NM

Network Management

Management
Introduced in Rel-4
Network Management (NM) encompasses the functions, architecture, and interfaces for operating, administering, maintaining, and provisioning a telecommunications network. In 3GPP, it defines standardized principles for fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS) management, ensuring multi-vendor networks can be monitored and controlled effectively.

Description

In the 3GPP context, Network Management (NM) refers to the comprehensive framework of standardized functionalities and interfaces used to manage 3GPP-defined systems, including the Core Network (CN), Radio Access Network (RAN), and User Equipment (UE). It is not a single center but a layered architecture and a set of processes defined across numerous technical specifications (TS), primarily in the 28-series (Management and Orchestration), 32-series (Telecommunication management), and others. The NM framework is based on the FCAPS model (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security Management) and the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) layered model.

The architecture typically involves several logical layers: Network Element (NE) layer, Element Management (EM) layer, and Network Management (NM) layer. The NM layer provides an end-to-end view of the network and manages multiple sub-networks or domains. It communicates with the Element Management Systems (EMS) below it using standardized interfaces, most notably the Itf-N (Northbound Interface) defined using XML-based protocols. Key management functions include performance monitoring (collecting counters and measurements for KPIs), fault management (alarm surveillance and root cause analysis), configuration management (software handling, provisioning), and lifecycle management of network services and slices.

NM works through a set of standardized Information Service (IS) models, which define the managed objects, their attributes, and the notifications they can emit. Managers (NM systems) and Agents (EM systems or NEs) exchange information using protocols like CORBA/IDL in earlier releases and moving towards RESTful APIs and YANG data models in later releases (e.g., for 5G network resource model). The specifications detail everything from requirements (32.1xx series) to protocol-specific mappings (32.3xx and 32.6xx series). This extensive standardization ensures that an operator can integrate management systems from different vendors to manage a heterogeneous network infrastructure.

Purpose & Motivation

The primary purpose of standardizing Network Management in 3GPP is to enable the operational feasibility of multi-vendor mobile networks. Without common management interfaces and information models, each network element vendor would provide proprietary management systems, forcing operators to use dozens of different tools to run their networks. This would be enormously costly, inefficient, and error-prone. Standardized NM solves this by defining how management information is modeled and communicated, allowing for integrated, higher-level operational support systems (OSS).

Historically, management standardization evolved from the ITU-T TMN framework. 3GPP adopted and extended these principles for mobile networks starting from 3G (Release 99/4). The initial focus was on managing the circuit-switched core and radio network. As networks grew more complex with the introduction of IP-based cores (IMS, EPC), packet-switched services, and later virtualized network functions, the NM framework had to evolve dramatically. It addresses the limitations of siloed, vendor-locked management by providing a common language and set of interactions for fault monitoring, performance assurance, software updates, and configuration—critical for maintaining service quality, reducing operational expenditure (OPEX), and enabling new operational paradigms like self-organizing networks (SON) and automated lifecycle management for network slicing in 5G.

Key Features

  • Standardized FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security) management functions
  • Layered TMN-based architecture (NE, EM, NM layers)
  • Defined northbound (Itf-N) and southbound interfaces for multi-vendor interoperability
  • Comprehensive Information Service (IS) models for managed objects
  • Support for performance measurement collection, alarm surveillance, and software management
  • Evolution towards model-driven management (e.g., using YANG) and support for network slicing lifecycle management

Evolution Across Releases

Rel-4 Initial

Introduced foundational 3GPP management specifications, establishing the basic principles, architecture, and requirements for managing UMTS networks. This included initial work on generic network resource models and fault and performance management for the core and radio access network.

TS 21.905TS 23.976TS 28.301TS 28.302TS 28.311TS 28.625TS 28.627TS 28.628TS 28.632TS 28.701TS 28.702TS 28.705TS 28.820TS 32.101TS 32.102TS 32.107TS 32.111TS 32.150TS 32.154TS 32.302TS 32.311TS 32.312TS 32.321TS 32.323TS 32.326TS 32.327TS 32.331TS 32.332TS 32.336TS 32.337TS 32.341TS 32.351TS 32.352TS 32.353TS 32.356TS 32.357TS 32.361TS 32.362TS 32.363TS 32.366TS 32.371TS 32.372TS 32.387TS 32.396TS 32.397TS 32.401TS 32.404TS 32.405TS 32.406TS 32.407TS 32.408TS 32.409TS 32.411TS 32.412TS 32.432TS 32.435TS 32.436TS 32.452TS 32.453TS 32.521TS 32.522TS 32.541TS 32.571TS 32.600TS 32.601TS 32.602TS 32.611TS 32.612TS 32.621TS 32.622TS 32.631TS 32.632TS 32.642TS 32.661TS 32.662TS 32.672TS 32.690TS 32.691TS 32.692TS 32.711TS 32.712TS 32.722TS 32.732TS 32.818TS 32.827TS 32.828TS 32.833TS 32.851TS 32.859TS 52.021

