Management of Voice and Data Systems in Communications
Chapter 12
The Management of Telecommunications: 2nd Edition
Houston H. Carr and Charles A. Snyder
2Chapter 12
Introduction The deregulation of the telecommunications
industry has given businesses many more choices, opportunities, and problems. Choices come from the multiple vendors offering a
variety of goods and services from which to choose. Opportunities abound in how companies use these
goods and services in bringing to fruition their visions of communications and to enhanced their competitive advantage.
Problems abound because of the available choices , limited resources, rapid obsolescence, and fierce competition.
3Chapter 12
Environment of a system The environment of a system is that part
which impacts or influences the system, but over which the system has minimal or no control.
A boundary separates the system from its environment.
4Chapter 12
Competitive advantage Competitive advantage means you have a
disproportionally larger share of a market because the customer is able to positively differentiate the company’s product or services.
5Chapter 12
A Business within a Business The telecommunications organization
has the same functions as its parent organization.
6Chapter 12
Functions of a Business
Management
LogisticsOperations
Customersupport/service
Research&
development
Marketing&
Sales
7Chapter 12
Functional areas of a telecommunications organization
Telecommunications organizations perform many of the following functionsOperations functionAdministrative functionMarketing functionCustomer supportResearch and development
8Chapter 12
Process functions of management Planning Organizing Staffing Directing Coordinating and control
security
9Chapter 12
Planning
Planning requires a perspective of the timing and life of a project, and the level of the organization being supported.
The three levels of planning are:OperationalTacticalStrategic
10Chapter 12
Organizing
One of the main considerations involved in organizing is the establishment of relationships among the entities of the organization.
11Chapter 12
Staffing Relates to the acquisition, retention, and
training of qualified personnel who can plan, define, install, operate, and maintain technology in support of business problems and opportunities.
12Chapter 12
Directing Directing involves the supervisory task of
getting people to successfully perform the required tasks.
13Chapter 12
Control
Control of an organization's telecommunications resources Includes management of equipment, circuits,
and networks.Security against the treat of theft or intrusion
into the network.Disaster recover
14Chapter 12
Security
Security means the right people have access to network resources and all others do not.
Security methods of the data accessible via the network Encryption Access Passwords Firewalls
15Chapter 12
Disaster recovery Having a adequate disaster recovery
capability is the difference between continued organizational success or failure.
The plan is the result of performing a risk assessment and defining the decisions that must be enacted after the occurance of unforeseen events.
16Chapter 12
Telecommunications strategy For an organization's telecommunications
strategy to succeed, managers must understand the major telecommunications strategy issues. Integration of computing platforms across the
organization in support of the organizational objectives and functions.
Point to an architecture that will support organizational functions.
18Chapter 12
Management of Telecommunications
Two sides of management of telecommunicationsManaging the technologyManaging the organization
19Chapter 12
Objectives of network management
To satisfy systems users, and To provide cost-effective solutions to
an organization's telecommunications requirements
20Chapter 12
Objectives of Network ManagementI. User satisfaction
A. Performance – predictable transaction response time
B. Availability – all necessary components are operable when needed
1. Operational considerations - out of service for maintenance
2. Mean time between failure
3. Mean time to repair
a. Repair facility
b. Alternatives
21Chapter 12
Objectives of Network ManagementI. User satisfaction (continued)
C. Reliability – probability the system will continue to function
1. Error characteristics of medium2. Stability of hardware and software3. Complexity of system4. Backup components and redundancy
D. Security – safety from intrusion or destruction of assets
E. Privacy – protection of exposure of data about an individual.
22Chapter 12
Objectives of Network Management The initials of the four objectives of user satisfaction in
network management make up the acronyms of either PARS or RAPS, however reliability is always the most critical and important.
Performance Reliability
Availability Availability
Reliability Performance
Security and Privacy Security and Privacy
23Chapter 12
Objectives of Network Management
II. Provide cost-effective solutions to organizations’ TC requirements
A. Planning
1. Install required features now and upgrade later
2. Install with future in mind
B. Modularity of equipment as opposed to upgrading from line to line
25Chapter 12
Organizational side of Telecommunications Management
Design and implementation of new facilities and services
Network operations and technical support
Administrative support
26Chapter 12
Telecommunications Group Activities
I. System creation and upgradeA. Design and configuration
1. Node equipment2. Media & bandwidth3. Software4. Tariffs
B. Testing1. Initial2. Continuous3. Reporting
27Chapter 12
Telecommunications Group Activities
I. System creation and upgrade (continued)C. Diagnosis
1. Meeting spec
2. For problems
3. Fine-tuning
D. Documentation1. Assets (database)
2. Operations
3. Repair
28Chapter 12
Telecommunications Group Activities
II. OperationsA. Monitoring
B. Control
C. Diagnostics
D. Problem reporting system
E. Repair
F. Documentation
29Chapter 12
Telecommunications Group Activities
III. AdministrationA. Personnel
1. Attract & retain qualified personnel
2. Training
B. Asset management
C. Purchasing
D. Chargeback for asset usage
30Chapter 12
Administrative Support Ordering and purchasing communications
products and services Receiving equipment Inventorying equipment Checking and paying communications bills Determining chargeback methods to users Coordinating adds, moves, and changes of
equipment, including maintaining blueprints of installations, handling the paperwork to make changes...
