Inventory 3.0: next-generation cloud-ready inventory

This report assesses what communications service providers (CSPs) should do to improve their inventory systems.

CSPs need inventory systems for network operations, and business and financial processes. These inventory systems are constantly evolving to support new technologies and services. The roll-out of 5G is transforming the way networks are built and the types of services that they offer. Previously defined network elements that are used to create services are becoming dynamic and built on virtualised cloud infrastructure that is as agile as the services it is delivering. Legacy inventory systems struggle in this new cloud environment and CSPs should improve their inventory systems or they will face difficulties in managing their 5G cloud-based network investments and in their ability to support the provisioning and assurance of new 5G services.