The Future of OSS/BSS Architecture Is Cloud-Native and Microservices
Without the right OSS/BSS architecture, telcos will never realize the full potential of 5G services. Customers demand faster, more reliable, and personalized telecom services, and the bar keeps getting raised. Outdated legacy systems struggle to keep pace with the complexity of 5G infrastructure and network operations. However, scaling these static operational support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) every few years is costly and ineffective.
Adopting a microservices-based cloud-native OSS/BSS architecture solves this problem. It allows telecom operators to update individual system components without rebuilding the entire system. This approach enables service provisioning, fault management, and network management to be controlled independently. This way, telcos achieve seamless scaling of OSS and BSS system design by adding new services or expanding capacity as demand grows, all without costly infrastructure upgrades or disrupting telecommunications networks.
As a trusted tech partner to many telcos, we at Flyaps are big fans of flexible solutions — and cloud-native architecture is one of the best for transforming the telecommunications industry in our opinion. Now is the perfect time to transition to such flexible systems and remain competitive against those who have already moved from cloud computing to cloud-native architectures. Further, we will discuss what advantages cloud-native brings to OSS/BSS architecture and how you can make the most out of this combination.
Why move your telecom OSS architecture and BSS system design from cloud computing to cloud-native?
To start, let’s clarify the difference between traditional cloud computing and cloud-native architecture.
Cloud computing is about hosting existing systems and services on the cloud. This often means that monolithic applications are moved from local servers or personal devices to the cloud with minimal changes. On the other hand, cloud-native architecture involves building and running applications specifically designed for the cloud. In simple terms, cloud computing is about using the cloud to host services, while cloud-native is about building applications that are “born in the cloud.”
In the telecom industry, operational support systems and business support systems are critical to managing operations, from network management and service provisioning to revenue management and customer relationship management (CRM). OSS/BSS in telecom must undergo transformation to keep pace with technological trends like network function virtualization (NFV), software-defined networking (SDN), and 5G. Moving traditional OSS/BSS applications to the cloud without redesigning them may seem like a quick and cost-effective approach, but it limits their potential.
Want to dive deeper into telecom systems? Check out our article on OSS meaning.
Moreover, popular cloud tools and approaches, like containers (Docker) or orchestration tools (Kubernetes), can't be fully used with legacy monolithic systems. Designing and developing your BSS/OSS system architecture for cloud environments from the ground up also allows telcos to get more out of the microservices approach. That’s the key element that makes cloud-native architecture so powerful, especially in supporting effective OSS/BSS transformation.
Want to know all about staying innovative and competitive in the telecom industry? We have an article full of insights for you – “Telecom Digital Transformation: Exploring the Potential for a Competitive Edge.”
How microservices-based architectures work for OSS/BSS system design
Imagine a telecom operator managing a legacy, monolithic system to handle their billing, customer relationship management, and network operations. In this traditional OSS and BSS setup, all these functions are bundled together, making any update or change a slow and costly process. For instance, if they wanted to add a new billing feature to support a new 5G service, they would have to update the entire system, potentially disrupting other critical functions like customer management or network inventory.
With a microservices-based architecture, these functions are broken down into independent services. So, if the operator needs to add a new billing feature to their business support system, they can update just the billing microservice.
Additionally, scaling becomes easier. Let’s say the demand for 5G services grows rapidly, and the operator needs to expand their network management capabilities without needing to upgrade the entire system. This improves network efficiency and saves on operating network infrastructure costs.
With that said, here are the key advantages of microservices for telcos:
- Teams can work on different services simultaneously, enabling faster updates and feature releases without impacting the entire system.
- Since each microservice operates independently, a failure in one service doesn’t bring down the entire system.
- Each microservice can be built using different programming languages or technologies, allowing developers to choose the best tools for each task.
Microservices are crucial if you work with modern cloud computing technologies. Therefore, since everything is clear about cloud-native and microservices in general, let's shift to the practical steps to transforming OSS/BSS system design with cloud-native.
What other telecom trends are essential for 2024? We've got the lowdown in our article, “6 Telecom Industry Trends to Look After in 2024.”
Steps to transitioning to microservices for OSS/BSS architecture in telecom
Let’s see what you should do to successfully move your monolithic OSS/BSS system to microservices.
Prioritize business processes
Before you start breaking down your monolithic system, pinpoint the processes that will most benefit from being modernized. They'll be the first to be targeted for improvement. Focus on core functions that have a significant impact on revenue or customer experience, such as billing, service activation, or fault resolution, as these are critical to operational efficiency and growth.
Evaluate legacy systems
Begin by complementing your legacy systems with cloud-native elements, for instance, by adding microservices for provisioning new services. This hybrid model allows your legacy systems to continue supporting current operations while new functionalities can get migrated to the cloud over time, minimizing the number of operational risks and ensuring business continuity.
Use industry-standardized tools
To maintain flexibility and avoid vendor dependency, it’s essential to adopt open-source and standardized tools for development and deployment. Kubernetes (for managing containers), Docker (for service deployment), and Jenkins (for continuous integration and delivery) are widely used solutions that enable seamless management of microservices and simplify future scaling and updates.
Design for scalability
Microservices architectures should be built with scalability in mind. Unlike monolithic systems, where scaling involves adding resources for the entire application, microservices allow operators to scale specific components based on real-time usage, improving efficiency and resource management. For example, if there's a sudden surge in new customer sign-ups, the provisioning microservice can be scaled up temporarily without the need to increase resources for the entire OSS/BSS system.
Ensure security protocol compliance
Microservices require consistent security protocols like encrypted communications (TLS), API security, and OAuth for authentication to ensure data is protected across the system.
Design for future seamless integration
Using standard communication protocols like RESTful APIs allows different services to interact seamlessly with each other, making it easier to extend the architecture over time.
More about the telecom cloud read in our dedicated article: “A Roadmap to Telecom Cloud: A Comprehensive Guide to Embracing Telecom Transformation Through Cloud Adoption.”
Want to move your outdated BSS/OSS system design to the cloud fast and without disruptions? Flyaps can help you with that
At Flyaps, we have a decade of hands-on experience in developing solutions specifically tailored for the telecom industry. Products we've delivered are used by over 100 companies, including industry giants like Orange Group and Yaana Technologies. Let's see how our experience can benefit your BSS/OSS system architecture.
Virtual network function (VNF) migration
We understand the complexities of deciding which network functions should stay in virtual machines (VMs) and which can be transformed into cloud-native microservices. By carefully analyzing your infrastructure, we ensure that the migration is smooth, keeping operational disruptions to a minimum while optimizing for future scalability and efficiency.
Monolith to microservices migration
This approach proved highly effective in our work on the UrbanSim project. The client was operating an outdated monolithic system that lacked the scalability needed to integrate advanced AI algorithms and support faster statistical modeling. By transitioning to a microservices architecture, we were able to quickly rebuild the system, enabling it to scale more efficiently and accommodate modern enhancements.
Hybrid cloud integration
We guide telcos through selecting the best combination of private and public cloud resources. Based on your ecosystem strategy, budget, and specific operational needs, we ensure that the infrastructure we design for you is both flexible and scalable, providing long-term value.
Still have questions about BSS/OSS system architecture and how cloud computing can bring it to a higher level? Drop us a line and we will discuss it together!