Enterprise Data Management

A Comprehensive Data Approach for CSPs

Sivaprakasam S.R.
Enterprise Data Management (EDM) helps Communication Service Providers
(CSPs) address the challenges caused by convergence of technologies
and frequent mergers and acquisitions. It provides a single view of the
truth, unique reference data and a unified data quality framework to
integrate, validate and migrate data. In addition, it enables continuous
monitoring of the quality of data and establishes standards across the
enterprise data lifecycle. Our white paper discusses the need for EDM in
the telecommunications sector, the benefits and challenges in implementing
EDM, and the components of an effective enterprise data management
solution.
Aug 2010
Executive Summary
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As), convergence of technologies and rapid changes in global regulations are revolutionizing
the telecommunications industry. To address the dynamic market conditions as well as the competition from established
companies and new entrants, Communications Service Providers (CSPs) must constantly provide new features and
opportunities to customers. In addition, they must foresee market changes and act decisively by capitalizing on their primary
asset operational and analytical data for precise metrics and predictions. However, CSPs must implement and govern
enterprise data effectively to meet their business intelligence needs.
Enterprise Data Management
Enterprise Data Management (EDM) helps CSPs manage heterogeneous data sources, validate the quality of data, devise a
common data model by integrating information, build analytical and presentation layers, and manage end-to-end metadata
in the analytical and presentation layers. EDM also guides and governs the data architecture, while managing data assets. A
typical EDM architecture diagram is depicted in Figure 1.
Source Data Data Integration
Enterprise Metadata Repository
Business
Rules
Metamodel
ETL / EAI TOOL
Target Data Data Services End User Layer
Enterprise
Service
Bus
S1
Downstream
DB
DQ Rules
Metamodel
Mapping
Metamodel Ra onalized
Systems
Enterprise
Data Model
Operational
Data Store
(ODS)
DQ / Exception Rule Engine
Shared
Business
Services
Shared
Security
Services
S3 Enterprise
Data
Warehouse
Shared Data
Services
Data Profiling
Data Cleansing
Data Validation
Data De-duplication
Exception Investigation
Enterprise
Information
Portal
S2
BPM Workflow Engine
Intranet
Customers
End Users
Error
Logging
Sn
Excep on
Audit
Repository
Excep on
OLAP
DB
Helpdesk
Business Analytics, Score card and Dashboard Reporting
Enterprise Data Governance
Decision
Makers
Figure 1: Typical enterprise data management architecture
Benefits of EDM
EDM ensures consistency of information with a single version of truth by providing reference data requirements on an
integrated data platform. It supports operations and enhances decision-making capabilities by helping CSPs migrate from
disparate data silos to an integrated, enterprise-wide data environment.
2 | Infosys View Point
EDM delivers several benefits -
Provides a single, accurate view of end-to-end enterprise data
Consolidates, profiles and integrates data from disparate systems, thereby enhancing Data Quality (DQ) and
eliminating exceptions. It increases the trust factor of data.
Insulates systems and processes from change, enabling rationalization of legacy systems and facilitating mergers and
acquisitions
Improves the accuracy of decisions
Enables on-demand extraction of ad hoc operational reports
Facilitates rapid analysis of customer retention, customer satisfaction, customer lifetime value, and cross-sell and up-
sell data
Enables risk-benefit analysis of business opportunities
Enables reuse of the EDM framework in new regions, markets and product categories
Dimensions of Enterprise Data Management
Enterprise Data Management
Enterprise Metadata Management
Data Quality
Management Enterprise
Data Model
Data Standard
Data Architecture
Data Stewardship
Enterprise Data Governance
Figure 2: Enterprise data management framework
The components of an enterprise data management framework are shown in Figure 2, and are discussed in subsequent
sections. Enterprise data can be managed along various angles/ layers to meet the goals of EDM:
Data stewardship
Data governance
Data standards
Data definitions and taxonomies
Technology standards
Data retention
Data quality management
Data architecture
Data integration
Data migration
Master/ reference data management
Metadata management
Data warehousing
Data portal
Data security
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Data Security
Data Stewardship
EDM requires the owners of source data to manage data assets effectively. A data stewards responsibilities include managing
data standards, formats and trust factor, and establishing and enforcing data standards. Data quality management provides
quality analysis reports that enable stewards to improve the quality of data, reduce data redundancy and improve data
management capabilities across the enterprise.
