Predictika · Optical transport system quotes

An AI sales agent's optical transport system quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent drafts a quote for optical transport equipment: the optical platform, the coherent optics module, the number of line cards, the line rate, the partner discount tier, licenses, support and the term in years. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the platform and module limits, the options each platform offers and the discount authority, compares the net total the agent states with the one it computes, and reports every problem it finds in one pass.

Scope: Ciena style optical transport system quotes: four optical platforms, three coherent optics modules, three partner discount tiers, line rate, licenses, support and term. See everything this validator covers

This validator models Ciena style optical transport quotes: four optical platforms (compact metro, modular metro, core and super-core), three coherent optics modules, three partner discount tiers, the number of line cards, the line rate in Gbps, an encryption license, a 24x7 support plan and the term in years. It handles any quote made of these parts, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Optical platforms and coherent optics — A compact metro, a modular metro, a core and a super-core optical platform, with a standard, an extended-reach and an ultra-long-haul coherent optics module, including the optics module that is not rated for the flex-grid spectrum the two largest platforms need.
  • Line rate — A line rate in Gbps checked against the platform rating and the optics module rating, with a capacity planning review above 1,000 Gbps.
  • Licenses and partner tiers — An encryption license and a 24x7 support plan by platform, and direct list, Silver partner and Gold partner discount tiers with their line card minimums and discounts.
  • Support term, line card count and stated total — Terms from 1 to 5 years, a finance review above 3 years, a large network build review above 100 line cards, an approval band above 12 percent total discount, a limit at 20 percent, a deal desk review above USD 1,200,000, and a check that the net total the agent states matches the total the validator computes.

Any optical transport quote that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: other Ciena products such as routers, switches and network management software, real list prices, optical link budget and fiber plant design, or tax and multi-currency quoting.

The AI sales agentBuilds the optical transport quote from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
Options by platformOnly with care
Whether the encryption license or the support plan is offered differs by platform, so option rules multiply with every platform.		Each platform lists the options it offers; the check follows from the choices.
Line rate limits per platform and moduleOnly with care
Each platform and each optics module has its own maximum line rate, and the flex-grid exclusion adds a third rule, one validation rule per combination.		The limits are properties of the platform and the module, checked on every call.
Discount stacking and approval bandsOnly with workarounds
Partner tier, volume and extra discounts add up across rules and approval levels, and the total is rarely checked in one place.		The discounts are added once and compared with both the rep authority and the limit.
Terms, quantities and reviewsOnly with care
Term, quantity and line-rate review triggers sit in separate rules that are easy to miss when one input changes.		Term, quantity and capacity reviews are evaluated together with the price.
The total the agent statesOnly with workarounds
Comparing a stated total with a computed one means a separate rule per quote layout, and price rules rarely run on stated figures.		The stated net total is a field in the request and is checked against the computed total.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote is saved, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1A line rate in Gbps of 600 is outside the 1 to 400 range of the Compact metro optical platform.
2The encryption license is not available on the Compact metro optical platform.
3A line rate in Gbps of 1,400 is above 1,000; a capacity planning review is required.
4Order value of $1,642,016 is above $1,200,000 and needs a deal desk review.
5A contract of 6 years is outside the 1 to 5 years allowed.
6Total discount of 22 percent exceeds the 20 percent limit.
7The quoted net total of $210,816 does not match the $234,240 the validator computed.
8A quantity of 450 is outside the 1 to 400 line cards allowed.
9The Standard coherent optics module is not rated for the flex-grid spectrum the core and super-core platforms need.
10A quantity of 25 is below the minimum of 40 for the Gold partner tier.
11A quantity of 120 is above 100 line cards; a large network build review is required.
12A contract of 4 years is longer than 3 years; finance must approve the price lock.
13Total discount of 13 percent is above the 12 percent a rep can give; sales director must approve.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Contract term and discount: The figures are right; the terms are not

    
The agent's request. This is for a reseller quoting 30 line cards for a metro network build for a utility customer on its Silver partner tier, with the best discount it can offer. 30 line cards on the Modular metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module on the Silver partner tier, 6-year term, with a 14 percent extra discount. Net total $544,284. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Contract Term. A contract of 6 years is outside the 1 to 5 years allowed.
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  • Total Discount Limit. Total discount of 22 percent exceeds the 20 percent limit.
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2. Contract term and discount: Within the limit, but not final without a person

