My API story: Service Test Management

Meinolf Henke, Technical Director EMEA, EXFO sits down with TM Forum to discuss how the company is using the TM Forum Service Test Management API to support the company's service quality during the lifecycle of a 5G network slice, and further benefits.

Tell us about yourself and your job

I am heading up the Pre-Sales Team across EMEA for all solution lines across EXFO. My team delivers technical and business knowledge during the sales cycle to support the Sales division. In addition, the team does the solution design based on customer demands, fulfils demos and proof of concepts, or supports Catalyst projects at TM Forum.

What TM Forum Open API is most valuable to your company?

The Service Test Management API enables communications service providers (CSPs) to automatically onboard EXFO’s testing capabilities to ensure instantiation of services at the level of quality that is expected by the end customer.

Why did you choose to highlight the Service Test Management API?

This API is not only an enabler, it is a prerequisite for automation and “zero touch operations” in orchestrated NFV / SDN or 5G networks. That means, it is supporting the service quality during the lifecycle of a 5G network slice. This is especially important with value added services running on a 5G network, as it will protect CSP’s revenue!

How do you use this API?

We use it to help our customers deploy services fast and right first time, without ignoring the quality that the customer expects, and which was ensured through lab testing and pre-launch field tests in the past.

How have you benefited from using this API?

We have benefited from the principle of develop once, deploy many times. Using this API is a facilitator for fast integration into every orchestrator or slice manager that supports this open standard.

Why do you believe in TM Forum’s Open API program?

What was Telco before is now IT. CSPs cannot afford to move from legacy telco standards to proprietary integrations of IT and network components. Open APIs are a prerequisite to enable the network of today and tomorrow, to deliver it fast in an automated way, without risking quality and securing additional revenue. That is why EXFO joined TM Forum’s Open API program in the early days and was the first Assurance vendor to really understand the need and the value. To learn more about TM Forum Open APIs visit www.tmforum.org/open-apis