Realizing unified service experience with SaaS on SOA

Abstract

The rapid spread of IP-based Access technologies and the move towards Core Network Convergence with IMS has led to an explosion in multimedia content delivery across packet networks. IMS provides mobile and multimedia services to the customer along with fixed networks support leading to mobile and fixed convergence. The use of open standard IP protocols, defined by the IETF, allows IMS to easily introduce new services. This transition has led to a much wider and richer service experience, though service experience is limited to the services offered by the service provider subscribed by the customer. Maintaining the infrastructure to provide all the available services is not a viable option for the service provider. Service provider who offers more services has an effective advantage over the others in maintaining higher customer satisfaction. The paper provides a novel method by which customers can search for services across multiple service providers. The customer can also enjoy services that are not provided by the application servers from his subscribed service provider. In achieving this enhanced service assembly, SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) used in service life cycle management forms the backbone, with SaaS (Software as a Service) methodologies made effective to address the business critical issues in making this service assembly possible.