Services

We know there are currently challenges obtaining the services needed to keep your Affirmed Networks running and healthy as well as expanding. We have deep experience in delivering solutions centered around the Affirmed Networks product set, designed specifically for telecom operators and service providers looking to innovate and scale their mobile networks. Affirmed Networks offers a suite of virtualized network functions (VNFs) that enable operators to build more agile, scalable, and cost-effective networks, especially in the context of 4G, 5G, and IoT deployments. Leveraging Affirmed Networks’ cloud-native architecture, operators can accelerate time-to-market for new services, reduce operational costs, and improve network performance and reliability. Our ability to provide comprehensive services for your deployed Affirmed Networks solutions will help you fully exploit the product benefits, ensuring that your network infrastructure is optimized, secure, and future-ready.

1. Affirmed Networks Consulting & Strategy: We provide strategic consulting to help you assess how Affirmed Networks products are deployed into your existing network infrastructure. Our experts work with you to evaluate the specific needs of your mobile network, such as scalability, performance, and service agility, and develop a tailored strategy that leverages Affirmed Networks’ virtualized solutions to achieve these goals and provides a path to the future through a migration strategy which we can help implement.

2. Affirmed Networks Architecture & Design: Our team specializes in designing network architectures that are optimized for Affirmed Networks VNFs. We focus on creating flexible, scalable, and secure designs that support your current and future network demands, including 4G/5G core network implementation, virtualized mobile packet cores, and IoT-specific network slices.

3. Affirmed Networks Deployment & Implementation: We manage the complete services of Affirmed Networks solutions, from installation and configuration to integration with your existing network infrastructure. Our implementation services ensure that your virtualized network functions are deployed efficiently and effectively, minimizing disruption and maximizing network performance.

4. Affirmed Networks Migration Services: If you’re transitioning from legacy network infrastructure to Affirmed Networks’ virtualized solutions, or from Affirmed solutions to another third party solution, our migration services are designed to ensure a smooth and seamless process. We handle the migration of critical network functions, ensuring continuity, data integrity, and minimal downtime during the transition.

5. Affirmed Networks Optimization & Performance Tuning: Our continuous optimization services ensure that your Affirmed Networks environment operates at peak efficiency. We fine-tune network configurations, optimize resource allocation, and implement best practices to enhance performance, reduce latency, and ensure reliability across your network.

6. Affirmed Networks Managed Services: We offer comprehensive managed services for Affirmed Networks deployments, providing ongoing support, monitoring, and maintenance. Our managed services ensure that your network remains secure, up-to-date, and fully operational, allowing you to focus on delivering high-quality services to your customers.

7. Affirmed Networks Security & Compliance: Security is critical in telecom networks, and we implement robust security measures tailored to Affirmed Networks environments. This includes securing VNFs, ensuring data protection, and maintaining compliance with industry standards and regulations, such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, and telecom-specific requirements.

8. Affirmed Networks Automation & Integration: We help you automate your Affirmed Networks operations by integrating with orchestration tools and DevOps processes. This automation streamlines the management of virtualized network functions, accelerates service delivery, and improves operational efficiency, enabling you to respond quickly to changing market demands.

9. Affirmed Networks Training & Knowledge Transfer: We provide specialized training for your network operations teams, covering the management, optimization, and troubleshooting of Affirmed Networks solutions. Our training ensures that your team is fully equipped to manage the day-to-day operations and strategic development of your virtualized network infrastructure.

We offer Affirmed Networks services, as a commitment to our customers whose networks many of our engineers have designed and deployed. If there is anything you need reach out.

Our team members have been at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge 5G network solutions designed to meet the future demands of mobile communications. While 4G technology has provided a solid foundation for high-speed data, voice services, and extensive connectivity, 5G takes these capabilities to the next level, offering significantly higher speeds, lower latency, and the capacity to support a vast number of connected devices. 5G is not just an evolution of 4G; it represents a revolutionary step forward in enabling new services and applications such as IoT, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and enhanced mobile broadband. 5G solutions are tailored to help you build, deploy, and optimize a 5G network that delivers unparalleled performance, flexibility, and scalability, ensuring you remain competitive in the rapidly evolving telecom landscape. To this end we are technology agnostic. We will help you choose the most suited technology for your application.

1. 5G Consulting & Strategy: We provide expert consulting to help you navigate the complexities of 5G technology and develop a strategic roadmap for deployment. Our team works with you to assess your current 4G infrastructure, evaluate the specific benefits of 5G, and create a plan that maximizes the potential of 5G while ensuring a seamless transition. We help you identify key opportunities for 5G, such as enhanced mobile broadband, ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC), and massive IoT, and align these with your business goals.

