DigitalRoute Adds REST API for KPI Management

DigitalRoute announced the ".. launch of KPI Management, a product extension that accompanies the just released v7.2 release. KPI Management adds value to DigitalRoute’s OSS Mediation by enabling a programmatic approach to create multi-dimensional KPI’s . The user will be able configure hierarchies, metrics and operators via an open API together with multi-level thresholds to trigger actions, e.g. alarms.

Its RESTful APIs support self-sufficiency, meaning new KPI service models can be spun up quickly and cost effectively. It also ensures new performance measurement points can be easily implemented"

See "DigitalRoute Launches KPI Management" - here.

DigitalRoute Enhances MediationZone

DigitalRoute announced the release of its "..MediationZone 7.0 software, which delivers an easy-to-integrate, high-performing, and functionally advanced platform that gives CSPs unrivalled control over their usage and performance data in a flexible, cost-effective and robust manner 

Key aspects of the updated solution include:

• Significant improvements to data availability achieved via advances in Persistent Real-Time Aggregation Storage, Configuration Spaces, and protection of BSS systems through Extended Supervision of real-time protocols’ behavior and load [see chart].
   
• Support for the newest streaming data formats as well as accommodating additional legacy interfaces to help Data Centers win the battle against ageing legacy IT systems.
   
• Ease-of-use Enhancements that enable faster times to market and improve the quality of the user experience, including direct integration with Hadoop distributions by Cloudera and HortonWorks for easy Big Data enablement.
   
• The availability of important new pre-configured solutions including Service Control, which enables uses cases like sponsored data, bifurcated billing, and lean BSS.

With the release of version 7.0 DigitalRoute continues to strengthen its’ offering towards the OEM channel, cementing its position as the first choice mediation provider for enabling value added applications".

See "DigitalRoute releases MediationZone 7.0" - here.

Product Announcements: Ixia, Ulticom, RADCOM, NSN, SAP, DigitalRoute, Avvasi, Centri. Smith Micro

With MWC starting today, the number of product announcements made in the last few days does not allow a separate post for each .. so here is a short digest:

• Ixia Provides Three Times More Network Visibility In Half The Rack Space (here) : Ixia ".. introduced, as part of its Visibility Architecture, its most advanced, highest capacity platform that is designed to provide three times the visibility in half the rack space for enterprise and service provider applications .. Ixia’s newest network packet broker, the Net Tool Optimizer 7300, .. helps service providers and enterprises to improve real-time insights into the data traversing the network".

• Ulticom Diameter Signaling Controller is Virtualization Ready (here): Ulticom announced that "more than half of their Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC) deployments are in Virtualization environments. The Ulticom DSC is being deployed using both traditional dedicated server solutions and in Virtualized environments. As a software solution, Ulticom’s DSC is architected and ideally suited for deployment using virtualization. The product is hypervisor independent and can be scaled dynamically during operation. It has a proven track-record in operational deployments using virtualization and cloud technologies. Compatible hypervisor technologies include VMware, KVM, and Virtual Box.

• RADCOM Rolls-out Enhanced End-to-End VoLTE Monitoring Capabilities (here): RADCOM announced that it has ".. added new Voice over LTE (VoLTE) monitoring capabilities to MaveriQ, RADCOM’s NFV-based network analytics probe. The enhanced VoLTE capabilities allow service providers to monitor the VoLTE service end-to-end across the LTE and IMS domains. MaveriQ continuously monitors VoLTE calls in multiple network areas, including eNodeB, EPC, policy and charging, and in the IMS network itself. With real-time and historical end-to-end call tracing, proactive alarming and KPIs that constantly monitor service QoE, RADCOM’s MaveriQ gives operators clear visibility into all quality aspects of high-speed 4G LTE, VoLTE and LTE-Advanced networks. Providing advanced troubleshooting tools for VoLTE service degradation, MaveriQ assists in achieving VoLTE accessibility, retainability, integrity and availability. The MaveriQ solution has already been deployed in four Tier 1 service provider networks in APAC and LATAM"

