RPM real time performance management

Traditionally, performance management of telecommunications networks has been undertaken on a Network Element (NE) basis, often in an uncoordinated manner and requiring sophisticated human expertise for relatively trivial tasks. However, as networks become increasingly diverse and complex, and the demands upon them increase, this approach is more and more inefficient. Additionally, the advent of distributed processing networks, such as mobile cellular, IN (Intelligent Networks) and TINA (Telecommunication Information Networking Architecture), means that local performance management will no longer be sufficient and co-ordination of these activities across the network is now required. The problems with centralised performance management of networks are the volume of data, the complexity of the network, and the resultant latencies in response times to network problems, A real time performance management system for telecommunications networks is described, which can form the basis of real time decentralised control of future telecommunications networks. The proposed performance measurement system provides open interfaces for subscription to real time performance information at varying degrees of abstraction, corresponding to the required management view. The measurement system takes an event-based approach to delivering firm real time performance information. The measurement enables real time and near real time control systems to be decentralised within the management network, both at a local level and at a regional level. A hierarchical approach both reduces the volume and complexity of performance information and facilitates the development of a "management by delegation" paradigm in the management network.