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Product Features and Benefits

The SDX software provides a host of features for today's Internet service challenges. Table 4 lists some of the many features and benefits that service providers need.

Table 4: SDX features and benefits

Feature
Benefit

Carrier-class architecture

Uses a directory-enabled, distributed architecture that provides the scalability required for rapidly growing networks and subscriber bases.
Instantiates each key server multiple times for either load distribution or failover.
Facilitates a variety of wholesale and retail models.

Seamless OSS integration

Uses modular design and standards-based interfaces such as HTML/XML, RADIUS, LDAP, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).
Supports open interfaces and mediation mechanisms to facilitate system integration with diverse OSS applications, including systems for subscriber management, customer care, order entry, provisioning, billing, security, and sales support.
Ensures smooth integration with back office solutions. (We partner with leading providers of telecommunications, RADIUS/AAA, and billing systems to offer these services.)
Provides a powerful metadirectory capability that allows fast integration with external repositories (flat files, databases) and related OSSs. (We have partnered with Siemens to offer this optional product.)

Financial advantages

Avoids the misconception of a one-size-fits-all Internet access model by offering compelling content options with the appropriate level of bandwidth, quality of service (QoS), and network functions (for example, security, traffic prioritization, and filtering).
Allows providers to hold down on capital expenditures and operating expenses by offering a wide range of flexible services, tools, billing models, and revenue streams, and by using the same network infrastructure.

Optimal scalability

Scales for rapidly growing networks and subscriber bases.
Works with JUNOSe routers and JUNOS routing platforms to automatically provision and support thousands to millions of users in a distributed environment.
Uses zero-touch subscriber provisioning, which removes the roadblocks that can slow large-scale broadband subscriber acquisition.

Easy-to-build wholesale-retail model

Enables carriers to provide a transparent infrastructure to ISP, ASP, and content partners, which lets partners retain ownership and management of their subscriber bases.
Frees partners from the responsibility of handling network operations so that they can focus solely on service delivery.
Uses accounting tools that are designed to provide the usage data needed for the end-user invoice, as well as the wholesale-retail business relationship.

Powerful workflow engine

Helps service providers set up primary access services for new subscribers.
Once primary services are set up, allows service providers to offer subscribers dynamic service selection for value-added services.
Allows providers to automate the provisioning process, saving time and cost.

Intelligent accounting

Tracks service usage to enable rich and creative tariff models.
Supports customer care, rating and billing, security, and sales support systems.
Simplifies the task of collecting and managing wholesaler, retailer, and subscriber accounting data.
Uses a GUI to choose the policy rules to be used for accounting per interface direction (ingress and egress).
Activates multiple service sessions simultaneously for a given user; each session can be tracked separately.
Supports plug-in software that gives service providers the ability to extend system capabilities.
Allows for flexible accounting rules.

Easy subscriber management

Uses a GUI for service definition and subscriber management.
Uses a directory that acts as a central repository of customer information and service portal configurations. Directory stores router information.
Works with JUNOSe routers and JUNOS routing platforms to collect subscriber's credentials and queries RADIUS server for authentication and authorization.
Accommodates and manages a very large number of subscribers (for example, a typical subscriber base may be in the millions).

Dynamic policy management

Gives subscribers consistent service experience across the network, regardless of the actual network deployment and the mode of connection to the network.
Enables real-time provisioning and collection of subscriber usage data.
Offers high availability based on seamless failover.
Uses GUI to define policies and store them in a central repository.
Provides robust support for access, QoS, and activation of new services on demand with configurable policies.
Performs dynamic policy decisions while having to activate services, leveraging on the directory content to make policy decisions.

Web-based portal

Creates dynamic Web pages, giving subscribers personalized displays to select services on demand.
Offers branding opportunities for network provider/service provider partners.
Identifies subscribers, grants them access to defined services, and maps their selected service(s) to the network via dynamically provisioned policies.
Allows portals to be deployed in any application server with support for CORBA or SOAP.
Provides a starting point for rapid portal development through documented sample portals supplied for Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application servers.

Easy service creation GUI

Uses a policy editor to enable the definition of arbitrary policy objects.
Uses a GUI to define new services and to create service templates for future use. Service templates provide the service-provisioning information that configures the router for efficient, real-time delivery of that service.
Provides flexible service creation, a reusable service library, and automated service implementation.
Allows providers to define policies once and apply them network-wide.

Service activation engine (SAE)

Translates services into lists of policies to be enforced on the router.
Initiates the service-usage data-collection process.
Customizes services with differentiated QoS and policies.
Collects usage data (time and volume) by subscriber and service to enable differentiated rating and billing.

