CASSINI INTEGRATION AND TEST PLATFORM

Introduction

This document is Accentures response to the Cassini governance model based in recent input from Telenor,

Although we have received some input on Telenor Key Partner (TKP) requirements, we propose to specify and detail our input further during workshops and discussions to align expectations for both parties.

Based on recent input from Telenor Key Partner we also believe it could be very interesting for TKP to understand more of an asset from Accenture called Accenture Communication Solution. This asset, which has been developed by Accenture to accelerate development and maintenance of IT solution within the telecom industry, is also very applicable to Telenor Key Partner.

Part of the Accenture Communication Solution is one component covering the Oracle Application Integration Architecture (AIA) and the SOA integration components required in a Telco based on Oracle Fusion Middleware similar to the software chosen by TKP. If selecting Accenture as a partner on the Cassini Platform, TKP will have access to a lot pre-built materials, recommendations and solutions which can be used for development of the Cassini platform at no cost to Telenor Key Partner.

Accenture Communication Solution has emerged based on harvesting our experience and solutions from client projects.

Governance model for Cassini

Introduction

Below is the proposed high level governance solution for the Cassini platform:

Figure 1 High level solution model

A more detailed proposed split of responsibility between Telenor Key Partner (TKP) and Accenture is described in the proposed roles and responsibilities diagram below:

The overall governance structure of this solution is proposed to follow ITIL and TKP standards and may be described in the below model.

The focus of the operational meetings will be to;

Manage the SLA

Manage ongoing projects and future demands

Manage the overall technical architecture of the Cassini platform to ensure meeting the business needs.

Cassini platform and value chain components

The context in which the Cassini platform exists is important to understand the relationship to other IS applications/components. This is a key to also understand the role of the System Integrator of Cassini.

The value chains in TKP represent a number of activities linked together to create a distinct value to the business in TKP and/or the company being served by TKP,

Each value chain consists of a number of activities/steps, either manual steps or automatic supported by an IS solution. The IS solution consists of several components including IS applications, IS interfaces (and services), information models and IS processing HW. High availability, quality and effectiveness of the value chain is dependent on all the components of the IS solution, individually and as a whole.

The Cassini platform and its components are a cornerstone in enabling an efficient and effective value chains for TKP and the System Integrator of the Cassini platform plays an important role in providing effective solutions to the business users.

Below is an example illustrating the various components/layers taking part in a value chain and an IS solution, including the Cassini platform. These models are often used within Accenture to show the underlying principles for a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). 

Providing an effective and efficient, i.e. high quality, value chain is dependent on all the components in the above structure. Below is a short description of each component:

Understanding the relationships between the components in the value chain is important for several reasons:

During diagnosis of problems in day-to-day operations of the value chain, understanding the components and the relationship between them will ensure a fast and less time consuming error correction

The identification of bottlenecks and potential improvements in the value chain, cost reductions of quality of the results, can be done faster and with more accuracy.

Analysis, estimation and development of changes to the value chain to support new products and offers can be done faster and with more accuracy (significant improvements to Time-to-Market, very time consuming today)

The value chain can be measured and evaluated against service requirements real time in production.

In the IS tools market place, there are modeling tools available to document, maintain and model value chains and their components. We strongly recommend using a tool to document the value chain components and their relationships.

Roles and responsibilities for the Cassini platform

This section further details some of the key roles and responsibilities included as part of the Cassini governance model:

Telenor - TKP

System Integrator of the Cassini platform

ADAM of the Cassini platform components

AO/BO of the Cassini platform components

Below is a list of some of the key roles in the provision of System integration and ADAM services. 

The below figure illustrates how the various roles and responsibilities may be performed in the context of the Telenor business development model. The System Integrator role has been divided into the Development (SI-D) part and the Maintenance (SI-M) part to more clearly describe the focus for each of the roles.

The following sections describe in more detail the responsibilities of the SI-D, SI-M, ADAM and AO/BO roles.

Systems Integrator in Development (SI-D)

In the development of the Cassini platform part of a value chain project such as implementing a new company into the Oracle Financials platform, the SI-D role will be responsible for:

Managing the development of the Cassini solution components supporting the value chain

Informing the Telenor of issues that require attention and increased priority or proactive support from the Telenor.

Be the driving force behind all activities related to planning, analysis, design, build, testing and deployment of the Cassini solution components

o       High level interface (no: grensesnitt) design,

o       High level gathering and consolidation of estimates

o       Specify requirements for the project

o       Quality assurance

o       Report status and deviations from plan for the total solution, follow up on deviations

o       Handling, risk management and follow up of issues

Coordinate and prepare plans and reports to assure progress, quality and precision in the System Integration project.

Alert the Telenor-TKP of any deviation in priority, progress, scope, quality and/or estimates or other conditions related to the involved Cassini components or the total Cassini platform.

