IBM 5.5 manual How Netcool/Precision TN works

In this sub-optimal environment, service providers have many manual processes. Even if an OSS retrieves real-time fault and performance data, inventory is likely to be disconnected from the network and accurate data about ports, connectivity, and status is not available. Operators have to update inventory and other OSSs manually, and use many different Element Management Systems (EMSs), Network Management Systems (NMSs), or even multiple Command Line Interfaces (CLIs), to provision their Network Elements (NEs.)

Netcool/Precision TN enables a complete, real-time inventory of the assets on service provider networks. Netcool/Precision TN:

•Performs deep discovery on the entire network, building an interrelated hierarchical view of network resources, including all the:

–physical inventory, from racks to cards.

–logical resources, including the cross-connects and circuits in the network.

–fault and performance data, correlated to the affected entities.

•Maintains this real-time view of the entire network, continually extracting information directly from it.

•Works independently of all protocol, device, and vendor specifics.

•Provides instant Network Element (NE) connectivity via special network element type descriptions, known as NETypes. NETypes have been defined for many popular devices, enabling easy connectivity to widely deployed NEs, regardless of the management protocols they use.

Note: A Network Element is any item of telecommunications hardware that is both addressable and manageable. NEs provide support or services to the network and can be managed through an Element Management System (EMS).

•Provides complete integration with Netcool/OMNIbus, adding complete inventory, facility, and connection data to Netcool alerts so that service providers can more easily diagnose and fix network problems.

•Provides information for comprehensive report generation by formatting XML. This information might be used to manually reconcile offline OSSs with the real network.

•Provides a GUI, called Network Pilot, for asset discovery, report generation, and Netcool/Precision TN administration.

How Netcool/Precision TN works

This section discusses the NETypes and deep discovery that Netcool/Precision TN uses to facilitate the collection of data from the network.

2 Netcool/Precision for Transmission Networks 5.5 Administration Guide