An OSI management service element that generates unsolicited notifications to another open system.
M-GET
An OSI management service element that retrieves attributes and values from managed objects.
MIB Browser
An SNMP tool to browse through the MIB. It is also called MIB walk.
M-interface
Five interfaces M1–M5 are defined between network
management system and either private or public networks for management of telecommunication networks including ATM networks.
MODULE-IDENTITY
An ASN.1 macro that describes the semantics of an information module in ASN.1 syntax.
M-SET
An OSI management service element that sets or modifies attributes of managed objects.
Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) A wireless transmission system that operates over the
frequency band of 2500–2686 MHz with a range of up to 35
miles.
Multiple Systems Operator (MSO)
MSO is a service provider, which owns and operates several cable television systems and used to provide primarily cable TV service. MSOs are now providing broadband services over cable.
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Network
MPLS is a WAN technology that replaces IP and ATM networks.
It combines the richness of IP and the performance of ATM networks
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label
A label is a short, fixed length, locally significant identifier, which is used to identify a FEC.
Multitechnology Network Management (MTNM) A management system that manages network of multitechnology multivendor network elements.
Multitechnology OSI (MTOSI)
A TM Forum standard for framework for OS-OS integration.
Network Address Translator
Converts global IP to local IP address.
Network Interface Device/Unit (NID/NIU)
A device at the customer premises, which is the demarcation point between the customer network and service provider
network.
Network Management System (NMS)
A platform that houses the network manager module. It monitors and controls the network components from a centralized operation.
NMS Server
A platform in which NMS software runs in a server–client architecture.
NMS Client
A client platform, which accesses NMS server remotely and performs operations on it. An HTML browser can be used as an NMS client.
Network Operations Center (NOC)
A centralized operation to monitor and manage the network using network management tools and systems.
NOTIFICATION-TYPE
An ASN.1 macro of notification, which is an event or alarm generated by a network management agent and sent to a network management system in SNMPv2 and SNMPv3. It is termed as TRAP-TYPE in SNMPv1.
OAMP (Traditionally OAM&P)
Operations, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning functions in the telecommunications industry.
Object
An object type, and associated instance.
Object Identifier
Identifies an object type and is a node in the MIB. It is
described in terms of a sequence of numbers or DESCRIPTORs that describes its position in the MIB, or abbreviated by the name of a reference object type followed by a sequence of numbers from that node.
Object Type
The component of the managed object that is defined by SMI and in the MIB. In TCP/IP management, it consists of an object identifier defined by ASN.1 syntax OBJECT-TYPE, and encoded using BER. It does not include object instance.
Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi)
A residential software platform that acts as a gateway to residential network. It supports integration of different home networking technologies and delivery of different services and components, called bundles, from service providers.
Operations System (OS)
Operations system, in the telecommunications industry, is used to control the network and network elements. The term is used in ADSL technology and TMN. The operations system does not directly play a role in the information transfer, but helps in the OAMP of network and information systems.
Optical Carrier (OC)
The data rate unit of SONET (OC-n) digital hierarchy in the USA.
The data rate is 51.84 Mbps.
Optical Line Termination (OLT)
Termination point at the central office of PON link.
Optical Network Unit (ONU)
Demarcation point between access network and home network in PON. The ONU may contain a passive or active element that divides access network into individual subscriber cables.
Passive Optical Network (PON)
Fiber access network in broadband system.
Performance Management
Monitoring and management of performance parameters of network and network components.
Personal Area Network (PAN)
There are several wireless personal area networks, each for a specific application and primarily used at residences for short range. Bluetooth is the most popular one, which is specified in IEEE 802.15.1 and is in the unlicensed spectrum of 2.4 GHz.
PAN with network control applications for home devices that require low data rate, are specified in IEEE 802.15.4
Phase Shift Keying (PSK)
A digital-to-analog modulation scheme in which the phase of the carrier signal is modulated.
Ping
A network tool to test the connectivity to a remote device.
Protocol Converter
A node in a network, which does protocol conversion at layers above the network layer. It is similar to the gateway, which does protocol conversion at the network layer.
Proxy Server
An SNMP device that converts any protocol to an
SNMP-compatible MIB and protocol. It is also used to convert SNMPv1 to SNMPv2 protocol.
Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
A digital-to-analog modulation scheme in which the carrier is modulated with a combination of amplitude and phase
modulation. It is used in HFC and ADSL access technologies.
Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK)
A digital-to-analog modulation scheme in which the phase of the carrier signal is modulated based on four levels of the signal represented by four phase states. It is used in HFC technology.
Rediscovery
Periodic check by NMS for the configuration change in the network.
Remote Monitoring (RMON)
Remotely monitoring the network with a probe is termed RMON.
The monitored information, gathered and analyzed by RMON, is transmitted to a remote network management system. RMON1
deals with the data link control layer and RMON2 covers all the higher layers.
Remote Operation Service Element (ROSE)
Issues request to remote system and receives responses in an asynchronous mode. This module is used in conjunction with ACSE in OSI management.