    
The agent's request. This is for a reseller quoting 30 line cards for a metro network build for a utility customer on its Silver partner tier, with the best discount it can offer. 30 line cards on the Modular metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module on the Silver partner tier, 2-year term, with a 5 percent extra discount. Net total $506,862. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Discount Approval. Total discount of 13 percent is above the 12 percent a rep can give; sales director must approve.
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  • Price summary. Estimated price: $506,862 total for quantity 30 over a contract term; term in years: 2; $17,500 per line card; $28,800 per year service; $582,600 before discount; 13 percent total discount.
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3. Contract term and discount: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. This is for a reseller quoting 30 line cards for a metro network build for a utility customer on its Silver partner tier, with the best discount it can offer. 30 line cards on the Modular metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module on the Silver partner tier, 3-year term, with a 3 percent extra discount. Net total $544,146. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Price summary. Estimated price: $544,146 total for quantity 30 over a contract term; term in years: 3; $17,500 per line card; $28,800 per year service; $611,400 before discount; 11 percent total discount.
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4. Line rate and licenses: The price is right; the configuration is not

    
The agent's request. This is for a regional carrier adding encrypted 600 Gbps wavelengths between 12 metro sites, with the encryption license included. 12 line cards on the Compact metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module and the encryption license, at 600 Gbps. Direct list pricing, 2-year term. Net total $221,040. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Line Rate Limit. A line rate in Gbps of 600 is outside the 1 to 400 range of the Compact metro optical platform.
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  • Encryption License. The encryption license is not available on the Compact metro optical platform.
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5. Line rate and licenses: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. This is for a regional carrier adding encrypted 600 Gbps wavelengths between 12 metro sites, with the encryption license included. 12 line cards on the Modular metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module and the encryption license, at 600 Gbps. Direct list pricing, 2-year term. Net total $263,040. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Price summary. Estimated price: $263,040 total for quantity 12 over a contract term; term in years: 2; $20,000 per line card; $11,520 per year service; $263,040 before discount; 0 percent total discount.
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6. The total the agent states: The agent's own total is checked too

    
The agent's request. This is for a university research network adding 12 line cards at about 300 Gbps, with 24x7 support included. 12 line cards on the Compact metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module, at 300 Gbps, with the 24x7 support plan. Direct list pricing, 2-year term. Net total $210,816. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Quoted Net Total. The quoted net total of $210,816 does not match the $234,240 the validator computed.
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7. The total the agent states: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. This is for a university research network adding 12 line cards at about 300 Gbps, with 24x7 support included. 12 line cards on the Compact metro optical platform with the Standard coherent optics module, at 300 Gbps, with the 24x7 support plan. Direct list pricing, 2-year term. Net total $234,240. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Price summary. Estimated price: $234,240 total for quantity 12 over a contract term; term in years: 2; $14,000 per line card; $33,120 per year service; $234,240 before discount; 0 percent total discount.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent drafts a quote for optical transport equipment: the optical platform, the coherent optics module, the number of line cards, and more. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the platform and module limits, the options each platform offers and the discount authority, compares the net total the agent states with the one it computes, and reports every problem it finds in one pass.
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  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
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  3. The agent says. This is for a reseller quoting 30 line cards for a metro network build for a utility customer on its Silver partner tier. Net total $544,284. The rest of the request is on screen.
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  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. A contract of 6 years is outside the 1 to 5 years allowed. Total discount of 22 percent exceeds the 20 percent limit.
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  6. The validator returned two blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
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  7. What this shows: for discount stacking and approval bands, a rules-based CPQ can do this only with workarounds.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the term to 2 years, the extra discount requested to 5 percent and the net total stated on the quote to $506,862.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. Not blocked, but held for a person.
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  12. The validator also returns the line-item quote, on screen.
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  13. The two blocking findings are cleared; one approval remains for a person: discount Approval.
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  14. The agent resubmits once more.
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  15. The revised request. It changes the term to 3 years, the extra discount requested to 3 percent and the net total stated on the quote to $544,146.
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  16. It calls the validator once more.
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  17. This time the validator clears it.
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  18. The validator also returns the line-item quote, on screen.
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  19. The earlier finding is cleared, and the validator's total, $544,146, matches the quote.
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  20. Two problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, and a clean $544,146 quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
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