Source data owners provide the overall governance and oversight to the data management activities within an enterprise,
while data stewards -
Define business terms and establish rules for quality and exception validation Identify business-critical attributes and
ensure data validity
Prioritize and ensure data quality of exceptions raised by the quality management team
Coordinate between business, application and IT teams to enhance the trustworthiness of data
Address target and downstream data requirements
Create awareness about data management principles, data security and retention policy, and best practices across the
enterprise
Data Governance
A data governance committee must be instituted to develop the principles of managing data-related processes and enforcing
them across the enterprise. It must be responsible for nominating teams for programs such as data stewardship, data quality
management, data modeling, data integration, data migration, data warehousing, master data management, data architecture,
data security, and metadata management. A data governance framework that focuses on people, process and technology
ensures accessibility, availability, quality, consistency, security, and audit-readiness of data.
Typically, senior managers form the steering committee, while the operational team of the data governance committee
includes business users, data architects and data stewards. Data governance plans are framed by a working group and
approved by the steering committee. The committee must ensure that data assets are managed effectively across the
enterprise.
Ap
pr
ov
als
St
an
da
rd
sa
nd
Ru
le
s-
Senior
Management
Steering Committee
Working Group
Data StewardData
Steward

tnt
en

mem
gege
nana
MaMa
cece
anan
rnrn
veve
GoGo
tata
DaDa
Data ArchitectData
Architect
Business UserBusiness
User
Figure 3: Data governance structure
Key roles and responsibilities of the data governance committee:
Steering committee Articulate the vision and arrange funds for the data governance initiative
Source data owners Prioritize and execute data management
Data stewards Address issues in data quality and standards such as merger or deletion of data, data enrichment, etc.
Data stewards must ideally be from the business side.
Data architects Help data stewards access, integrate and manipulate data with their technical expertise
4 | Infosys View Point
Data Standards
Data standards are framed by the data governance steering committee to ensure that all data elements of an enterprise comply
with standard terms, definitions and values. The working group, in turn, ensures that all associated parties agree with the
data values and adhere to the standards. It helps the data stewards frame validation rules to filter business exceptional dat a
and improve its trustworthiness. DQ issues identified by validation against standards must be closely monitored and tracked
by data stewards until resolution.
By ensuring that each and every data element of the enterprise data model adheres to the rules and definitions of the SID
model1, CSPs can meet the data requirements of emerging technologies such as wireline, wireless, cable, and IPTV. In
addition, they can avoid redundant data and ensure consistency of data.
Data elements can be classified based on their logical and physical properties. Logical property refers to the definition, origin
and data type. Physical properties of the data element include data length, validation rules, and how data is stored, present ed
to end users and labeled. For example, elements such as the date and currency fields have specific display formats, standards,
regional settings, and validations.
Data Quality Management
Data Quality Management (DQM) is a key enterprise data management process that addresses issues in the quality of data,
and identifies exceptions in data elements that can be classified into industry standard quality dimensions as shown in
Figure 4. It requires strategic data profiling and data quality software to be a part of the data management process.
DB
Connectivity
Configuring
Validation
Rules
DQ
Analysis
Monitor
DQ Metrics
Data Steward
Analysis
Completeness
Does it provide all the information
required?
Is it within acceptable parameters for
the business?
Are the values repeated?
Is it relevant for its intended purpose?
Validity
Uniqueness
Relevance
Timeliness
Consistency
Accuracy
Is it up-to-date and available whenever
required?
Is it consistent and easily understood?
Is it correct, objective and can it be
validated?
Figure 4: Classification of exceptional data elements
1
The Shared Information/ Data Model (SID), framed by the TM Forum, provides a single set of terms for business entities and attributes across the telecommunications
industry. SID enables business users to use the same terms to describe business objects, practices and relationships across the enterprise.
