Client: NTT Consulting

Real-time network lifecycle insights and management application

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NTT is a global leader in delivering intelligent infrastructure and ICT solutions, supporting over 13 million users across 9,000 IP networks worldwide. With over $30 billion in managed networking infrastructure and more than 5,800 certified professionals, NTT has a significant presence in network lifecycle management and security systems integration. NTT's goal was to enhance their Technology Lifecycle Management Assessment (TLMA) process to streamline the assessment, management, and reporting of their clients' network infrastructure.

The challenge

NTT's TLMA relied on traditional methods such as spreadsheets and macros, which were cumbersome, error-prone, and required significant manual intervention. The process of aggregating and analysing discovered network data was time-consuming, delaying the delivery of actionable insights to clients.

Key challenges included:

  • Lack of Real-Time Data Visibility

    Static spreadsheets did not support real-time updates or dynamic data exploration.

  • Complex and Manual Reporting Processes

    Report generation was slow, requiring manual data consolidation and formatting.

  • Limited Graphical Analysis

    Inability to provide interactive, client-facing visualisations that facilitated a deeper understanding of network assets.

  • Difficulty in Projecting Future Network Changes

    Hard to predict lifecycle changes, security vulnerabilities, and compliance gaps without an integrated platform.

The solution

To address these challenges, we collaborated with NTT to develop a Digital Platform that would replace the manual, spreadsheet-driven process with a more scalable, automated, and user-friendly solution. The platform incorporated the following key features:

  • Automated Asset Discovery and Data Integration

    • Seamlessly integrated with automated network discovery tools, supplier product data, and asset threat libraries.
    • Consolidated, enriched, and analysed asset data, including asset value, configurations, lifecycle status, maintenance agreements, and identified security vulnerabilities.

  • Dynamic, Real-Time Visualisations

    • Developed new client-facing visualisations to present network insights in a more compelling and accessible format.
    • Enabled real-time updates for interactive graphs and charts, allowing users to drill down into specific data sets for deeper analysis and quick decision-making.

  • Lifecycle Benchmarking and Predictive Analysis

    • Provided detailed benchmarking of client network assets against industry, regional, and global standards.
    • Projected lifecycle changes over a 3-year period to support proactive planning and strategic budgeting.
    • Enabled precise tracking of asset base value to optimise resource allocation and investment strategies.

  • Client-Ready Reporting and Presentation Templates

    • Automatically generated tailored client presentations, pre-populated with relevant graphs and insights.
    • Allowed NTT to produce customised reports within minutes, serving as a robust starting point for strategic consulting engagements.

Additionally, the platform facilitated the creation of comprehensive Roadmaps to guide clients in planning future upgrades, managing replacements, and mitigating risks, ensuring a more resilient and cost-effective network infrastructure.

Implementation Approach

The project was delivered in three key phases:

  • Planning & Prototyping

    • Conducted business and technical interviews to gather detailed requirements.
    • Analysed existing TLMA spreadsheet data and calculations.
    • Reviewed discovery tool, supplier and threat library APIs
    • Wireframed and iterated a fully interactive prototype of proposed solution

  • Development and Integration

    • Designed a cloud-based platform with seamless integration to existing tools.
    • Executed automated network discovery and mapped discovered assets to lifecycle milestones.
    • Developed a secure interface for accessing, analysing, and presenting discovered data.

  • Testing and Rollout

    • Tested the platform with real-world client data to ensure accuracy and performance.
    • Delivered training sessions to ensure NTT's teams could maximise platform capabilities.

Results

The new digital platform transformed NTT's TLMA process, delivering significant improvements in operational efficiency and client engagement:

  • 60% Reduction in Manual Effort: Automation of data collection and analysis replaced laborious manual tasks.
  • Real-Time Reporting and Analysis: Enabled NTT to present clients with up-to-date information and insights instantly.
  • Improved Client Communication: Interactive visuals and real-time graphs enhanced the clarity and impact of client presentations.
  • Proactive Lifecycle Management: Predictive analysis of lifecycle stages and maintenance needs allowed NTT's clients to plan upgrades and budget allocation more effectively.
  • Faster Decision-Making: With instant access to asset and security data, NTT could respond to client inquiries in a matter of minutes instead of days.

By partnering with Digital Marmalade, we transformed our TLMA service from a manual, time-intensive process to a highly efficient, automated solution. The dynamic visuals and real-time data insights have significantly improved our ability to deliver value to our clients and reduced the time we spend on internal processing.

Andre van Schalkwyk Group Network Advisory Director, NTT Consulting

Conclusion

The successful implementation of the digital platform for NTT's TLMA service demonstrates Digital Marmalade's capability to transform complex manual processes into agile, automated solutions. This project highlights our commitment to innovation and client success, setting a new standard for lifecycle management in ICT infrastructure.