The integration of digital microwave radio systems under the telecommunications management network (TMN)

From the outset of synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) was designed as a managed telecommunications transmission network and, as such, embodied the principles of the telecommunications management network (TMN) in the design of its management infrastructure. The TMN provides an alarm and performance monitoring capability and offers configuration and inventory management functions. It enables flexible provisioning of circuits and facilitates signal protection by re-routing. These features should lead to optimum network utilisation, improved availability and a reduction in operating costs. The authors summarise and explain the principles behind TMN and examine its applicability to microwave radio. They also consider various radio architectures and identifies suitable network element models for efficient management of digital radio systems. As SDH digital radio relay systems should be fully integrated into the SDH network, future standardisation activities must define relevant functional blocks and information models for radio systems that are equivalent to models used in fibre optic systems