which all Gatherers are active and redundant. For

example, the Diameter Server ISM is a network-interface module.

Service-logic manager module Acts as the main processing point between thenetwork-interface cluster and service elements (such as a rating engine or a

balance manager), and can query data from another module. Service-logic

manager modules are configured on partitioned clusters and therefore there is load

balancing between their instances. For example, you can configure the Business

Logic SDK ISMas a service-logic manager module.

Non-partitioned Cluster

(Network-Interface)

ISM

UID 1352632

Network-to-Business Platform

Partitioned Cluster(Service Logic)

Partition 1

Back-up Node - Gatherer 4

Primary Node - Gatherer 3

Partition 2

Primary Node - Gatherer 5

Back-up Node - Gatherer 6

UpstreamS

ervers

Node 1 - Gatherer 1

Node 2 - Gatherer 2

NetworkElement

SharedMemory

ISM

Legend

Service Connection

Smart Load-Balancer

Task (hierarchical)

ISM ISM

SharedMemory

ISM ISM

Service LogicManager module Shared

Memory

Network Interfacemodule (ISM)

Service LogicManager module

Network Interfacemodule (ISM)

Oracle DB with

fast logging tablecomponent


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Enhancement module Enhances the data of a network-interface module or

service-logic manager module, such as loading and storing reference data, or

connecting to an external balance manager. For example, the you can configure the

Business Logic SDK ISMas a service-logic manager module.

Audit module Active Mediation Audit Logging ISMcollects auditing andrevenue-assurance data and loads the data to an Oracle database. This ISM is

required for the implementation of the project-level audit feature.

Gatherers Main component of the Network-to-Business platform that supports the

main usage-data processing operations.

A dedicated Gatherer is used for a Cluster Lookup Agent that maintains information

on the state of the clusters, such as the Gatherers currently running on a cluster, and the

partitions to which each Gatherer belongs.

Clusters A group of one or more Gatherers. Each cluster has a unique system-wide

name. You can define a Shared State Table (SST) that maintains state of the nodes in

the cluster and enables to manage sessions. Clusters can have one of the followingtypes:

Non-partitioned Clusters that contain a module (ISM) that interfaces with a

network element such as the Diameter Server ISM. Non-partitioned clusters are

fully redundant and all Gatherers perform the same tasks. Typically, the contents of

a non-partitioned cluster are not resource-consuming and do not require load

balancing. The network-interface ISM receives service requests, parses the

requests, validates them, and then sends them on a Service Connection to a

partitioned cluster.

Partitioned Clusters that contain one or more service-logicmodules (ISMs) or

that interface with service elements. Each Gatherer is assigned to a partition. Each

partition contains one active Gatherer, which is the first Gatherer to launch, andone or more hot back-up Gatherers. Only the active Gatherer of a partition

processes data.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager performs load balancing between the

partitions by dividing messages between nodes based on the routing criteria. If you

select a user defined routing criteria you perform load balancing based on values of

fields such as Subscriber ID and service-type.

Service Connections Bi-directional connections between non-partitioned clusters and

partitioned clusters. A service connection carries responses to the original request

messages so that the network-interface module, which sends these responses to the

network element. A Service Connection is analogous to an Enhancement Procedure in

a batch-mediation project, but it supports two-way data traffic.


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Incremental Deployment

Incremental deployment ensures high availability in an active-mediation project. It allows

data processing to continue while configuration changes are deployed and eliminates the

risk of data loss or data corruption when deploying the project configuration.

When a Gatherer receives the configuration, it compares the version of its current

configuration to the version that it has just received. If the new configuration is more

recent, the Gatherer updates its configuration and then restarts.

A project can contain partitioned or non-partitioned clusters. Each cluster can contain

several nodes, which stop their runtime operation and restart to deploy configuration

changes.

To allow data processing while deploying configuration changes, the configuration is

incrementally deployed in two stages as follows:

1. Configuration is deployed to the backup nodes in the partition. The backup nodes send

the deployed version back to the CEM.

2. Configuration is deployed to the primary nodes.

In non-partitioned clusters and for cluster lookup agents, the deployment priority

determines which set of Gatherers update the configuration during the first stage and

which set update the configuration during the second stage.


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3 System Components

This chapter contains a high-level description of the applications architecture the core

system components and their functions.

