Executive summary:
KPI:
Key performance indicators (KPI) are high-level snapshots of an overall system based on specific predefined measures. KPIs measure the health of the system and ensure that all individuals at all levels are "marching in step" to the same goals and strategies. They also provide the focal point for enterprise-wide standardization, collaboration and coordination. But selecting and defining KPIs is not as easy as it sounds.
REWSStools® strives to accomplish this for an operator’s network by leveraging the many years of experience and knowledge gained from its core Telecom personnel. REWSStools® was built by Telecom engineers for Telecom engineers and as such we know what they need and how they work. All data collected from the NEs is evaluated to determine the most intelligent way to analyze and interpret it. Rather than simply collecting and dumping all counters onto the screen, REWSStools® goes a step further by plugging the counters into formulae and ratios that will evaluate to KPI values. These KPIs are essential bits of information that hold value to all levels of the organization.
Benchmarking:
Benchmarking is the process of comparing the performance of similar entities against each other or against defined standards for the purpose of easily identifying points of weakness or underperformance.
REWSStools® takes 2 approaches to satisfy these requirements within the area of telecommunication networks.
- NE versus NE across identical time frames
- NE versus itself across different time frames (can also be known as trending)
By easily comparing critical KPI values of network elements against each other visually in the GUI, users can rapidly and easily pick out key areas where the performance levels of any NE are distinctly different from the levels of others.
Similarly, by plotting the activity of KPI for a network element across a span of time and comparing it against another similar span of time, any variations in performance (good or bad) can be easily identified. A good example where this type of benchmarking can be useful is in the identification of seasonal trending patterns. That is, if the performance of cell sites really is affected by leaves on the trees in spring and summer, then it should be easily identifiable by looking at the same cell sites performance during autumn and winter.
The value for the operator:
Rapidly identifying network elements on the network that are underperforming when compared against other similar elements is a big advantage to management in ensuring that the overall network performance is optimized and maximized at all time. Also being able to track the performance of elements over time to identify potential problems or monitor that improvements have yielded the expected results is again very powerful for optimizing and maximizing the full potential of the network.
How it works:
For each type of data collected and presented in REWSStools®, the REWSS engineers have applied their many years of experience to identify which specific fields are of particularly significant value either in their own raw format or as an essential part of a calculated formula. These calculated fields are known as KPI and are made available in the various reports of their respective tools.
REWSS interfaces also make it possible to line these KPI values up in a direct head-to-head comparison for simple identification of performance differences.
Return of Investment:
Simple access to KPI values and being able to easily benchmark them across multiple network elements is extremely valuable to any operator. Such information will lead to rapid identification of underperforming nodes and hence rapid intervention. Ultimately it will lead to a more stable network with sustained operation at a high level.
Conclusion:
The KPI / Benchmark Manager is an ideal interface for managers and executives to maintain a high level perspective over the entire network and invaluable for making business decisions. |
