Switching system reliability-OA&M considerations

The advanced features of current circuit switching systems and the networks in which they are embedded are placing added demands on their operations, administration and maintenance (OA&M) capabilities. A reliability analysis approach is presented which provides the means for assessing the impact of OA&M activities on switching system reliability and for examining design alternatives. The discussion covers: reliability objectives for circuit switching systems; the generalized OA&M environment of a circuit switching system; a review of hardware architecture reliability modeling methods and procedures and their extension to include OA&M activity; and examples indicating the impact of OA&M activity on system downtime.<>