Self adapting networks critical to escape complexity

With increasing complexing and demanding user experiences, ability to dynamically adapt is crucial for maintaining and improving quality of service.

Blue Planet, a division of Ciena, harnesses the power of automation and artificial intelligence to help providers not only predict but to also proactively avoid outages. Blue Planet’s Proactive Network Operations solution enables AI-assisted operations to significantly improve the trouble-to-resolve process, forging a path toward a more adaptive network.

As more service providers are realising that artificial intelligence is key to facilitating a more automated way of running their business, Ciena’s solutions aim to enable customers to apply intelligent, closed-loop automation to all aspects of their operations with the goal of realising the vision of a fully adaptive and self-healing network.

An Adaptive Network leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and software analytics to examine the many data points being generated at any given time so that the network can react to end user demands or to a predicted network failure and adjust without human interaction. 

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are two of the leading countries in artificial intelligence investment. According to Gartner, UAE is one of the countries where artificial intelligence will have a bigger impact with an approximate 14% of 2030 GDP. This is followed by Saudi Arabia where artificial intelligence’s contribution is forecasted to be 12.4% of GDP.

Currently, vendors in networking domains are augmenting traditional analytics with automation and artificial intelligence technologies to enable the next generation of highly intelligent networks. These networks – also known as adaptive networks – are capable of dynamically self-configuring and optimising based on changing network conditions. 

As networks become increasingly complex and intertwined with resource-intensive user experiences, ever-present devices and critical applications, the ability to dynamically adapt is crucial for maintaining and improving quality of service.

Network complexity has led to the formation of underutilised, over-engineered networks where instead of the smooth, automated service rollout we see many manual processes. To improve profitability, service providers need to keep in mind the importance of tapping into the power of artificial intelligence and automation to increase operational efficiency and reduce both CapEx and OpEx by enabling networks to self-optimise, self-heal and deliver optimal user experiences.

It will be critical for service providers to utilise new solutions that provide proactive methods for addressing potential service disruptions. One such example is Blue Planet’s Proactive Network Operations solution that uses advanced machine learning algorithms to pinpoint potential issues before they occur and instruct the network the best course of action to take to resolve.

Unified Assurance Analytic UAA enables AI-powered analytics applications, supporting multiple network layers, domains and vendor equipment to facilitate data collection to provide the deepest levels of actionable network insights. As a result, UAA is a key solution to help service providers realise the vision of an intelligent, self-optimising network described earlier as an Adaptive Network, which they need to meet customer expectations in a world of skyrocketing demand. 

Key takeaways

• As networks become complex, the ability to dynamically adapt is crucial for maintaining quality of service.

• Network complexity has led to the formation of underutilised, over-engineered networks and many manual processes. 

• It will be critical for service providers to utilise new solutions that provide proactive methods for addressing service disruptions.

By Azz-Eddine Mansouri, General Manager Sales, Ciena Middle East.