Operations systems technology for new AT&T network and service capabilities

Operations systems (OSs) have assumed an expanded role in the network and are instrumental in providing increasingly complex services. Therefore, a strategy was needed to be able to develop a new high-quality OS or upgrade an existing one in a cost-effective and timely way. This strategy includes a standard AT&T operating environment and a modular software architecture that emphasizes large-scale module reuse and layered virtual machines. With this base, operations systems will be able to respond effectively to future network needs. This article discusses the architecture of TOPAS, which is a primary example of an advanced operations system. Because of its modular design, considerable TOPAS software was reused in TMAS, another operations system.