OSS and Network Management

OSS software is a topic treated at length in Chapter 8. OSS and other management software
would normally occupy one or more servers within the central office, with authentication usually
being assigned to a dedicated server. Customer databases may be assigned to yet another
dedicated server. To ensure network reliability, both the OSS and the databases should be
mirrored, particularly anything having to do with billing. Backup storage will, of course,
be a necessity. In most cases, one would probably opt for what is known as network-attached
storage rather than remote storage since the central office itself would be designed as a secure
facility. Storage would usually take the form of redundant arrays of magnetic discs and would
involve special controller elements for distributing data redundantly through the array. Considerable
floor and rack space may be consumed by such arrays, and sufficient allowances
should be made for storage when designing the central office.