• Enhanced Flexi Zone controller powers up indoor, outdoor capacity and coverage, brings Liquid Applications to small cells (here): Nokia Solutions and Networks is "extending its award-winning Flexi Zone architecture, making it the most versatile small cell solution able to cover all deployment scenarios. A Flexi Zone controller application can be added to existing macro-cellular base stations to run a large number of nearby small cells. Flexi Zone’s cluster approach can now be used for indoor deployments. In addition, Flexi Zone controller supports the integration of NSN Liquid Applications to deliver locally-relevant, fast services directly from small cell base station clusters
  The third major development enables the Flexi Zone controller to support the integration of NSN Radio Application Cloud Server functionality to enable Liquid Applications on a cluster of small cells. Radio Application Cloud Server provides processing and storage, together with the ability to collect real-time network data. These features can be exploited by applications to offer context-relevant services that transform the mobile broadband experience. Liquid Applications offers caching and local offload for street level deployments, as well as enabling operators to provide value added services indoors to enterprises and public indoor locations".

• SAP and DigitalRoute Join Forces to Enrich Customer Experience for Telcos (here): SAP AG  today announced a "..significant expansion of its relationship with DigitalRoute .. The targeted result is an enhanced solution that shall bring together data from both operational and business support systems (OSS and BSS), providing unique insights that are expected to help communications service providers (CSPs) navigate toward monetizing their Big Data in today’s stormy market conditions".

• Avvasi Launches “Xperium Video Minutes” (here) Avvasi announced the launch of its “Xperium Video Minutes solution .. Xperium Video Minutes allow networks, for the first time, to measure and manage a video’s quality in real time and to charge for video traffic on a duration basis, rather than by volume (megabytes). This innovation has the double benefit of simplifying the usage, consumption and purchase of video services, while providing a new revenue stream for network operators".

• CENTRI Technology’s BitSmartCX Solution Ready for Wireless Operator Integration (here): ".. On the heels of completing successful trials in Latin America of its BitSmartCX solution, CENTRI Technology announced that its flagship product is now ready for wireless operator integration. Designed to help mobile network operators intelligently optimize and manage the flow of data across their networks in real-time, CENTRI’s BitSmartCX reduces the need for operators to invest in additional network infrastructure while lowering backhaul, spectrum and transport costs".

• Smith Micro and Amdocs Validate ANDSF Interoperability for Seamless Wi-Fi Access and Traffic Optimization (here): Smith Micro Software announced the "successful completion of interoperability tests between the Amdocs Smart Net intelligent offload solution and the Smith Micro NetWise® traffic management client. Amdocs used Smith Micro’s NetWise I/O toolkit to validate ANDSF interoperability that would enable seamless Wi-Fi offload and traffic optimization over heterogeneous networks".

DigitalRoute Diameter Signaling Router Added

DigitalRoute's Routing Control solution, a Diameter Signaling Router, was added to my Diameter Routing product list (here).
 

DigitalRoute Routing Control allows users to:

• Consolidate their businesses and synergize their infrastructures by bridging their Radius -> Diameter AAA signaling.
• Improve service availability with intelligent load-balancing, over-load protection and failover handling.
• Deliver new signaling services with a system that is configurable in a very short turn-around time (ARP-EU Roaming Regulations, Policy over S9, Network analytics feeder, OCS integrations).
• Simplify signaling architectures by controlling the routing logic in one platform optimized for the purpose.

[Update 69: DigitalRoute <-> Allot, Cisco, Sandvine] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

Thomas Vasen [pictured], VP Product Management and Marketing, DigitalRoute, updated me that "As we are a based on a Data Integration platform communications our superior integration capability. We can integrate to any network node over diameter. There is no difference between complying to a policy interface and a charging interface towards a P-GW. The tables below show our production diameter references, which should be much more valuable than closed lab IOT’s performed between two friends/partners". 

The matrix (here) was updated to reflect the interoperability with Allot Communications, Cisco and Sandvine in addition to Procera.

  

[Update 62: Procera <-> Volubill, Amdocs, DigitalRoute, Openet, Oracle, Tibco] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

Gary Gibbs, Volubill and Fredrik Johansson (pictured), Procera Networks updated me that the two vendors "completed Gx IOT testing".

