Service-oriented Integrated Business Architecture provides blueprint for service providers to reduce operating costs; improve business agility and time-to-market

MORRISTOWN, NJ—March 17, 2010—The TM Forum today announced the launch of Frameworx, an integrated business architecture blueprint for service providers in the communications and digital services markets. Frameworx will enable service providers to significantly reduce their operational costs and improve business agility by providing an industry agreed approach for rationalizing their operational IT, processes, and systems.

Frameworx expands and integrates the Forum’s existing NGOSS standard Business Process (eTOM), Information (SID), and Application (TAM) Frameworks into a full enterprise IT and process architecture that also embraces major IT industry standards such as ITIL and TOGAF. The addition of the new Integration Framework to the suite provides a service oriented integration approach with standardized interfaces and support tools. Another major step forward with Frameworx is the introduction of product certification, certified training, a certified TM Forum partner program, and extensive implementation support that will help service providers implement practical solutions based on Frameworx.

“Frameworx comes at a critical time for the market,” said Keith Willetts, Chairman and CEO, TM Forum. “With significant pressure on operating costs, service providers need an enterprise architecture that enables them to move much more quickly; to rapidly integrate new technologies and third party services; to deliver consistent services across the world; and most of all, to significantly cut operating costs. Frameworx provides the blueprint for that agile enterprise—out of the box.”

TM Forum Frameworx gives service providers and their suppliers an independent, industry-supported and standardized platform to guide new procurements and migrate their existing myriad of incompatible and fragmented processes and systems, which today often deliver poor business efficiency and delay the introduction of new services.

Albert Hitchcock, Group CIO at Vodafone, said “In today’s market we need to offer consistent services to our customers across the world, moving ever faster and delivering more to our customers at ever lower costs. A common, industry supported reference architecture, tailored to meet the particular needs of service providers is very important to us and we welcome this move by the TM Forum.”

Phil Dance, Managing Director at BT echoed these sentiments: “We encourage common industry approaches that help us build a vibrant market delivering innovative software at realistic prices. We welcome Frameworx, the TM Forum’s move to a SOE-based approach, as it future-proofs investments as the market changes. We especially welcome the ability to build systems and processes tailored to our specific business needs using a common set of standard building blocks.”

Frameworx, scheduled for full release in June 2010, is the result of a multi-year TM Forum effort and the substantial contributions of its members. A preview of Frameworx is available now at http://www.tmforum.org/frameworx and includes these new features as well as early versions of the Integration Framework:

Telecom and IT integration, incorporating ITIL processes
“Getting Started Guides” to enable new users to grasp quickly the information and tools available and to understand the steps needed to apply Frameworks into their environment
Managers’ Guide overviews of Frameworx and key benefits

Frameworx is the result of extensive collaboration by the Forum’s 700-strong corporate membership through TM Forum’s collaborative R&D programs. The architecture—built for the industry, by the industry—will consist of:

Information Framework version 9
Business Process Framework version 8
Application Framework version 4
Integration Framework version 2
A platform architecture approach to facilitate collaboration and management of value chain and outsourcing partners
Frameworx Roadmap release 1, showing the release strategy and content for the next 12 months

In addition Frameworx will be supported by software tooling for rapid implementation; identified Business Services developed from business, information, and application framework mappings; plus certified product, training, and support services.

Key Facts
Frameworx is an end-to-end reference enterprise architecture designed specifically for providers of digital services and based on common software standards such as Service Oriented Architecture techniques, ITIL, and TOGAF.
Service Oriented approaches encourage business agility and re-use, essential in today’s market where service providers need to rapidly deliver new services and increase revenues in the face of changing value chains and technologies.
Frameworx uses standard, reusable, generic blocks—Platforms and Business Services—that can be assembled in unique ways to gain the advantages of standardization while still allowing customization where necessary.
Frameworx is aligned with standard Enterprise Architecture Frameworks populating the Business, Information, and Application layers with the existing NGOSS Business Process, Information, and Application frameworks.
Frameworx comprises an integrated set of frameworks defining common business processes, information, and applications. Each component framework may be used individually to solve particular problems or as an integrated Service Oriented Enterprise implementation.
Frameworx allows you to realize ITIL compliant implementations through the Business Process Framework (eTOM) which is now fully mapped to ITIL.
Frameworx is battle hardened—its core frameworks are mature and are in use by Service Providers throughout the world. TM Forum members have published more than 150 case studies on implementation of Framework components.
Each component Framework includes a Managers’ Guide that provides a high level view of the Framework and its benefits and a web-based “Get Started” kit.
Through Frameworx’ reusable, standard, and consistent end-to-end process flows, solutions, and interfaces, Service Providers, Systems Integrators, and Vendors can reduce integration time and product costs.
By procuring Frameworx-certified compliant commercial products, development time is reduced and project predictability increased.

Resources
Learn more about Frameworx at http://www.tmforum.org/frameworx

Participate in the Frameworx on-line communities

Find vendor solutions that have been certified by the Certified Compliance Testing Program

Press and analysts desiring a briefing to learn more about Frameworx should contact Geoff Devlin

Subscribe to TM Forum’s press release RSS feed and newsletters

Oceanus announces acquisition of Australian company Erilis, to expand their operational footprint into Asia Pacific

London, UK — 17 March, 2010 — Oceanus Limited today announced the landmark acquisition of Erilis, a leading provider of design and delivery services for IBM® FileNet® P8 solutions. This acquisition brings certified training and expert delivery of the full range of education programmes for the IBM® FileNet® suite of products and compliments Oceanus’ existing skills with Java and Agile development expertise.  Oceanus will now be able to offer existing customers IBM® FileNet® support and system delivery across Asia Pacific as well as develop new international business in the region.