31Chapter 12
Administrative Support Preparing and publishing phone book Registering new users for telecommunications
and computer applications access (maintenance security)
Training users Maintaining telecommunications procedures Providing telephone operator services
32Chapter 12
Telecom Job Categories
I. Planning and developmentA. Director, telecommunications planningB. Manager, network planningC. Data network design technicianD. Voice network design specialistE. Business applications development
specialist
33Chapter 12
Telecom Job Categories
II. Service and supportA. Director, network services and supportB. Data communications service managerC. Help desk technicianD. LAN service managerE. Office automation applications specialist
34Chapter 12
Telecom Job Categories
III. OperationsA. Director, network operations
B. Network security manager
C. Data network operations manager
D. LAN manager
E. Voice systems technician
F. Voice network operations technician
35Chapter 12
Telecom Jobs – Technical
Position Education
Design engineer BS or MSEE
Operations and troubleshooting Technical training plus vendor certification
Webmaster Technical plus design
Network administrator (involves management and technical duties)
BS plus network engineering certification
36Chapter 12
Telecom jobs - ManagementPosition Education
Chief information officer (CIO) MBA
Telecommunications manager BS/BA plus MBA
Administration BS/BA
38Chapter 12
Technical side of Telecommunications management
Concerned with network management or operations.Involves the set of activities required to
keep the communications network operational and reliable.
39Chapter 12
Considerations of Network Project Management
Project management requires Strong leadership Coordinating Planning Budgeting Scheduling Administration
The purpose of project management is to control all project resources to complete a quality job, on time, within budget.
40Chapter 12
Project Management Tasks
1. Definition of scope of the project
2. Assembling of a team:a. What expertise (knowledge)?
b. What information is needed?
c. What skills are needed?
d. Source of team members.
41Chapter 12
Project Management Tasks
3. Criteriaa. Knowledge, expertise, experience.
b. Access to information.
c. Support skills.
d. Commitment.
e. Reliability.
f. Benefits to team member.
g. Importance of reallocating teams.
42Chapter 12
Project Management Tasks4. Project plan
a. Purpose.b. Parameters and
goals.c. Deadlines.d. Key elements.
i. Breakdown.ii. Assignments.
e. Resources
f. Problem/obstacles.
g. A time line.
h. Accountability.
i. Feedback reporting.
j. Tools.
43Chapter 12
Project Management Tasks5. Implementation.
a. Team delivers.
b. Leader guides.
6. End projecta. Reports.
b. Lessons learned.
c. Disband team.
7. Review and evaluation
44Chapter 12
Project Leader must understand Team roles and responsibilities. Time reporting. Budget tracking. Issues and risks. Change process. Communications. Action items summary. Unplanned activities. Meeting and status reports.
45Chapter 12
Performance Measurement and Tuning
Service level and service agreements Measurements (response times, circuit and
processor utilization, circuit errors, etc.) Management reporting Configuration control Change management Risk assessment and management Disaster planning
46Chapter 12
Service Level Agreements (SLA)
A Service Level Agreement is a formal agreement between a client and a service provider (ASP, VPN, ISP, etc.) agreeing on the level of services that will be provided.
A SLA can be summarized as a series of commitments by the vendor to a customer.
47Chapter 12
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Contract or contracts between parties involved
Understanding between service provider and their customer
Sets expectations for performance Defines the procedures and reports
needed to track compliance
48Chapter 12
Service Level Agreement (SLA) An SLA should contain
The service to be performed Committed Information Rate (CIR)
The performance expectations of service provider
Process of reporting problems with the serviceTime frame for problem resolutionProcess for monitoring services levelsPenalties for non complianceEscape clauses for both parties
49Chapter 12
Risk management Risk management is the analysis and actions
taken to ensure that the organization can continue to operate under any foreseeable conditions.
Science and art of recognizing the existence of threats, determine their consequences to resources, applying modifying factors in a cost-effective manner to keep adverse consequences within bounds.
