Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Access Service Requests (ASRs): The standardized forms and processes lICs
use to ordercomplex circuits wholesale from ILECs.
Aggregate and transport Internet traffic [CONCEPT]: At various access
points or crossroads on the Internet, masses of traffic/transmissions/packets will
converge. Packets are sorted into groups headed in the same direction. Those
packets are then "wrapped up" in some transport mechanism, perhaps an ATM
cell, and senton theirwayat highspeed. By aggregating traffic and sending it in
bunches, rather thandedicating paths to eachtransmission, a network canutilize
its capacity more efficiently.
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA): An architectural
framework for configuring three independent security functions in a consistent
manner. Authentication provides the method of identifying users, authorization
provides the method for remote access control and accounting provides the
method for collecting and sending security server information to be used for
billing, auditing andreporting.
Alarm correlation: A process or function by which network alarms are
examined and related in orderto determine the root cause of a network problem
or failure.
Application Program Interfaces (APIs): Software interfaces embedded in ass
packages that expose the package's functionality to other systems. Other
systems can "call" on the various functions an API makes available in order to
request data, initiate tasks or perform otherfunctions.
Application Service Provider (ASP): An lIC whose primary focus is to offer
application-based services. The applications they provide can range anywhere
264
Glossary
265
266
Connectors are reusable, configurable and generally reduce the effort involved
in integrating multiple applications.
CORBA - Common Object Request Broker Architecture: An standardized
integration technology set, developed by the Object Management Group, based
on object-oriented principles and designed to allow open integration and data
translation among disparate systems.
Cross-connect: The process or physical implementation that allows lICs to link
to each other's networks. A cross connect can also be type of equipment in a
switching office that unwraps and redirects masses of traffic as they traverse a
network - much likea network crossroads.
CTI - Computer Telephony Integration: When a customer enters information
into an interactive voice response system, C'I'I technology acts upon that
information to call relevant data to the appropriate CSR's desktop CRM
applications. Hence, information coming from the telephony realm is integrated
with computer-based applications anddata.
Customer Premise Device (CPE): A network element that resides on the
customer premise (building, home, etc.). Typical CPE devices are routers,
cablelDLS modem and set-top boxes.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): The practice or process by
which a company cares for and builds its relationship with its customers. CRM
is generally a combination of people, systems, processes andphilosophies.
Customer self-help [CONCEPT): The concept whereby an lIC places some
amount of OSS access in the customers hands to allow him or her to place
orders, open trouble tickets, pay bills, settle billing disputes, as well as other
customer service functions.
Data center: A physical location where a company maintains its application or
hosting infrastructure. Often a large room or building with many racks of
powerful computing andnetwork equipment.
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM): An optical networking
multiplexing scheme that assigns traffic streams to individual wavelengths on an
Glossary
267
enabled customer support functions. Can include customer self-help, but also
includes Web-based tools customer care representatives utilize toassist customers.
eOSS: A concept or environment where many lICs OSS platforms are integrated
together to form a hierarchical, tight-knit trading community.
268
eTailers: The host of companies that use the Internet to sell goods and services
traditionally offered in a retail environment, such as health care items, toys,
books, clothes and music.
Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP): The technology set and
practice of making a customer's billing information available online and
allowing the customer to pay bills electronically.
Electronic bonding: A term typically applied to the processes or technologies
IICs use to interconnect with other IICs.
Electronic stapling: The process IICs sometimes use to give the impression of a
convergent service offering. Often used as a step toward convergence, electronic
stapling involves printing billing information about different services and
derived from different systems, on the same bill.
Element managers: Software components, often embedded in network
equipment, responsible for managing and allowing access to that equipment's
functions and capabilities.
End office: A local switching center, generally providing local loops to end
users.
Enterprise Data Model: A model an IIC would develop to define all of the
individual data elements involved in its OSS platform. The goal of this model is
to provide a center of reference for data elements as different applications,
processes and data enter and exit the OSS environment.
