FCAPS - Is It Enough?

FCAPS Overview

Let’s first start out with an overview of what FCAPS is. In April of 1997 the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T) released Recommendation M3400. M3400 introduced us to the concept of FCAPS. In this recommendation the ITU–T split the general management functionality offered by management systems into the five key areas of fault, configuration, accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS).

Although the ITU-T initially developed the concept of FCAPS to assist in managing telecommunications networks it was really the International Standards Organization who applied the concept to data networks. ISO delivered the FCAPS Framework called the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Network Management Model as the basis for most network management implementations.

Fault Management
Recognizing problem situations is only the first step in Fault Management. To have an effective Fault Management system also requires the ability to isolate problems to the source, provide notification to the appropriate person(s), and track problems through resolution via a trouble ticketing system.

Configuration Management
Configuration management addresses the essential area of managing device configurations. It is one of the most important ways that a network manager can control the health of the network. By keeping regularly scheduled configuration backups and having carefully controlled implementation and change procedures this can be achieved. Another aspect to consider with configuration management is the ability to track changes that are made to the device configurations.

Accounting Management
Concerns usage statistics and allocation of costs associated with billing for time and services provided by devices and/or resources.

Performance Management
To manage a network effectively requires the ability to track short and long-term network and system statistics. The collected data, which may include utilization, errors, response time, and availability, can be valuable tools when identifying network trends and considering capacity planning.

Security Management
Security Management concerns access rights, data privacy, and auditing security violations. In most implementations, this usually entails controlling access to network hardware components.

FCAPS Shortfall

Now that there is an understanding of what FCAPS is, let’s address any potential shortfalls with the framework. FCAPS was developed as a framework delivering guidelines for managing data networks. FCAPS does an excellent job of managing the technology components associated with data networks. However, there is a significant movement in the industry to align IT with the business initiatives of organizations. In order to move from component level monitoring to service level monitoring it is necessary to elevate above the device level. IT personnel need to understand the interplay of devices and technologies required to support a particular service (e.g. SAP, eCommerce). TMN’s Logical Layered Architecture addresses these service oriented views. TMN is ITU-T’s Recommendation M.3010.

FCAPS also falls short in addressing the required operational processes necessary to run a Service Desk. FCAPS will tell you when you have a problem, but it doesn’t tell you how to address, remediate and resolve the problem. This is where the ITIL standards come into play. ITIL is primarily focused on two key aspects – Service Delivery & Service Management.

For a more in depth review of this topic please go to the following URL to download a white paper titled, ‘FCAPS, TMN & ITIL – Three Key Ingredients to Effective IT Management.’