A major telecoms provider was looking to achieve enhanced control and efficiency in open-source component management. Find out how PM-Partners helped to accomplish this through the implementation of a custom Power BI dashboard.

Highlights

• Our telecommunications client wanted to uplift its approach to free and open-source software (FOSS) component management.
• PM-Partners created a Power BI dashboard tailored for managing and monitoring the client’s FOSS components.
• Dashboard implementation helped to improve visibility, security, compliance, and resource management and capitalise on the benefits of FOSS.

Customer background

Our client is a telecommunications conglomerate providing ISP, IPTV, mobile phone networks and fixed line telephony services in Singapore and Australia. Through considerable expansion, the company also own shares in many regional operators.

The challenge

Free and open-source software (FOSS) is an essential tool used by our client in the effective development of software for various business requirements. While the benefits of using FOSS include enhanced product functionality, improved development efficiency, and time-to-market, and cost savings in developing and maintaining software code, it also introduces challenges related to managing, tracking, and ensuring the security and compliance of these components.

• Visibility and tracking: With the proliferation of FOSS components, organisations struggle to maintain a comprehensive overview of the software elements they use. Lack of proper visibility can lead to inefficient resource allocation and potential security vulnerabilities.
• Security and compliance: Ensuring that FOSS components are up-to-date and compliant with relevant licenses becomes complex due to the sheer volume of components involved.
• Resource management: Identifying redundant or obsolete FOSS components is difficult without a centralised tracking mechanism. This inefficiency can hamper resource optimisation and hinder innovation.

How PM-Partners helped

To address these challenges and capitalise on the benefits of FOSS, PM-Partners embarked on a project to create a Power BI dashboard tailored for monitoring and managing free and open-source software components.

• Data integration: Our team gathered data about the FOSS components in use from the software composition analysis (SCA) tool and the software development team. This data included component names, versions, licenses, and usage patterns.
• Dashboard design: Leveraging the capabilities of Power BI, we designed a dynamic dashboard that visualised the data in an intuitive and actionable manner. The dashboard featured interactive charts, tables, and filters for granular analysis.
• Automated updates: PM-Partners integrated the dashboard with the client’s software repositories and license management systems to ensure weekly data synchronisation. This reduced manual effort and improved data accuracy.

Outcomes delivered

The implementation of the Power BI dashboard for monitoring FOSS components could yield significant achievements and positive outcomes, including:

• Enhanced visibility: The dashboard provided a centralised view of all FOSS components, enabling better decision-making regarding resource allocation and software selection.
• Improved security: Improved the organisation’s ability to respond swiftly to potential vulnerabilities.
• Streamlined reporting: Generating compliance reports for audits and regulatory purposes became seamless, reducing the time and effort required.

The dashboard provides the key stakeholders visibility to comprehensively review software components, ensuring that the software ecosystem aligns with their strategic goals and maintains higher standards of security and compliance.

Ready to enhance your project management efficiency? PM-Partners is skilled at utilising technology-driven solutions to conquer modern business challenges and achieve a more efficient, secure, and cost-effective project management process. Contact our expert team or call 1300 70 13 14 today.