Integrated maintenance management for communication networks-an AT&T solution

AT&T recently deployed a work management system (WMS) to standardize and automate its various diverse trouble ticket and preventive maintenance work administration systems. The WMS provides the on-site work force (OSWF) with a single source for all work requests including trouble resolution, provisioning, and preventive maintenance via an efficient interface from the network control centers to the OSWF. It also provides a mechanized source of business-management/quality data for tracking ongoing process improvement in network services, operations, and equipment. Successful and popular technologies from AT&T Bell Laboratories (UNIX, C++, DATAKIT) were employed in the design and development of WMS. The design process adopted for WMS, its major capabilities, and the benefits it provides AT&T in managing its network are described