Multivendor Interoperability
Introduction, Interoperability Verification at Nokia Siemens
Janos Arrakoski, Nokia Siemens Networks, IOT
Helmut Schink, Nokia Siemens Networks, Industry Environment
Nairobi, July 30, 2010
Company Confidential
1
© Nokia Siemens Networks
/
Content
• Basis for Interoperability
• Interoperability Verification requirements are different
• Drivers for Interoperability
• Interoperability Verification at Nokia Siemens Networks
• Interoperability Verification Output/Benefit (for developing countries)
• Interoperability Verification Projects Experiences from developing
countries
• Two Categories of “Interoperability Issues”
• Summary
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Basis for Interoperability
• Open Standards and Conformance make
multivendor configurations possible
• Conformance, compliance with standards is
essential for interoperability, but;
– No standard is perfect
– Standards evolve
– Implementations are different
– Implementations evolve
• Although Standards and Conformance are in general good, some
Interoperability challenges will exist in telecommunication
networks due to the complexity of the systems
• Interoperability Verification is needed to identify those challenges
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Interoperability Verification requirements are different
• Interoperability Verification needs vary;
• Standards/Interface maturity and evolution, the complexity,…
• Deployment scenario and configuration …
• There are usually numerous possible multivendor
configurations
• Different Vendor/Product/Interface/SW Version/Configuration
& Parameter combinations
• Different Interoperability Verification activities and approaches are
needed to address the various needs efficiently
• All stakeholders must participate and do their share
• Majority of networks where NSN is a supplier are multivendor
networks and it’s also in NSN interest to endorse interoperability
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Drivers for Interoperability
• Interoperability is driven by market requirements, Operators
demand:
• State of art products
•Latest Functionality & features, Early Timing, High Quality, Low Cost,…
• Supplier independency and competition
•Manage and minimize risks and costs,…
• Secure investment
•Product Evolution, Long lifecycle, Maintenance,…
• Consolidation and convergence
•Fixed/mobile, all IP,…
• Everything and Anything
•Seeking for Competitive Advantage
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Interoperability Verification at Nokia Siemens Networks
• Interoperability Verification is a integrated part of the
Nokia Siemens Networks Product Development
process:
– Driven by
▪ Technical requirements
▪ Market requirements
• Interoperability Verification is additionally supported and
offered in the in the Product Delivery process:
– Driven by
▪ Market requirements
• Other infrastructure manufacturers have the very same approach
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Interoperability Verification Output/Benefit (for
developing countries)
• All parties (Vendors and Operators in both developing and
developed countries) benefit from the performed Interoperability
Verification equally
• Products with improved interoperability become available to all Operators
• Results of Interoperability Verification are available to Operators for their
multivendor configurations
• Operators striving for Technology Leadership
trigger and participate in early Interoperability
Verification (usually developed countries)
• Certain “well proven” configurations will arise
• Other operators (e.g. in developing countries) will
benefit from that
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Interoperability Verification Projects Experiences from
developing countries
• Nokia Siemens Networks has run several successful
multivendor projects in developing countries;
• Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania,…
• Projects cover infrastructure for several technologies,
GSM/GPRS, WCDMA and for both Core Network and Radio
Network Elements
• Multivendor verification project duration is usually one to some
weeks per interface depending on interface and test scope
• No blocking issues have been reported
– Interoperability, conformity and standards are good
• Configuring the network is a key activity in the project
– A task that must be done in every project anyway
• No differences compared to projects in developed countries
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Two Categories of “Interoperability Issues”
1) Problems appearing as “interoperability issues”
(i.e. occur in single
vendor environment too)
• Many times wrongly perceived as “interoperability issues”, typically due to:
• Invalid Configuration of network
• Inadequate System Testing (Conformance, Functionality, Performance,…)
2) Real “interoperability issues” (i.e. occur only multivendor environment)
• Protocol conformance is usually high, issues arise mostly due to:
• Different options allowed by specifications
• Incomplete and/or ambiguous specifications
• Invalid Configuration of network
• Category 1) represent many times majority of issues in a multivendor project
resulting in a false perception that interoperability is poor.
• The correct conclusion is in many cases:
– System not properly configured and parameterized and/or Product Quality is poor
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010
Summary
• Open Standards and Conformance alone
will not ensure 100% interoperability
• Standards are widely available and adopted
• Conformance is mostly at a good level
• Each Vendor define and ensure their conformance
• Market driven Interoperability Verification is efficient and focus on
operator needs
• A mechanism to address potential interoperability issues is
already in place
• Final configuration and parameterization of the operator
network must always be done in the operator network
Customer Confidential
2009
© Nokia Siemens Networks
NSN Multivendor Interoperability Presentation for ITU-T / JAr / 02.07.2010