Introduction......................................................................................................... 26

Central Event Manager....................................................................................... 27

User Interface Server.......................................................................................... 27

Gatherers............................................................................................................ 28

External and Modular Components .................................................................... 28

Configuration Database...................................................................................... 31


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IntroductionAmdocs Service Mediation Manager consists of the Network-to-Business platform and

modules, which are also referred to asISMs.

The Network-to-Business platform includes the following components:

Central Event Manager(CEM) Coordinates, manages, and controls the operation of

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager and all its components.

User Interface Server(UIS) Web-accessible secure point of contact for

administration and management of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager.

Gatherers Smart-agents that host and manage ISMs and the data collection and

processing activities of those ISMs. You can add one or more Gatherers.

You can add any number ofISMs to Amdocs Service Mediation Manager. Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager stores configuration data in a database server, which is sometimes

referred to as the configuration database (see Configuration Database for more

information).

Figure 3.4 Amdocs Service Mediation Manager Architecture (Example)

networkelement

networkelement

networkelement

CEM

DPM

DEMDPM

DXM Parser

UIS

BusinessLogic ISM

FormatterFile

TransporterISM

DCM

processingapplication

processingapplication

OSS/BSS system

Amdocs Service MediationManager

network infrastructure

access

to

userinterface

reports

DSM

databaseserver

sto

re

report data

qu

ery

Gatherer

Enhancement Procedure


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Chapter 3. System Components


Central Event ManagerThe Central Event Manager(CEM) coordinates, manages, and controls the operation of

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager and all its components. The CEM has the following

main functions: Coordinates, controls, and manages the collection, processing, and transfer of data.

The CEM coordinates the operation of the Gatherers and manages the flow of data in

the system through the collection scheme defined in the system configuration. Based

on the collection scheme the CEM determines the computation flow (the set of

operations Amdocs Service Mediation Manager performs to obtain the desired

information). The CEM controls all the Gatherers, instructing them to perform the

sequence of operations defined in the computation flow.

Provides centralized system-wide licensing and ISM installation. ISMs are installed on

the host computer of the CEM. The CEM distributes the ISM software to the

appropriate Gatherers. It maintains a list of licenses installed in the system and verifies

periodically if the system is properly licensed. This feature lets users centrally installand uninstall licenses. It also prevents unlicensed use of the system and any of its

components.

Monitors the state of the Gatherers, the ISMs, the enhancement, and the data collection

process.The Gatherers periodically communicate with the CEM. The CEM

continuously monitors the state of each Gatherer and Information Source in the

system.

User Interface Server

The User Interface Server(UIS) is a Web-accessible secure point of contact foradministration and management of Amdocs Service Mediation Manager. It enables

multiple users to access the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface

concurrently through a Web browser, providing local and remote platform-independent

control of the system. The UIS provides these functions through the Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager user interface.The UIS is the server and the Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager user interface is the Java client running in the Web browser.

Access to the Amdocs Service Mediation Manager user interface is password-protected

and limited to authorized users.


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GatherersThe Gatherers are multi-threaded smart-agents that run as background processes

(daemons on UNIX operating systems). Each Gatherer can host multiple ISMs, allowing

scalable configuration of the system. The Gatherers manage the ISMs that they host andtheir data collection and processing activities.

Typically the Gatherers are strategically located close to the network elements the ISMs

access to minimize traffic on the network. The Gatherers load and run the ISMs without

interfering with the operation of the network elements or the other Gatherers.

The Gatherers are remotely administered and controlled by the Central Event Manager,

allowing for low cost central administration of the entire distributed Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager system. Each Gatherer stores relevant configuration information

locally ensuring that it can operate even when it is temporarily disconnected from the

CEM.

The Gatherers ensure the integrity of all the data in the system using their own local

persistent storage, a light-weight file-based database. The Gatherers save the usage datafrom the ISM instances that they host persistently on the disk in a buffer, called a

persistent queue (PQ). The persistency infrastructure of the Gatherers ensures the full

reliability of the system. It guarantees that all the usage data that is in the system will reach

its target destination and eliminates the risk of data duplication.

External and Modular ComponentsAmdocs Service Mediation Manager collects network session data from Information

Sources. It uses Information Source Modules (ISMs) to interface with the Information

Sources.

