ViaSat, the leading producer of innovative satellite communication products, built an LTE satellite network for Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems for a US based large scale service provider. Due to the tight timelines, ViaSat preferred to use an easy to customize framework with comprehensive features as against developing in-house from scratch.
The need of the hour was a framework that could be molded to suit the LTE satellite network requirements and was quick and simple to customize. ViaSat evaluated multiple NMS options such as HP Openview, IBM Tivoli, NetBoss and even OpenNMS and realised that WebNMS delivered value in terms of the flexibility and easy integration of standard & custom protocols. As a comprehensive framework, WebNMS was able to meet all of ViaSat’s requirements around fault, performance and other functions with less hardware and software.
In essence, ViaSat and Boeing were developing technology for one of the most powerful commercial satellites ever built, and its Ground Based Beam-Forming (GBBF) system for North America. WebNMS was used by ViaSat to build two sets of management systems, one Gateway CMS to manage the four ground systems and another Central CMS to create a unif ed view of the entire network. As a multi-protocol platform, WebNMS was customized to communicate between the Gateway and Central CMS using SOAP. In addition, WebNMS’ functional modules including topology & inventory, fault, performance, security and maps were all employed as part of the ViaSat system.
ViaSat’s top priority was to completed the project as quickly as possible. Overall, the selection of WebNMS resulted in ViaSat delivering the product in record time and savings not just in terms of money but also resources requirement and development time. Ravi Khanna from ViaSat says, “From proof of concept to completed project in 12 development months. We couldn’t have done it without WebNMS.”
To view the complete ViaSat case study, click here.