Over the last five years Erilis has successfully carved out a valuable niche in the IBM® FileNet® space.  The company is recognised as the most experienced training organisation for IBM® FileNet® software in the Asia Pacific region.  Erilis also provides analysis, design, configuration and customisation services to large international companies, such as Standard Chartered Bank and CoInvest.

Nick Rowley, CEO of Oceanus said: “It has always been a deliberate and strategic goal for us to expand our global foot print so we are delighted to announce the acquisition of Erilis in Australia. Erilis’ capabilities fit well with our company’s offerings and ethos and will enable us to develop extensive business potential in the Asia Pacific region. We have committed significant resources and investment to the development of our technology and skill base which has opened up many opportunities for us to form tactical alliances with key technology partners.  This acquisition is the next logical step in our evolution.”

According to Gartner's Magic Quadrant for ECM, the market is expected to resume a healthy growth rate, with predictions exceeding $5.1 billion in worldwide software licence revenue by 2013.

Rowley added: “The ECM landscape is continually changing in line with the challenges of business demands and the CIO. CIOs require solutions that help them demonstrate value as well as aid innovation and transformational change.  Oceanus not only has the depth of experience and heritage to deliver timely solutions, but we have brought together an impressive powerhouse of expertise that now spans Europe and Asia pacific. ”

David Alfredson, managing director, Erilis stated: “We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of an organisation with the vision and energy that Oceanus has within the ECM space.  We are one of the few companies within our region with a depth and breadth of expertise with current customer and product knowledge, continually delivering best practice ECM implementations.  I believe that with Oceanus we have the opportunity to merge our experience, and to integrate our IP, products, and implementation services for customers globally.”

Together, Oceanus and Erilis will work on customer projects and support across Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Erilis will integrate their training, delivery methodology and new products with Oceanus’ capabilities. 

One of Erilis’ new products, the ‘FileNet System Analyser’ is shortly to be launched globally as part of the acquisition activities. It simplifies and improves the management and support of IBM® FileNet® systems.  It gives customers the ability to capture system configurations across multiple IBM® FileNet® components and to produce analytical documentation from the configuration data.

http://www.oceanus.co.uk/

LONDON –17 March 2010 – Technosummits, the business technology events organisation has announced that “enabling the future of the digitally-connected home Telco VoD or OTT  Video?” is the theme for  the 3rd Annual Media Content World Summit 2010 to be held at The Courthouse Hotel London on Wednesday, 31st March 2010.

The Media Content World Summit is the premier event in the broadcast, media, entertainment and technology sector looking into some business opportunities presented by convergence and the coming together of the separate worlds of audio, video, data and voice communication services.

This summit is set against the backdrop of a continuing debate on whether Pay TV or Video on Demand (VoD) provided by Telcos and other service providers are being threatened by the increasing popularity of free internet videos provided by Google’s YouTube and Hulu. It will also explore BBC Project Canvas, OFCOM’s Pay TV review and the upcoming services provided by see-saw, new offering from Arqiva, who bought the remnants of the defunct Project Kangaroo.

The digitally-connected home is becoming the battleground for all these services and technologies that are blurring different sectors including telecoms, broadcast and digital media.

Key discussion points will also include Video on Demand, catch-up and follow me TV, IPTV, TV-Internet convergence, three screen digital experience, delivery of VOD, On-demand Pay TV. It will also cover discussions on initiatives spearheaded by the Open IPTV forum (OIPF) and the Hybrid Broadcast and Broadband TV (Hbbtv).

Speakers line up also include Dr. Mohammed Dadas of Open IPTV Forum (OIPF), Lucas Bauge from Orange UK, Peter Bale from MSN UK, Steve Plunkett from Red Bee Media, Alex Gulland from Ogilvy Entertainment and Contented Brands,  Steve Morris from Ant software (Hbbtv) Sarah Rose from Channel 4, Melanie Steward from Turner Broadcasting. The two panels will be moderated by Dan Cryan from Screendigest and Cesar Bachelet from Analysys Mason, respectively. This event is chaired by Bill Scott, COO and founder, easeltv.

Joseph de Villiers, Founder and CEO of Technosummits said “The digital home will be the battleground for operators and service providers who are bundling all services to the living room to increase their revenues. The prevalence of broadband connectivity in the homes paves the way for new services that covers Pay TV business model and free access, which is, as ever a continuing challenge to Operators and Advertisers. We hope to highlight some of the recent trends in making the digital home a focus for content delivery and hopefully finding how stakeholders and consumers can benefit from it”.

Bill Scott, Founder and COO of easeltv, the chair for this event commented, “There’s a lot of hype around over-the-top video services and the threat they pose to existing models for video consumption; new devices, new platforms, new services from traditional players and many new players. We’ve got a great variety of speakers and delegates from across the value chain and I’m certainly looking forward to a highly interactive and stimulating debate at the event.”

The 2010 World Content Media  summit  is the premier event for Broadcast, broadband technology, media, entertainment, including advertising executives looking to grow their business and explore new opportunities with cross platforms which spotlights the constant state of creation and evolution required of business leaders in today's rapidly changing digital media landscape.