7.7 Software Management
32.1013GPPPrinciples and high level requirementsRelease 17Telecommunication managementTS
7.7.1 Overview
This clause describes the software management process for 3rd Generation networks. Two main scenarios are considered:
1) Main Software Management process: It covers requesting, acceptance, installation, monitoring, documenting, database updating and feedback to the vendor for managing software. The sub-processes are valid for complete software releases and software patches for fault correction of the Network Elements and even element managers.
2) Software Fault Management: Its emphasis is on network monitoring and handling faults, which are caused by software malfunctions.
7.7.1.1 Main Software Management process
The main focus is the management of new software releases and correction patches. Importance is placed integrating new software into a network with out causing unnecessary service disruptions and maintaining high levels of quality for the network. The main steps in the software management process are:
– Delivery of software from the vendor.
– Delivery of the software to local storage in the Network Elements and/or element managers.
– Validation of the software to ensure that the Software is not corrupt.
– Activation of the software to an executable state.
– Validation of the software to ensure that it runs correctly.
– Acceptance or rejection of the software, depending on the outcome of the validation. (A rejection of the software implies a reversion to a previous software version).
Figure 8 shows an example of how these steps may be realized in terms of activities involving the processes defined in the Telecom Operations Map. However, alternative sequences may exist. For example, increased automation may cause step 3 to be omitted. Instead, a vendor certification activity could be run for a series of software releases or patches.
The following list is an explanation to the steps in figure 8.
1) Based on inputs from customer care interactions and marketing research, a network operator will establish new feature requirements. These requirements are sent to the vendor in the form of a feature request.
2) The vendor delivers a new software release/correction with the corresponding documentation and installation procedure to the network operator. It should be noted that when a network operator utilises equipment from more than one vendor, this process runs as multiple parallel processes.
3) A service quality management department of the network operator receives and reviews the software. Upon approving the software for installation, the software is sent to the network-provisioning department.
4) Installation Task:
a) The software is installed in the appropriate Network Elements and/or element managers by network provisioning.
b) Installation information is sent to the network maintenance and restoration department to inform them of pending changes in the network.
c) Installation information is sent to the customer care centre to inform them of pending changes in the network.
5) Installation Test and Validation:
a) Once the software has been installed, network provisioning performs tests to check and ensure that the new software is working properly.
b) In addition to the checks that are performed by network provisioning, network maintenance and restoration could also detect malfunctions within and outside the updated Network Element (NE).
c) Should network maintenance and restoration detect a problem within the updated Network Element (NE), then network provisioning is informed to decide on further actions.
6) Successful Installation Result:
a) Upon successful installation of the software, the service quality management department is informed.
b) A report is sent to network maintenance and restoration to inform them that the software will remain implemented in the network. At this point the documentation library and software database is updated.
c) The network data management department is informed over the changes in the network.
7) Negative Installation Result:
a) If the installation fails, network provisioning performs a "fallback", i.e. remove the new software and insure that the Network Element (NE) is running properly on the old software.
b) A report containing the negative results and findings will be sent to service quality management and at the same time to network maintenance and restoration.
8) Once the installation procedure has been ended, the network maintenance and restoration department closely monitors the affected Network Element (NE) to ensure proper performance.
9) Service quality management will send feedback to the vendor as to the positive or negative results of the installation.
Figure 8: Main Software Management process
7.7.1.2 Software Fault Management
Software Fault Management involves the following steps:
– Detection of Software malfunctions in the network.
– Problem resolution. The origin of the malfunction is determined and corrective action is decided. The corrective action can be one of the following:
– Reversion to an earlier software version. This can imply both load and activation of the earlier software.
– Load and activation of correction software, according to clause 8.7.1.
– Re-activation of current software.
Figure 9 shows an example of how these steps may be realized in terms of activities involving the processes defined in the Telecom Operations Map.
The following list is an explanation to the steps in figure 9.
1) The network maintenance and restoration department detects an event or an alarm/fault from the Network Element (NE).
2) Problem solving and informing customer care:
a) The alarm is forwarded to the service problem resolution department for corrective actions and it is determined that the problem is caused by a software defect.
b) In parallel the Customer Care Centre is informed, if the malfunction of the network may have impact on customers.
3) The service problem resolution department informs problem handling and subsequently the customer care centre over service impairments with in the network.
4) Problem handling reports to the service quality management department. The service disturbance is described within the report.
5) Service quality management checks the current software level of the affected Network Element with the network inventory management department.
6) If major network disturbances still appear the Service Quality management decides to fallback to a stable Software version (maybe some time after a new Software installation) and requests Network Provisioning.
7) a+b): Network Provisioning performs the fallback and informs Network Maintenance and Inventory.
8) Service quality management sends a request for a software correction to the vendor.
9) The vendor sends a new software release or correction to the network operator. The rest of the procedure can be followed in the main software management process.
Figure 9: Software Fault Management