Ensuring the implementation of value chain requirement to the Cassini platform and ensuring the quality of the total Cassini solution:

Involve all parties and required resources in the design of the overall Integration solution, including AM and AO

Obtaining estimated changes in AM-cost from AM provider

Obtaining estimated changes in AO-cost from AO provider

Analyze value chain requirements to the Cassini platform and estimate total Cassini solution

Detail value chain requirements into functional and technical specification for AD provider.

During design, build and test actively ensure that involved applications are compatible with the requirements and overall design.

Perform controls to achieve appropriate quality of planning, analysis, design, build, testing and deployment of the total solution

Manage error correction across applications (project related)

Perform appropriate testing (including Value Chain Testing in cooperation party responsible for the value chain project) of the Cassini platform.

Specify requirements for system tests of each involved application

Responsibility for planning and performing the Systems Integration testing

Coordinate hand-over documentation to AO/BO provider(s)

Develop Cassini platform Handover documentation to System Integrator responsible for maintaining the Cassini platform on a daily basis.

Provide adequate resources for error analysis and error correction during the acceptance test and stability period

During day-to-day operations of the Cassini platform, the System Integration role for development of the platform has the following responsibilities:

Demand management to plan for appropriate resources and capability development of the service provider

Technical Architecture management to ensure appropriate architecture development and technical environment development of the Cassini platform 

System Integrator in Maintenance (SI-M)

The main responsibility for the System Integrator of the Cassini platform in the maintenance role (SI-M) is to ensure that the Cassini platform operates according to the specified SLA with sufficient and agreed quality.

Additionally, the System Integrator in the maintenance role will be responsible for ensuring that the Cassini platform components being developed during a value chain development project will meet the SLA requirements and have the sufficient quality when moved into production.

The SI-M role is also acting as the single point of contact for all errors reported on the Cassini platform. Analysis and coordination of error correction activities are activities performed in Incident and Problem Management. Cooperation with the other AM provider(s), if any, is based on Telenors contracts with the AM Vendor and OLA established by Accenture as a back-to-back arrangement.

SLA for the operations and maintenance Cassini Platform defines the services and service levels provided by SI-M. The SI-M will be responsible for the Cassini Service Management in accordance with ITIL and Telenor Key Partner framework:

During day-to-day operations

:Change Management

Incident management

Problem Management

Configuration management

Release management

Service Level management

Service Application management

Operation management

Service Desk

During development of Cassini platform

Provide Cassini platform documentation to SI-D responsible party

Provide Architectural- and Design principles for the Cassini platform to the SI-D responsible party

Provide QA of estimates regarding cost impact of new solution on AM

Provide QA services (If design/build test of value chain is performed by 3rd party)

Perform verification and QA of suggested architectures and designs conformance to the Cassini platform principles.

Plan and conduct Cassini Platform Test.

Update Cassini platform Documentation based on Handover documentation from SI-D.

ADAM

The role of the ADAM provider is to effectively and efficiently develop, maintain and support the Cassini platform components being used in the value chains.

During day-to-day operations, the ADAM responsibilities are

Application operations support

o       Support to AO vendor of operations errors

Application support

o       Handle 2nd tier user support for Service Desk

Application error correction (A & B application errors)

o       'Response to priority A application error, and confirm start of work'

o       'Response to priority B application error, and confirm start of work'

o       Analyze, correction or work around of priority A application error

o       Analyze, correction or work around of priority B application error

Application error correction (C & D application errors)

o       Register C & D errors

o       'Perform C and D error correction as part of package release for affected modules

Co-ordination of 3rd party vendors in connection to bug fixing

o       Perform coordination of 3rd party vendors in connection with bug fixing (within the constraints of Customers software maintenance contracts).

Proactive application maintenance

o       Proactive suggestions to Telenor (recommend application improvements)

o       Maintenance in order to keep agreed service level - production

o       Maintenance in order to keep agreed service level - admin. of existing unit(component)- and system(product) test environment

o       Perform root-cause analysis and suggest solutions regarding applications

o       Give input on changes in Application performance requirements.

During application development of Cassini components:

Estimate and develop changes to the application based on approved Change Orders

Develop major enhancements and new functionality of the Cassini platform as part of a value chain project

Hand over the tested Change Order or Project results to the SI-M role for verification and deployment into production.

AO/BO

The role of the AO/BO provider it followed by the ITIL and Telenor Key Partner standards and includes Application Operation, Server Operations and Capacity Services components of the  is described in the Ultra contract.

During maintenance and support of the Cassini platform, the AO/BO vendor is responsible for the operations of all the components of the Cassini platform and the corresponding HW/SW platforms on which these components are executed.

The AO/BO provider proactively monitors the Cassini platform for any potential and/or evident incidents and will make necessary actions to correct the incident. All incidents are reported and possibly escalated the SI-M role. (Operations Management function)

During development of the Cassini platform the AO/BO provider has specific responsibilities to ensure the operational quality and efficiency of the Cassini platform.