Network virtualization meets enhanced performance management
With the rise in next-generation mobile network rollouts and social media, and a majority of subscribers who are now using smart phones to access data and voice services, mobile network operators are experiencing continued rapid growth in data traffic volumes across their networks. In the wake of the big-data explosion, they are looking to virtual network operations and cloud-based service offerings to drive new levels of operational efficiency, flexibility and cost optimization.
Of course, while network functions virtualization (NFV) promises to streamline network operations and create new value in the network, and cloud-based offerings are a cost-effective way to upgrade communications environments, they are both driving the need for more reliable, high-performance networks. Unfortunately, when it comes to capturing, processing and analyzing this type and volume of data, legacy performance managements systems are no longer up to the task. In addition to being unable to cope with this evolution economically, legacy approaches are unable to resolve the discrepancy between actual and perceived performance levels, which can ultimately have a negative impact on quality of experience (QoE), and lead to loss of loyalty and business.
Due to stiff competition in the market, customer churn arising from poor quality of experience and network performance is a major challenge that can make or break a company. Month-to-month, no‑contract service plans and race-to-the-bottom price competition has made it easier than ever for customers to break the ties that bind and expand their horizons. As such, quality of service (QoS) and QoE are the key components to customer retention, with top-notch performance management being essential to ensuring a growing subscriber base through guaranteed service-level agreements (SLAs).
Filling in where legacy performance management systems have trailed off, a new level of functionality for network and performance managements systems is now making its way to the forefront. Through proactive, automatic notifications and resolution of network issues, this functionality enables operators to quickly collect and process essential data in real time, ensuring that issues are resolved before they affect customers. Not only does this brand of proactive monitoring make it possible to detect problematic congestion and usage levels early, it monitors performance levels and their impact on service availability. What’s more, progressive alarming gives operators a real-time view for complete visibility into their network performance.
Want to learn more about gaining market share and increasing revenue and profits through enhanced performance management? Check out EXFO’s new Xtract Real-Time Network Performance Monitoring Solution, which uses a combination of patented software engines to collect, analyze, correlate and report on real-time, historical and predicted events in the network.
