1. Software deliveries and maintenance Case: GSM networks
By Mika Lukkarinen and Nina Klingenberg,
Mobile Networks Supply and Support - Unit,
ERICSSON

2. Contents of the presentation
Software development process
Supply process
Ericsson global supply and support organization
Support and maintenance processes
Questions

3. Application Systems (AS)
Global Application System (GAS)
Core products
- Standard functionality
Functional blocks
Market Application System (MAS)
Core products
Signaling products
Parameter setting
- Per operator or country
Market adaption / generic products
BTS, BSC
MSC
SW running at the customer site
Core products
Signalling products
Parameter setting
Exchange data
- Per site

4. New major release of the SW is introduced...
Approximately once per year for each network element
The new SW release includes the following:
SW IMPROVEMENTS
SW package: R8
NEW FEATURES BASED ON CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
NEW FEATURES SPECIFIED BY THE GSM STANDARDISATION BODY

5. Different types of SW deliveries
New software release (SW development process)
“pilot customer”
mass distribution after General Availability (GA)
Network expansion
SW exists and no verification needed
Network configuration changes with exchange data
New network/customer

6. Software development process
by Risto Kivioja:
Integration & Verification
Requirements
Network modeling
Node modeling
I&V preparation
SW design
Basic Test
SW products ?
by Kenneth Manner:
PRA
Verification
Pre-study/Feasibility
time
Execution
Design time
Verification time ?

7. Software development process (pilot customer case)
RFA
MS8
Design project
Design
Function test GA
Industrialization project
System test
GAS verification
First Office Application
Market release project
Industrialization
System test: Negative test, load test, capacity test, …
MAS verification: if not generic product like RBS. Signalling products, soittoäänet, …
FOA:
Customer Acceptance
Network rollout ?

8. Software development process - Industrialization
System test
negative test, load test, capacity test, …
Global Application System (GAS) verification
to verify functionality on a network level
First Office Application (FOA)
“pilot customer”
the first live implementation of the SW
certain tests in a live network
General Availability (GA)
SW ready for mass production and deliveries

9. SW delivery flow (mass distribution case)
Marketing activities
Marketing & sales
Contract
Order of SW
SW delivery activities
Verified Global Application System (GAS)
MAS build-up
Functional change
MAS Verification
Customer acceptance
Network rollout
Network expansions
Central
SW store
New exchanges

10. Function change method
1) Separate the EX- and SB-sides
2) Load the SW on SB-side
3) Transfer data from EX- to SB-side (data conversion)
4) Change B-side executive
5) Test the new SW
6) Run the sides parallel
Central Processor 1)
A-side EX
B-side SB 2)
Old SW
New SW
Päivitys case:
Esimerkki AXE:sta mutta periaate soveltuu yleisemminkin.
20:00 Valmistelut, SW lataaminen/kopiointi, health checks, back-up’s,…
00:00 Aloitetaan varsinainen päivitys, halkaistaan kone, ladataan SW, …
01:00-04:00 Data conversion
04:00 Switch -> large restart
04:00-05:00 Tests -> kone rinnan
06:00 Back-up 3)
Data
Data

11. Global supply and support organization
Product Design Centers all around the world
Product units (PU)
(1 per node)
AS Supply
Offices (4)
Field Support
Centers (several)
Customers
(1-2 per FSC)
BSS/OSS
APZ/IO
BTS
CSS
ASO
VAS
...
Cust. X
Cust. Y
FSC
PSS

12. AS Supply Offices (ASO)
Jorvas:
Northern and Eastern
Europe incl. CIS
Madrid:
Southern Europe,
Middle East and Africa
Dallas:
The Americas
Melbourne:
Asia-Pacific

13. ASO product portfolio Circuit switching products - MSC/VLR, HLR, ...
Packet switching products - GPRS
Base Station System - BSC, BTS
Network management - OSS, ...
Intelligent networks - Prepaid, VPN, …
Other products - SOG, BGW, VoIP, …
3G network elements - UMTS, ...
The product portfolio covers GSM network products and also the next evolution phases following GSM

14. MAINTENANCE of the SW - SUPPORT of the customer!
Maintenance of SW:
preventive: correction handling
corrective: trouble report handling
Support of the operator:
Support services: help desk, emergency support, consultation, spare part service
The support chain
1st , 2nd and 3rd line support - follow the sun...
A support case: Y2k ...

