Page 379 - Handbook of Modern Telecommunications

3-170 CRC Handbook of Modern Telecommunications, Second Edition

Applications

Decreasing degree of horizontal
applications in frameworks

Enrichment of frameworks by
vertical business applications

Frameworks
1999 Time 2005
1995 Frameworks attributes provide little functionality
2005 Frameworks incorporate integrated management functions

FIGu RE 3.7.1 Evolving management frameworks.
interfaces (APIs) are provided by the framework suppliers, with the assumption that these APIs will be
supported and used by application providers.
Typical framework solutions from suppliers such as Telcordia, Amdocs, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and
Oracle are illustrated. In addition to portfolios from these companies, operations support system/busi-
ness support system (OSS/BSS) players will be categorized according to whether, from the perspective of
mergers and acquisitions, they are traditional suppliers or potential or new entrants. Finally, near-term
and long-term consolidation trends will be discussed.

3.7.1 Evolving Management Frameworks

Enrichment of application platforms through generic and specific management applications makes them
more powerful. Figure 3.7.1 illustrates this evolutionary process. When application platforms are intro-
duced to the market, they usually provide support for a few management applications in addition to the core
services that are part of the framework. If the framework is well accepted by users, the number of vertical
management applications grows. Step by step, they are partially or fully integrated into the framework.

3.7.2 Features and Attributes of Management Frameworks

There is no actual scientific definition of a management framework. In order to determine whether
certain products qualify as a framework, an elaborated list of attributes must be addressed first. When
products are able to support basic framework attributes, they are said to meet the qualifications of a
framework. Advanced attributes may then serve as differentiators between frameworks. Figure 3.7.2
shows the basic architecture of management frameworks, which consists of a runtime environment,
development runtime tools, and APIs. The runtime environment is subdivided into management appli-
cations, management services, and the basic infrastructure (MORR00). Management services can be
further subdivided into basic and advanced services. APIs interconnect the runtime environment,
development tools, and the implementation pieces with each other.
3.7.2.1 Basic Infrastructure
The basic infrastructure concentrates on the hardware and software features of the management frame-
works. The most important attributes are listed below.