IG1118 OSS/BSS Futures – Architecture R15.5.1

This exploratory report is aimed at architects and focuses on detailed architectural considerations. It provides the current view on the TM Forum work on the definition of the operations architecture necessary to enable the delivery and operation of services running across a hybrid of both physical and virtualized networks, while enabling both low cost agile operations and rapid portfolio innovation. The material in this document is work in progress. It provides initial steps towards the required Future Mode of Operations (FMO) architecture that incorporates new operations paradigms enabled by virtualization and SDN technologies being introduced by operators into their networks. These technologies have APIs which enable operational processes to directly link with network control processes blurring the traditional separation between management activities and control activities. In this report TM Forum introduces the new concept of a coherent and consistent mode of operation where management and control activities are no longer considered as separate but instead as one continuum. The resulting architectural view of the components that contribute management and control functions is called the Management Control Continuum (MCC) architecture. The MCC architecture is a subset of the FMO architecture that deals with Management-Control aspects.