8.4.1 Reference Models
for Common NMS interfaces
Generally, the interfaces between the NE
and the OS within a UMTS network include:
l The interface between the NE and the NE management layer;
l The interface between the NE management layer and the network
management layer;
l The Interface between different NMSs;
A reference model for common 3G NMS interfaces is shown as the figure
below:
The NMS interface Itf-N may be the
interface between NM and EM or between the NM and the NE.
As NM equipment of EML layer, iManager M2000 provides interfaces
with the NE and the upper NMS. The interface with the NE may be called southern
interface, which is usually an internal MML interface. The interface with the
upper NMS may be called northern interface, which is usually a standard
interface or an interface negotiated with the upper NMS (the third-party NMS). Among
the common NMS interfaces are the CORBA interface and the core database
interface.
8.4.2 Common NMS Interfaces
1. CORBA interface
1) Introduction to the CORBA
The Common Object Request Broker
Architecture (CORBA) is a solution proposed by the Object Management Group to
meet the ever increasing demands for the collaboration capability of software
and hardware. With ORB, the customer may easily use the server object
methodology, no matter whether the servers are located on the same computer or
accessed via a network. ORB captures and invokes, and then finds out an object
to deliver the request. Then, it transfers parameters and methods and finally returns
the result. When ORB is used, a protocol is defined
using the application interface, which is implemented by the Interface
Definition Language (IDL).Customers neither know where the object is nor what
language is used for its implementation, nor the OS and anything else
irrelevant to the object interface.
2) Importance of the CORBA interface
At present, the
telecom NMS tends to embrace integrated technologies. As one of the leading NMS
technologies, TMN gives a good idea for the construction of integrated NMS.
However, TMN does not go into detail when it comes to how to construct a
management system and how to provide interoperability among the management
systems. Luckily, CORBA has now become a mature distributed object-oriented
technology. Given the open telecom market environment, CORBA is tailor-made for
fast service construction and the effective management of resources and
services. In the field of NMS, to integrate the TMN with the CORBA technology
is the most ideal solution up to date to building a comprehensive NMS.
Now, both the International Standardization
Organization (ISO) and the International and Regional standardization
Organization have treated the CORBA interface as an important interface in the
filed of telecom NMS.ITU-T takes the CORBA interface as a way to provide
general Q interfaces. The interfaces defined by TMF are basically CORBA
interfaces. The 3G interfaces
defined by 3GPP are mostly CORBA interfaces together with CMIP interfaces. Thus,
the CORBA interface may be considered a leader in the field of telecom NMS.
2. Core Database Interface (Core DB)
The Core Database Interface means that the
visited party (like M2000 system) makes known the structure and fields of
related database in the system, allowing a third-party vendor to visit and
access the database directly.
Such interface mode is widely applied to
interconnection with the upper NMS. Third-party vendors usually develop
application programs for access according to the open database. Generally,
write operation is not allowed to. The method features fast interconnection and
easy interface negotiation. Its disadvantage is the security problem with the
released undertaking high risks.
Before the CORBA interface standard is fully operational, open core database is also
common for interconnection with the upper NMS.
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