2. 5G Network Architecture & Design: Our team specializes in designing 5G network architectures that are built for scalability, ultra-low latency, and high throughput. We create architectures that fully leverage 5G’s capabilities, such as network slicing and edge computing, ensuring your network can support new services and applications while maintaining high performance and reliability.

3. 5G Deployment & Implementation: We manage the complete deployment of 5G core networks,  upgrading core networks to integrating with existing 4G infrastructure for seamless interoperability. Our deployment services ensure that your 5G network is rolled out efficiently, with minimal disruption to your existing services, and is ready to deliver the enhanced capabilities of 5G to your customers.

4. 5G Migration Services: Transitioning from 4G to 5G involves complex upgrades and the integration of new technologies. Our migration services ensure a smooth and efficient transition, with careful planning and execution to minimize downtime and ensure continuity of service. We handle the migration of network elements, data, and services, ensuring your network is future-proofed and ready to support the advanced capabilities of 5G.

5. 5G Optimization & Performance Tuning: Our optimization services are focused on maximizing the performance of your 5G network. We fine-tune network configurations, optimize resource allocation, and implement best practices to ensure your 5G network delivers the low latency, high speeds, and reliability required for next-generation applications and services.

6. 5G Managed Services: We offer comprehensive managed services for 5G networks, providing continuous monitoring, maintenance, and support. Our managed services ensure that your 5G network remains secure, up-to-date, and fully operational, allowing you to focus on innovation and service delivery without the burden of day-to-day network management.

7. 5G Security & Compliance: Security is even more critical in 5G networks, given the increased complexity and number of connected devices. We implement advanced security measures tailored to 5G environments, including securing network slices, protecting user data, and ensuring compliance with stringent industry standards and regulations.

8. 5G Automation & Integration: Automation is key to managing the complexity of 5G networks. We help you integrate automation tools and processes into your 5G operations, enabling faster deployment of services, improved network efficiency, and the ability to quickly adapt to changing demands. Potential  solutions include the integration of AI and machine learning for predictive maintenance and optimized network management.

9. 5G Training & Knowledge Transfer: We provide specialized training for your teams on the unique aspects of managing and optimizing 5G networks. Our training covers the new technologies introduced by 5G, such as network slicing and edge computing, and equips your team with the skills needed to maintain and enhance your 5G infrastructure.

By offering these tailored 5G solutions, we empower telecom operators and service providers to build and manage networks that are not only faster and more efficient than 4G but also capable of supporting the innovative services and applications that will define the future of connectivity. Whether you are planning your 5G rollout, optimizing for performance, or transitioning from 4G, our solutions ensure that your network is ready to deliver the transformative benefits of 5G to your customers.

Migrating from one telco technology provider (e.g., Affirmed Networks/Microsoft) to another (e.g., Technology A/Technology B/Mavenir) involves a complex set of technical, operational, and business activities. Below is an outline of key services and considerations during such a migration and what we consider when working with a customer migration project:

1. Planning & Assessment

• Network Assessment: A detailed analysis of the current network architecture, including hardware, software, and configurations.
• Gap Analysis: Identify discrepancies between existing Technology A systems and Technology B's solutions to plan how to bridge them.
• Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks in service continuity, performance, and data integrity during the migration.
• Vendor Comparison: Evaluate the differences in features, capabilities, and roadmap of both vendors.

2. Strategy Development

• Migration Strategy: Develop a phased or “big bang” migration strategy, depending on risk tolerance and operational impact.
• Business Impact Analysis: Evaluate the impact on services and customers, ensuring no or minimal disruption.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Compare the costs of migration versus maintaining legacy systems, including licensing, hardware, and support costs.

3. Hardware and Software Procurement

• Equipment Purchase: Procure Technology B hardware and software according to the new network design.
• Licensing and Contracts: Manage new contracts and licenses for Technology B equipment and decommission old Technology A licenses.

4. Network Design & Customization

• Site Surveys: Perform physical and virtual site surveys for compatibility and design.
• Network Design: Redesign parts of the network that require adaptation to Technology B's technology and topology.
• Capacity Planning: Ensure the new system can handle future growth in traffic, users, and services.

5. Testing & Validation

• Lab Testing: Set up lab environments to simulate network conditions, ensuring Technology B equipment integrates seamlessly.
• Interoperability Testing: Test interworking between Technology A and Technology B systems during the migration, especially in hybrid environments.
• Proof of Concept (PoC): Deploy a pilot network to validate the architecture and ensure it meets operational needs.

