PDF of this tutorialIn addition to the TMN–layering structure, the ITU–T also splits the general-management functionality offered by systems into the five key areas of fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS). This categorization is a functional one and does not describe the business-related role of a management system within the telecommunications network. The idea of FCAPS stems directly from the ITU–T recommendations and describes the five different types of information handled by management systems. Portions of each of the FCAPS functionality will be performed at different layers of the TMN architecture. As an example, fault management at the EML is detailed logging of each discrete alarm or event. The EMS then filters the alarms and forwards them to an NMS that performs alarm correlation across multiple nodes and technologies to perform root-cause analysis. A subset of the FCAPS functionality is listed in Table 1.
alarm handling, trouble detection, trouble correction, test and acceptance, network recovery
Configuration Management
system turn-up, network provisioning, autodiscovery, back up and restore, database handling
Accounting Management
track service usage, bill for services
Performance Management
data collection, report generation, data analysis
Security Management
control NE access, enable NE functions, access logs
Table 1. A Subset of the FCAPS Functionality
For a more comprehensive understanding of FCAPS, it is necessary to examine their role in the context of actual use in the EMS.
