Open Digital Architecture (ODA) makes the leap from concept to credibility

• Axiata, Jio, Vodafone become first service providers to achieve new Running on ODA status 
• 44 software providers map their solutions to ODA for pilot launch of Component Directory 
• 17 detailed component specifications and ODA Canvas now available 
• DTW 2022 showcases major industry progress with Autonomous Networks, Intent and more 

DTW 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark – TM Forum, the industry association driving digital transformation through collaboration, today announced a series of milestones in the development and adoption of its Open Digital Architecture. 

Axiata, Jio and Vodafone have been confirmed as the first service providers in the world to achieve the new Running on ODA status. Through a comprehensive, outside-in assessment using the ODA Success Framework, these leading service providers have demonstrated their expertise and ongoing commitment to the development, use and conformance to ODA, to achieve the new mark.   

“With open components and well-defined APIs to interconnect them, ODA has allowed Jio to transform its application landscape into more modern, microservices-driven and cloud-native. This makes us more agile and enables us to deliver value to our customers even faster” said Kiran Thomas, CEO, Jio Platforms Ltd. 

Co-created by over 1,750 professionals from more than 350 TM Forum member companies, ODA defines an industry-agreed set of reusable software building blocks for creating, managing, and securing any digital service. The goal of ODA is to transform the velocity of DevOps teams, enabling them to navigate the journey to cloud native software to drastically improve time to market, reduce costs, enhance customer experience, and partner – at scale.   

Scott Petty, Chief Digital and Information Officer, Vodafone, commented: “At Vodafone, we’ve adopted an agile, API-first and data-driven approach to give our customers the best experience possible across multiple channels – app, online, retail – as well as help them on their own digital journeys. Open Digital Architecture is behind this digital drive and we’re delighted with the TM Forum’s award in recognition of our work in this area.” 

In a strong sign of commitment to ODA, more than 40 market leading and challenger software providers have also now mapped their products to the ODA Component architecture, demonstrated at DTW in a pilot ODA Component Directory. This powerful new tool aims to simplify navigation of vendor solutions using ODA’s cloud-native software building blocks, and offers greater transparency on conformance to the component specifications, starting with Open APIs. 

The pilot directory includes products and solutions from the following companies: 6d Technologies; alvatross by SATEC; Amdocs; Aria Systems; AsiaInfo Technologies; AwareX; Axiata Digital Labs; Beyond Now; BMC Software; Cerillion; Comarch; CSG; Ericsson; ETIYA; Hansen; Huawei; i2i Systems; IBM; Incognito; Inspur; Intraway; Jio Platforms; Juniper; Marand Software; MATRIXX Software; Mavenir Systems; Microsoft; Netcracker; Nokia; Optiva; Oracle; Pegasystems; Persistent Systems; Salesforce; SAS Institute; ServiceNow; SigScale; Sterlite Technologies; Subex; Tata Consultancy Services; Tecnotree; TEOCO; Torry Harris Integration Solutions; and Whale Cloud. 

“Salesforce is committed to collaboration via open standards, which will be better enabled by the ODA initiative,” said David Fan, VP & GM of Communications Products at Salesforce. “The ODA is well aligned with the Salesforce, helping to create self-service marketplaces and e-commerce opportunities for new services, which will ultimately reduce time to market and cost, while unlocking agility for 5G and other innovations with partners to deliver a more connected digital experience for customers.” 

“Using Open APIs and ODA has enabled Axiata not only to capitalize on our growth ambition by reusing software applications across our group of operating companies, but also to develop new ways to monetize our IT and network capabilities by opening them to partners.”, said Anthony Rodrigo, Group Chief Information Officer, Axiata Group. 

As TM Forum members come together at their flagship event, DTW (Digital Transformation World) in Copenhagen this week a number of aspects of the work around ODA will be on display: 

• ODA Canvas demo – pioneered by Vodafone and adopted by the industry, a standardized CSP environment for running ODA Components, simplifying and reducing cost and risk of deploying cloud-native software at scale 
• Member companies Sterlite Technologies, SigScale and Whale Cloud will demonstrate the practical implementation of ODA for deploying Cloud native Network Functions 
• Alpha versions of the first 17 ODA Component specifications are now available , with 40 more identified for development by agile teams working in the Forum Labs 
• Also, at DTW, TM Forum reveals a new, standardized approach for operation of autonomous networks (AN) via ‘intent’. The approach, co-created with the participation of more than 200 executives from 95 companies, includes the framework, methodologies, language and Open APIs required to express intent (the desired outcomes) so that AI can run the network without human intervention. The approach is summarized in a new white paper, authored by 50 leading CSPs and vendors, entitled Autonomous Networks: Empowering digital transformation – from strategy to implementation. 
• TM Forum members will be demonstrating intent-driven AN in several Catalyst proof-of-concept projects on the show floor at DTW. These Catalysts are championed by eight CSPs; AIS, MTN, Orange, Jio, TIM, Sparkle, Telenor and Vodafone as well as key industry players including, CloudBlue, Ericsson, Huawei, Intraway, TEOCO, University of Milan and the CAICT.