Tivoli on track to increase presence of network management

With the wireless industry increasingly focused on the deployment of advanced wireless data services, network management capabilities are becoming an integral part of network deployments. Spectrum constraints combined with consumer demand require almost mandatory management solutions in order to keep both the network and customers happy.
To that end, computing pioneer IBM Corp.’s Tivoli software division is looking to increase its presence in the management of network operations. In late 2005, IBM acquired network management provider Micromuse, and in early 2007 completed its acquisition of network monitoring provider Vallent Corp. Both operations were folded into IBM’s Tivoli division in an attempt to bolster Tivoli’s end-to-end proposition to customers.
Those customers include telecom operators looking for a hosted solution directly from IBM or through a white-label agreement with partners like Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola Inc. or Huawei Electronics Co. Ltd.
The acquisitions of Micromuse and Vallent gave us the ability to provide management services covering everything outside the data center, and with Tivoli we can manage that data center,” said Kieran Moynihan, VP and CTO of Telecoms at Tivoli. “Now we can offer the entire package.”
While past management solutions focused on tracking the quality of voice traffic over mobile networks, the so-called “blocks and drops,” Moynihan said carriers are being forced to shift much of their analysis over to the data part of their networks as traffic-heavy devices and applications come online.
However, one challenge Tivoli sees with current network management and monitoring equipment is the ability to process the amount of information coming in from the network. This is one area Tivoli thinks IBM’s history in the computing space is paying off.
“The biggest challenge for carrriers is that too much information is coming in, and there is not enough processing power process it,” Moynihan said. “This is an advantage for us as IBM has that kind of track record in crunching that volume of data. Also it’s important to process the information in a quick enough time frame to make it actionable for the carrier. There is no use in knowing there is a traffic problem at a cell site if that information does not reach the right people in time.”
Battle for the home
Another area Tivoli is looking to spread its monitoring wings is at the edge of the network, and more specifically in devices and in-home network extensions. Moynihan explained that by extending network monitoring capabilities beyond the core, carriers could save money on network diagnostics.
“We are seeing increased calls from fixed and broadband customers saying their networks are not working,” Moynihan said. “After spending the time to diagnose the problem we are realizing it’s a home IT problem, not a problem with the fiber to the home. These diagnostic sessions cost a lot of money for the telco’s. A future trend we see is in providing capabilities to monitor a customer’s network from their home.”
Moynihan said that one way of doing this would be to install software on a smartphone that would allow a telco so see exactly the problem a customer is describing from their point of view. Another solution would be to have monitoring software installed on a femotcell or router in a home that would allow the same level monitoring from the consumers perspective.
“The battle ground of the future will be for control over the home,” Moynihan said.
These solutions are only part of the package Tivoli hopes to use as it attempts to gain a greater share of the network monitoring business. And with wireless carriers set to unveil more advanced mobile networks capable of supporting increased data usage, and customers looking to take advantage of the additional capacity, the market for that business looks set for robust growth.