Information Sources

AnInformation Source (IS) is a network device or application server from which Amdocs

Service Mediation Manager collects network session data. Most network devices and

application servers provide logging or statistical information about their activity. Amdocs

Service Mediation Manager can collect network session data from the log file of a mail

server, the logging facility of a firewall, a traffic statistics table available on a router and

accessible through SNMP, a database entry accessible through the Web, an authentication

servers query interface, and other network devices. Routers, Web servers, firewalls, mail

servers, directory servers, authentication servers, and others are examples of InformationSources.

Each type of Information Source is accessed using a different method or protocol. Some

generate logs, others are accessible via SNMP, yet others have proprietary APIs or any

other proprietary protocol.


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Information Source Modules

TheInformation Source Modules (ISMs), which typically act as an interface between the

Gatherers and the network elements, extend the functionality of the system, enabling it to

collect usage data from the network as well as to enhance, process, export, and store the

gathered information.

The functionality of an ISM determines its type. For example, a Data Collection Module

(DCM) is responsible for collecting data from the network. A DCM typically provides an

interface for a particular network element.

The ISMs communicate with the network elements using protocols and formats such as

UDP/IP, TCP/IP, SNMP, telnet, file access, ODBC, native API, and others.

ISMs are add-ons to the Network-to-Business platform. They can be removed or added to

the system without affecting its basic configuration. A minimum of two ISMs must be

installed and configured for the system to collect and store data a Data Collection

Module to get the data from the network element and a Data Storage Module to store that

data in the database server and to query it.

One or multiple instances of the same ISM can be configured in the system. For example,

to access the data from several firewalls of the same type, several instances of the same

ISM must be configured. Thus the term Information Source (IS) is also used to refer to an

instance of the ISM.

ISM installation, licensing, and upgrades are centrally administered by the CEM. Refer to

theAmdocs Service Mediation Manager Installation Guide for details on the installation.

For instructions on configuring ISMs, refer to the documentation of the specific module.

Figure 3.5 Information Source Modules (ISMs)

GathererGatherer

Cisco router

AggregatorISMLDAP

EnhancementISM

CiscoNetFlow Pro

ISM

OracleServer ISM

Oracle Serverdatabase

store

quer

y

LDAP Server

RemoteAccess Server

RADIUSAccounting

ISM

Nokia CGPro ISM

NokiaChargingGateway

DNS Server

DNS ISM


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Types of ISMs

ISMs exhibit several types of behaviors, according to which they are classified as Data

Collection Modules, Data Enhancement Modules, Data Processing Modules, Data Storage

Modules, and Data Export Modules. Most ISMs exhibit one type of behavior, but some

exhibit several. For example, an ISM, such as the Cisco NetFlow Pro ISM, acts only as a

Data Collection Module. The Aggregator ISM, on the other hand, is a Data Processing

Module that also behaves as a Data Collection Module.

AData Collection Module (DCM) feeds the data it collects from a network element

into Amdocs Service Mediation Manager and thus triggers the flow of information

through the system. The DCM receives the data from the network element and relays it

to its associated Gatherer asynchronously (independently from and without

synchronization with any other event in Amdocs Service Mediation Manager). For

example, the Cisco NetFlow Pro ISM is a DCM. When a network session is initiated,

the ISM receives the details of the session from the Cisco device and relays the data to

the Gatherer. Every DCM provides at least one output stream.

AData Enhancement Module (DEM) enhances the data the system collects from

primary sources using data from another source, such as a remote access server, a

DHCP server, a DNS server, an LDAP server and a database. The DEM adds

correlated data from the source. For example, Source/Destination IP addresses

collected from a DCM are temporary, normally assigned for the duration of the user

session. Using a DEM, the service provider can determine, which subscriber was

assigned to that particular address for the session. A DEM supplies new information

when queried by the Gatherer that hosts it. When it receives an information request

from the Gatherer, it attempts to retrieve the information from the source it interfaces

with and then relays the response back to the Gatherer. A DEM enhances the data by

supplying DEM functions that are used in the enhancement process.

AData Processing Module (DPM) receives and processes the data. The processing

stage can include flexible, policy-based data filtering, de-duplication, association,

aggregation, applying business logic rules, and so on. A DPM can have input and

output streams that allow it to function in a variety of ways in the enhancement

process. It can receive data on its input streams, and can serve as the destination of data

flowing through the system. A DPM can also send data on its output streams and thus

trigger the flow of data through the system acting like a DCM. An input stream of a

DPM can be the target of an Enhancement Procedure, and an output stream can be the

trigger. (For more information on Enhancement Procedures, see The Flow of Data in

the System in theAmdocs Service Mediation Manager User Guide.) A DPM can also

act as a DEM, supplying DEM functions.

