From desktop to data centre — addressing the OSS challenges in the delivery of network-centric ICT services

With increased commoditisation of traditional services, telecommunications service providers are exploiting their core network-centric strengths and targeting increased revenues from ICT-based services. Aimed at enterprise-scale customers, these services range from the provision of IP-VPNs to full IT outsourcing, and span the range of infrastructure domains from desktop to data centre. The primary challenge lies not in the ICT infrastructure itself, but in the increasing demands placed upon the operational support systems (OSS) to deliver services holistically across the range of ICT operations. Based on BT's experience with corporate and government customers, this paper presents a detailed study of the ICT challenges on the OSS in achieving an end-to-end view of ICT service management. It proposes an architectural route forward and highlights BT's work on policy-based service management solutions. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]