6. Data Migration

• Configuration Data: Migrate configurations such as routing protocols, access controls, and QoS policies.
• Subscriber Data: Migrate user data, authentication, billing, and service profiles.
• Service Profiles: Ensure all services, including VoLTE, VoIP, 4G/5G, and IoT, migrate without interruption.

7. Network Integration

• Core Network Integration: Integrate Technology B's core network elements (e.g., EPC, IMS) with existing systems.
• Radio Access Network (RAN) Integration: Implement and optimize the Technology B RAN to ensure seamless handovers, especially in 5G/4G environments.
• Backhaul Integration: Adjust transport networks and optimize bandwidth for Technology B’s equipment.

8. Operational Migration

• Cutover Management: Plan for a controlled cutover process, including rollback procedures in case of failure.
• Service Continuity: Ensure that all essential services (voice, data, emergency) continue without disruption.
• Hybrid Operation: Maintain simultaneous operation of both Technology A and Technology B systems, if needed, during the transition.

9. Network Optimization

• Performance Tuning: Fine-tune the network post-migration to optimize coverage, capacity, and latency.
• RAN Optimization: Optimize cell parameters and handovers to improve quality of service and minimize dropped calls.
• Load Balancing: Distribute traffic optimally between legacy and new systems.

10. Training & Support

• Staff Training: Provide training for operations, maintenance, and network engineers on Technology B equipment and software.
• Support Handover: Transition support to Technology B’s team, with clear escalation paths for issues.

11. Compliance & Security

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the migration meets any regulatory requirements for the specific telecom market.
• Security: Evaluate and implement security features of Technology B’s equipment, including encryption, firewalls, and network monitoring.

12. Decommissioning & Disposal

• Technology A Equipment Decommissioning: Remove and decommission legacy Technology A equipment.
• Asset Disposal: Handle disposal or resale of decommissioned equipment in compliance with environmental regulations.

13. Post-Migration Support

• Monitoring & Troubleshooting: Set up tools and processes to monitor the new Technology B infrastructure and quickly troubleshoot any issues.
• Performance KPIs: Monitor network performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure service levels are maintained or improved.
• Ongoing Optimization: Conduct continuous performance optimization, including software updates and hardware upgrades.

In the context of SecOps (Security Operations), there are several critical areas and considerations to focus on:

1. Security Posture Assessment

• Current Security State: Assess the company’s current security posture, including tools, processes, and maturity level.
• Vulnerability Management: Review their processes for identifying, managing, and remediating vulnerabilities.
• Threat Landscape: Understand the specific threats faced by telcos, such as DDoS attacks, malware targeting network equipment, and insider threats.

2. Network Security and Segmentation

• Perimeter Security: Ensure that firewalls, IDS/IPS systems, and VPNs are properly configured and managed.
• Network Segmentation: Segment networks to limit lateral movement by attackers. Critical infrastructure, such as core network elements, should be isolated.
• Zero Trust Architecture: Encourage the adoption of a zero-trust approach where every access request is verified regardless of its origin within the network.

3. 5G and Emerging Technologies

• 5G-Specific Security: 5G brings new challenges, like edge computing and network slicing. Address security at multiple layers, including the Radio Access Network (RAN), core, and edge.
• Virtualization Security: Ensure that network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) implementations are secure.
• PMEC (Private Multi-access Edge Computing) Security: For edge deployments, security needs to extend from the core to the edge to prevent attacks on the low-latency services offered via edge computing.

4. Compliance and Regulatory Concerns

• Telecom Regulations: Ensure alignment with regulatory frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and industry-specific telecom security standards.
• ISO 27001/ISO 27017: Help them implement or maintain compliance with relevant information security standards.
• Telecom-specific Standards: Such as ETSI standards for network and security, 3GPP for mobile security, or NIST standards.

5. Security Operations Center (SOC) and Monitoring

• Real-time Monitoring: Implement a robust Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution with real-time monitoring of network activity.
• Automation and Orchestration: Deploy Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools to streamline incident response processes.
• 24/7 SOC: Many operators require a 24/7 SOC for threat detection and incident management.
• Threat Intelligence: Ensure they integrate real-time threat intelligence to stay ahead of emerging threats.

6. Incident Response and Business Continuity

• Incident Response Plan: Help them develop and test an incident response (IR) plan specific to telecommunications and network infrastructure.
• Business Continuity Planning (BCP): Plan for service restoration in case of a cyberattack that affects critical services.
• Disaster Recovery: Ensure they have secure, reliable backup and disaster recovery systems.

