EVPN to Managed AVPN Service Upgrade
The purpose of this document is to provide SWIFT End Users with need-to-know information about the AT&T initiated service upgrade from Enhanced VPN (EVPN) to AT&T VPN (AVPN).
AVPN is AT&T’s next generation VPN service, it will replace EVPN. Sunset target date for the existing EVPN service is October 31st 2018.
Customers choosing not to upgrade to AVPN are encouraged to take alternative measures to ensure continued access to the SWIFT platform after EVPN service withdrawal.
Upgrade to AVPN with installation of a new access circuit and a new router (coordinated add/disconnect)
This scenario applies to sites receiving a new local access circuit and new managed router for migration to AVPN.
PRELIMINARY NOTE: AT&T is responsible for communicating with SWIFT about access and port speed. To avoid confusion, end users are kindly requested not to reach out to SWIFT to provide information on access and port speed.
Ordering – change order sign-off by customer commercial contact
A new contracting event is not required. AT&T will issue a change order under the existing agreement.
As a first step in the migration process, the AT&T account team will reach out to the commercial contact for each site in scope. The commercial contact will be provided with a change order for migration to AVPN, including:
- access price
- intended migration scenario: new access and equipment
- technology (leased line or Ethernet) and bandwidth
- authorization request to disconnect the EVPN connection(s) after AVPN implementation
The reason why AT&T is already requesting authorization to disconnect EVPN in an early stage of the process is to be able to raise the AVPN order as a coordinated add/disconnect order (order new AVPN and coordinate this with disconnect of EVPN). The purpose of a coordinated add/disconnect order is to avoid double billing or cost overlap between both services.
The actual physical disconnect of EVPN will only take place after the migration to AVPN is completed and the new service is accepted by the customer.
Action required from customer commercial contact: change order sign-off, confirmation of local site contact, authorization to disconnect EVPN after migration.
Ordering – Welcome Letter for address and site contact confirmation
Before releasing the order, the AT&T Service Delivery team will reach out to the local site contact for verification of their contact details and for confirmation of the site and shipping address. This will happen under the form of a Welcome Letter (sent via email) and is meant to ensure that AT&T Service Delivery and third party providers have access to accurate site information.
Action required from customer local site contact: confirmation of contact details, site address and shipping address for the router by responding to the Welcome-email.
Implementation – circuit and router delivery
Once the order is released, implementation starts. The delivery timeframe for a new access circuit depends on the country and the technology.
During the implementation phase the new AVPN router will be shipped to the local site contact, who is expected to store it in a safe place until turn-up.
The local site contact will receive instructions from the AT&T Order Manager regarding site readiness. These involve power, rack space, inside wiring and (if possible) a POTS line. If a customer provided POTS line is already in place for EVPN, it can be reused for AVPN.
Action required from customer local site contact:
- Review site readiness requirements provided by the AT&T Order Manager and make sure the site is ready to receive the new circuit and equipment.
- Confirm shipping address for the router in case this was not yet done in the Welcome-email.
- Store the router in a safe place until installation.
- Test the POTS line for out of band access before router installation.
- Assist with building access arrangements in case special access procedures need to be followed.
Router installation – Test & Turn-Up
After the new access circuit and router have been delivered, the AT&T Order Manager will reach out to the site contact and agree on a suitable time window to schedule Test & Turn-up.
Typically AT&T is ready to schedule Test & Turn-Up between 5 and 10 days after circuit delivery.
AT&T will agree on a date and time with the local site contact for an engineer to go on site and install the modem and router.
Test & Turn-up is a non-intrusive event as all network traffic will continue to be routed through EVPN.
Action required from customer local site contact:
Agree on a time window for the engineer visit, provide access to the engineer on the day of Test & Turn-Up and show where the equipment is stored.
Service ready to be taken into production – QA6 milestone and bill trigger
Once router installation completes and the circuit is tested by the on-site engineer, AT&T will remotely complete an additional series of quality checks. These typically complete within 48 hours after Test & Turn-up and when they do, the site is ready for LAN migration.
These quality checks are referred to as QA6 and AVPN billing is triggered on the day QA6 completes.
LAN migration
After completion of QA6, the AT&T Order Manager will reach out to the customer site contact and agree on a suitable time window to schedule LAN migration.
LAN migration is an intrusive event as it involves the local site contact unplugging the LAN cable and connecting it to the AVPN router.
No site visit is foreseen for LAN migration, instead a remote AT&T engineer will be on a conference call with the site contact during the migration.
If at any point during LAN migration there is an issue, the remote AT&T engineer can perform a rollback to EVPN. The site contact will need to move the LAN cable back to the EVPN router for rollback.
Action required from customer local site contact:
- Confirm a window for migration upon request of the AT&T Order Manager. That window has to be on a date within 2 weeks after Test & Turn-Up.
- During LAN migration (on conference call with remote AT&T engineer), take the LAN cable connecting the VPN box to the EVPN router and plug it into the newly installed AVPN router.
- Confirm that the network is performing as expected after move to AVPN (check access to applications, confirm response times are ok).
- Assist with retrieval of the obsolete EVPN equipment after migration. Confirm preference for one of two options below and provide assistance accordingly:
- Local site contact to arrange access for an engineer sent by AT&T. Engineer will disconnect the obsolete equipment.
- or
- Local site contact to dismount the equipment and store it in the box AT&T will be shipping to the site for retrieval. Confirm once done so AT&T can arrange for pick-up at the reception.