Enterprise Java Bean (EJB): EJB is a component architecture for development
and deployment of component-based business applications. The EJB server-side
model simplifies the development of enterprise applications by providing
automatic support for services such as transactions, security and database
connections.
Fiber optic cable: The actual, physical "wires" across which the light signals
that represent optical transmissions travel. These "wires" are made of advanced
composite and glass-like materials that can support extremely high-capacity,
reliable transmissions over great distances.
Glossary
269
Fiber transit routes: High capacity, optical network routes generally employed
to back haul traffic from various switching or access centers to a primary
switching office.
Firm order confirmation (FOC) dates: The service delivery dates an lIe
assigns once an order hasbeen received andvalidated.
Flat circuit databases: The vernacular for olderdatabases that established lICs
often employ. They are considered "flat" because they do not utilize objectoriented or relational database methods. These databases are limited in their
ability to associate, for example, network infrastructure with the actual services
it provides.
Flow-through provisioning: Combining concepts with processes and
technologies, flow-through provisioning represents an lICs ability to deliver
services in a highly automated fashion. This can encompass the entire service
delivery process, automating and integrating each step from order submission
through service activation onthe network.
Frame relay: Another switching technology, conceptually similar to ATM but
generally less complex and costly, that incorporates dynamic QoS functionality.
Frame relay services are often used as an alternative to leased or dedicated
circuits.
GIS (Geographic Information Systems): An application designed to map out
geographic areas and display the locations of specific objects, buildings, events
and other physical characteristics. lICs use GISs, for example, to provide
detailed maps of where theirnetworks run throughout a city.
Graphical User Interface (GUI): The visual component of a human-machine
interface that displays graphical representations of data and generally employs
"pointandclick" functionality.
Host Digital Terminal (HDT): Network equipment located in the head-end or
end office that supports and delivers service to and from lines or circuits that
connect to endcustomers.
270
271
Glossary
lIe
Interactive Voice Response (IVR): The systems used to automate telephonybased customer careapplications. For example, the recorded voice that asks one
to enter a credit card number or select from a menu of choices in hopes of
routing the caller properly.
Inventory management systems: The category of OSSs responsible for
tracking andmanaging an ncs network or service assets andcapabilities.
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition - J2EE: J2EE defines the standard for
developing multi-tier enterprise applications. nEE simplifies enterprise
applications by basing them on standardized, modular components, by providing
a complete set of services to those components.
Jeopardy management routines: Processes often configured into OSS
packages that manage rules for handling jeopardy situations. Jeopardy situations
arise when an IIC is in danger of failing to meet a customer commitment, such
as fulfilling a request for added facility circuits.
Latency: The inherent delay associated with traffic traversing a network.
Latency generally becomes a problem if time intervals become too great and
interrupt real-time services such as videoconferences or streaming media.
272
the microwave band, that must be aimed directly at other antennae in order to
sendandreceive traffic.
Local loops: Thetwisted-pair, copper wires thatconnect endoffices to customer
1996 and subsequent orders, the FCC required !LECs and mobile operators to
allow customers to keep their telephone numbers when switching service
providers within a local serving areaor exchange.
Local service requests (LSRs): The standardized forms and processes IICs use
to order local voice services from !LECs. Generally this means the !LEC is
transferring a customer or provisioning a loop in some way for the requesting
IIC.
Logical inventory: The record that shows how an IIC's network is configured
platform and then hands it off to an outsource vendor to manage and maintain
the platform forthe long term.
Media Access Control (MAC) addresses: A hard-coded, unique identifier
assigned to different kinds of IP-based devices. The MAC address is often used
to identify or verify the identity of a specific device.
