OSS Solutions for IPTVA communications, media and entertainmentsolution brief from HP

Technology for better business outcomes

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Internet protocol television (IPTV) provides the ability forservice providers to offer compelling new services to theircustomers. While the opportunities opened up by IPTVare great, there are also risks. Both the complexity of theinfrastructure and the demands placed by customers onthe service introduce significant challenges to managingIPTV. However, these challenges are not insurmountable—a good understanding of the problem and a properlyarchitected and implemented operations supportsystem (OSS) can provide the management systemnecessary for a successful IPTV service.

The current IPTV service deployment urgency is drivenby the fact that consumer demand now exceeds theprovider’s ability to deliver the service. While sales ofhigh-definition (HD) TVs are growing exponentially, theavailability of HD programming, however, is lagging.At the very same time, subscribers are willing to pay apremium not only for HD content, but also for the myriadof services that are emerging around the complete digitaland personal experience revolution.

Given these dynamics, the competition for the consumerwill be considerable and the providers that can delivera measurable, high-quality end-user experience will beable to take greatest advantage—and rewards. Thereis little margin for error and all aspects of “premium”and bundled services must meet customer expectationsin order to both attract new customers as well as reducecompetitive churn.

Delivering IPTV services, however, is complex andrepresents a potentially new business model for theprovider. First, the IPTV infrastructure becomes significantlymore complex with what was traditionally viewedas IT equipment suddenly becoming part of therevenue-generating network infrastructure. Potentially,hundreds (even thousands) of industry-standard serversnow have to function together seamlessly in order todeliver a quality IPTV experience. To service providers,this means not just managing their traditionaltelecommunications network, but also managing the ITcomponents for a complete end-to-end and integratedservice solution.

Considering the billions of dollars service providers areinvesting into their IPTV and triple-play service deliveryinfrastructures, providers can ill afford for these services

and strategies to fail. The extraordinary demands of IPTVdelivery mean that the ability to monitor the serviceend-to-end, and then react quickly to quality of serviceand quality of experience issues, will be critical to thesuccess of the IPTV deployment and achieving the all-important expected consumer take rate.

The HP solutionBroad understanding of IPTV domainsThe HP IPTV OSS solution is offered as an end-to-endcomprehensive set of solution stacks that start with abroad understanding of IPTV domains and the variousdeployment infrastructures. This is a standards-based,modular and model-based solution approach thatincorporates input and concepts from bodies such asthe TMF and the ATIS IIF. The HP IPTV model uses aservice-oriented architecture (SOA) that addresses theprocesses for service fulfillment, service assurance andservice usage.

In addition, the IPTV organizational domains for contentprovider, service provider, network provider and consumermust be understood and incorporated. Important acrossthe domains are the key interfaces with a point ofreference for service-level agreements (SLAs) at theboundary of these domains. Although there can beconsiderable overlap, depending on the actual provider,these domains and the interface points represent a goodservice-level model around which HP has defined fourspecific solution stacks within the HP IPTV OSS solutionframework.

Figure 1 shows the defined domains (far left column)and the four HP OSS solution stacks, mapping theoperational process areas. These solution sets can bedeployed “as is” or combined with other HP solutions.The four solution stack offerings include:

• Quality of experience—allows the service provider tomonitor and manage IPTV services from not only atraditional fault and performance managementperspective but also from a service quality perspective.This multi-dimensional approach allows the serviceprovider to look at the delivered quality from acustomer’s perspective, from the network’s perspectiveor from the content provider’s perspective.

• Triple-play service activation—includes a set of productsand services covering technical order, inventory,workflow and the activation of triple-play services andsupporting networks. The triple-play service activationsolution is equally applicable to an IPTV serviceprovider or a network provider supporting IPTV services.

• IT element management—handles the tasks ofmanaging the IT systems that are part of the IPTV service.Focusing on fault and configuration management, ittakes best practices and tools that successfully manage

Monitor and manage emerging revenue-generatingIPTV services to deliver a superior quality of experienceand enhance the provider’s competitive advantage—an integrated approach to managing IPTV.

IT environments and applies these to the uniquerequirements of managing a revenue-generatinginfrastructure. This provides a telecommunications-grade solution built upon standard IT processes and tools.

• Core/access network management—provides for thefull network management needs of an IPTV system.Since the HP OSS solution for next-generation networks(NGN) is built using the same architecture and coreapplications as the HP IPTV OSS solution, it is easyto manage both the service provider domain and thenetwork provider domain with the same system.

These solution stacks, along with other specific HPsolutions and partners, provide a full portfolio fordeploying and managing IPTV networks and services.These stacks are offered to network and service providers,network equipment providers and independent softwarevendors (ISVs), and they are designed to reduce thecost and risk as well as to reduce the time to deployIPTV environments. The stacks are flexible and modular,and meet not only the evolving needs of IPTV, but alsoencompass triple- and quad-play service deploymentswithin a SOA-based architecture framework. The HPIPTV OSS solution provides the complete view overproviders’ IPTV operations and processes required to:

• Manage the service end-to-end and across layers.

• Manage across the business process lifecycle.

• Support a fully converged view of the IT, IP andtelecommunications infrastructures.

BenefitsMeeting customer expectation Today’s consumers are essentially spoiled by decadesof quality enhancement to network, cable and satelliteTV, as well as the capabilities of the new-generation HDformats. So, they are not inclined to settle for anythingless than a premiere viewing experience—especiallywhen they have made significant investment in their homeentertainment centers and HD video and audio equipment.The HP IPTV OSS solution’s Quality of Experience solutionsets help verify consumer expectations are met bytaking a multi-dimensional approach to managingthose expectations.

