Lavastorm Resolution Center 2.2 Release Frequently Asked Questions

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1 Lavastorm Resolution Center 2.2 Release Frequently Asked Questions Software Description What is Lavastorm Resolution Center 2.2? Lavastorm Resolution Center (LRC) is a flexible business improvement management system with integrated alarming, case management, reporting, and query capabilities. When used alongside other components of the Lavastorm Analytics Platform it allows teams to detect, value, investigate, and act upon issues or opportunities more quickly and with greater accuracy than if they used a traditional analytic or case management platform. LRC 2.2 is a new release which more or less can be seen as a new product in the Lavastorm product portfolio. It expands the addressable market for LRC beyond telecommunications fraud management, and it takes the initial steps towards the end-to-end analytics vision of the Lavastorm Analytics Platform for all targeted customers. Existing customers on Lavastorm Transaction Warehouse (LTW) 3.x or LRC 2.1 should move to LRC 2.2 whenever performing an upgrade. Lavastorm encourages all customers to plan for a migration to LRC 2.2 as soon as reasonable. What various user profiles are targeted by this release? LRC 2.2 is a flexible business improvement management system suited to improve the accuracy, speed, and impact of investigations related to any data-driven business situation, including: Fraud Management The LRC helps fraud analysts detect potential fraud, investigate alarms to determine if fraud has occurred, and take action to prevent fraud from recurring. Risk Management The LRC helps risk and compliance managers evaluate and correct data and process anomalies that indicate non-compliance and increased risk. Data Quality Management The LRC helps data analysts, systems analysts, and other data quality professionals to evaluate and correct instances of mismatched data, missing data, incorrect data, and other quality problems. Loss Prevention LRC helps retailers identify and investigate cases of potential theft or compliance issues. Page 1

2 Revenue Assurance LRC helps revenue assurance teams process the results of financial audits, such as switch-to-bill, inventory reconciliation, and interconnect audits. Process Evaluation and Defect Resolution LRC helps analysts take action on business process anomalies or conditions, such as when actual results differ from expected performance. What are the key product capabilities? Utilization of Various Data Sources LRC can take in data from any source, external system, database, internet, etc. and make it accessible for subsequent evaluation. The data sources are made accessible in system as reference data, general data sources, or alarm records. They are used for creation of cases and suspects, in ad-hoc analysis and parameterized queries and reports, and for definition of various types of reports. Alarming A highly flexible alerting function for alarm definition that inform analysts of threshold violations or data anomalies. Alert records are used to manually or automatically create cases and look-up and add related information ( suspects ) at the same time. Case Management A comprehensive environment for detecting alarms that need follow up, investigating for root causes, and organizing follow up activities. Guided by a configurable workflow to guide and streamline investigations by establishing a standard process for evaluation and action. Query Builder A comprehensive tool for query definitions and dynamic ad-hoc analysis. The Query Builder can be used for basic queries on a single data source or highly advanced queries that require unions across multiple data sources, formula fields and complex embedded logic. Query results can be further analyzed in charts and crosstabs at any time. Context Sensitive Analytics Active links throughout LRC accelerate investigations by providing instant access to contextual information through queries, reports, and external web pages. Reporting Advanced users can create report layouts and publish reports for end users to consume. Pre-defined reports provide detailed insights to understand operational trends and performance of the effectiveness of processes, and are also used by analysts to show trends that help them identify a root cause. A group of reports can build a dashboard where one main report holds multiple subreports. Detailed information on all functionality is found in the LRC 2.2 Technical Product Description. What new features are included in the release? Integration with the Lavastorm Analytics Engine (LAE) LRC is part of the comprehensive Lavastorm Fraud Manager (LFM) using the optional LTW add-on for data collection and analysis. With this release, LRC can not only process analytic results coming from the LTW, but can also process results from the LAE, making it possible to use LRC for more use cases and in more Page 2

3 industries. Release 2.2 of LRC transforms LRC from a business improvement system used specifically for managing telecom fraud to one that can be used for other non-telecom and non-fraud use cases. Configurable Case Types Case Types can now be defined and configured for any purpose (i.e. not tied to telecom fraud management). Each Case Type is connected to a Workflow definition, and each Case created will be using the connected Workflow and other specific characteristics to distinguish different types of cases for the purposes of prioritization, classification, reporting, organizing and assigning cases for follow up, etc. Therefore, each Case Type carries with it a configurable unique set of Case Facts used to hold specific information relevant to each Case of that Case Type. The Case Facts can be of any data type (i.e. numeric, string, date, time, or enumerated). Enhanced Case Filters Analysts can filter views in the Case Manager by Case Type and search by information contained in the Case Facts so that they can prioritize or select the cases they need to work on most urgently. These filtered views and searches can be saved and re-used on a per user basis. Multiple Case Types LRC 2.2 can hold multiple Case Types in a single deployment so that it can be used by different groups to manage different kinds of follow up activities across an organization. Reporting Enhancements This release has two enhancements to the reporting capabilities: The reporting engine is upgraded to Jaspersoft version 4.7, which provides improved ad-hoc visualization features, as well as capabilities for adding filtering within defined reports. Users can set the starting screen they see when they first log into LRC to be any defined report to which he/she has access. Bulk Case Updates - Some case information and characteristics (e.g. the Classification, the Case Facts, and case permissions) can be edited in bulk (multiple cases at once) from within the Case Manager. Improved Case Log Interface The Case Log interface now allows for better display, search, and export of the logged information. Adjusted Menu Organization The menu structure in the Administration Client has changed to provide a more logical structure both for basic LRC deployments and when the LTW add-on is installed. What platforms are supported in this release? For full details on LRC platform support see the Lavastorm Analytics Platform (LAP) compatibility matrix. LRC 2.2 is supported to run on Solaris 10 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) version 5 or 6. RHEL 4 is removed as a supported operating system. Page 3

