P.I.CM Analyzer
Inconsistency and audit tool for configuration management
As mobile networks are increasingly growing more complex due to different vendors and technologies co-existing in one network and the explosion in smart phone usage and their accompanying applications demanding more capacity than ever, it is becoming nearly impossible to resolve network issues with out-dated engineering practices. Configuration management of wireless networks is one such challenging task in ensuring that the network is configured correctly and performs at maximum capacity. Even though network equipment vendors usually provide tools to catch inconsistencies between nodes of the same vendor there is no tool that provides inconsistency checks across vendors and technologies such as 2G, 3G and 4G.
P.I.CM Analyzer is a software solution that detects inconsistencies and missing definitions in radio & core networks. With P.I.CM Analyzer, discrepancies in and missing one way neighbor relations in a multi-vendor multi-technology environment can be uncovered very fast and with great ease. Network engineers usually embark on time consuming and cumbersome manual work to catch those inconsistencies. It is usually up to network engineers to perform these manual tasks on a regular basis to make sure network configuration issues are acted upon and eliminated. P.I.CM Analyzer automates all aspects of the problem detection process of configuration management freeing up valuable engineer time while increasing the accuracy and speed of identifying and eliminating issues.
The tool’s multi-vendor and multi-technology capabilities ensure all cross-checks to be done in a mixed network with different vendors and technologies and allows for visualization of the entire network’s status in one place. It is flexible enough to be customized to support each customer’s specific needs.
P.I.CM Analyzer also shows parameter history with reports detailing when and for which cells parameter values have changed. This in turn helps to pinpoint the root cause of underperforming network areas in diagnosing whether the underlying causes correlate to the changes in existing parameter values.
The tool also has a reference check function which checks if set parameter properties comply with pre-defined rule sets or an optimal reference element and then reports all noncompliance. It is ideal for auditing network elements whether they conform to an established set of Golden-Rule parameters.
P.I.CM Analyzer also enables operators to perform their own configuration management audits including various distance checks, external cell definition inconsistencies and the number of neighbor anomalies thereby eliminating the cost of hiring third party companies or equipment vendors to perform these tasks.
Operators using P.I.CM Analyzer are achieving dramatic improvements in efficiency and effectiveness by being able to quickly and accurately identify and resolve configuration management issues which in turn minimize business impact. By ensuring seamless and reliable coverage throughout the network high subscriber quality of experience is achieved.