Visualizing Network Element O&M Data
Petri Tilli · Tampere University Institutional Repository (Tampere University) · 2010
Monitoring a telecommunication network's performance means managing its operation and maintenance data. That data consists of fault management and performance management fragments. The aim of this study was to provide new designs for performance and fault management by using information visualization techniques. In earlier network management systems, visualizations could be seen as inadequate or even non-existent. Designs were made based on some well-known information visualization principles and two interactive prototypes were constructed based on couple of designs. This study covers the designs and evaluation of the designs. Research questions were formulated by Nokia Siemens Networks system architects and the success of this study was measured on how well these designs would answer to the questions asked. For evaluation, a user test was organized with 10 participants. Based on the user test, the new performance management visualization concept answered the research questions well. The fault management concept had some problems and answered the questions partially. Both prototypes were accepted as first designs, but further development must be done to make these concepts more useful and practical. Based on the user test, there is a need for information visualization in the network management systems. Asiasanat:information visualization, network management, alarm, performance indicator, fault management, performance management, topology