Side_1_360

• Network policy administration user interface;


• Master network policy repository for storage
  of all network policies for all domains;


• Policy distribution capability to distribute pol-
  icy data to the element management system
  policy servers;


• Global policy conflict detection.

The policy repositories may use an LDAP-based
directory for storing the policy information.

The element management system QoS policy
provisioning contains functions that administrate
policy for a network domain. Here, a domain is
an area of the network that contains equipment
that performs a logically related function (e.g.
access network, core network, transport net-
work). The following functions are typically
included:

• Element management system specific policy
  repository;


• Policy distribution capability used for dis-
  tributing policy data to the PDPs;


• Local policy conflict detection.

A user interface and a PDP may also be included.

A PDP works as a policy server containing a

policy repository as well as a translator convert-

ing policies from a QoS policy schema to a Pol-

icy Information Base (PIB) format. The follow-

ing functions may be included:

• Domain-specific policy repository;


• Policy distribution capability to distribute pol-
  icy data to PEPs;


• Translation from QoS policy schema to PIB;


• Optional real-time policy decision-making
  function;


• Local policy conflict detection.

The PEPs implement the policies, incorporating

functions like:

• Storage of policy-related data in its MIB;


• Execution of policies according to state and
  events.

The QoS monitoring contains functions for col-

lecting, processing performance statistics, usage

data and QoS related faults. This includes func-

tions like:

• Manage QoS fault conditions received from
  network elements;

Figure 15 Conceptual

architecture of policy with

examples of protocols,

adapted from [eTOM]

Network Element Network Element

Network Management System (NMS)

QoS policy

provisioning QoS monitoring

Policy

repository

External NMS

interconnect

IRP (CORBA, LDUP, ...)

Element Management System (EMS) Element Management System (EMS)

QoS policy

provisi-

oning

Policy Decision Point

Fault and

performance

management

QoS policy

provisioning

Policy

repository

Fault and

performance

management

LDUP, SNMP

COPS, SNMP, CLI

COPS, SNMP, CLI

Policy Decision Point Policy Decision Point

Network Element

Policy Enforcement Point

Network Element

Policy Enforcement Point

Network Element

Policy Enforcement Point

Policy

repository