Element management system

Last updated

An element management system (EMS) consists of systems and applications for managing network elements (NE) on the network element-management layer (NEL) of the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) model.

In computer networks, a network element is a manageable logical entity uniting one or more physical devices. This allows distributed devices to be managed in a unified way using one management system. According to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the term 'network element' means a facility or equipment used in the provision of a telecommunications service. Such term also includes features, functions, and capabilities that are provided by means of such facility or equipment, including subscriber numbers, databases, signaling systems, and information sufficient for billing and collection or used in the transmission, routing, or other provision of a telecommunications service.

The Telecommunications Management Network is a protocol model defined by ITU-T for managing open systems in a communications network. It is part of the ITU-T Recommendation series M.3000 and is based on the OSI management specifications in ITU-T Recommendation series X.700.

Contents

As recommended by ITU-T, the element management system's key functionality is divided into five key areas - fault, configuration, accounting, performance and security (FCAPS). Portions of each of the FCAPS functionality fit into the TMN models. Northbound, the EMS interfaces to network management systems and or service management systems depending on the deployment scenario. Southbound, the EMS talks to the devices.

ITU-T Technical Committee of the ITU

The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) coordinates standards for telecommunications and Information Communication Technology such as X.509, Y.3172, and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, between its Member States, Private Sector Members, and Academia Members. ITU-T is one of the three Sectors of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

FCAPS is the ISO Telecommunications Management Network model and framework for network management. FCAPS is an acronym for fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security, the management categories into which the ISO model defines network management tasks. In non-billing organizations accounting is sometimes replaced with administration.

In computer networking and computer architecture, a northbound interface of a component is an interface that conceptualizes the lower level details used by, or in, the component. A northbound interface is used to interface with higher level layers using the southbound interface of the higher level component(s). In architectural overviews, the northbound interface is normally drawn at the top of the component it is defined in, hence the name northbound interface.

An element management system manages one or more of a specific type of telecommunications network element. Typically, the EMS manages the functions and capabilities within each NE but does not manage the traffic between different NEs in the network. To support management of the traffic between itself and other NEs, the EMS communicates upward to higher-level network management systems (NMS) as described in the telecommunications management network layered model. The EMS provides the foundation to implement TMN–layered operations support system (OSS) architectures that enable service providers to meet customer needs for rapid deployment of new services, as well as meeting stringent quality of service (QoS) requirements. The TeleManagement Forum common object request broker architecture (CORBA) EMS–to–NMS interface heralds a new era in OSS interoperability by making the TMN architecture a practical reality.

Operations Support Systems (OSS), or Operational Support Systems in British usage, are computer systems used by telecommunications service providers to manage their networks. They support management functions such as network inventory, service provisioning, network configuration and fault management.

Quality of service (QoS) is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network or a cloud computing service, particularly the performance seen by the users of the network. To quantitatively measure quality of service, several related aspects of the network service are often considered, such as packet loss, bit rate, throughput, transmission delay, availability, jitter, etc.

Examples of elements which can be managed through the EMS interfaces

Cable telephony is a form of digital telephony over cable TV networks. A telephone interface installed at the customer's premises converts analog signals from the customer's in-home wiring to a digital signal, which is then sent over the cable connection to the company's switching center. The signal is then sent on to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Cable telephone provides another revenue stream for cable television system operators and gives the consumer the convenience of a single bill for combined television, internet and telephone services.

Media gateway

A media gateway is a translation device or service that converts media streams between disparate telecommunications technologies such as POTS, SS7, Next Generation Networks or private branch exchange (PBX) systems. Media gateways enable multimedia communications across packet networks using transport protocols such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Internet Protocol (IP).

Smart meter type of utility meter that uses advanced technology

A smart meter is an electronic device that records consumption of electric energy and communicates the information to the electricity supplier for monitoring and billing. Smart meters typically record energy hourly or more frequently, and report at least daily. Smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. Such an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) differs from automatic meter reading (AMR) in that it enables two-way communication between the meter and the supplier. Communications from the meter to the network may be wireless, or via fixed wired connections such as power line carrier (PLC). Wireless communication options in common use include cellular communications, Wi-Fi, wireless ad hoc networks over Wi-Fi, wireless mesh networks, low power long range wireless (LoRa), ZigBee, and Wi-SUN.

NMSs provides an integrated system for sharing device information across management applications, automation of device management tasks, visibility into the health and capability of the network, and identification and localization of network trouble. By using common centralized systems and network-inventory knowledge, an NMS delivers a unique platform of cross-functional management capabilities that reduces network administration overhead.

