Mistake #1: Trying To Get By With An Inadequate Monitoring System

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The network alarm management systems many companies use simply were not designed for today's operating conditions. The business climate in which telecoms operate has changed utterly in the last three years. This new business environment demands standards of network reliability that older systems can't meet.

Downturn Impact Survey Results The recent economic downturn in the telecommunications industry has: 33.3% - Forced layoffs, but we're doing okay 23.8% - Increased the current staff's workload 23.8% - Had no effect on our business 14.3% - Forced senior staff layoffs, leaving less experienced people in charge 4.7% - Not affected staffing, but shrunk our client base Source: The Protocol

Think of the issues you confront now that didn't exist just a few years ago:

• Fierce competition
• Number portability
• Consolidations and mergers
• Staff reductions
• Loss of experienced staff
• Relentless pressure to keep uptime at five 9 levels

Six tell-tale signs you're relying on an inadequate alarm monitoring system:

1. You're using built in scan points to monitor your switches - if the switch goes down, so does your visibility of the cause of the problem
2. Only using minor, major, critical summary discrete alarms from network elements - summary data can't help you pinpoint problems for rapid correction and root cause analysis.
3. No power or environmental monitoring - external factors can shut down your network without warning.
4. No analog alarm data for trending and analysis - you can't anticipate and prevent problem from occurring.
5. No intelligent counters or qualifiers to filter nuisance alarms - a numbing barrage of meaningless alarms will distract your staff's attention from critical events.
6. No ability to perform, much less automate root cause analysis - essential to enable faster service restoration times, minimize SLA penalties, and reduce downtime costs from service outages.

If these six danger signs describe how you're monitoring your network, you're in trouble-a system that has any of these weaknesses will not give you the visibility you need to maintain competitive standards of network reliability.

Next Page: An Aging Alarm Management System is a Threat to Your Network
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