Open APIs

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  • 1.  Quantification of benefits of using Open APIs with the different OSS/BSS systems

    Posted Jan 21, 2019 06:19
    Hi All,

    I am trying to implement Open API suite (TMF910 - Self Care) in our Lab environment with some set of products in our stack.
    I am trying to Quantify the real benefits of implementing the Open APIs. Based on the reading so far it looks like Open API standards helps us in decreasing the design effort as we have the code and standard ready to use. However, I still think that if we move from say one CRM to another CRM we still need to do the development.

    Do you think that implementing the Open APIs will completely remove the dev effort if someone wants to migrate from one COTS product to equivalent COTS product. Also, the data model of different COTS product is different so how can the Open APIs really help as I can see the Open APIs have a defined list of parameters which may not be exposed with the same name by a COTS product which means some mapping needs to be done at the Middleware/Integration Layer.

    It will be really great if someone can share the case study which Quantifies the benefits of using Open APIs.


    Regards,
    Ravi Verma

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    Ravi Verma
    Infosys Ltd.
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  • 2.  RE: Quantification of benefits of using Open APIs with the different OSS/BSS systems

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Jan 22, 2019 05:47
    Hi

    I am not going to produce specific cases, but my personal experience has been the following:

    The Open API's contain an assumed Information Model.  If you have ever built an integration bus from ab initio, you would expect to iterate your information model multiple times as you expand the footprint of the integrated space.  This in turn will drive technical change throughout you delivered API landscape, diverting resources from adding business value.  These effects are typically half the effort of a three year integration effort.  So Open API's saves you 18 months in this instance.

    The Open API's contain an inherent message model.  Tuning your messages typically takes a while, usually demanding detailed analysis that normally takes up six weeks of the project before coding can start.  Most message architecture can expect a few iterations over a three year project cycle.

    In my experience, the coding teams can start integrating without the upfront effort, and with little risk of re-implementation if the Open APIs are used.  Note this is true of TM Forum, Open Banking and FiWare Open APIs.  Most projects seem to get a single integration pathway through the full stack up and running in four to six weeks.  I have seen it done in 24 hours in the special case of a Hackathon environment where design features can be assumed without much verification.

    lastly, there is always the hope and expectation that software vendors will start manufacturing the APIs to the standards provided, providing the opportunity for plug and play integration.  This is the goal, perhaps unrealistic in the next couple of years, of the TM Forum Open API certification program.

    So, not using the Open APIs is a strategy to customer lock-in and considerable SI costs for the future.  This indicates that a CSP would need a very clear understanding of their risk before embarking on a idiosyncratic integration design.  Obviously, the drivers could be that there are few Open APIs available in the space here the solution is sought.

    My 2c.

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    Hugo Vaughan
    Crowd Frame Consulting Limited.
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Quantification of benefits of using Open APIs with the different OSS/BSS systems

    Posted Jan 22, 2019 09:14
    Thanks Hugo for your 2c.....I echo your statement - "there is always the hope and expectation that software vendors will start manufacturing the APIs to the standards provided, providing the opportunity for plug and play integration.  This is the goal, perhaps unrealistic in the next couple of years, of the TM Forum Open API certification program"
    When the Products become Open API compliant then yes Open APIs will definitely help however till that time I am not sure if Open APIs will help as such.

    I personally feel that the Open API implementation will be helpful when CSPs migrate from one System (say CRM-1) to equivalent system (Say CRM-2) however even in that case unless the new system (CRM-2) is Open API compliant the development effort will not change (although design effort might be considerably low) as we still need to do the attribute mapping of new system (CRM-2) in our integration layer.

    I appreciate If you have any Demo or a case study which can showcase how Open APIs helped.


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    Ravi Verma
    Infosys Ltd.
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Quantification of benefits of using Open APIs with the different OSS/BSS systems

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Jan 24, 2019 13:34
    Hugo's response was pretty comprehensive but I would add one other point.
    There are two stakeholder sides to an Open API: the Producer side and the Consumer side.
    If Open AP  usage is intended to drive  to reuse rather than point to point integration, then  there will be more consumers than producers .
    So migrating form one CRM and changing the  API and Data models will require redevelopment on the consumer side which will  be greater in magnitude than the  producer side costs

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    Dave Milham
    TM Forum Chief Architect, TM Forum
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    Original Message