Flexible open interface support

Allows an external entity or system to control the SDX software's behavior.
Uses application programming interfaces (APIs) to authenticate managers; to navigate among retailers, enterprises, and sites; and to create, delete, activate, and deactivate service sessions.

Feature	Benefit
Carrier-class architecture	Uses a directory-enabled, distributed architecture that provides the scalability required for rapidly growing networks and subscriber bases. Instantiates each key server multiple times for either load distribution or failover. Facilitates a variety of wholesale and retail models.
Seamless OSS integration	Uses modular design and standards-based interfaces such as HTML/XML, RADIUS, LDAP, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Supports open interfaces and mediation mechanisms to facilitate system integration with diverse OSS applications, including systems for subscriber management, customer care, order entry, provisioning, billing, security, and sales support. Ensures smooth integration with back office solutions. (We partner with leading providers of telecommunications, RADIUS/AAA, and billing systems to offer these services.) Provides a powerful metadirectory capability that allows fast integration with external repositories (flat files, databases) and related OSSs. (We have partnered with Siemens to offer this optional product.)
Financial advantages	Avoids the misconception of a one-size-fits-all Internet access model by offering compelling content options with the appropriate level of bandwidth, quality of service (QoS), and network functions (for example, security, traffic prioritization, and filtering). Allows providers to hold down on capital expenditures and operating expenses by offering a wide range of flexible services, tools, billing models, and revenue streams, and by using the same network infrastructure.
Optimal scalability	Scales for rapidly growing networks and subscriber bases. Works with JUNOSe routers and JUNOS routing platforms to automatically provision and support thousands to millions of users in a distributed environment. Uses zero-touch subscriber provisioning, which removes the roadblocks that can slow large-scale broadband subscriber acquisition.
Easy-to-build wholesale-retail model	Enables carriers to provide a transparent infrastructure to ISP, ASP, and content partners, which lets partners retain ownership and management of their subscriber bases. Frees partners from the responsibility of handling network operations so that they can focus solely on service delivery. Uses accounting tools that are designed to provide the usage data needed for the end-user invoice, as well as the wholesale-retail business relationship.
Powerful workflow engine	Helps service providers set up primary access services for new subscribers. Once primary services are set up, allows service providers to offer subscribers dynamic service selection for value-added services. Allows providers to automate the provisioning process, saving time and cost.
Intelligent accounting	Tracks service usage to enable rich and creative tariff models. Supports customer care, rating and billing, security, and sales support systems. Simplifies the task of collecting and managing wholesaler, retailer, and subscriber accounting data. Uses a GUI to choose the policy rules to be used for accounting per interface direction (ingress and egress). Activates multiple service sessions simultaneously for a given user; each session can be tracked separately. Supports plug-in software that gives service providers the ability to extend system capabilities. Allows for flexible accounting rules.
Easy subscriber management	Uses a GUI for service definition and subscriber management. Uses a directory that acts as a central repository of customer information and service portal configurations. Directory stores router information. Works with JUNOSe routers and JUNOS routing platforms to collect subscriber's credentials and queries RADIUS server for authentication and authorization. Accommodates and manages a very large number of subscribers (for example, a typical subscriber base may be in the millions).
Dynamic policy management	Gives subscribers consistent service experience across the network, regardless of the actual network deployment and the mode of connection to the network. Enables real-time provisioning and collection of subscriber usage data. Offers high availability based on seamless failover. Uses GUI to define policies and store them in a central repository. Provides robust support for access, QoS, and activation of new services on demand with configurable policies. Performs dynamic policy decisions while having to activate services, leveraging on the directory content to make policy decisions.
Web-based portal	Creates dynamic Web pages, giving subscribers personalized displays to select services on demand. Offers branding opportunities for network provider/service provider partners. Identifies subscribers, grants them access to defined services, and maps their selected service(s) to the network via dynamically provisioned policies. Allows portals to be deployed in any application server with support for CORBA or SOAP. Provides a starting point for rapid portal development through documented sample portals supplied for Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application servers.
Easy service creation GUI	Uses a policy editor to enable the definition of arbitrary policy objects. Uses a GUI to define new services and to create service templates for future use. Service templates provide the service-provisioning information that configures the router for efficient, real-time delivery of that service. Provides flexible service creation, a reusable service library, and automated service implementation. Allows providers to define policies once and apply them network-wide.
Service activation engine (SAE)	Translates services into lists of policies to be enforced on the router. Initiates the service-usage data-collection process. Customizes services with differentiated QoS and policies. Collects usage data (time and volume) by subscriber and service to enable differentiated rating and billing.
Flexible open interface support	Allows an external entity or system to control the SDX software's behavior. Uses application programming interfaces (APIs) to authenticate managers; to navigate among retailers, enterprises, and sites; and to create, delete, activate, and deactivate service sessions.

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