Improved SLA and reduced costs through network mapping
Process and system mapping has become an essential tool for organizations seeking efficiency and excellence in their operations. Furthermore, this practice involves creating visual and detailed representations of workflows, organizational structure and interactions between different departments and systems, directly contributing to improving SLA and reducing costs.
Advanced mapping solutions like OZmap provide a clear and accurate view of current processes and needed improvements. This allows companies to identify bottlenecks, eliminate redundancies and optimize their operations more effectively.
As a result, the company achieves significant gains, such as shorter response times, better performance and a significant reduction in operating costs. In addition, process efficiency has a positive impact on compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLA), resulting in faster, higher-quality service.
What is SLA in telecommunications?
In telecommunications, SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a formal contract. In it, the provider establishes the performance standards and expectations that it must meet with the customer.
This agreement details important metrics such as network uptime, connection speed, bandwidth, and timelines for resolving issues.
These parameters ensure that customer needs are met. In this way, the SLA supports the delivery of services with quality and predictability.
Furthermore, the SLA provides for compensation or penalties if standards are not met, such as discounts or credits. Therefore, it becomes even more important to adopt practices that ensure compliance. In this context, network mapping stands out as one of the main strategies to ensure SLA improvement and reduction of operational costs.
How network mapping contributes to improving SLA and reducing costs
Network mapping is an essential pillar for achieving SLA goals. In addition, it provides full visibility of the infrastructure, which allows for faster and more efficient preventive and corrective actions. Below, we highlight how this practice contributes on three main fronts: Documentation, Automation and Structuring.
Registration documentation
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date network documentation is critical to ensuring the effectiveness of the SLA. Advantages of this category include:
Single-line diagram
The single-line diagram accurately represents the actual installation and also helps to avoid errors. This reduces the time needed to identify faults, saving time and resources.
Reduction in technician travel time
With clearly marked breakpoints, technicians can quickly locate problems. Consequently, this reduces response time and reduces travel and material costs, which directly contributes to improving the SLA and reducing costs.
Improved network availability (Fiber and HP)
A well-mapped network enables more effective maintenance and, in addition, ensures faster recovery in the event of damage or ruptures, as well as a better geographical distribution of resources.
Optimizing customer experience with shorter service times
With less time for diagnosis and travel, the customer receives faster service, improving the experience and SLA compliance rates.
Process automation
Real-time network monitoring
Real-time monitoring, when combined with network mapping, allows proactive problem detection using specialized tools. In addition, active OTDR helps to accurately identify points of failure in the optical fiber. Likewise, efficient management of edge switches maintains stability and improves network performance.
Active OTDR
The active OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer) is a crucial tool for the analysis and maintenance of fiber optic networks. It allows, for example, to measure important parameters such as attenuation and signal loss along the fiber. In addition, it accurately identifies faults and degradation points, which facilitates fast and effective corrective actions.
Edge Switch Management
The edge switch is a fundamental component in the architecture of telecommunications networks. It directly connects the core network to the end devices of customers. In addition, its function is to manage and optimize data traffic at the edge of the network. This ensures efficient and continuous communication between users and the core network.
Opening of OS and linking of OS with the nearest technician
By integrating mapping with Service Order (SO) management systems, the system automatically allocates the closest and most suitable technician for the task.
In addition, a detailed checklist ensures that all necessary steps are followed, ensuring service quality and compliance with established SLAs.
Structuring information in a georeferenced and graphical way with OZmap
Georeferencing information allows for a clear and intuitive visualization of the network, thus facilitating the analysis and identification of critical patterns. Among the specific features of OZmap, we can mention the most relevant:
Photo and video inclusion (Posts)
The Posts feature, also available in OZmob, allows technicians to add photos, videos and audio directly to network elements. Even offline, it is possible to record information that will be synchronized later, when having internet access. This ensures accurate and real-time visual documentation.
Pendencies
The pending tasks feature in OZmap is a feature that allows you to mark specific points on the map with pending tasks, which in turn can be assigned to designated users in the system.
One of the main advantages of this feature is its integration with OZmob. With the integration, technicians can view and update these pending tasks directly on their cell phones. This speeds up execution and improves control of activities in the field.
Among the fields that can be inserted in the pending items, we can mention:
- Name: Allows free customization to identify each pending item. If not filled in, the system automatically generates a name.
- Type: Defines the nature of the issue. The “Common” type is already available, but new types can be created as needed.
- Tags: Adds an extra layer of organization by allowing you to group issues with specific characteristics. This field is optional.
- Responsible: Designates the users responsible for the issue. It is mandatory, and the user must have permission to view and manage the issues on the map.
- Color: Can be customized to make it easier to view pending items on the map, but it is an optional field.
- Description: Allows you to add additional details relevant to the task, as well as ensuring complete documentation.
When using this resource, there is a significant improvement in operations management, but it also increases the productivity and effectiveness of technicians, directly reflecting the improvement of the SLA and reduction of operational costs.
Power calculation
Power calculation allows operators to configure and monitor signal attenuation across the various network elements, thus ensuring that the power delivered to end customers is within the necessary parameters and foreseen in the SLA.
Specifically for customers, the power calculation can be accessed in the network details or through the “Power Extract” button, which performs a complete power calculation, just as is done in the boxes.
And furthermore, for precise control of the actual power reaching the customer, the read power field can be filled in manually by a technician or updated automatically through monitoring integrations.
Conclusion
When an effective mapping practice supports SLA documentation in telecommunications, it ensures superior transparency and accountability in the delivery of internet services.
With specialized features such as accurate documentation of pending issues and up-to-date single-line diagrams, OZmap transforms network management and operations in telecommunications.
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