| The Clear Choice For Management Systems Integration |
In today’s environment where services change rapidly, customers modify profiles often, networks evolve quickly, new charging schemes are defined regularly, and new partners join the value chain as never before, systems need to be dynamic — and demand well understood application integration points. Open, flexible interfaces are critical to connecting the multitude of support systems, multi-technology networks, and data that exist in this IT/management environment.
Utilizing standardized interfaces to address these integration challenges is repeatedly saving 50-75% of costs compared to development that is based on non-standard interfaces. All stages of development see gains in productivity, from requirements definition, to design, code, and test. Risk is substantially reduced across the board as development artifacts become reusable and processes become repeatable.
| The most powerful interfaces for connecting all of these inter- and intra-Service Provider pieces are available under the TM Forum’s Interface standards suites: - MTOSI (interfaces for network and service management for transport networks)
- MTNM (interfaces that model the management of multi-technology networks)
- OSS/J (multi-technology APIs that deliver on Solution Frameworks (NGOSS) design guidelines for component-based management systems)
- IPDR (interfaces used for usage data management and accounting)
- Identity Management (unified identity management across operational systems)
TM Forum Interfaces shares common administration for specifications, reference implementations and other artifacts — all in accordance TM Forum’s Solution Frameworks (NGOSS) principles. A white paper that explains the need for and advantages of a single, unified framework for all TM Forum interfaces is available here.
Click here for a more in-depth look at TM Forum Interfaces.
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Interface Adoption Survey
The TM Forum Interface Program team conducted a survey about the adoption of TM Forum interfaces in the marketplace. The respondents gave excellent feedback on how the interface specifications are being used. They also gave insightful feedback on how to improve the interfaces.
Download the survey summary here.
It’s not too late to add your insights: Participate in the survey here. |
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| Business Benefits | | Reduce the “integration tax” involved with integrating and maintaining systems. | Recapture from suppliers the power to choose support systems based on factors such as prices, quality and functionality.
| Increase interoperability through interchangeable components and
applications. | Available library interface specifications, Reference Implementations (RI), and Compliance Test Kits (CTKs) based on Web Services, XML, CORBA and Java to shorten development time. | | |