A methodology for formalizing GDMO behavior descriptions

Network management is a key technology for operating large heterogeneous data transmission networks. To allow deployment of equipment from different vendors, the OSI TMN (Telecommunications Management Network) framework defines the language GDMO (Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects). Unfortunately, the behavior of managed objects is defined in an informal manner using natural language. This results in behavior specifications which are often vague and ambiguous, increasing the possibility of different implementations not being interoperable. To achieve consistent, clear, concise, and unambiguous specifications, a formal methodology has to be utilized. This paper introduces a framework for the inclusion of formal behavior descriptions into GDMO specifications. An object-oriented logic programming language is presented, which can be used in conjunction with the framework to specify the behavior of managed objects. The language is aimed at automatically producing prototypes of the described system. It enforces strict type checking at compile time to catch errors as early as possible. Furthermore, it works on a rather abstract level to hide specific implementation details