An element management system (EMS) consists of systems and applications for managing
network element
In computer networks, a network element is a manageable logical entity uniting one or more physical devices. This allows distributed devices to be managed in a unified way using one management system.
According to the Telecommunications Act of 1 ...
s (NE) on the network element-management layer (NEL) of the
Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) model.
As recommended by
ITU-T
The International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is one of the three Sectors (branches) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is responsible for coordinating Standardization, standards fo ...
, the element management system's key functionality is divided into five key areas - fault, configuration, accounting, performance and security (
FCAPS
FCAPS is the ISO Telecommunications Management Network model and framework for network management. ''FCAPS'' is an acronym for fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security, the management categories into which the ISO model defines n ...
). Portions of each of the FCAPS functionality fit into the TMN models.
Northbound, the EMS interfaces to network management systems and or
service management
Service management in the manufacturing context, is integrated into supply chain management as the intersection between the actual sales and the customer point of view. The aim of high-performance service management is to optimize the service- ...
systems depending on the deployment scenario.
Southbound, the EMS talks to the devices.
An element management system manages one or more of a specific type of telecommunications network element. Typically, the EMS manages the functions and capabilities within each NE but does not manage the traffic between different NEs in the network. To support management of the traffic between itself and other NEs, the EMS communicates upward to higher-level
network management system
Network monitoring is the use of a system that constantly monitors a computer network for slow or failing components and that notifies the network administrator (via email, SMS or other alarms) in case of outages or other trouble. Network monitori ...
s (NMS) as described in the telecommunications management network layered model. The EMS provides the foundation to implement TMN–layered
operations support system
Operations support systems (OSS), operational support systems in British usage, or Operation System (OpS) in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, NTT are computer systems used by telecommunications service providers to manage their networks (e.g., tele ...
(OSS) architectures that enable service providers to meet customer needs for rapid deployment of new services, as well as meeting stringent
quality of service
Quality of service (QoS) is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network, or a cloud computing service, particularly the performance seen by the users of the network. To quantitat ...
(QoS) requirements. The TeleManagement Forum
common object request broker architecture
The Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is a standard defined by the Object Management Group (OMG) designed to facilitate the communication of systems that are deployed on diverse platforms. CORBA enables collaboration between sy ...
(CORBA) EMS–to–NMS interface heralds a new era in OSS interoperability by making the TMN architecture a practical reality.
Examples of elements which can be managed through the EMS interfaces
*
Cable telephony
Cable telephony is a form of digital telephony over Hybrid fiber-coaxial, cable TV type networks. A telephone interface installed at the customer's premises converting analog signals from the customer's in-home wiring to a digital signal, which is ...
*
media gateway
A media gateway is a translation device or service that converts media streams between disparate telecommunications technologies such as POTS, SS7, Next Generation Networks ( 2G, 2.5G and 3G radio access networks) or private branch exchange ( ...
* Soft switch
*
Video compression
In information theory, data compression, source coding, or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation. Any particular compression is either lossy or lossless. Lossless compression ...
technology provider
* Wireless broadband provider
*
Smart
''SMart'' was a British CBBC television programme based on art, which began in 1994 and ended in 2009. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Previously it had been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingha ...
electricity meter
file:Hydro quebec meter.JPG, North American domestic analog signal, analog (Galileo Ferraris, Ferraris disk) electricity meter.
file:Transparent Electricity Meter found in Israel.JPG, Electricity meter with transparent plastic case (Israel)
fil ...
s
NMSs provides an integrated system for sharing device information across management applications, automation of device management tasks, visibility into the health and capability of the network, and identification and localization of network trouble. By using common centralized systems and network-inventory knowledge, an NMS delivers a unique platform of cross-functional management capabilities that reduces network administration overhead.
An EMS is a carrier class management service. It is capable of scaling as the network grows, maintaining high performance levels as the number of network events increase, and providing integration with other systems.
See also
*
Network engineering
References
Network management
ITU-T recommendations
{{telecommunications-stub.