Tools to get the most

from any Telecom

Network
BODA Methodology
Outline
• Objective
• Observation
• How do engineers work?
• Tools
• Hunter
• Boda
• Modules
• Screenshot

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Objective
• To present an overview of how to improve your
efficiency and productivity when working with any
cellular network.
• To suggest best practices that can be used by any
professional, student or enthusiast.

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What should be observed?
• Every wireless network has one thing in common: a
huge amount of network elements that must be
continuously observed. Any fault in any of these
elements results in degradation in quality which
consequently affects customers’ quality of service.

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But how?
• In addition to the best practice procedures, an
important way to achieve good results is using all
possible and available tools.
• Development of custom tools further improves the
quality of results

• Developing custom
tools is very common;
almost everyone has
made ​a 'macro' using
Microsoft© Excel©.

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Tools
• It is common to use vendor’s proprietary tools,
purchased for specific purposes, as well as in-house
systems/tools developed by operators.
• However, individual users can go further and develop
their own tools.
• Unfortunately, this results in alot of duplication of
effort. By providing a unified platform, we avoid this
duplication of effport.

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Hunter
• In the initial iteration of this effort, we presented Hunter; a
group of utilities developed with MS Excel and Access .
• Along with them we provided a methodology we termed as
HUNTER that outlined best practices to improve efficiency for
the telecom professional

OME
SER
ETWORK
OOL FOR
ENHANCED
ESULTS
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Hunter -> Boda
• Over time, the Hunter utilities have evolved into Boda; an
open source platform for network operations efficiency for
the telecom professional
• Boda is currently widely used by thousands of telecom
professionals all over the World.

is now

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But what is Boda?
• Boda ( short for Boda Telecom Suite ) is a unified platform for
any wireless network visualization and management. It
integrates network data across the enterprise and provides
automation and big data analytics.
• It support all vendors and all RATs from GSM to LTE and 5G
network equipment.
• It consolidates all elements of today’s wireless networks in a
single interface – providing a comprehensive solution for
viewing, optimizing and planning your network.
• It is open source and free to use forever
• Come with us. Evolve together. Join the community!

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Modules
• Commercials Tools generally follow one important rule:
modularization. This allows the use of parts of the system
(modules), or the complete system (all modules).
– This feature also allows for scalability, or you can go to evolve over
time, always adding new modules to adapt to changing.
• And in Boda Methodology it is not different.
– Although Boda is not specifically a tool, it has focus on standardized
modules.
– The goal is to allow any professional to create new modules, according
to the availability of software & applications, and their specific needs.
• Boda is a Methodology and its standardization is free, as well as
the creativity of each one to create and / or extend their own
modules.

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Boda Modules
• Following it’s free customization structure, Boda allows the
development of a very large number of modules.

Drive Test GIS

• Speaking of all of
them would be
Boda virtually
Others impossible.
Physical
• At center figure,
we see some of
the standardized
modules.
OSS’s
• Following, we give
KPI Others examples of them.
Parameters

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Software Used
• But before speaking of some modules, which
software can be used to create Boda Modules?
• For BODA, all application is written in several languages
(JAVA, Phyton, Javascript, etc.) + PostgreSQL free DB.
• And as a result we have a GUI to do all process.
• Of course it can be used together with all auxiliary
SW you may have available and licensed for use.
– In particular, the Microsoft Office© Suite, especially Microsoft Access©,
and VBA programming language - the same one used to write macros
in Microsoft Excel©.
– As other complementary Software.
• Especially the one for geo-referenced analysis , as MapInfo©, from Pitney
Bowes

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Boda Cellfile
• Now we can speak of some modules, to exemplify.
– One of the most important, of course, is the module that contains the
information of the physical data network, such as latitude, longitude,
antennas, azimuth, etc ...

• This module is very important, but it is quite simple. Basically,

it gathers all the tables with information from physical data
network.
• Thereafter, the data is accessed by other modules.

Boda_DB

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Boda Parameters
• The aim of the Parameters module is to gather all
information from the network configuration parameters in
a single database.
– From this database, we can create several other useful modules.
For example Boda Audit (audit of the network configuration)
and Boda Journal (check what parameters have changed in the
network).
• Brief Summary: raw files of the OSS's:
dump configuration parameters - (txt,
csv, xls, etc. ..) are downloaded, for
example via FTP or client.
• They are then processed (parser)
and stored in a database.