Lower CAPEX and OPEX while improving operationalefficiency.The amount of IT equipment required to deliver IPTVservices is a significant consideration along with theaccompanying potential for ongoing complexity, whichis why the IT Element Management solution set uses bestpractices and tools to handle the tasks of managing theIT systems. When companies must manage thousandsof servers and much of the work is automated by the ITElement Management system, the result is reducedoperating expense (OPEX). And, when the solution canreconfigure one type of server to repurpose it as anothertype, capital expenditures (CAPEX) go down as well.

Further reduce costs while speeding revenue generation.Cost cutting has never been far from the top of companies’priority lists, and the costs to a service provider that gowith provisioning IPTV or triple-play services are significant.The Triple-Play Service Activation set knocks down thesecosts and accelerates revenue generation by automatingprocesses to reduce errors, reduce expensive truck rollsand reduce the time from service order to serviceactivation. By covering the technical order, inventory,workflow and activation of triple-play services andsupporting networks, this solution set also introducesfurther operational efficiencies and savings.

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Figure 1IPTV defined domains and solution areas

Features at a glance

• Quality of experience solutionset—allows the service providerto monitor and manage IPTVservices from not only atraditional fault and performancemanagement perspective but alsofrom a service quality perspective

• Triple-play service activationsolution set—includes a set ofproducts and services coveringtechnical order, inventory,workflow and the activation oftriple-play services andsupporting networks

• IT element management solutionset—handles the tasks ofmanaging the IT systems that arepart of the IPTV service, focusingon fault and configurationmanagement

• Core/access networkmanagement—provides for thefull network management needsof an IPTV system

OSS area

Dom

ain

Service fulfillment Service assurance Service usage

Contentfulfillment

Serviceprovider

Networkprovider

Consumer

HP OSSsolutions

Other HPsolutions

IPTV Solution areas

Triple-playfulfillment

Digital content solution

IT element management Quality of experience Customer intelligence and billing

Managed home initiative

Core/access networkmanagement

To learn more, visit www.hp.com/go/cme

© Copyright 2007 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The only warranties for HP products andservices are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothingherein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical oreditorial errors or omissions contained herein. The information contained herein is subject to change withoutnotice. Printed in the USA.

4AA1-6350ENW, December 2007

HP OSS solutionsHP offers a comprehensive set of solutions available tomanage communications, media and entertainmentservices. The HP OSS solution set is modular, consistingof three major components: OSS applications from HPSoftware and partners, an integration framework andservices. While all the components build upon each other,their modular design and technology independenceallow the service provider to use only those componentsthat make the most business sense.

The HP OSS framework is a true end-to-end solutionframework based on open standards that draw uponan unmatched background in both IT andtelecommunications, leveraging HP expertise in the IPmulti-media subsystem (IMS) domain with its OpenCallIMS products and the HP Service Delivery Platformblueprint. Coupled with HP Software and partnerapplications, it provides a comprehensive OSS solution.

The HP advantageIncreasingly complex and rapidly evolving communicationssolutions force service providers to deliver ever moreinnovative services to the market while keeping customersloyal and insulated from the complexities behind theservices. To achieve this, communications and mediaservice providers need strategic partners that can domore. HP offers targeted and seamless services andsolutions, integrated with partners and delivered quicklyand efficiently.

HP services and solutions are open and flexible,empowering the customer to customize or create value-added services. HP service capabilities provide theexpertise to analyze, design, develop and implementand support the most complex solutions. This one-stopshopping approach allows providers to focus oncustomers—not suppliers.

HP focuses more than 30 years of expertise into apowerful integrated team, the Communications, Mediaand Entertainment (CME) organization, who along with500 valued solutions partners, assist the world’s topservice and equipment providers, as well as media,entertainment and cable operators, in meeting theirsubscriber needs.

Building upon a foundation of people, processes andtechnology, HP Consulting and Integration can managethe complete design, global delivery and deploymentof critical Adaptive Infrastructure solutions for today’scommunications and media services marketplace.

HP delivers solutions, technologies and services arrayedacross network infrastructure, network services, operationand business support, mobile and rich media solutions,and end-user access. These innovative capabilities,including the class-leading HP OpenCall and HPSoftware product suites, have made HP a major playerthat is leading change in the communications, mediaand entertainment industries.

Every HP solution leverages proven global experience that spans people,processes and technology. HP Services consultants understand thecommunications, media and entertainment marketplace, and can helpcompanies get the most from their business technology investments. HPServices can help in these critical areas:

• Application modernization services—HP offers a full range of currentand future business need assessments, strategic and technologicalroadmaps for change, infrastructure transition services and monitoringservices for the evolved application environments.

• Mission-critical support—HP has onsite consulting and technicalsupport available at a range of service levels, including OperationalITSM to help benchmark processes.

• Outsourcing services—HP offers a comprehensive portfolio of innovativeand scalable sourcing options, so company personnel can focustime and resources on their core business.

• Security services—HP has developed a detailed methodology forsecure evolution of the technology environment. Risk is lessened andboth the data and the network are protected.

• Financial services—HP Financial Services offers a range of creativeand flexible financing options that can remove the final obstacle tonetwork evolution.

Across the globe, enterprise customers rely on HP Services to design,build, integrate and manage the technology that powers their businesses.HP Services capabilities cover consulting and integration, outsourcing,support and education services, all delivered by more than 69,000services professionals in 170 countries. As the marketplace continuesto evolve, HP Services will be there to help communications, mediaand entertainment companies adapt and compete.

HP Services