15. What is SW maintenance?
The quality assurance activities (e.g. inspections of code and documentation, testing …) during the development phase aim at removing the faults as early as possible, latest before introducing the SW in a live network
After delivery to the customer the SW maintenance is both PREVENTIVE and CORRECTIVE
The goal of SW maintenance is to:
to minimize "preventive maintenance" and to reduce "corrective maintenance”, by systematic analysis of the SW in use
to keep the SW as UPDATED as possible during the SW's lifecycle

16. Customer Ericsson Analysis of TR Solution to fault = correction
PREVENTIVE maintenance
The goal of preventive maintenance is to secure that a solution to a problem of one customer is delivered to all customers with the same SW, and thereby prevent the appearance of that fault anywhere else.
This is the generic flow of correction handling:
Customer
Ericsson
Analysis
of TR
Solution
to fault =
correction
Correction
package
Trouble
Report
To ALL
customers!

17. Customer Ericsson Analysis of TR Trouble Report Quick solution =
CORRECTIVE maintenance
The goal of corrective maintenance is to quickly find a solution to the problem reported by the customer - the solution or correction should be maintainable.
This is the generic flow of trouble report handling:
Customer
Ericsson
Analysis
of TR
Trouble
Report
Quick solution =
Emergency Correction
Final solution =
Approved Correction
Correction
package

18. Support of the operator
The operator usually receives support in Operation & Maintenance issues according to the Service Contract made with the network supplier. The level of service varies depending on the content of the contract. Here are some examples of typical support services:
Help desk
takes care of all incoming questions from the customer
usually maintained at the 1st line support organisation
registers all contacts (phone calls, mail, etc.) and follows that the questions are being answered in a timely manner
Emergency support
usually 24h support in emergency situations, such as complete exchange failure etc.
Trouble report handling
reporting procedures for trouble reports following agreed answering times
statistics of TRs
Spare part service
in case of HW fault the operator can get a replacing spare part without the need for own stock of spare parts

19. ASO The maintenance and support chain for GSM SW 1st line support: ...
Customers
Field Support Centers
Product units
& design
CSS
PPS
PSS
BSS
BTS
Cust. Y
Cust. X
...
FSC
ASO
AS Supply
Offices
1st line support:
Customer Support Competence
3rd line support:
Core Product Competence
2nd line support:
SW Supply & System Support Competence

20. The support follows the sun ...
The Follow the sun-concept enables the utilization
of all 2nd line support organisations around the world.
The support doesn’t have to stop when office hours are
over at one hub, since the support cases can be handed
over to the following hub where day time is starting!
Madrid
Jorvas
Melbourne
Dallas
GMT

21. 0 0 2 0 0 0 The Millennium issue - the Problem Year with 2 digits
The basic problem is…
Year with 2 digits
instead of 4
0 0

22. 28 1 1 9 1 1 29 29 Millennium Issue – Critical Dates
Leap year
Not a leap year
Roll-over 00/01
2004
February 29
2001
March 1
2001
January 1
Sunday
2000
February 29
Thursday
2000
January 1
Monday
1999
September 9
Tuesday
Leap year
1999
February 28
Saturday
1999
January 1
Thursday
Roll-over 99/00
“9999”
Sunday
passed
Today only 32 days left until the millennium shift…
Friday
passed

23. The Millennium issue - the Support
The Millennium Program is one of our highest priorities within Ericsson.
The Ericsson millennium program was established at corporate level already in 1997
Extensive program has been conducted throughout the organization and monitor the progress from top executive level
Ericsson reported no disturbances in our systems or products related to the date shift to 9 September 1999 (9-9-99)

24. Abbreviations AS Application System
ASO Application system Supply Office
FOA First Office Application
FSC Field Support Center
FSO Field Support Office
GA General Availability
GAS Global Application System
MAS Market Application System
PU Product Unit