BODA_DB

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 Boda PM (KPI & Performance)
• Just as the Parameters, the PM module gathers information
in a database. This time, stores the key Performance
Indicators, such as Call Drop Rate Falls, Overflows, Traffic
and Handover.
– From this module we have others: Boda KPI Reports (generating
automated reports), Boda Chart and KPI Dashboard (related to
analysis through graphs), etc.
• Brief Summary: raw files of the OSS's
with counters (txt, csv, xls, etc. ..) are
downloaded, for example via FTP or
client.
• They are then processed (parser)
and stored in a database.

BODA_DB

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Boda Database
• The three modules presented have its information stored in
Boda Database. And with the Information of Network
(physical data, azimuths ...), Performance PM (drops, traffic ...)
and Configuration Parameters we already have enough
information to run several types of analysis.
– Note: we do not attempt here to delve for example in the code,
scripts, algorithms, and analysis reports available or even the
standardization process.
• We intend only to demonstrate how BODA tool can be used and bring
great benefits to our work.
• Besides the key modules, several modules may and has been
developed for various other applications.
– We will see below some of these additional modules.

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Boda GE Drive Test
• Google Earth© is undoubtedly the best
browser for existing geo-referenced data. The
file format that it reads is KML that can be
created for example by using VBA with our
existing data.
– Based on this, we have modules like GE Boda Drive
Test.
• Module Summary: From any Drive Test software , we can
export the collected data to a plain text format.
Running a macro, we have several types of possible analysis.

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Boda GE (...)
• Also in relation to Google Earth , several other modules can
be created, like the Boda GE Network (plotting information
from Network_DB) and also the Boda GE KPI (plotting
information from Network_DB – eg azimuth – with KPI_DB),
as seen below.

• Clicking on a cell, we quickly access it’s • Easily identify the sectors with problems!
information, such as antenna and Tilt!

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Boda Updater
• An interesting module, and quite useful, is the
Updater module.
• The information of key modules can be
exported in several specific formats of several
other software and databases and tools.
– GMON
– GNETTRACK
– Others

• For example, we can update all data

Prediction Tools, Frequency Planning, Archives
of Cells to Drive Tests, etc.
– This ensures our data is always
updated, and automated.

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Other Modules
• We presented a sample of few Boda Modules,
• However, the number of existing and possible modules is
much more!
– This way, it’s very hard to show everything here.

• Also, it was just an introduction for some modules.

– Each has a number of peculiarities and tricks, as the best procedures
for each task.
• The idea is to allow each professional to use their skills and be
able to create a complete system as shown.

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IMPORTANT
• Boda is not intended to replace any tool or existing
database.
– Rather, it should be used as a complement to all the
facilities that are not available to the professional.

• Its use, however, naturally leads to better results.

– For example, gains in automation through apps, faster
execution of tasks, better reporting, data up to date,
organization, etc...

• And all this will contribute to improving the network overall

performance.

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 SCREENSHOTS
• Next you’ll see some snapshots the Boda
desktop Tool
• It is a work in progress so images may look
different depending on the most recent
version

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BODA GUI

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BODA Parse and Import Module

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BODA Reports Module

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BODA GIS Module

Due to Community demand,

GIS module will focus on some
Google Earth submodules, for
example, generating the
Network Map.

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Processing Ericsson raw CM data

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Processing NOKIA raw CM data

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Processing HUAWEI raw CM data

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Boda Telecom Suite Community Edition
• BTS CE - The CE (Community Edition) was the first version of Boda. Whereas BTS-CE is server
based, Boda-Lite is desktop based. The community decided to develop a desktop version: Boda
Lite - a lightweight version of Boda CE. However, the focus of this presentation is on Boda-lite
, the desktop version.

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Roadmap
• Correlate everything using ML and AI.

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Conclusion
• This was a brief introduction to the Boda Tool,
a set of customized tools and concepts, with
the goal of helping Telecom & IT professionals
(and even other areas where the concept can
be applied) to achieve greater productivity
and efficiency in their daily work!

• Come with us. Evolve together. Join the

community!
– www.telecomHall.net

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