Subnetwork management and TMN in an evolving network

In today's dynamic telecommunications environment, change is occurring on many fronts. Services and network technologies are advancing rapidly, competition among service providers is intensifying, and customer demand for network access and customized services is increasing. This rapid pace of change is forcing operating telecommunications companies to streamline, simplify, and automate their network-management operations. The most effective means of achieving these objectives is through an evolution of the existing operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) architecture. This paper extends the Element Management Layer (EML) concept in CCITT Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) into sub-network management which will enable service providers to enhance service responsiveness and achieve their business objectives, such as reducing operations costs and capitalizing on new revenue-generating opportunities. Access and Integrated Switch-access clusters are used to demonstrate the concept of sub-network management in the evolving network.