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6.2.2 Typically, printed GIS outputs are maps. However, EPC activities require strict revision control and document control with a central document repository. Material control procedures require keeping track of BoM and prepare Material Take-Off (MTO) for procurement / delivery and issues. GIS being a dynamic database is not readily amenable to such controls. A customised application is developed to print all engineering drawings and layouts in standard formats complete with drawing numbers, revision & approval control and BoM. The drawing-wise BoM data is also stored in the GIS database to enable MTOs for procurement / construction purposes.

6.2.3 Special data-entry tool is developed to ensure the sufficiency of data, particularly for accurate fault localisation. Tool also recognises and permanently stores direction of digitisation of cables required for long traces.

6.2.4 Automation tool has been developed for entering a large number of facilities in OSP; floors, racks and equipment in ISP. Input in dBaseIV format is validated and features placed in the map automatically, in fraction of time required for doing it manually.

6.2.5 Similar automation tool is developed for copying the migrated trench parallel to itself and converting it to a cable. The inputs are in the form of selection of connected trench features, offset distance and direction of copy. The trench features are copied as a cable, retaining the geometry of migrated trenches but using a model of cable. Such automation has helped in increasing the productivity manifold.

6.2.6 Interactive fault localisation tool using COTS network trace capability is developed. This tool applies compensations to data errors mentioned earlier to provide extremely accurate fault location

6.2.7 Web based applications are developed for viewing the network and faults over the company Intranet.

7.0.0 Integration with other systems

7.1.0 Business driver
GIS based telecom application requires large investment, manpower and time in data creation and deployment. Full benefits of such systems can only be realised when the Telecom GIS system becomes an integral part of the OSS / BSS solution and the organisational work processes are designed with GIS as an essential part of such integrated OSS / BSS solution. Based on automatic flow-through business processes, such integration provides maximum value addition in terms of

• Single point data entry and elimination of redundant databases,
• Minimal human intervention in data creation,
• Improved response to network events,
• Improved response to customers,
resulting in improved overall efficiency of the enterprise.

7.2.0 Integration with OSS
7.2.1 Telco application on GIS platform is the data master for all network inventory and network infrastructure data as well as network related reference data.

• Network inventory data includes equipment, cards and physical ports.
• Physical configuration data includes physical circuits and cross connections.
• Infrastructure includes facilities & other OSP data like trenches and cables.

The logical configuration is created in OSS based on information from Telco GIS and customer data entered in CRM.

7.2.2 The data volume of physical network inventory, connections and facilities runs in to a few million records for a large network. Single point data creation with automatic uploading in OSS ensuring synchronising of the two databases saves several thousand man-hours.

7.2.3 As a result of this, permanent link is automatically established between OSS and GIS through primary keys, allowing on-the-fly spatial queries to be handled between the two systems. Questions by OSS and field staff requiring information of nearest active electronics facility or nearest manhole based on visual or textual address input are answered in seconds.

7.2.4 Detailed requirement assessment and data mapping is performed jointly by OSS and Telco application team. At this stage, following details are frozen

• All network element and facility naming conventions
• Modeling details for both physical and logical configurations
• Overall integration scheme and middleware
• API signatures on either side
• Error handling and database synchronisation issues
• Test plans & test cases with expected results

7.2.5 We have successfully implemented an application for uploading the network inventory and physical links data to OSS. Enclosed Figure 1 indicates Flowchart of Data Upload to OSS. Following are the important steps involved:

• Inventory changed since last upload is transferred to interface tables using a difference cursor with 'ADD', 'DELETE' or 'MODIFY' flags. Middleware adapters are triggered to start transfer to OSS.
• Inventory data is validated against of reference data in OSS. A 'SUCCESS' or an error code is returned to interface table.
• The 'SUCCESS' is also posted to the versioned tables to avoid retransfer of the data during the next dump.

Figure 1 - Flowchart of Network Inventory Load to OSS

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