49238 Telecommunication Networks Management

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject is designed for telecommunications engineers working with telecommunications carriers and suppliers of hardware and software infrastructure that supports the provision of telecommunications services to clients. It begins with an historical overview of the evolution of telecommunications networks with particular emphasis on the deregulated environment that has been the characteristic of the last decade. The role of standards making bodies to ensure inter-operability is highlighted. The bulk of the subject examines the technical details of particular standards such as SNMP, TMN and CORBA. The subject concludes with an examination of future challenges associated with the operation of very large scale distributed systems and a look at current vendor solutions.

Subject objectives/outcomes

Subject Aims
At the end of the subject, the participants should have a good understanding of:

• The history, business drivers, and an overview of the different standards bodies associated with telecommunication networks management
• The different standards in the network management arena, where they apply, and their strengths and weaknesses in particular areas
• Technical details of the different standards
• Concepts in architecting an integrated telecommunication management solution

Learning Outcomes

1. Have a good working knowledge of the ITU-T TNM standard and the literature published by the TMF
2. Understand the need for and issues associated with dealing with scale, complexity, reliability, extensibility, efficiency and sustainability of network management systems
3. Have a good overview of CORBA technologies and how these can be used to address issues in architecting integrated management solutions.
4. Be able to analyse a specific network management problem and apply concepts and issues learnt to design one or more aspects of a network management solution

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

The effective technical management of large scale telecommunication networks is becoming increasingly important as operators are aiming to provide a wide range of cost-effective services to customers within stated levels of service performance in a fluid and heterogeneous technology environment. This subject complements other subjects in the major by giving students an understanding of the issues in the management of networks and how these can be considered in the design and implementation of a large scale telecommunication system. It is a required subject in the telecommunication networks major as well as the combined major in telecommunication engineering and telecommunication networks.

Teaching and learning strategies

The dominant mode of teaching will be in the form of lectures. Students will learn from these lectures, as well as from doing readings from the recommended text book.

A major project will be completed by individuals or pairs of students which will require demonstration and/or implementation of many of the concepts from the subject in a practical application.

You are expected to spend about 9 hour per week in total for this subject, assuming you are an average student and you want to achieve a pass grade. This includes time spent in class.

You will typically spend 3 hours per week in class. This will be in the form of general class sessions (interactive lectures with student activities, question times, demonstrations, etc.) and short on-line quizzes.

Outside of class time, you will be expected to read the recommended sections in the readings before coming to class each week and prepare yourself for the quizzes. You will also need to work on your project and submit this by the due date, as well as prepare for the final exam.

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: E-Quizzes

Assessment Item 2: Project

Assessment Item 3: Laboratory Activity

Assessment Item 4: Final Exam

Minimum requirements

You must obtain an overall mark of 50 or higher to pass the subject.
You must submit part A of the project in order to be eligible for a mark in part B.
You must obtain at least 50% in the final exam to pass the subject.

Required texts

The recommended text for the subject is given below. Although being an excellent text, it is relatively expensive. Alternative readings have been provided with lecture slides, mastery questions and previous final exams in a printed bound booklet from the UTS Union bookshop on level 3 of building 1. Details of the CN number required for this purchase are published on UTSOnline.

Recommended texts

Chen, G and Kong, Q, Integrated Telecommunications Management Solutions, IEEE Press, 2000

References

Plevyak, T., Sahin, V., "Next Generation Telecommunication Networks, Services, and Management", IEEE Press, 2010 [available online from the UTS Library]

For other references, see the UTSOnline 'Books' and 'Links' areas.

Other resources

UTSOnline will be the primary source of information in this subject, apart from your text book.

You must have a valid login to UTSOnline before pointing your browser at http://online.uts.edu.au
If you are having trouble logging in, call the ITD helpdesk on 9514 2222.

For further information see the faculty’s Student Guide at:
http://my.feit.uts.edu.au/ modules/myfeit/downloads/ StudentGuide_Online.pdf