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Storage Platform

• Various application servers require data storage capacities for storing user mailboxes, billing data, etc.
• Fast, reliable, and scalable storage devices are needed, with no single point of failure.
• Storage devices should be compatible with servers from major companies like HP, IBM, SUN, and Dell.

System Dimensioning

• 5 messaging and associated storage systems will be set up in 5 cities, connected through an IP backbone.
• The system will support online services, periodic charges, one-time costs, and events.
• Online services include internet, pay-per-view TV, and video on demand.
• Periodic charges include telephone line and cable TV rental.
• One-time costs include connection fees.
• Events include telephone calls, data service usage, pay-per-view TV selections, and utility metered usage.

Web Portal

• Web Portal will serve as a gateway for customers and CSR based on their authorizations.
• Portal will integrate with NMS, EMS, and OSS for providing services to BSNL's customer service representatives.
• Portal services include business, process, network, and customer-specific maps/views.
• Portal will generate reports on QoS and capacity planning.

Database Management

• Database management will manage tables including database, table space, buffer pool, processes, and session summaries.
• It will monitor thresholds of objects like free space, process page faults, transaction rates, and average wait time.

Service Management

• Service management will measure availability/response time of applications.
• It will allow specifying SLA for applications and monitor them.

EMS

• EMS will provide a tool to monitor SLA.
• It will generate alerts for SLA violations and violation trends.

Asset Management

• Asset management will store hardware and software inventory information of all servers and desktops.
• It will create, track, and maintain records for assets and components.

OSS

• OSS will allow BSNL to automate majority of the processes needed in service definition, provisioning, and billing.
• OSS will provide an integrated view of all customers and services across the network for customer life cycle management.

Mediation

• Mediation will collect usage and charging data from various network nodes.
• It will normalize the data into a consistent format and distribute it to other applications and billing systems.

Billing

• Billing system will allow customers to receive complete event details along with their invoice or view them online through the Web portal.
• System will provide bundled accounting, hot billing, on-demand billing, and content billing.

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

• System will manage authentication of all users/customers, regardless of mode of access.
• It will enable defining access schemes by time-of-day, days-of-week, call type, etc.
• It will integrate with the billing server for providing real-time pre-paid balance management and session management.

Security Solution

• Anti-Virus solution detects unknown viruses and protects gateways and SMTP traffic from viruses
• Notification system sends automatic emails to technical contacts of IP address assignees for abuses from the same IP address
• Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) detects internal/external intrusion attempts and enables real-time policy application on firewalls
• Anti-Control System is provided for Database servers, Messaging Stores, Web-Hosting Servers, and NIDS
• Self-protection mechanism prevents hackers with root/administrator access from circumventing or shutting down the security engine
• Resource protection controls access to system resources, including data files, devices, processes/services, and audit files
• Rights delegation allows designating specific users as administrators, auditors, and password managers with appropriate rights
• Program Controls protect against Back Doors and Trojan Horses

Enterprise Management System (EMS)

• Objective is to provide a graphical view of NIB-II IT infrastructure health, including networking equipment, servers, and services
• Reporting system generates customized reports, such as event-level, performance-level, and service-level reports, grouped by specific data fields
• Security Management displays alarms and events specified by criteria, such as alarm type, vendor, service, location, and type of attack
• Event Management captures and correlates events across the IT infrastructure and initiates corrective actions automatically
• System & Application Management measures the availability and performance of heterogeneous host systems and initiates preventive and corrective actions automatically

Network Operation Center (NOC)

• Provides centralized network management and end-to-end provisioning of multiple services
• Offers a single view of entire network services delivered countywide
• Servers are connected through a Gigabit Ethernet link from Core router with three zones of firewall
• Centrally managed from two sites, with one as the master and the other as the disaster recovery site
• Interface to NMS back-office facility is provided, along with Firewall security in the Data Centre

Order Management

• Includes Customer Interface Management, Order Entry and Validation, and Workflow Management
• Customer Interface Management allows customers to submit and track service requests online
• Order Entry and Validation include CSR acceptance of orders, feasibility checks, and credit worthiness checks

Billing

• Billing engine caters to all billing requirements, including Retail Billing, Wholesale, and third-party billing
• Supports preparation of detailed bills, differential tariffs, cross-product discounting, and sponsored/split billing
• System dimensioning is designed to support online services, periodic charges, one-time costs, events, and financial services ASP services

NIB-II Network and Projects

• BSNL sets up NIB-II network to provide world-class infrastructure for value-added services, e-governance, e-banking, e-learning, etc.
• NIB-II is grouped into three major projects:
  • Project 1: MPLS-based IP Network infrastructure covering 71 cities with associated NMS, PMS, Firewall, and Caching platforms
  • Project 2.1: Access Gateway platform using Dialup with narrowband RAS and DSL equipment
  • Project 2.2: Access Gateway platform with Broadband RAS and DSL equipment
  • Project 3: Messaging and Storage platform, Provisioning, Billing, and Customer care, and Enterprise Management System (EMS)

Messaging and Storage Service Platform

• Core messaging system will enable BSNL to add users across varied value-added services
• Messaging system will be upgraded in phases to support increasing user base
• System will support billing for IP-based services and meet next-generation requirements
• Salient aspects of the project include:
  • Setting up a proven, robust, and scalable messaging solution with best-in-class security components
  • Rollout across the country supported by 5 messaging and associated storage systems at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata
  • Designed with High Availability architecture with no single point of failure

Components of the Solution

• Messaging:
  • DNS
  • AAA
  • MMP
  • LDAP (Consumer, Replicator Hub, Primary, and Secondary)
  • SMTP IN & OUT
  • Messaging Servers
  • Address Book Servers
• Storage:
  • SAN Switch & SAN Storage
  • Tape Library
  • Staging Servers
• Storage platform will require Fast, Reliable, and Scalable storage devices with no single point of failure, compatible with Servers of major companies like HP, IBM, SUN, Dell, etc.

