• Reduced management system development costs 
• A convergent solution that limits the number of EMSs 
• A component-based Management solution, that combines maximal customization with efficient and consistent COTS functions, 
• Usable for all types of equipment and networks 
• Integration software between network elements, EMSs, and NMSs which is easy to add, customize, and maintain 
• Support for existing and new standards, and the interfaces to other NEVs 

From Nokia to Ericsson, from Motorola to Alcatel, Marconi and Lucent

Network equipment vendors (NEVs) need to continuously demonstrate leading technology and competitive advantages to achieve their business goals. 

Internally, legacy and the different equipment groups sometimes provide isolated solutions and it is difficult to maintain interoperability and compatibility across the total portfolio. 

For their operator customers, the NEV has to provide state-of-the-art solutions for challenges like: 

• the high number of different Element Management systems; 
• the difficult customization of these element managers; 
• the diverse systems that must communicate with network elements; and,
• The limitations for convergence in the lower management layers. 

For an NEV to become the service management vendor of choice, a convincing multi-vendor support solution and open interfaces are required. 

Network equipment vendors have always been key customers for Vertel. Vertel has been the leading provider of management development solutions to leading NEVs for more than 16 years now. With M*Ware, a unique combination of mediation and network management components and development environment, Vertel again has made a quantum jump ahead of competitors. 

M*Ware Technology

As described in the NG-OSS architecture, M*Ware uses standards-based interfaces to create an open, ubiquitous network data layer bus. Standard protocol adapters for CMIP, SNMP, CORBA, TL-1 and XML are loaded with meta-data to support any type of MIB, DTD, or IDL. Also advanced, new telecom interface standards (such as MTNM and 3GPP) are fully supported.

The diverse network data is mapped in a common protocol-independent information model (in line with the DMTF CIM). On top of this ubiquitous layer, different M*Ware applications can easily be built.

M*Ware Dynamic Mediation solutions enable NEVs to easy configure very flexible interfacing between networks, element managers, network managers and systems of other vendors. Syntactic logic is captured in rules engines or scripts that can be easily changed while in runtime operation. Administration functions and distribution guarantee the highest flexibility, availability, and scalability.

Building-in M*Ware dynamic mediation allows for: 

• easy customization of EMSs according to individual operator wishes; 
• a clear division between network, EML, and NML; 
• compatibility across the total portfolio; and, 
• The required open multi-vendor interfaces.

M*Ware Convergent Manager provides a wide set of system and FCAPS “services”, that can be plugged in and configured easily, so that any C++ and JAVA developer can rapidly create precisely the required management system. Different sets of services are available for integrated management (IMS), service management (SMS), network management (NMS), element management systems (EMS) and embedded systems and provide ALL major functions, like fault management, configuration management, performance management, software management, inventory, and topology, based on relevant ITU standards. 

M*Ware Convergent Manager can handle any type of network (SDH, ATM, Voice, IP, xDSL, and even non traditional networks like storage management) and its fully distributed architecture allows it to effectively scale. M*Ware Convergent Management is the ideal solution for equipment vendors with a need to efficiently and rapidly support new network equipment or to converge multiple separate management systems into a common solution to decrease their developmental and maintenance costs. 

M*Ware Exchange, on top of the NEV service management systems, provides another key differentiator. Exchange allows network and service management information to be reliably and securely exchanged with the OSSs of providers, partners, and customers. This B2B automation removes error-prone manual processes, reducing operations and customer care costs, and enabling higher end-to-end quality of service to customers.

M*Ware also includes all the necessary tools, such as protocol stacks and simulators, to ensure the highest development efficiency for our customers.

Vertel offers more

Vertel Multi-Vendor support is a unique activity from Vertel Professional Services, and includes not only the open M*Ware technology in vendor-specific support systems, but also provides the ongoing support of these interfaces. This “third-party solution” helps NEVs to properly answer the recurring, difficult question arising from operators: “How will you support the interface to your competitor?”