An EMS is a carrier class management solution. It is capable of scaling as the network grows, maintaining high performance levels as the number of network events increase, and providing simplified integration with third-party systems. It meets the service provider's expectations for integrated operational support systems.

See also

Related Research Articles

Synchronous optical networking standardized protocol that transfers multiple digital bit streams synchronously over optical fiber

Synchronous optical networking (SONET) and synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) are standardized protocols that transfer multiple digital bit streams synchronously over optical fiber using lasers or highly coherent light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs). At low transmission rates data can also be transferred via an electrical interface. The method was developed to replace the plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH) system for transporting large amounts of telephone calls and data traffic over the same fiber without the problems of synchronization.

Network management is the process of administering and managing computer networks. Services provided by this discipline include fault analysis, performance management, provisioning of networks and maintaining the quality of service. Software that enables network administrators to perform their functions is called network management software.

Digital subscriber line access multiplexer Network equipment

A digital subscriber line access multiplexer is a network device, often located in telephone exchanges, that connects multiple customer digital subscriber line (DSL) interfaces to a high-speed digital communications channel using multiplexing techniques.

The Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) is the OSI specified network management protocol.

Element management is concerned with managing network elements on the network element management layer (NEL) of the TMN . An element management system (EMS) manages one or more of a specific type of telecommunications network elements (NE).

A service delivery platform (SDP) is a set of components that provides a service(s) delivery architecture for a type of service delivered to consumer, whether it be a customer or other system. Although it is commonly used in the context of telecommunications, it can apply to any system that provides a service. Although the TM Forum (TMF) is working on defining specifications in this area, there is no standard definition of SDP in industry and different players define its components, breadth, and depth in slightly different ways.

In telecommunications, Multi-Technology Operations System Interface (MTOSI) is a standard for implementing interfaces between OSSs. Service providers (carriers) use multiple Operational Support Systems (OSS) to manage complex networks. Since the various parts of the network must interact, so must the OSSs. It is standardized by the Telemanagement ForuM . The TMF Frameworx provides a set of reference models that aid in analyzing and designing next generation BSS and OSS solutions that may utilize the MTOSI interface specifications.

Operations, administration and management or operations, administration and maintenance are the processes, activities, tools, and standards involved with operating, administering, managing and maintaining any system. This commonly applies to telecommunication, computer networks, and computer hardware.

Frameworx is an enterprise architecture framework geared towards communications service providers.

HP Service Activator is a service provisioning and activation software platform from Hewlett Packard. Once installed and integrated with a Customer Service Provider’s (CSP) environment, HPSA automates the processes inherent in the creation and activation of new telecommunications services. It is not specific to any network or service type and can apply across fixed, mobile, or internet environments. HPSA software is activation-centric, but engages the entire fulfillment stack as defined by the TeleManagement Forum’s Business Process Framework (eTOM) framework, including order management, resource inventory and service activation.

Carrier Ethernet is a marketing term for extensions to Ethernet to enable telecommunications network providers to provide Ethernet services to customers and to utilize Ethernet technology in their networks.

The Telecommunication Management Network (TMN) model comprises the following four layers:

Cramer Systems, founded in 1996 by Jon Craton, Mark Farmer and Don Gibson, developed OSS systems for the telecommunication industry. In August 2006 Amdocs announced the completion of the acquisition of the company. The products developed by Cramer are now an integral part of the Amdocs product suite. The company name is a combination of three letters from the names of Craton and Farmer, which they found to be a better option than the alternative combination of Farton.

NetExpert monitors and controls networks and service impacting resources using object-oriented and expert systems technologies.

With current network management technologies, management functions typically reside outside the network in management stations and servers, which interact with network elements and devices via network protocols for management, in order to execute management tasks, including fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security management, or, short (FCAPS). Most of these tasks are performed on a per-device basis. During network operation, for instance, a management station periodically polls individual devices in its domain for the values of local variables, such as devices counters or performance parameters. These variables are then processed on the management station to compute an estimate of a network-wide state, which is analyzed and acted upon by management applications. This paradigm of interaction between the management system and managed system underlies traditional management frameworks and protocols, including SNMP, TMN and OSI-SM.

NMIS is an open-source network management system that was first released in 1998. Licensed free of charge under the GNU General Public License the software has been implemented globally and is used by over 130,000 organisations around the world.

References


    .

    This page is based on this Wikipedia article
    Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
    Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.