System Dimensioning

• 5 Messaging and associated Storage systems will be set up in 5 cities
• Each city will be connected through the IP Backbone
• System will support:
  • On-line services (Internet, pay-per-view TV, video on demand, etc.)
  • Periodic charges (telephone line and cable TV rental)
  • One-time costs (connection fees)
  • Events (telephone calls, data service usage, pay-per-view TV selections, etc.)

Trouble Ticketing System

• System will track, log, and escalate user interactions and requests
• Customers can submit and check the status of reported problems through a web interface
• CSRs can view, change the status of calls, and reassign/transfer trouble tickets to others CSRs or technical specialists through the web interface
• System will generate customized Service Level Reports (e.g., Open Call Reports, Closed Call Reports, problem area/location-specific reports)

Billing

• Billing engine will cater to all billing requirements of BSNL (Retail Billing, Wholesale, Third-party billing, Interconnect and content billing, Dealers and Agents Commissions, etc.)
• System will support:
  • Preparation of detailed bills
  • Differential tariff
  • Cross-product discounting
  • Bundled accounting
  • Hot billing/On-demand billing
  • Hierarchy/Corporate billing
  • Discounts & Promotions
  • Taxes
  • Notification system
  • Dealers and Agent commissions
  • Content Billing

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

• System will manage Authentication of all users/customers regardless of mode of access (Dial-up Internet access, outsourced remote access, managed VPNs, Broadband, etc.)
• System will enable defining access schemes by time-of-day, days-of-week, call type, calling number, and called number, etc.
• System will integrate with Billing server for providing real-time pre-paid balance management and session management across multiple sessions of multiple services of a user.

Conclusion

• Various Applications servers will require Data storage capacities for storing User's mailboxes, Billing data, etc.
• Storage devices should be deployed as "End to End High-Performance Switched Architecture Fiber Channel SAN (Storage Area Networks) providing No Single Point of Failure".

Billing System

• Offers bundled accounting, hot billing, and on-demand billing
• Supports hierarchy/corporate billing, discounts, promotions, taxes, and notification systems
• Allows customers to receive complete event details with their invoice or view them online
• Enables customers to print event details in a printable format

Content Billing

• Allows BSNL subscribers to access services from external content providers
• Handles revenue sharing with content providers within a single billing platform
• Supports content providers without their own customer care and billing system

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

• Manages authentication of users/customers across various modes of access
• Defines access schemes based on time, days, call type, and calling/called numbers
• Authenticates through CLI, DNIS, voucher number, and pin code
• Handles at least 10,000 concurrent sessions per second
• Integrates with billing server for real-time pre-paid balance and session management

Security Solution

• Provides anti-virus solution to detect unknown viruses
• Sends notifications for mails with repeated complaints about abuse
• Detects unauthorized internal/external intrusion attempts with NIDS
• Applies policies on firewall to prevent attacks in real-time
• Offers anti-control system for database servers, messaging stores, web-hosting servers, and NIDS
• Prevents hackers with root/administrator access from circumventing or shutting down the security engine
• Controls access to system resources, including data files, devices, processes/services, and audit files

Enterprise Management System

• Provides a snapshot graphical view of the health of NIB-II IT infrastructure
• Generates customized reports, including event-level, performance-level, and service-level reports
• Displays alarm and events specified by criteria such as alarm type, vendor, service, location, and source of attack
• Captures and correlates events across the IT infrastructure and initiates corrective actions
• Measures availability and performance of heterogeneous host systems on a 24x7x365 basis
• Initiates preventive and corrective actions automatically
• Monitors and manages multiple attributes of a running process and performs restart when processes go down

Storage Platform

• Requires data storage capacities for storing user mailboxes, billing data, etc.
• Deploys high-performance switched architecture fiber channel SAN (Storage Area Networks) with no single point of failure
• Is compatible with servers from major companies such as HP, IBM, SUN, and Dell

System Dimensioning

• Services a user base through 5 messaging and associated storage systems
• Upgrades the messaging system in phases as the user base increases
• Supports online services, periodic charges, one-time costs, events, and financial services ASP services

Objective of Operation Support System (OSS)

• Automates majority of processes needed in service definition, provisioning, service activation, authentication, authorization, and accounting, mediation, rating, billing, and invoicing

Mediation

• Collects usage and charging data from various network nodes
• Normalizes data into a consistent format and distributes it to other applications and billing systems for processing
• Collects different parameters, including bandwidth, volume, time of day/day of week/month, application, destination, and type of service

Database

• Uses latest Oracle RDBMS with all applications
• Works in failover mode over geographical locations, distributed mode across multiple servers, and cluster mode
• Allows data replication to or from databases of project 1,2.1, and 2.2

Help Desk and Trouble Ticketing

• Generates a unique trouble ticket-ID for each customer-reported problem