OS3 OSS/J

Integration tax has always been a hotly contested issue in the Telecommunications Industry – with the plethora of applications and systems that must work together seamlessly implementing end to end processes on Next Generation Networks. Bespoke or ‘point-to-point’ integrations do not negate the considerable overhead cost of designing, implementing and especially maintaining this kind of integration. Even using a ‘standard’ interface like SNMP and XML messaging is not sufficient enough to reduce this cost significantly, and will always be a ‘high maintenance’ option.

If a service provider is to embrace the realities of Consolidation, Convergence and Lean Operations, breaking down high operating costs and disparate systems, then a standards-driven methodology that has been designed by the industry for the industry should be implemented. The OSS through Java Initiative provides the means to support NGOSS, map to eTOM and implement SID through a rich set of standard APIs that has been widely adopted by leading Network Equipment Providers (NEPs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and System Integrators (SIs).

Key Features:

• Standards based and compliant integrations utilizing the OSS/J API’s
• Implements both JVT (Java Value Type) and XML/JMS mode of operation
• Developed for use with either BEA Weblogic or IBM Websphere Application Servers
• Includes a BMC Remedy Adapter for inbound and outbound transactions with the
• BMC Remedy® Action Request System®
• Fully qualified XML Structure mapped into BMC Remedy ARS
• Schemas
• Standard workflows available for integration with OS3 Products

OS3 Integrator

OS3 Integrator is certified for relevant OSS/J APIs, implementing both JVT (Java Value Type) and XML/JMS interfaces where appropriate and providing an ‘Integration Toolkit’ for BMC Remedy® Action Request System® applications.

Developed completely in Java, it utilizes either BEA Weblogic or IBM Websphere Application Servers as the underlying java engine and to implement the JMS Queuing features. Connection to a defined set of schemas in BMC Remedy ARS is through the BMC Remedy Java APIs.

OS3 Integrator can be implemented as a stand-alone application for BMC Remedy ARS, which allows the addition of custom workflow to non OS3 Remedy applications, or alternatively, standard workflows are available to integrate to the OS3 Suite of products.

OSS Through Java™ Initiative & the Telemanagement Forum

The OSS through Java™ Initiative (OSS/J) and the TeleManagement Forum (TM Forum) have joined forces to combine resources and better serve the telecom industry. The TM Forum – the dominant standards body in the telecommunications OSS area – provides an OSS standards blueprint (New Generation OSS or NGOSS), while OSS/J offers a suite of Java, XML, and Web Services API’s aligned with NGOSS that quickly link OSS applications together throughout their lifecycle. The combination of OSS/J and the TM Forum adds up to a powerful, implementable OSS standard supported by Prosspero, a new one-stop-shop TMF program.

The OSS/J APIs – when mapped to the TM Forum Enhanced Telecommunications Operations Map (eTOM), provides standards based interfaces to the lifecycle of OSS/BSS solutions.

OSS/J Ecosystem

The OSS/J ecosystem is driving the creation of componentized based end-to-end OSS/BSS solutions that support the lean operator. SMI Telecoms is proud to be part of the extended OSS/J community that includes members from diverse areas of the entire telecommunications industry as well as the Java development world. SMI Telecoms is committed to providing quality driven certified and qualified products, providing an Industry leading toolkit solution to the BMC Remedy ARS Platform.

Interaction Patterns

OS3 Integrator implements both the JVT and XVT interaction patterns defined by the OSS/J Initiative.

Java Value Type (JVT) Session Beans have been created for each supported API. Instances of a well-defined set of entity types are accessed via a single interface, i.e. a Stateless Session Bean. XML Value Type (XVT) utilizes XML/JMS Messaging. OS3 Integrator implements a well-defined set of entity types that are accessed via XML requests sent to either IBM Websphere or BEA WebLogic Application Server.

OS3 Integrator – OSS/J Implementation Characteristics
OS3 Integrator implements a ‘toolkit’ to the BMC Remedy ARS platform, providing a standards driven external interface via the published OSS/J APIs and a standards driven internal interface within BMC Remedy ARS itself.

The internal interface is in the form of a distributed ARS application that utilizes a defined schema set. Workflow is available for standard OS3 applications and can be written for bespoke non-OS3 applications, to read from and write to the schema set, capturing all relevant events for OSS/J compliance.