Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. Position of the EMS in the Telecommunication Network Architecture

2. The Role of EMSs in the Five-Layer TMN Hierarchy

3. The TMN FCAPS Model of OSS Tasks

4. A Four-Function EMS Model

5. Service Provisioning

6. Service Assurance

7. EMS and NE Operations Support

8. Automation Enabler

9. Network EMS Software Architecture

10. EMS–Related Standards and Standards Organizations

11. Considerations of Network-Element-Vendor-Provided Versus Independently Developed EMSs

Self-Test

Glossary

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An EMS's architecture should meet some of the following basic requirements:

• It should provide the correct level of management functionality appropriate to the device and to the management environment.
• It should be scalable to grow with the requirements and complexity of the network.
• It should be distributable in order to support such scalability and to provide a level of high availability.

Database technology is a critical part of any credible EMS strategy. Figure 16 shows an example of element management–software architecture that meets the above requirements. Client Server interfaces that were traditionally proprietary or remote procedure call (RPC) are now evolving toward CORBA, distributed component object model (DCOM), Java/Web Server, or other proprietary interfaces.

Figure 16. Layered View of Element Management–Software Architecture