Type of Question

Continuation and integration of Questions 8/4 and 9/4 of the study period 1997-2000.
This Question will study aspects of network and service operations (BIS and maintenance procedures) and performance (objectives, limits and allocations) under a number of specialist areas organized in terms of network and service layers. These include physical, circuit based (e.g. PDH, SDH, OTN) and packet based (e.g. ATM, FR, IP) transport layers.

Reasons for the Question

Customer expectations relating to the Quality of Service (QoS) provided by telecom networks are changing with the advent of new technology, new services and new Service Providers. Transmission performance characteristics, objectives, allocations and limits for services and supporting transport networks need continuous review to take account of technology changes and improvements. Network operations procedures and processes are shifting towards increased emphasis on automated network and service management, driven by market and economic pressures, and enabled by technology development.

International agreement is therefore required on performance and procedures for services and supporting transport networks, including harmonization between different networks and technologies.

This Question is responsible for the maintenance of the M.13xx series and the M.2xxx series Recommendations. 

Text of the Question

1) Physical and circuit based (e.g. PDH, SDH, OTN) layer networks and services

What new recommendations or changes to existing recommendations should be defined for operations and maintenance of digital transport networks ? How should the current M-series recommendations relating to the physical layer be extended and developed to cover both networks and services offered at the physical layer ?

2) Packet based (e.g. ATM, FR, IP) layer networks and services

What new recommendations are required for operations and maintenance of digital transport networks employing packet based technologies ? What processes and procedures need to be standardized for services offered using these technologies ?

3) Applications

Are any specific recommendations needed for applications using the digital transport network ? Potential examples of applications are end-to-end managed services for ATM, FR and IP.

4) Aspects to consider

For all three areas defined above, the following aspects should be considered:

• Error, timing (jitter/wander/synchronization), availability and reliability performance
• QoS and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
• Implications of interconnection of private networks with public/leased networks
• Impact of in-service monitoring techniques (POH primitives, parameters, objectives)
• Preventative and corrective maintenance (proactive and reactive approaches)
• Recovery mechanisms (protection and restoration procedures)
• Mixed analogue and digital networks and services
• Mixed PDH and SDH transport networks
• TMN requirements
• Provision of test points, use of digital cross-connects/switches and testing procedures
• New transport technologies such as xDSL and optical networking