Gary was proud to say that "Volubill is the only vendor to have completed IOT with all your listed DPI vendors".

Fredrik said that in addition to Volubill, Procera is also compatible with Amdocs/Bridgewater, DigitalRoute, Openet, Oracle and Tibco.

The compatibility matrix (here) was updated to reflect the new information. 

DigitalRoute and Procera Manage Traffic for Telenor's M2M Demo

DigitalRoute and Procera Networks announced they are "powering an exciting new machine-to-machine showcase for Telenor Connexion, a leading enabler of connected services .. DigitalRoute and Procera’s solution demonstrates the necessary traffic monitoring capabilities including counting and control. It segments traffic, deploys counters to monitor usage and then activates controls when allowances are exceeded. These are important functions for Telenor Connexion to enable more flexible business models".

"Three technology components are central to the showcase (see Telenor's PR - "Enabling connected services with flexibility as key driver" - here)

• the in-car connected device and its resident apps. These include a data volume display of real time, updated usage information.
   
• DigitalRoute’s MediationZone Policy Control and Usage Management solution, which manages integration between the in-car device data volume display and MediationZone as well as the integration between the MediationZone and the Procera nodes.
    
• Procera’s PacketLogic solution does reliable classification of data traffic, and generates detailed billing records. PacketLogic's ability to analyze usage patterns enables service providers to enhance the service and develop new offerings" 

Robert Brunbäck (pictured), CMO, Telenor Connexion said: "We are in the market to help our customers become more competitive. Enabling new and more dynamic business models for connected services, for example in the car, is of vital importance in today’s fast-changing marketplace. Together with DigitalRoute and Procera we showcase a concrete example of how new service offerings can be realized ”

See "DigitalRoute’s and Procera Networks’ traffic segmentation and split billing solutions to be showcased at the Mobile World Congress" - here.

TM Forum's “Real-Time Charging for High Volume Mobile Data" Architecture to be Exposed

 
MATRIXX Software announces it will 'demonstrate a TM Forum Catalyst project at Management World 2012 to show how mobile broadband data traffic can be cost-effectively monetized .. The project, called “Real-Time Charging for High Volume Mobile Data" will demonstrate how high volumes of data traffic being driven by Smartphones and tablets can be profitably handled by Communications Service Providers (CSPs)"

".. The Catalyst project is championed by France Telecom-Orange and includes participants Capgemini, DigitalRoute and Vedicis .. Demonstrating a new reference architecture for integrated DPI, policy and online charging, the project offers new opportunities for carriers to reduce OPEX, monetize broadband with tiered services, and create interactive customer experiences".

According to the TM Forum project page (here) the project "demonstrates real time user feedback and policy enforcement on user mobile data consumption that integrates innovative solutions covering:

• Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and Deep Packets Inspection (DPI) for user bandwidth control, usage metering and APPs classification
   
• Active mediation and Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for portal integration, multi network and policy orchestration
    
• Online Charging System for customer and offer management

With the following Demonstration Scenarios:

• Scenario 1 – User once authenticated on the portal, accesses contents and follow his consumption in real time on the web portal or the Smartphone application.
   
• Scenario 2 – User is notified when his quota is over, he can purchase in real time data package, within the same session.

See "MATRIXX Software demonstrates mobile data Catalyst project at Management World 2012" - here.

PCC Announcements: DigitalRoute Adds Usage Management to MediationZone

   

DigitalRoute announced that " .. the latest release of its flagship MediationZone [covered here] platform now incorporates advanced unified Usage Management capabilities to count usage and trigger events towards external systems ..  [Usage Management capabilities] enable counting of individual usage, rule-based triggering of user-alerts, service limiting actions, and transfer of consolidated billing data".

Earlier this month the vendors announced a US regulation compatible Bill Shock Prevention (see "Bill Shock Prevention is Coming to the US Mobile Service" - here) solution (press release - here).

See "DigitalRoute Integrates Unified Usage Management with Latest Release of MediationZone Platform" - here.