Network management for mobile satellite systems

Mobile satellite systems (MSSs) are being developed around the world to provide voice and data services to large populations of mobile subscribers in rural and sparsely populated areas. To maintain efficient operation of an MSS, it is essential that a network management system (NMS) be incorporated into the design. This paper presents a comprehensive review of these issues in relation to the overall requirements of MSSs. Functions that need to be performed by the NMS are discussed in detail, under the categories of configuration, fault, performance, accounting, security, capacity, service, and administration management. An architecture for integrating NMS functions into the network control centre (NCC) and extending network management services to other network elements is presented. The roles of enabling technologies such as expert systems, fault tolerant processors, and object-oriented databases are examined.