Mobile operators can expect up to 65 percent cost savings after implementing IP network automation across three operations categories, according to a study by Analysys Mason sponsored by Nokia.
Network automation is a driver for improved network services agility, operational efficiency and increased network availability.  Analysys Mason interviewed a group of global operators on their network automation strategies and results, collecting more than 60 data points to quantify the benefits from network automation at the domain controller layer.

Analysys Mason extrapolated the quantified benefits that can be expected from automating IP networks. This study focused on network automation implemented for the operator’s service fulfilment, network lifecycle management, and network and service assurance processes with the Nokia NSP.

NSP is the domain controller for multivendor IP, optical and microwave networks, enabling operators to automate a plethora of network management processes. According to Analysys Mason, Nokia’s market share ranks as one of the leading vendors in the network automation and orchestration space.

Analysys Mason found cost avoidance at the domain controller is the result of multiple factors:

Process automation reduces the labor time requirement for manual workloads by up to 68 percent.

Consequently, the time needed to roll out new services is reduced by up to 88 percent.

Less manual tasks also means less human errors and higher predictability. The use of a standardized scenarios reduces the frequency of order fallout and issues that require manual correction. Overall, the time spent to process errors is reduced by up to 85 percent.

Automating alarm correlation and root cause analysis offers a significant improvement to the mean time to repair (MTTR) – up to 71 percent.

Larry Goldman, Chief Analyst and Project Director, Analysys Mason, said: “Our study shows benefits at the domain layer, and we highly recommend operators automate network management processes for their IP services.”

“Network automation will be critical to enable future network slicing-based business models. Operators should also look for a network automation platform such as the Nokia NSP to reap the benefits of automation and ensure the efficient and automated management and control of network slice-based services.”