Mediation system: Most oftenan application that gathers, sorts and filters data
Glossary
273
274
Glossary
275
276
Glossary
277
278
Index
Aggregate and transport Internet
traffic
263
Alarm correlation
263
APIs
16,22,54, 112,
119, 121, 123, 157, 159, 165,
168, 175, 176, 194, 196 - 199,
244,250,270,263
ASPs
6, 11,41,61,62,
107,108,201,210,211,263
ASRs .........24, 141, 159, 173,263
Assign and design
264
ATM
5, 7, 9, 31, 60,
94, 119, 126, 195, 218 - 223,
225, 226, 229, 234, 236, 239,
240,263,264,269
Authentication server
264
Authentication, Authorization, and
Accounting
263
Auto-discovery
264
B2B
4, 54, 140,
141,143,144,172
backbone
2, 5, 7, 9, 10,
43, 46, 60, 61, 66, 89, 94, 173,
194, 195, 218, 221, 226, 232,
233,242,264,273,274,277
backhaul.
19, 23
Backhaul
80, 264
"Best-of-breed"
264
BLECs
10,53, 173
Boot P
70, 264
Bridge
264
BSSs
2,264
business drivers
92, 212
CABS
16, 106, 265
CDRs
125,265
Central office
265
CIR
32, 38, 265
Circuit switching equipment...265
CLECs
9, 52, 53, 80, 142
CLI
265
CMIP
24, 57, 235, 265
CMTS
70, 73, 126,
219,231,232,265
Co-locatedlCo-location
265
co-location
6, 10,60,265
Connector..
.179, 181, 266
content providers
6, 7, 12,233
convergent view
36, 37
CORBA
57, 58, 175, 194,
245,248,250,266,270
CPE
94, 114,218,223,266
CRM
16 - 18,34,36,
42, 93, 114, 120, 125, 130, 132,
133, 138, 145, 153, 154, 156,
157, 160, 163, 164, 169, 172,
185,186,213,266
Gross-connect.
266
CSRs
36,42,47, 143, 160
CTI.
130,266
Customer self-help
266
Data center
115, 147, 266
Dial-up offload solutions .......267
280
DLECs
9, 23
DNS
.126, 127,221 ,249,267
DOCSIS ..69, 70, 71, 75, 126,231
DSL
5, 7 - 10, 12,
18, 29, 48, 59, 61 - 68, 76, 100,
130, 166, 173, 195, 219,
220 - 223, 225, 228, 229, 234,
236,239,273 ,267,272
DSLAM
63, 66, 195,219,267
DWDM 219, 234, 237, 264,267
EBPP
.114, 124, 129, 144,
145,268
eBusiness
2, 4, 12, 16,30,
33, 34, 43, 46, 48 - 50, 54, 55,
58, 60 - 62, 77, 78, 85, 89, 94,
99, 124, 138, 172,268,269,271
- 274,267
eCommerce .... 6, 11 ,69,274,267
eCRM
.3, 114, 138, 145,267
EDI.. 24, 49, 55, 143, 173,270
EJB
245, 246, 248, 250, 268
53, 59,
electronic bonding
95,99,268
electronic stapling
36, 268
268
Element managers
End office
268
Enterprise DataModel 155,268
eoss
2, 49, 51, 54,
59, 64, 65, 67, 68, 81, 273, 274,
268
eTailers
80, 268
Fiber optic cable
269
269
Fiber transit routes
Fixed Wireless Providers
10
Flat circuitdatabases
269
Flow-through provisioning 269
FOC
25, 26, 66, 68, 269
Frame relay
269
GIS
147, 269
GSM
88, 89
GUI..
