This white paper outlines Stage One of our three-part OSS automation transformation plan: Consolidation. It tackles the key problem faced by operators aiming for Level 4 automation—legacy OSS platforms that cannot simply be replaced due to their ongoing importance to live services and regulatory obligations. With many CSPs managing dozens or even hundreds of siloed systems, the paper explains why a full rip-and-replace is unrealistic. Instead, we propose integrating legacy systems into modern automation frameworks. This approach decouples processes from specific vendors, reduces costs, and lowers operational risk. The CORTEX platform supports a wide range of interfaces, from legacy protocols like SNMP and CORBA to modern REST APIs, allowing it to bridge generations of OSS infrastructure. The paper includes a case study from a national operator that used CORTEX to automate service assurance across multiple voice platforms, achieving 99.9998% automation and reducing 18 million monthly alarms to just 3,000 tickets. This strategy protects investments in legacy platforms while creating automation flows that can be reused with newer systems.