7. Supply Chain Security

• Vendor Management: With telcos relying heavily on third-party vendors, ensure that security standards extend to suppliers. This is particularly important when dealing with hardware and software vendors.
• SSPA Policy: As you’ve implemented a Supplier Security and Privacy Assurance (SSPA) policy in your own company, ensure that your client has similar controls in place.

8. Data Security and Privacy

• Encryption: Ensure encryption of sensitive data, both at rest and in transit, especially for customer information and internal network communications.
• Privacy Compliance: Address privacy concerns specific to customer data, including the management of CDRs (Call Data Records) and other personally identifiable information (PII).

9. Insider Threat Mitigation

• Access Controls: Implement strong access control policies using the principle of least privilege. Enforce role-based access and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical systems.
• Monitoring for Anomalous Behavior: Monitor for insider threats, such as abnormal access patterns, data exfiltration attempts, or malicious behavior.

10. Security Awareness and Training

• Training Programs: Ensure staff are trained regularly on security best practices, especially as they relate to telecom systems and protocols.
• Phishing and Social Engineering Defense: Given the human factor, telcos should focus on training employees to recognize and report phishing or social engineering attempts.

11. Operational Technology (OT) Security

• Physical Infrastructure Security: If the telco operates physical infrastructure such as cell towers, ensure physical security measures (e.g., surveillance, access control).
• SCADA/IoT Security: Address security concerns related to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, both of which are increasingly present in telecom environments.

12. Performance and Security Trade-offs

• Balancing Security and Performance: Given that security measures can sometimes impact network performance, especially in high-throughput environments, help them strike the right balance without compromising either.

Consideration for Emerging Threats:

• Ransomware and DDoS: Telcos and network operators are prime targets for ransomware and distributed denial-of-service attacks due to their critical infrastructure role.
• 5G Security Challenges: Operators must prepare for new attack vectors introduced by 5G architecture.

13. Collaborations with Law Enforcement and Government

• Threat Sharing: Encourage participation in information-sharing initiatives such as ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Centers) and collaborations with national security agencies.
• Lawful Interception (LI): Telcos must ensure their systems are compliant with lawful interception requirements while maintaining strong security around interception capabilities.

When consulting on SecOps in the telecom space, the key is to understand both the technical complexities of network security and the regulatory pressures specific to the telecommunications industry.

4o

A transformation project in a telecommunications context that includes digital transformation and migrating from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud (or hybrid environments) involves a comprehensive overhaul of technology, processes, and culture. Here’s an outline of the key activities and considerations for such a transformation:

1. Initial Assessment & Planning

• Current Infrastructure Audit: Assess the current on-prem infrastructure, applications, and workloads, identifying dependencies, performance bottlenecks, and security issues.
• Digital Maturity Assessment: Evaluate the organization's current digital capabilities, including automation, data analytics, and cloud readiness.
• Cloud Readiness Assessment: Analyze which workloads can move to the cloud, which should remain on-premises, and which can operate in a hybrid mode.
• Gap Analysis: Identify gaps between the current state and the desired digital/cloud-enabled state, including technology, skills, and processes.

2. Strategy Development

• Transformation Roadmap: Develop a detailed, phased roadmap that outlines the steps needed for digital transformation, including timelines and milestones for cloud migration.
• Hybrid Cloud Strategy: If moving to a hybrid cloud, define how on-premises and cloud resources will integrate and communicate, as well as the role of edge computing if needed.
• Business Impact Analysis: Evaluate how the transformation will impact business operations, service delivery, and customer experience.
• Risk Mitigation Plan: Identify potential risks such as downtime, data loss, or security breaches during the transformation, and develop contingency plans.

3. Cloud and Digital Platform Selection

• Cloud Provider Selection: Choose a cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure) based on the organization’s needs for scalability, performance, security, and cost.
• Digital Platforms: Select or build platforms that support digital transformation, such as IoT platforms, AI/ML frameworks, and automation tools.
• Hybrid Cloud Tools: Ensure proper integration tools for seamless operation between on-prem infrastructure and cloud environments, including load balancing and data syncing.

4. Network Design & Architecture

• Cloud-Native Network Design: Design the network to be cloud-native, considering microservices architecture, containerization (Kubernetes, Docker), and serverless computing where appropriate.
• Hybrid Connectivity: Set up secure, high-performance connectivity between on-prem and cloud environments, ensuring latency, bandwidth, and redundancy are optimized.
• Edge Computing: In a hybrid setup, use edge computing to reduce latency for critical telecom services (e.g., 5G, IoT) by processing data closer to the user.

