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  • 1.  Difference between Resource or Service Activation

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Dec 07, 2021 08:53
    Hi All,

    There have been long debates in our team about Resource Activation and how it's being orchestrated.
    First, let me provide some background about our implementation. We implemented a PSR structure with:
    • CFS (with a concept of Service Configuration by including the concept of version). In other words, a CFS may have multiple versions which represent the different configurations it took throughout its lifecycle (i.e. when the customer calls to change the DownloadSpeed or add a voice Feature)
    • RFS (also with a concept of version), which carries the configuration of the Service for the given Technology. (For example, CFS with DownloadSpeed 25 and UploadSpeed 10 will derive a SpeedProfile xxx111 on gpon)
    • Resource (no concept of version). In our implementation, resources are static. Resource Characteristics are details like Port #...

    In Resource Operating phase, where we need to configure a resource for a given Service, we need to hit the Network Element with:
    1. Resource Details (i.e. port#)
    2. Configuration details (i.e Speed Profile xxx111)
    Question: In your opinion, is it considered ResourceActivation or ServiceActivation?
    • Some could argue that since, at the end, a Resource is being touched, we could use API 702. However, how would you pass the configuration details on 702 (ResourceActivation)? (in our current resource catalog, we do not carry service-related details)
    • Others could argue that we are trying to activate the RFS (which is the glue between the CFS and Resource), therefore, use 640 (ServiceActivation)

    At the end, our challenge is that if we decide to use the Resource Domain APIs (ResourceOrder, ResourceActivation), with our current model, we fail to understand how to pass the Configuration on the payload since, for example, a ResourceOrder only contains Resource/ResourceCharacteristics
    • Unless we evolve our model to add Configuration properties in our Resource Catalog (i.e. Adding SpeedProfile to the DSLPort Resource), we don't see other ways.
      • Then, it would bring another challenge: Introducing the concept of resource configuration (versioning) at the resource level...

    Any thoughts/recommendations?



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    Stephane AH-KO
    CGI Info Systems Management Consulting Inc.
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  • 2.  RE: Difference between Resource or Service Activation

    Posted Dec 08, 2021 06:35
    Hi Stephane,

    A naive question: is there any objection to using both activation APIs?

    Regards,

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    Roland Leners
    SATEC GROUP
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  • 3.  RE: Difference between Resource or Service Activation

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Dec 08, 2021 13:21
    Hi Roland,

    We are planning on using both APIs. However, since we are struggling on grasping what is the boundaries on Resource Activation, it triggers heated discussions between architects. For example, some of us think that Resource Activation is limited to "stuff " that is not service related, like firmware etc... But for example, pushing a Speed configuration based on what the customer ordered cannot be handled with the current structure of ResourceOrder/ResourceActivation API, unless it's being extended with some kind of ServiceConfiguration entity

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    Stephane AH-KO
    CGI Info Systems Management Consulting Inc.
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  • 4.  RE: Difference between Resource or Service Activation

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Dec 09, 2021 01:41
    @Vance Shipley might have what to say here, or @Kamal Maghsoudlou.
    But boldly stepping in here, in both Resource and more recently Service we have the possibility of intent-based configuration, using the Feature sub-entity. Maybe this could assist?
    Or, why not expand your resource catalog to reflect these configuration needs, and add speed as a resource characteristic?​​​​
    Hope it helps, apologies if this has muddied the waters.

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    Jonathan Goldberg
    Amdocs Management Limited
    Any opinions and statements made by me on this forum are purely personal, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the TM Forum or my employer.
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