AData Storage Module (DSM) is a type of DPM that acts as an interface between a

database server and a Gatherer. It can be configured either to store data and to query

the data it stores or to query the data stored by another DSM.

Note: DEMs can only enhance the data in flat records. Hierarchical records aretransparent to the platform. The data in hierarchical records can be enhanced

only using custom code plug-ins developed with the help of the Business Logic

SDK infrastructure. Raw data cannot be enhanced.


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DSMs that are configured to store data behave like Data Processing Modules (DPMs)

because they can receive data and forward data to other ISMs. Like DPMs, DSMs have

input streams that can be targets of Enhancement Procedures, and output streams that

can be triggers of Enhancement Procedures.

Each DSM is associated with a single table structure with a specific set of fields. TheDSM performs clean-up and aging procedures on the data in the table it is associated

with. It removes old data to free space for new data periodically based on a user-

defined expiration period. The DSM places a timestamp on every record when the

record enters the database and deletes the record after its validity expires.

AData Export Module (DXM) is a type of DPM that receives usage data and exports it

to external systems and applications, such as billing, churn, fraud detection, and other

analytic applications. DXMs enable numerous formatting options for the data the

system outputs, and allow users to match the data format to the requirements of the

post-processing application. DXMs can use different export mechanisms to transfer

the data. For example the Text File Export ISM uses batch files. The export

mechanism is determined by the needs of the application to which the data is exported.The DXMs serve as an interface between Amdocs Service Mediation Manager and

external applications and provide a means of exporting data from the system. In the

enhancement process DXMs are like Data Processing Modules (DPMs) because they

have input streams that can be targets of Enhancement Procedures and output streams

that can be triggers of Enhancement Procedures.

DXMs provide a direct, efficient, and reliable mechanism for data export. They enable

data from multiple points on the Network-to-Business platform to be exported to

destination applications, eliminating potential bottlenecks and enabling concurrent

data transfer to multiple applications. DXMs have very low latency, which makes them

suitable for near-real-time data transfer. DXMs support multiple input streams (like

DPMs) and thus enable users to direct the data from multiple flows to a billing system

(in a single file that combines the records from multiple sources).

Configuration DatabaseAmdocs Service Mediation Manager stores all the configuration data in an Oracle or

MySQL database.

Amdocs Service Mediation Manager supports the following connection modes:

For an Oracle database Supports two database connection modes. It can connect to

an Oracle database instance or service.

The Oracle service connects to Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC), which

enables you to deploy a single database across a cluster of servers providing high

availability of the configuration database.

For a MySQL database Supports MySQL InnoDB (Transactional database) in

instance mode only.

For information about the supported database servers, see theAmdocs Service Mediation

Manager Installation Guide.


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4 System Functions

This chapter briefly discusses the following functional components of Amdocs Service

Mediation Manager.

Supported Data Formats .................................................................................... 34

Data Processing in Batch-Mediation Projects..................................................... 35

Data Processing in Active-Mediation Projects .................................................... 37

Component Repository....................................................................................... 38

Reporting............................................................................................................ 38

Error Management.............................................................................................. 39

Auditing............................................................................................................... 39

Monitoring........................................................................................................... 42

Statistics.............................................................................................................. 44

Patch Management............................................................................................. 46


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Supported Data FormatsAmdocs Service Mediation Manager can transfer data in the original format (as raw files),

as records, or as events.

In active-mediation projects, Amdocs Service Mediation Manager transfers data inhierarchical record streams only.

A recordis a data structure that consists of a set of fields exposed by the stream of an IS.

The record structure can be one of the following:

FlatContains a set of fields of primitive data types such as Integer, String, Date/

Time, and Float. The structure of a flat record stream is defined by the fields that it

contains. The fields that the flat record stream contains are registered in the Network-

to-Business platform.

You can enhance the data in flat record streams by configuring complex Field

Enhancements (Field Enhancements that use DEM functions or tasks).

Hierarchical Contain a set of fields arranged in a hierarchical structure. The fieldscan be Primitive data types (such as Integer, String, and Float), complex data