Working closely with customers who develop and deploy network automation, I’ve often heard the question: “Is the configured network service actually delivered according to customer expectations?” This is not just theoretical; it reflects a real-world challenge many service providers face.
It can be difficult to get the right configuration in place in time for any vendor. But even once it’s done, you may realize the customer still hasn’t received the right service, though the network is correctly configured.
For quite a while, heterogeneous service providers have relied on automation to help ensure the services provisioned are indeed the services delivered. As emphasis on customer experience has steadily grown over the years, I’ve observed a significant boost in automation initiatives among Cisco Crosswork Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) customers.
But what if we could further enhance this innovative approach by taking automation to the next level? Wouldn’t it be awesome if once the network service is provisioned, it’s also tested and monitored for that specific customer? What if the imperative was not just to deliver network automation, but to automate the delivery experience itself?
Test and monitor services delivered to the customer
The good news is that service providers can close the gap between provisioning and customer experience by actively verifying and ensuring that provisioned services are delivered according to customer expectations. The integration of NSO and Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance (formerly Accedian Skylight) offers a robust solution to address this prevalent issue.
These powerful tools make it easy to extend an existing, intent-based service model in NSO with the Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance platform pre-integrated to test and monitor the actual service delivered to the customer. This combination not only reduces complexity and time to value but also ensures the superior experiences your customers demand.
Here are some of the key benefits of integrating NSO with Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance:
Test and verify services before end users are exposed
One of the standout features of this integration is the ability to actively verify that services work once provisioned by NSO. By building automated assurance into the NSO service model, you can ensure network and service connectivity from day zero. This proactive approach means that services are tested and verified even before end users are exposed to them.
Monitor service quality continuously for consistent, reliable experiences
Ensuring that provisioned services continue to work 24/7 over their lifetime is crucial for maintaining high service standards. With continuous active measurements, you can gain enhanced service quality insights from the end users’ perspective. This ongoing monitoring helps maintain the integrity and performance of services, ensuring a consistent and reliable user experience.
Identify and resolve problems faster
Alerting and remote testing capabilities make it easy to detect and automate advanced test scenarios such as DNS reachability, download speeds, path tracing, and latency consistency. This comprehensive testing across layers, services, and domains allows issues to be promptly identified and resolved, minimizing downtime and service disruptions.
Reduce manual effort and increase operational efficiency
Automating test sequences and troubleshooting can help significantly reduce the need for manual field efforts. Being able to determine that the network is not the source of an issue and that the service is properly operating saves technicians time, allowing them to focus on fixing “real problems” rather than blaming the network. This leads to more efficient operations and quicker resolutions.
Achieve a superior customer experience
Today’s service providers are under increased pressure to monetize network and technology investments through service commoditization to help differentiate their offerings from the competition. To be successful and truly improve the customer experience, they need to develop and deliver new B2B and B2C services tailored to customer requirements that can be rapidly introduced, tested, and iterated.
By actively verifying services, continuously monitoring service quality, facilitating faster problem resolution, and reducing manual efforts, service providers can ensure a superior service experience for their customers. The powerful combination of Cisco Crosswork Network Services Orchestrator and Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance not only enhances operational efficiency but also elevates the overall quality of network services—ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
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Additional resources
A service provider architecture for AI-ready connectivity
Cisco Automation Developer Days 2025
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