Defining Specifications

SpecificationTitle
TS 21.905 3GPP TS 21.905
TS 23.976 3GPP TS 23.976
TS 28.301 3GPP TS 28.301
TS 28.302 3GPP TS 28.302
TS 28.311 3GPP TS 28.311
TS 28.625 3GPP TS 28.625
TS 28.627 3GPP TS 28.627
TS 28.628 3GPP TS 28.628
TS 28.632 3GPP TS 28.632
TS 28.701 3GPP TS 28.701
TS 28.702 3GPP TS 28.702
TS 28.705 3GPP TS 28.705
TS 28.820 3GPP TS 28.820
TS 32.101 3GPP TR 32.101
TS 32.102 3GPP TR 32.102
TS 32.107 3GPP TR 32.107
TS 32.111 3GPP TR 32.111
TS 32.150 3GPP TR 32.150
TS 32.154 3GPP TR 32.154
TS 32.302 3GPP TR 32.302
TS 32.311 3GPP TR 32.311
TS 32.312 3GPP TR 32.312
TS 32.321 3GPP TR 32.321
TS 32.323 3GPP TR 32.323
TS 32.326 3GPP TR 32.326
TS 32.327 3GPP TR 32.327
TS 32.331 3GPP TR 32.331
TS 32.332 3GPP TR 32.332
TS 32.336 3GPP TR 32.336
TS 32.337 3GPP TR 32.337
TS 32.341 3GPP TR 32.341
TS 32.351 3GPP TR 32.351
TS 32.352 3GPP TR 32.352
TS 32.353 3GPP TR 32.353
TS 32.356 3GPP TR 32.356
TS 32.357 3GPP TR 32.357
TS 32.361 3GPP TR 32.361
TS 32.362 3GPP TR 32.362
TS 32.363 3GPP TR 32.363
TS 32.366 3GPP TR 32.366
TS 32.371 3GPP TR 32.371
TS 32.372 3GPP TR 32.372
TS 32.387 3GPP TR 32.387
TS 32.396 3GPP TR 32.396
TS 32.397 3GPP TR 32.397
TS 32.401 3GPP TR 32.401
TS 32.404 3GPP TR 32.404
TS 32.405 3GPP TR 32.405
TS 32.406 3GPP TR 32.406
TS 32.407 3GPP TR 32.407
TS 32.408 3GPP TR 32.408
TS 32.409 3GPP TR 32.409
TS 32.411 3GPP TR 32.411
TS 32.412 3GPP TR 32.412
TS 32.432 3GPP TR 32.432
TS 32.435 3GPP TR 32.435
TS 32.436 3GPP TR 32.436
TS 32.452 3GPP TR 32.452
TS 32.453 3GPP TR 32.453
TS 32.521 3GPP TR 32.521
TS 32.522 3GPP TR 32.522
TS 32.541 3GPP TR 32.541
TS 32.571 3GPP TR 32.571
TS 32.600 3GPP TR 32.600
TS 32.601 3GPP TR 32.601
TS 32.602 3GPP TR 32.602
TS 32.611 3GPP TR 32.611
TS 32.612 3GPP TR 32.612
TS 32.621 3GPP TR 32.621
TS 32.622 3GPP TR 32.622
TS 32.631 3GPP TR 32.631
TS 32.632 3GPP TR 32.632
TS 32.642 3GPP TR 32.642
TS 32.661 3GPP TR 32.661
TS 32.662 3GPP TR 32.662
TS 32.672 3GPP TR 32.672
TS 32.690 3GPP TR 32.690
TS 32.691 3GPP TR 32.691
TS 32.692 3GPP TR 32.692
TS 32.711 3GPP TR 32.711
TS 32.712 3GPP TR 32.712
TS 32.722 3GPP TR 32.722
TS 32.732 3GPP TR 32.732
TS 32.818 3GPP TR 32.818
TS 32.827 3GPP TR 32.827
TS 32.828 3GPP TR 32.828
TS 32.833 3GPP TR 32.833
TS 32.851 3GPP TR 32.851
TS 32.859 3GPP TR 32.859
TS 52.021 3GPP TR 52.021