Residential Gateway
The gateway component that is between the access network and home network. It handles primarily the communication interface and can also have application modules in it.
Response
An SNMP message in SNMPv2. See Get-response.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
RCA correlates multiple alarms from a single fault, localizes the problem, shows the primary alarm, and suppresses secondary alarms.
Router
A device that does the routing function of packets in a network.
Rule-based Reasoning
An if-then paradigm used in network management that is based on comparing a problem to previously encountered situations to arrive at the source of the problem.
Security Management
Securing legal access to network resources and protecting the information during transfer of data from modification of
information, masquerade, message stream modification, and disclosure.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
SLA is a part of a service contract where the level of service, such as service availability and performance, is formally defined and agreed upon between the service provider and subscriber or customer.
Set-Request
An SNMP message from a manager to an agent to set the parameters of a network element.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Internet/TCP-IP-based network management protocol.
Single Line Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL)
A high data rate digital subscriber line in which two-way duplex communication occurs over a single twisted pair.
SNMP Framework
Defines a version of SNMP and comprises subsystems and
models. SNMP Frameworks are specified for SNMPv1, SNMPv2, and SNMPv3.
Source Routing Bridged Network
A network based on token-ring bridges, in which the source node determines the path of the packet.
Spectrum Management System
In HFC link management, a system that deals with the management of RF spectrum allocated to different digital services, both in the upstream and downstream.
Structure of Management Information (SMI)
Definitions for the structure of management information. It defines managed objects and their characteristics, as well as the relationship between the objects.
Switch
A device that switches analog and digital data.
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
The name used in Europe for the digital hierarchy that is used in ATM network. The data rate is an integral multiple of 51.84
Mbps. Equivalent name in United States is SONET.
Synchronous Optical Network (SONET)
The name used in United States for the digital hierarchy (OC-n) that is used in ATM network. The basic SONET rate (OC-3) is 155.52 Mbps and is three times that of the basic optical carrier (OC-1) of 51.84 Mbps. Equivalent term in Europe is SDH.
Synchronous Transport Signal (STS)
The data rate unit of SDH (STS-n) digital hierarchy in Europe.
The data rate is 51.84 Mbps.
System Network Architecture
IBM proprietary network architecture.
Tcpdump
A network tool to monitor the IP packets in a network. A similar tool is called a sniffer.
Telecommunications Management Network (TMN)
The management of telecommunications network was
developed by International Standards Organization as part of ISO management. Hence, it is strongly based on ISO network management.
Topology
A map of the interconnections between routers and switches.
Topology representation is done at the network layer (layer 3) or the data link layer (layer 2).
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
Mode of transmission in which signals are assigned time-divided slots in multiplexing in TDM systems.
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
TDMA is normally used for carrying information from multiple stations to the head end. The individual station information is multiplexed with others under the control of the head end.
TimeTicks
An SNMP application-wide data type, which measures time in units of hundredths of a second.
TMF 814
A standard protocol between EMS and NMS that is specified by the TM Forum.
Traceroute
A UNIX network tool to test the route to a remote device. A similar tool in Microsoft Windows in tracert .
Traffic Engineering (TE)
Configuration of traffic flow that is concerned with performance optimization of operational networks.
Transparent Bridged Network
A network of Ethernet-based bridges with a tree topology.
Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
A suite of transport-layer/network-layer protocols that forms the basis for Internet network.
Trap
An alarm or an event generated by a management agent and sent unsolicited to a network management system.
Ultra Wide Band (UWB)
A personal area network carrying information in a very high
bandwidth spectrum at 3–10 GHz band that is least impacted by noise.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
A high data rate serial interface out of PC. USB hub multiple interfaces from a single interface.
User-based Security Model (USM)
The security subsystem specified in SNMPv3 that is based on the traditional user name concept.
Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL)
VDSL is similar to ADSL and operates at a very high data rate over shorter lines.
Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
VSAT is direct transmission to home using geosynchronous satellite. It is more used to access difficult-to-access remote sites and back-up link by service providers.
View-based Access Control Model (VACM)
The access control scheme defined in SNMPv3 that is more secure and flexible than the simple access policy defined in SNMPv1.
Virtual LAN (VLAN)
Virtual LAN is a LAN that is based on switched hub technology and enables stations to be assigned to different LANs
administratively. They are not restrained by the physical configuration of LAN networks.
Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM)
A project undertaken by Desk Top Management Task Force to bring different management systems under one umbrella using Microsoft object-oriented framework, Common Information Module.
Wavelength Division Multiplexer (WDM)
is multiplexing at optical wavelength and is identical to
frequency division multiplexing at (relatively) lower frequencies.
Information can be transmitted over multiple wavelengths using multiple transmission protocols.
WiFi
Commercial name for WLAN using IEEE 802.11a/b/g protocols.
WiFi Protected Access (WPA)
Enhanced security protocol for WiFi network.
Wired Equivalency protocol (WEP)
Early version of security protocol for WiFi network.
Wireless LAN
Wireless LAN with IEEE 802.11a/b/g interface.