TABLE OF CONTENTS Telecommunication-management architecture in UMTS is largely based on the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) as defined in [1].
Note that while other areas of UMTS are specified by the 3GPP in quite a detailed way, the telecommunication-management specifications contain definitions only for general management frameworks and concepts. Neither are there detailed definitions of messages or signaling-flow diagrams to be used in network management, nor do we find a clear definition of the list of tasks to be performed under this banner. Even the physical entities performing these tasks are not specified.
The reason for this lack of specificity is that it is very difficult to define a common telecommunications-network-management scheme suitable for all the various networks. Even if the telecommunication networks are strictly defined, as in UMTS, their implementations can vary considerably. The exact implementation of the same network entities, such as the particular hardware components and the software code, are different with each equipment vendor. The 3G specifications contain numerous optional features that may or may not be implemented in a particular network. The network may consist of different radio access networks-for example, operator A may have only UTRA-type access networks, while operator B uses UTRA, GSM, and DECT access networks. The transmission networks may be different. The physical size of the UMTS network can vary considerably; an operator with millions of subscribers has entirely different management needs than an operator with only 5,000 customers.
This all means that if there does not exist a strictly defined...
