PDF of this tutorialService provisioning is the overall process of making services available to subscribers or users of the telecommunications network. This process is multifaceted and encompasses those tasks related to installing equipment, planning capacity, provisioning capacity, and upgrading and protecting the database integrity of the NE. EMSs are key enablers of applications at the NML, SML, and BML to perform the TeleManagement Forum–defined high-level processes. The following links three of those high-level processes to their support by EMS service provisioning functions.
- network development and planning
- network inventory management
- network provisioning
These high-level processes are accomplished by these EMS–supported building blocks:
- inventory management support—involves maintaining a record of all the NE resources that are installed in the subnetwork to support the provisioning of services; it includes collection of locations, quantities of equipment, model numbers, serial numbers, versions, installation dates, and so on
- configuration management support—involves the gross control of subnetwork resources, topologies, and redundancies; it includes the installation and turn-up of new equipment resources; it may include the assignment of resources to trunk routes or service areas, the control of equipment, and network protection switching; it may also include the partitioning of the physical subnetwork resources into virtual private networks (VPNs) for shared use
- provisioning support—involves the creation of specific connections or the enabling of specific subnetwork features and the assignment of these to a specific subscriber for an extended period; the connections and features may take into account or be determined by a QoS level that is guaranteed to the subscriber
- service usage support—involves the measurement of the usage of the subnetwork resources by the various subscribers; this is the basis for billing and will apply only to NEs that provide a chargeable function, such as connection and call setup
EMS Domain Specific Tasks
The following are examples of the specific tasks that are in the domain of an EMS.
Installing the NE
- Load the tables and parameters to install a new NE.
- Autodiscover the NE equipment and populate the EMS database.
- Build the shelf-level graphics based on the results of the autodiscovery process.
- Establish and verify connectivity with higher-level OSSs.
Provisioning and Planning Capacity
- Autodiscover circuit components such as cross-connects for existing equipment.
- Enter new circuit components from either the EMS GUI or on a flow-through basis from NML systems.
- Provide information on NE–module part numbers, serial numbers, and unused equipment for SML inventory systems.
- Provide information on available capacity of circuit components such as cross-connects.
Upgrading the NE
- Autodiscover new equipment.
- Download NE software patches.
- Download NE software upgrades.
- Maintain concurrency between EMS and NE software and hardware releases.
Protecting the Database Integrity of the NEs and the EMS
- Back up and restore NE operational databases.
- Check for loss of connectivity between the NE and the EMS. If connection is lost, when it is reestablished, the EMS resynchronizes its database with the current state of the NE.
- To ensure ongoing operational integrity, the EMS periodically resynchronizes its database with the NE using the autodiscovery mechanism.
Modern EMSs often improve accuracy and reduce the labor of costs of tedious data entry through a process called autodiscovery. Figure 3 shows that the EMS has performed the following:
- automatically discovered all of the equipment and automatically drawn the graphics of the bay, shelf, and slot configuration
- automatically uploaded all outstanding alarms and events into the fault window (displayed across the bottom of the screen)
- automatically discovered all cross-connects and created appropriate graphic representations
Figure 3. Autodiscovery of Equipment and Cross-Connects
Not shown are autodiscovered equipment-provisioning parameters that are stored in the EMS database for use in other service-provisioning, service-assurance, and automation-enabler operations.
Figure 4. Use of Graphics and Drop-Down Menus to Simplify Configuration and Provisioning Operations
With most technicians, professionals, and business persons being familiar with applications based on the Windows type platforms, point-and-click operations with graphics, pull-down menus, and dialogue boxes make using an EMS interface an intuitive operation.
A well-designed user interface can combine technically diverse yet logically related functions onto a single screen that offers a simple workflow and includes default values and selectable options to save time and reduce errors. Figure 5 is for an HFC–cable telephony system. It includes provisioning of both the remote service unit (RSU) on the side of the customer's house and the associated multipoint RF transceiver (MRF) located in the host digital terminal (HDT) equipment located at the cable telephony service provider's head end (central office).
Figure 5. Single-Screen Provisioning of Logically Related Functions
The next step after completing configuration and provisioning of the RSU and its supporting MRF is to activate customer service. Figure 6 shows a single screen that activates both the telephone service in the home and the voice-switch connection in the cable-telephony service provider's central office.
Figure 6. Single-Screen Customer Activation of Multiple Service Elements