4 In comparison with previous release of LRC third party software versions has changed for the reporting engine now using Jaspersoft 4.7.1, and for the optional Reader node now using SAS 9.3. All other third party software remains the same. Upgrading Existing Lavastorm Transaction Warehouse (LTW) and Lavastorm Resolution Center (LRC) 2.1 Deployments Why would a customer want to upgrade to this release? Customers using LRC 2.1 would benefit from: Enhanced flexibility and efficiency in Case Management, by the introduction of generic case types, and improvements in case filters, bulk edit, and the case log. Capabilities to integrate different types of cases within one system, and by that easy deployment of variations in the case workflows for multiple types of investigations and purposes. Enhanced and more generic information included in the case details, by the ability to define generic Case Facts per Case Type, that can be added and edited per each case. Improved user experience in reports and visualizations of query results. In addition to these new features customers on LTW 3.4 would get a web-based user interface containing an improved workflow based Case Manager, easy administration of generic data sources based on any table or SQL, a context sensitive menu for look-up of reference data, queries and reports throughout the application, generalized hotlist functionality, dynamic Reference Data view and Suspect Types, and a new Query Builder interface and Reporting engine. Is there a fee to upgrade? Please contact your Lavastorm Account Manager to determine what, if any, additional software fees are required based on your contract. Customers should expect that a project would be required with Lavastorm Services is to plan and perform the upgrade. Are there any compatibility considerations for existing users? There are a few architectural changes between LRC 2.1 and LRC 2.2. All those are dealt with in the patches for the upgrade between the releases. Underlying third party software versions for Jaspersoft and SAS are changed and the new versions have to be installed and migration scripts have to be run for specifics in the respective area. Page 4

5 Customers on earlier release of LTW will likely encounter areas impacting their migration, specifically related to aggregates, queries, and reports. This needs to be carefully evaluated in an impact analysis prior to such upgrade project. Have any features been removed in this release? Yes, the following system parts and modules have been deprecated and removed from the product. Most of these were previously found as menus in the LRC Administration (LTW) Client and are now available by means of other functions within LRC. - Subscriber Profile - KPI Definition and KPI Dashboard - Distance Classification and Cell Group - Innovated Rates / Time Level (legacy modules from LTW 3.0) - Network Type - Billing Operator Analysis - Flowchart - Reconciler - User Messages - Issue Manager The following tabs in the System Configuration Client have together with their underlying functionality been deprecated and removed. - Tablespaces - Billing Operator - Display Format - Weight Settings Prefix Filtering has been moved from the tab in the System Configuration Client to a menu option in the LRC Administration Client. How does an LTW/LRC customer upgrade to the new version? In order to upgrade an existing deployment to LRC 2.2 the following steps have to be followed: - Perform a general impact analysis - Review hardware environment and sizing - Ensure the required hardware nodes are existing and configured sufficiently - Install JasperReport Server and deploy on the application server - If LRC 2.1 have been used for reporting, export from the old environment and import in the new - Deploy the LRC 2.2 war-file for the Web Client on the application server - Apply necessary server patches from current release to LRC If the LTW add-on is to be included install SAS 9.3 and run related migration procedures - Perform any specific migration activities found in the initial impact analysis Page 5

