What is FCAPS(Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security)?

FCAPS(Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security):

FCAPS is a model created by TMN to be used by Network Operators and Service Providers to compare capabilities and features of Management & Monitoring Systems. The FCAPS model is used for Element Management Systems (EMS), Network Management Systems (NMS) and Operation Support Systems (OSS), it is therefore a universal model.

Fault Management: 

Allows management systems to discover faults in managed devices, find out the root cause and take necessary corrective action. Fault management provides mechanisms to:

·         Report the occurrence of faults, Perform diagnostic tests

·         Alarms collection in real time and synchronization.

·         Trap anti-flood protection.

·         Availability monitoring through management heartbeat.

·         Alarms reduction through classification (severities), filtering, maintenance mode, top level graphical view.

·         Alarms troubleshooting through historical alarms, context-sensitive menus and photo-realistic equipment views.

·         Alarm notifications through email and SMS.

Configuration Management: 

• Initial configuration of the network elements and of their components.
• Monitoring and synchronization of network configuration parameters.
• Massive configuration with templates.
• Configuration of advanced parameters, such as VLANs, QoS, radio protection, etc.
• Configuration backup and restore.
• Configuring, re-configuring, Start/stop supervision.

Account Management: 

Allows to measure network utilization of individual users or groups. Accounting management is concerned with tracking network utilization information, such that individual users, departments, or business units can be appropriately billed or charged for accounting purposes. For system where accounting is not applicable “A” stands for administration. Accounting management provides the abilities to:

·         Provide billing information

·         Help keep network performance at an acceptable level

Performance Management:

The Domain Manager constitutes a means of measuring the quality of several operational parameters in real time.
Performance Management ensures that the supervised network operates as expected and that the available network resources are efficiently allocated.
Indicatively, the parameters that can be monitored include:

• Radio parameters (RSL, RSSI, CNR, etc.).
• G.826
• RMON
• Ethernet parameters

It enables the manager to prepare the network for the future, as well as to determine the efficiency of the current network, for example, in relation to the investments done to set it up. The network performance addresses the throughput, network response times, packet loss rates, link utilization, percentage utilization, error rates and so forth.

Security Management:

Allows to control access to network resources so that information is secured and can not be obtained without authorization by:

·         Limiting access to network resources

·         Providing notification of security breaches and attempts

Security management is the process of controlling access to assets in the network. Data security can be achieved mainly with authentication and encryption. Authorization to it configured with OS and DBMS access control settings.

Security management is not only concerned with ensuring that a network environment is secure, but also that gathered security-related information is analyzed regularly. Security management functions include managing network authentication, authorization, and auditing, such that both internal and external users only have access to appropriate network resources. Other common tasks include the configuration and management of network firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and security policies (such as access lists).