Infosys View Point | 5
The quality of data may be affected at various stages of the data element lifecycle such as data entry, data transformation,
conversion from operational to analytical data, master data and reference data transformation, and migration of data from
legacy systems. Some practical examples of anomalies in data quality:
Accuracy
Mary Pierce, 1408 North Any Street, Germantown,
MD, 418-734-1576
- Is this a valid postal address?
Consistency
Alan Smith, 4200, Weston Park, Cary, NC
- Is there a suffix to the street?
- Is there a postal code?
Completeness
Street => St, Str
Account => Acct, Accnt, A/c
- Are they business terms with variations in value?
Correctness
Mary Brown, 1408 North Any street,
Germantown, MD, 9AB-786
- Is this a valid zip code format?
Uniqueness
First Merit Bank and 1st Merit Bank
- Are they the same or different
Data management tools can be used for profiling and standardizing data, matching and merging data, monitoring quality, and
tracking and addressing issues in data quality.
Relevance
Robert Smith,
123 Peach Tree lane, Pleasanton CA
Julia Smith, 123 Peach lane, CA
- Are the two from the same household?
Timeliness
Activation date and time: 12 May,
2009, 12:00 AM, posted into the system during day-end
batch processing. However, the service was activated
during business hours of the previous day.
Interpretability
First name attribute contains: Tai-Tai
Cheung Mei Lee Wang
- Is this a personal name or company name?
- Is the gender male or female?
Challenges in Data Quality Management
Ownership of quality issues
Continuous monitoring of quality by the DQM process enables real-time reporting of issues. However, it is seen
that units/ departments rarely take ownership to rectify them or approve automatic cleansing. A data governance
committee is needed to enforce cross-functional collaboration and sensitize the organization about the importance of
resolving DQ issues. It requires huge manpower, and the Return on Investment on data quality fixes is relatively low.
Identifying master/ reference data
The lack of attribute-level standards for data quality, M&As without a data integration strategy and federated source
data stores result in multiple versions of data, the lack of a golden record and incomplete master attributes.
Metadata-driven DQM
A DQM process driven by metadata management is recommended for CSPs with frequent Merger and Acquisitions,
multiple source systems or strategic plans to integrate data from multiple technologies. The cleansing maps in the
integrated process and its in-built mechanism to alert and track issues help refine DQ, exception and notification
rules and resolution techniques. The DQ system notifies exceptions to quality standards and violation of data quality
rules to data stewards, who can rectify the issues with the help of data architects. New DQ issues must be updated in
the rule repository. Quality analysis reports contain the results of DQ measurements in a pre-determined format. The
senior management normally requires reports to be presented with color codes akin to the traffic signal usable data
(green), partly usable (yellow) and not usable (red).
6 | Infosys View Point
Source
Systems
Data Profiling, QualityData
AnalysisConsolidation
Data Proler
Data Cleansing
Corrective Ac on
Enterprise
Data Model
Customer
Network
Service
Product
Usage
DQ Rules
ETL
Processing
EDM
ODS
DQ Engine
Excep on
Repository
Billing
Faults
Contract
Continuous DQ Monitoring by SME
Figure 5: Data quality management
Data quality-driven cleansing
The DQ process meets business requirements by cleansing and standardizing the database through continuous
monitoring. The data governance committee and data stewards frame the rules for cleansing, exception management
and standardization of data. Data quality scorecards help data stewards monitor and track DQ issues, and refine data
cleansing rules. Cleansing occurs at various instances of the data management lifecycle:
Front-office (real-time) cleansing
Back-office (batch cleansing)
Cross-office (cleansing during data transfer between businesses)
Data collaboration between cross-functions
The DQM process is burdened with ambiguity and risk when an attribute has multiple owners or a change in an
attribute influences other attributes and downstream applications. It can be avoided by storing details of the creation
of data in the taxonomy of data items. The information to be stored include author, date and time of creation,
application details, domain values, derivation details, derivation logic (if required), dependant fields, data item
hierarchy, and propagation of changes.