6 If LTW 3.4 is the current release the upgrade path for the server patches must be performed over the LRC release. Though, the application server and all third party software can be instantly deployed using the versions supported by LRC 2.2. Why would a non-fraud LTW customer want to upgrade to this release? Customers that use LTW for initiatives other than fraud management would benefit upgrading to LRC 2.2, and get the web-based user interface for queries and reports, the easy administration of generic data sources based on any table or SQL, as well as all enhancements and improvements in the LRC Administration Client. For the non LRC version of LTW, i.e. LTW 3.4, only major issues found will be resolved in future maintenance releases (currently version is underway). LRC 3.4 will be discontinued after 2014, and thereafter the concept of hotfixes will be used only to fix potential critical issues. Upgrading Existing ARC Deployments Is there a fee to upgrade? Please contact your Lavastorm Account Manager to determine what, if any, additional software fees are required based on your contract. Customers should expect that a project would be required with Lavastorm Services is to plan and perform the upgrade. How do ARC users upgrade? While some customers who have deployed ARC are technically using a version of the Lavastorm Resolution Center, the two software packages are completely different technologies with different data models and features. As such, an upgrade from ARC to LRC is really a data migration from the existing ARC database to the new LRC database, along with other configuration activities to replicate workflow, reference data sources, and other components of the application. Such a project will require significant services work to scope and deliver, with a wide variation in time and cost depending upon the complexity of the source ARC installation. Any customer contemplating an ARC upgrade to LRC should work with their account manager to determine how the upgrade will be performed and what costs will be associated with it. Deployment What are the major functional components of a deployment? Page 6

7 The LRC server environment consists of two basic server nodes; an application server and a database node. The application server holds two deployments; the LRC web-application and the JasperReport Server, used for the embedded reporting. These two deployments are closely integrated and both connect to the database for metadata and query processing. The database node hosts an Oracle database instance with metadata tables and the engine for system batch jobs. The database is also used to organize cases, alarms, data sources, reports and other items of different types related to and used within the application. A reader node is optional and only required when the LTW add-on is deployed to provide capabilities for reading of files, enrichment, and transactional data storage. The reader node uses SAS Software for parsing and enrichment of data records. The user interfaces for LRC end users consist of three major applications; a web client, an administration client, and a separate system configuration client. The LRC Web Client is an application that runs within a Flash player in the user s browser, and it is implemented using Flex technology. The LRC Administration Client and System Configuration Client are both Windows based user interfaces, which only need to be installed on the PCs for selected users assigned to administrative tasks. What does it take to deploy this product? The basic deployment of a new LRC 2.2 system takes 2-3 weeks, and includes the following steps: - configuration of required server nodes - installation of Oracle and application server software (e.g. WebLogic) - deployment of the LRC web application and JasperReport Server on the application server - optional installation of SAS Software - definition of Case Types, Workflow, basic Data Sources, Reference Data, and Suspect Types - configuration of Alarms, Queries, and Reports Additionally, the definition and configuration of data collection procedures and related processes will depend on the actual complexity of the source systems and the need for advanced analytics. The time required for understanding and deployment of this part can range from one week to several months. How is LRC priced? LRC 2.2 is priced per server instance plus user based license fees on different types of users. When licensing the LTW add-on, additional server license fees are applied for daily usage volumes and required processor cores. Page 7

8 The following user types are used for the license: Administrator - uses LRC Administration Client to administrate users and user roles, batch job administration, alarm administration, system configuration, and using JasperReport server UI to manage report scheduling. Designer - uses Jaspersoft ireport Designer to create report templates for LRC. Analyst - uses LRC Web Client to analyze alarms and create cases, analyze progress and resolve cases, run ad-hoc queries and visualizations, define new and modify existing queries and reports, manage hotlists and other Web Client administrative tasks. Consumer - uses LRC Web Client (view only) to run pre-defined queries and reports, ad-hoc visualization, export & print results of queries and reports. A first license for one server instance includes one LRC Report Designer license and unlimited LRC Administrator licenses. Additional server instances are licensed at 50% of the first server license price. Additional fees apply per each LRC Analyst license (discounts for more than one), additional LRC Report Designer licenses, and for each bucket of 25 LRC Consumer licenses. How do LRC and LAE relate to each other as part of an overall solution? LAE graphs generate valuable information that can be used to record alarms, create cases and resolve issues in LRC. This information can be fully joined and contained in flat records, or it can come from multiple data sources that are normalized and then loaded into LRC in a more structured way. The actual data to be used in LRC alarm records can be loaded into LRC using two different methods. These methods are often used in parallel for the most efficient system deployment. The first method is to load data into a dedicated table which in LRC is used to define a SQL Data Source, which in turn is used in the definition of a SQL Data Source Alarm. The SQL Data Source used for the Alarm Definition can just take the data loaded by LAE as it is, or further analyze and query one or several data sources available. The second method is to load alarm records directly from LAE into the system table in LRC holding alarm records. This will require a separate alarm definition in LRC. If routing configurations are used, they can automatically trigger suspect look-up and case creation within the LRC routing engine. Is LAE necessary? LRC must be used with either LAE or the optional LTW add-on. In most LRC deployments, the LAE will be used (not LTW) and it will be used for data acquisition and advanced analytics. LAE can then integrate with other systems and connect to LRC to load reference data, alarm records, etc. Page 8

9 How is the LAE interface implemented? LAE nodes can be configured in the LAE Business Rules Editor to load data tables into LRC or to process alarms defined in LRC. During the first quarter of 2014 the Lavastorm Analytics Libraries (LAL) will issue specific LAE nodes developed for dedicated types of LRC integration. Page 9