5. Data Migration

• Data Inventory: Identify all the data that needs to be migrated, including customer records, network configurations, service profiles, and analytics.
• Data Migration Strategy: Develop a strategy for migrating data to the cloud while ensuring data integrity, security, and minimal downtime. This may include using tools like AWS Database Migration Service or Azure Migrate.
• Data Governance: Establish policies for data management in the cloud, including compliance with regulations (e.g., GDPR), data retention, and lifecycle management.

6. Application Modernization

• On-Prem Application Assessment: Identify legacy applications that need to be modernized for the cloud (e.g., rehosting, refactoring, or replatforming).
• Cloud-Native Applications: Develop or transition applications to a cloud-native model, using microservices, containers, and APIs for scalability and agility.
• SaaS Adoption: Replace traditional on-prem software with cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for CRM, ERP, and service management.

7. Security & Compliance

• Security Audit: Conduct a security audit of both the on-prem and cloud environments, identifying potential vulnerabilities and compliance issues.
• Cloud Security Architecture: Implement cloud security best practices, including Identity and Access Management (IAM), encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection.
• Compliance Management: Ensure compliance with telecom regulations, industry standards, and privacy laws such as ISO 27001, GDPR, and NIST.

8. Automation & Orchestration

• Network Automation: Automate network configuration, monitoring, and management using cloud-native tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or native cloud services.
• CI/CD Pipeline: Implement a continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline for cloud applications, ensuring faster releases and updates.
• Process Automation: Automate repetitive business processes using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) or AI-driven tools to enhance operational efficiency.

9. DevOps & Agile Implementation

• DevOps Culture: Foster a culture of collaboration between development, operations, and network teams to improve agility and speed to market.
• Agile Transformation: Implement Agile methodologies to continuously iterate and improve digital services, focusing on customer-centric design.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Use IaC tools to manage and provision infrastructure programmatically, ensuring scalability and reproducibility.

10. Testing & Validation

• Cloud Performance Testing: Test performance in the cloud environment, ensuring that workloads are optimized for speed, reliability, and scalability.
• Interoperability Testing: Ensure seamless integration between on-prem, cloud, and hybrid components, including cross-platform communication and data flow.
• Failover and Disaster Recovery Testing: Test disaster recovery and failover capabilities for both on-prem and cloud services, ensuring business continuity.

11. Migration & Deployment

• Phased Migration: Plan a phased migration to avoid disrupting core business services. For example, move non-critical workloads to the cloud first, followed by mission-critical services.
• Data and Service Migration: Migrate data, applications, and services incrementally to minimize downtime. Use migration tools provided by the cloud provider or third-party tools like VMware Cloud on AWS.
• Cutover Management: Implement a cutover plan that transitions services from on-prem to the cloud or hybrid environment without disrupting end-user experience.

12. Monitoring & Optimization

• Cloud Monitoring Tools: Use cloud-native monitoring tools (e.g., AWS CloudWatch, Azure Monitor) to track performance, availability, and security.
• Hybrid Network Monitoring: Set up end-to-end monitoring for the hybrid network, using tools that provide visibility across on-prem and cloud resources.
• Optimization: Continuously optimize cloud resources to ensure cost-effectiveness and scalability, using autoscaling, load balancing, and spot instances.

13. Change Management

• Cultural Transformation: Implement change management programs to align staff with the new digital-first and cloud-first approach.
• Training: Provide training for operations, development, and support teams on cloud technologies, automation tools, and agile processes.
• Communication: Establish clear communication channels and workflows to ensure stakeholders are informed throughout the transformation.

14. Decommissioning On-Prem Infrastructure

• Hardware Decommissioning: Plan the decommissioning of on-prem hardware and data centers, including resale or responsible disposal of equipment.
• Legacy Application Retirement: Decommission legacy applications that are no longer needed after cloud migration or that have been replaced by SaaS or cloud-native equivalents.
• Cost Savings Realization: Track and report on cost savings from decommissioning legacy infrastructure and services.

15. Post-Transformation Support

• Ongoing Cloud Management: Set up cloud operations teams to manage ongoing cloud performance, security, and cost optimization.
• Performance Monitoring & KPIs: Monitor performance against defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure the transformation has delivered the desired results.
• Continuous Improvement: Use feedback loops and real-time analytics to continuously improve services, user experience, and infrastructure.

Summary

This type of transformation project is a multi-layered effort that not only involves migrating from on-prem to cloud or hybrid environments but also rethinking digital capabilities, operations, and security. It requires careful planning, application modernization, robust security measures, automation, and continuous optimization. Change management and staff training are critical to align the organization with new ways of working and maximize the benefits of digital transformation.