As a DQM best practice, CSPs must start with limited data profiling and data cleansing activities, and incrementally develop a
robust and scalable data quality management platform for a cross-organizational, 360-degree view of business.
Infosys View Point | 7
Data Architecture
Data architecture is a fundamental aspect of enterprise data management. It is a multi-layered set of models that defines the
enterprise data strategy and management policy on data collection, and identifies the need for improvement in business
decisions.
Contracts
STATISTICS
*
STATS_FORECASTING
FORECASTING
ACS_STATS
ACS
*GWAY_ACS
All media
ACS_GWAY
*
**
EDI-FAX-EMAIL
GATEWAY
*
FORECASTING_TACT-FCSTTACT-FCST
*
CUSTOMER
BACS
GPS_BANK
BANK_UPAY Share Save Eligibility
Personnel Detail
PENSION
PSION_UPAY
PAY_BACS
PAYROLL
UPAY_PSION
GPS_EIS
GPS_PSION
GPS
*
BANK
&BUILDING
SOCIETY
Marketing INSURANCE
*
GPS_INS
Customers and Sales Channels
ACS_GRD
TELEWARE
*
ACS_INV
TELE_GRD
GRD_TELE
BUDGET
MODELLING
*GRD_FCSSYSTEM
GL_FCS
FCS_GRD
INV_GRD
Products and Services
INV_CUST AP_BACS
*
PAY_AP
EIS
*
AP-SE-SAL
*
PROC_EIS
MMS_EIS
INVOICING
*
INV_SL
MEN_INV
Billing and PaymentsAICC_CTAX
GRD
CORPORATION GL(SAL)_GRD*TAX*GRD_GL(SAL)
GRD_GL(SE)GL(SE)_GRD
GL(SE & SAL)
*
GL_PROC
*
PA_AICC
PA-SE-SAL
KEL
*
KEL_MEN
FOCUS
GIS_MEN
MEN_GIS
FOCUS_PROP
Surveys PROP_GIS
PROPERTY
(attack) *
3DMOD&VIS
*
GIS
*
Corporate
AP(SAL)_PROC
MEN_KEL
MENTOR
*
PROP_EIS
FCS_GL
SALES_LEDGER
*
PROC-GL
PROC_AP(SE)
AP(SE)_PROC
PROC_AP(SAL)
AICC
AP_MMS
PROP_SL
PROP_MMS
MMS_PROP
Maintenance Costs
BMS_MMSBMS
*
GIS_PROP
PROCUREMENT
PAS_PROC
PA_PR
PROC_PAS PROC_PA
OC
CCPS_PROC
*
PROC_CCPS PROC_EMAILMDS_PROC
PROC_FAXPROC_MDS
EDI_PROC
PROC_EDI
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*
MMS
*
PM_PROC
CCPS_PM
Cost Plan
PM_CCPS
Cost Phasing
MMS_GISD&CPS_GIS
Maintenance CostsDrawings and
object data
AUTOCAD
*
*
Final Accounts
PA_CCPS
D&CPS_CCPS
Cost plans
CCPS
Service Provisioning
*
**
EDI-FAX-EMAIL
GATEWAY*
PM
D&CPS_AUTOCAD
DrawingsDES-OPT_3DMOD&VIS
*
DES OPT
3DMOD&VIS
D&CCPS D&CPS
Models *
Service Assurance
Figure 6: Multi-layered data architecture
The enterprise data strategy comprises strategic initiatives such as data integration, legacy data migration, legacy system
rationalization, master data management, metadata management, and business intelligence and reporting.
CSPs can integrate independent applications into an enterprise data model to address challenges such as dynamic business
processes, convergence of technology, changes in regulations, and increased competition. In addition, they can view and
monitor enterprise performance by integrating and migrating data into the enterprise model, enabling rationalization of
legacy systems.
