Benefits of ENGINE within the Technical Department
How do you change the wings of an aeroplane in mid-flight? Of course, you don't: you wait for it to land first. But that is a luxury that most technical managers in mobile operators today do not have - their networks are always live. They are required not only to manage and upgrade large, complex, live networks, but to launch new services rapidly. And all that while simultaneously implementing major rationalisation projects that are meant to simplify their networks and prepare the way for IMS.
Software was meant to help. After all, software is easy to change. The introduction of software to the mobile operator in the form of Intelligent Networks and databases was meant to solve all this. But while these systems work in precise ways, they have never really lived up to the dream of offering multiple software services to the operator.
The Evolution of Intelligent Networks - ENGINE
The prime focus of our product portfolio is the services and applications that we have built. They are the things that allow you to provide new services to your customers. However, the platform that underpins the services we offer is original, innovative and offers a new approach to how Intelligent Networks are deployed in the network for operators.ENGINE (Enhanced Next-Generation Intelligent Network Environment) offers in a single architecture the following benefits.
Deploy new IN services without any swap-out
ENGINE changes the standard approach to IN architecture - not from a platform point of view, but from a network architecture point of view. It is deployed in a more modern way when compared with the old model of a switch connected to a number of chained IN systems, each offering a single service.This allows us to implement a number of IN advanced services in prepay, VPN, roaming and messaging without - crucially - having to re-implement all the features in a normal IN service.
This architecture allows you to implement new IN services without replacing your legacy IN systems. Large, expensive IN swap-out projects are no longer a necessary step to launch advanced, new IN services.
Evolved Intelligence can deploy these services in your network without any integration or project work needing to be carried out by your incumbent IN and switch manufacturers.
Open interfaces avoid vendor lock-in
ENGINE, from an IN platform point of view, is based on open, standards-based architectures, specifically JAIN and Parlay. This means that you are not locked into a proprietary IN system. Should you wish you may employ any number of 3rd parties to develop new IN services.Next generation technology
A few decades ago, IN systems were built on proprietary, fault-tolerant hardware. This made them slow and expensive. Over the years, most IN manufacturers have replaced their systems with more modern, standard server type architectures. In addition, a model of active-standby was often used to implement high availability. In recent years the price of hardware and SS7 connectivity has fallen rapidly, and more advanced software engineering practices have found their way into telecoms. ENGINE passes on to you these advances in technology:- More advanced clustering technology such as automatic state replication, single-system cluster management and on-line upgrades, significantly reducing operational overheads.
- Improved high availability architectures with n-active nodes.
- High performance on more commodity type hardware; hardware and o/s independence.
- Large scaling range from tens of thousands of subscribers to tens of millions.
- Dramatically more cost-effective price point when compared with traditional IN systems.
Migration path to IMS
The IN architecture of ENGINE allows operators to migrate their current services and traffic to IMS in a very controlled manner. This avoids a big-bang migration to IMS with its attendant risks and costs. ENGINE allows you to experiment with IMS services in a "blended" fashion by inter-working IMS with traditional network traffic.Inter-working between fixed and mobile networks
ENGINE can sit in between a mobile and a fixed network, allowing a degree of inter-operation between the two networks.Find out more
ENGINE allows you to:- launch new, advanced IN services
- without major IN swap-outs, or development on your legacy IN or switch systems
- while giving you the best in current IN technology, including an open, standards-based platform based on JAIN and Parlay
- and a step towards IMS with blended services.