scope:

This standard defines Functional Element (FE) and Network Element (NE) reliability-related terminology, metrics, and features for evolving communications networks. The term reliability-related refers to "reliability, availability, maintainability and survivability." The standard is applicable to any layer 1 to 8 FE and NE.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to define a modernized and expanded set of reliability-related terminology, metrics, and feature definitions to facilitate the setting of clear, consistent and complete objectives. The intent is to have a standard that is non-implementation specific. The nomenclature and methodology defined is technology agnostic and not implementation specific.

This standard:

1. Specifies reliability-related objectives: Service Providers may use this standard to set reliabilityrelated requirements and Vendors may use this standard as input to product planning and design.

2. Compare objectives, predictions and actual reliability-related metric values for different Solutions: This standard may be used to characterize, compare and contrast reliability Solutions in a consistent way.

3. Facilitates risk management of critical reliability-related feature development: The design parameters of critical reliability-related features can be reported to the Service Provider by reporting outputs from the development process such as predictions and test results.

4. Facilitates tracking reliability-related in-service field performance: Vendors and Service Providers can track actual performance and compare them against objectives to drive corrective and preventive action plans.