121, 132, 162, 197,269
GUIs
50, 118, 122
HDT
270
ll, 231
HFC
HLR
84, 270
HSPs
11
HTTP
24
Hybrid fiber-coaxial networks 270
221 , 222, 270
lAD
IICs
.l5, 16, 18, 19,23,
24, 27 - 30, 32 - 39, 41 - 43,
46 - 50
IIOP
270
ILECs
8, 10, 12 - 14,
23 - 25, 27, 30, 52 - 54, 59, 62,
80,95 ,159,263,265 ,272
155,
Integration Data Model
157,270
Interconnect or interconnection
gateways
270
Inventory management systems271
IP
7,9, 11 , 16,
19,28,34,37,38,43,45,46,59,
60, 65, 69, 70, 72 - 76, 87, 89,
91, 115, 117, 126, 127, 144,215,
216,
218
228,
230 - 234, 236, 237, 239, 240,
242 - 244,246,267,271,272
ISPs
5, 9, 10, 12,23,
65,73 ,75,88,173 ,271
IVR
85, 130, 138,271
IXCs
8, 9,11,12
J2EE
215, 246, 250, 271
Jeopardy management routines271
last mi1e
51, 59, 62
Latency
271
Index
LDAP
126,244,272
LEC
2, 10, 25, 48,
51 - 53, 141,264,271
LEC interconnection. 51 - 53, 271
legacy OSS
238, 241, 246
LIDB
142, 159,272
Line-of-sight, microwave antenna
........................................... 272
Loca11oops
272
Local Number Portability
272
Logical inventory
272
Loop pre-qualification databases
........................................... 272
LSRs 24, 52,141,173,224,272
MAC
70, 243, 273
Managed OSS
211, 272
mCommerce providers
11, 12
Mediation system
273
Message broker
273
Midd1eware
273
mobile providers
29
Mobile providers
6, 78, 80, 89
Mobile service provider ......... 273
MPLS
218 - 220,
224,225,232,234,242,273
MSPs
11,41
Multiplexers
273
NIC
70, 274
NMF
56, 57
40-42, 163,
NMS
234,236 - 239,241,244,273
NOCs
39, 273
NSPs
5, 8,9, 12,
23,53,60,80,142,273
OBF
52
Order decomposition
274
order entry
16 - 19
Order entry
114,274
281
OSSl, 2, 8, 11 - 16, 19,22,28, 34,
39,43,46 - 49,51 ,53 - 58, 61 64, 67 - 69, 72 - 76, 78,
80 - 82, 86 - 105, 107 - 22, 131,
132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 145,
147, 149 - 155, 160, 161, 164,
165, 169 - 172, 174, 176, 178,
181, 184 - 187, 189, 190, 191,
192, 196, 199, 201, 202, 203,
205 - 213, 215 - 217, 219, 232,
234,
236,
238,
240,
243 - 248, 250, 251, 264, 265,
267 - 272, 274, 263, 264, 266,
268, 270 - 272, 274, 279
OSS platform
72, 74, 80,
91, 96, 102, 105, 107, 120, 131,
201,211,213,251 ,272,274
OSS vendor
89, 274
OTAP
82, 83, 84, 85, 274
Outsourcers
62
PacketCable
69, 72, 231, 232
Physical inventory
274
PIC/CARE
142, 159,275
Point-to-point integration 177, 275
Policy management system 275
Port on a switch
275
POTS
8, 21, 166,234,275
Pre-rating
275
Provisioning
69 - 72, 82,
114, 125, 126, 149, 156, 159,
221,239,240,275
PSTN
75, 76, 218, 219,
221,227,275
Purpose-built legacy OSSs
275
QAM
46
QoS
34, 38, 39,41,45,
72, 74, 75, 94, 100, 115, 117,
282
TMN
55, 56, 57, 235,
265,277,278
TOM
55, 58, 248, 277
UAT
201, 204, 207, 278
UMTS
88, 89,278
USOCs
27, 278
VANs
4, 49, 278
Virtual marketplace
278
VoDSLNOCable
279
VoIP
9, 29, 60, 75,
76,219,221,222,225,231
VPNs
9, 45,94,220,
221,223 - 226,264,266,278
WAP
81, 87,279
Web
3, 4, 6, 10, 12,
16 - 18, 28, 32 - 34, 42, 45, 47,
48,53,58,61 ,62,64,65,69,71 ,
74, 76 - 79, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89,
93, 95, 99, 100, 101, 103, 105,
106, 114, 122, 124, 126, 129,
130, 138 - 143, 145, 147 -150,
152 - 154, 158 - 163, 172, 174,
196, 198, 208, 215, 228, 231,
243, 244, 248 - 250, 265, 268,
269,273,274,267
Wholesalers
10, 48, 61, 62, 65
WLL
I0
Workflow management..
279
XML
24, 49, 55,1 43,
173, 215, 217, 245, 248, 249,
250,279