50Chapter 12
Risk assessment and analysis Risk assessment and analysis involve
a methodological investigation of the organization's resources, personnel, procedures, and objectives to determine points of weakness.
51Chapter 12
Security ThreatsThreat Source or
targetConsequences Primary defense
Users Internal, mobile
Majority of security a control problem
Controls for prevention and deterrence; training
Programmers Internal Bypass, disability of security mechanisms
Properly designed control and supervision audits
Hardware Internal Failed protection mechanisms lead to failure
Control, detection, limitation, and recovery procedures
Databases Internal Unauthorized access, copying, theft
Passwords, intranet, VPN
52Chapter 12
Security ThreatsThreat Source or
targetConsequences Primary defense
Systems software
Internal Failure of protection, information leakage
Controls, audits
Operators Internal Loss of confidential information, theft, insecure
Proper access controls, partitioning of data
Radiation (interception)
External, remote
Interception of confidential data
Shielding, access control
Spoofing External Fraud Authentication
53Chapter 12
Security ThreatsThreat Source or
targetConsequences Primary defense
Hacking External Intrusion, destruction of resources
Firewall, passwords
Denial of service
External Stoppage of real work
Firewall, honey pot, VPN
Crosstalk External Leakage of confidential data
Shielding, separation
Wiretaps (eavesdropping)
External Loss of data Procedural controls, audits
54Chapter 12
Security ThreatsThreat Source or
targetConsequences Primary defense
Environmental hazards
External Disruption of service, loss of resources
Precaution/ management controls, BC plans
Criminal attacks External Theft of resources Control procedures and prosecution
Power outages Internal Disruption of service, loss of business/reputation
UPS, generators
55Chapter 12
Security ThreatsThreat Source or
targetConsequences Primary defense
Viruses, worms, Trojan horses
Internal Disruption of service, loss of resources
Firewall, procedures
Access External Loss of data, sabotage to equipment
Proper authentication and control procedures, physical barriers, biometric controls
56Chapter 12
Disaster planning A disaster plan requires procedures an
organization needs following in the event of disaster impacting the operations of the organization.
A disaster plan provides the place, procedures, and equipment to make use of those data for continued operations.
It should address all probably decisions before the fact, not during the recovery process.
57Chapter 12
The Twelve Worst U.S. IT DisastersIncident Date Data Centers
Affected
1 Nationwide Internet virus May 16, 1988 500+
2 Chicago flood April 1992 400
3 New York power outage August 13, 1990 320
4 Chicago/Hinsdale fire May 8, 1988 175
5 Hurricane Andrew September 1992 150
6 Nationwide Pakistani virus May 11, 1988 90+
7 San Francisco earthquake October 17, 1989 90
8 Seattle power outage August 31, 1988 75
9 Chicago flood August 13, 1987 64
10 East coast blizzard March 1993 50
11 Los Angeles riot April/May 1992 50
12 World Trade Center Disaster September 11, 2001 40
58Chapter 12
Disaster Recovery planning process
1. Obtain top management commitment.2. Establish a planning committee.3. Perform risk assessment and impact analysis.4. Prioritize recovery needs.5. Select recovery plan.6. Select a vendor and develop agreements.7. Develop and implement the plan.8. Testing the plan.9. Continue to test and evaluate the plan.
59Chapter 12
Budgeting a Disaster Recovery Plan
Daily Normal
No Plan
Disaster
No Plan
Normal
With Plan
Disaster
With Plan
Revenue $100,000 0 $100,000 $100,000
Expenses -80,000 -80,000 -80,164* -80,164*
Outages/expenses 0 -40,000 0 -3,000
Contingency plan 0 0 0 -5,000
Profits $20,000 $-90,000 $19,836 $11,836
* Calculation based on $60K/365 days = $164/day.
60Chapter 12
Disaster recovery team
1. Top management.
2. Functional and operations managers.
3. Service providers.
4. Recovery team.
5. Disaster recovery coordinator.
6. Outside vendors.
61Chapter 12
Recovery planning issues1. Unanticipated interruption of routine
operations.2. Identification of key risks and the
exposure to risk.3. Identification of consequences if existing
plan fails.4. Identification of recovery strategy.5. Identification of test and evaluation
process.
62Chapter 12
Contract questions What is the provider promising? How will the provider deliver on those
promises? Who will measure delivery, and how? What happens if the provider fails to
deliver as promised? How will the SLA change over time?
63Chapter 12
SLA Negotiating Tips1. Figure out the worth of the service.
2. Know carrier’s net design.
3. Access your carrier’s partnerships.
4. Include corporate counsel.
5. Invest in validation tools.