Data-driven fault management within a distributed object-oriented OAM&P framework

The design of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) radio network controller (RNC) required the integration of hardware and software from multiple vendors and development organizations across a multinational project. The RNC architects, drawing on their experience with previous object-oriented projects, designed an abstract, distributed, object-oriented operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) system. A key component is the innovative data-driven fault management (FM) design. It is not just integrated with the devices being controlled; it is integrated into the entire system. FM data is a central project resource used to drive internal error and fault handling, operational state changes, external alarms, and generation of customer documentation. The design takes advantage of well-known commonality and variability design concepts for easy implementation and maintenance. The FM architecture makes the definition of an error, fault, alarm, and fault-handling behavior as simple as adding a row of data. (C) 2003 Lucent Technologies Inc.