Data architects design the enterprise data model, automate data capture and validation, and implement an audit trail
mechanism for business-critical data. They are also responsible for:
Entity relationship diagrams that depict the relationship of business entities across subject areas
Data flow diagrams that display data flow between enterprise applications and databases
Identifying data stewards across subject areas, associated business units, business processes of each business function,
and enterprise applications
Setting standards and best practices for naming conventions to define data elements in the enterprise data model
Designing and managing a metadata repository across the enterprise. The repository stores attribute name, type,
length, owner of the data element, business unit, valid values, last updated user, last updated date and time, etc.
Data profiling; data modeling; Extract, Transform and Load (ETL); and reporting tools exchange metadata with the
enterprise metadata repository.
8 | Infosys View Point
Location
Finance Accounting
Organiza on
Contact Channel
Internal Transaction
Individual Party Users
Content Store Party Role Map
Presence Info
Address SCM
Service Provider Customer
Customer Site
Sales Channels
Marketing Campaigns
Third Party Service
Provider
Service Orchestration /
Authoriza on / Metadata
Customer Profile
Customer Accounts Sales / Opportunity
Inter-Carrier Accounts Product Catalog Service
Sample Data Model
Network Elements
Partner and Profile
Product Billing Account
Usage and Billing
Network Equipment
Interaction
Trouble Ticket
Class of Service
Physical Resource
Customer Order
Agreement
Credit Risk Scoring
Logical Resource
Figure 7: Entity relationship diagram
The aim of the enterprise data strategy must be to provide cleansed, consistent, integrated, and well -managed reference or
master data. Since master data is a core component, any issue with it will affect the entire enterprise, exposing risks due to
data inconsistency.
Data Security
CSPs need a robust strategy to ensure security of sensitive, business-critical data such as customer profile, payment details,
contact, contracts, subscription, and product details. The data governance team must frame rules and regulations to
Manage the change control board that authorizes changes to the data structure for sensitive data. Frequent changes
lead to an unstable business and multiple versions of the business entities.
Enhance the confidentiality and availability of data in hard and soft copy
Protect data from unauthorized access, modification and destruction
Prevent improper disclosure of data
Avoid security breach of information and related loss to business, legal implications, etc.
The data security strategy assigns stewards for all data sources, and authorizes them to grant access rights, maintain the li st
of authorized users and ensure accuracy of data. Stewards must also ensure that data is not duplicated in any format unless
there is a business process requirement and copies are controlled across the enterprise.
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Challenges in Enterprise Data Management
To manage terabytes of enterprise data in a complex landscape of legacy applications, CSPs require an enterprise data
model that is compliant with the SID framework. They also need well-defined strategies for data integration, modernization
of applications, migration of data from legacy applications, rationalization of legacy systems, and presenting data in the
enterprise portal. It involves the following challenges:
Duplication of data due to heterogeneous applications with independent data systems
Data impurity due to the lack of data quality principles across the enterprise
Non-standard data and exceptions in data range, type and length due to the absence of a metadata platform
Multiple owners maintain data pertaining to different technologies in various data structures
Lack of a data governance committee to enforce data quality principles and quality standards, and create awareness
among source system owners about the importance of data as corporate assets
Multiple versions of operational reports with different sub-functions and duplication of data in different formats across
upstream/ downstream data systems due to uncontrolled data distribution, resulting in legal and regulatory non-
compliance
Conclusion
Enterprise data management helps CSPs improve the quality of data, prevent revenue leakage and roll out methodologies
for data governance, metadata management, master data management, data architecture, and data security. It also enables
informed decision making through customer behavior analysis, market behavior analysis, competitor analysis, single view of
enterprise data, and converged billing. However, the success of an EDM implementation depends on effective collaboration
between business sub-functional heads, data architects, the CIO and CEO.
About the Author
Sivaprakasam S.R. is a Principal Technology Architect and mentors the database and business intelligence track at
Infosys Communication solution, Media and Entertainment business unit. His interests include enterprise data modeling,
enterprise data integration, enterprise data warehousing, enterprise data quality management, and semantic data
integration. He can be reached at sivaprakasam_s@infosys.com