A corporate operation framework for network service management

The trend toward client/server computing and the growing complexity of management tasks requires a service-oriented definition of the business processes involved in managing distributed systems and networks. Service-oriented management calls for an integrated top-down approach, that is, evaluating the services offered and the networks and systems used in order to select and customize management systems. The corporate operation framework (COF) is presented. This framework provides a general description and structuring format for IT management processes based on the service providers' point of view. A brief summary of the TMN-related management levels that can be described by using the COF is outlined. At the service level, services and their QoS are specified. How these services are realized is defined at the task level, where each service is assumed to be provided by the workforce through fulfilling certain tasks. The process level describes programs of actions (i.e., processes to be followed when working on a task). Each action within a process is mapped to specific tools that are described at the tool level. The COF clearly separates different description levels and provides well-defined interfaces between these levels. This precise description is a prerequisite for the flexibility and durability of the framework, for example, when replacing tools, changing processes or introducing in- and outsourcing to the organization.