| ==Phrack Inc.== | |
| Volume Three, Issue 26, File 2 of 11 | |
| Computer-Based Systems for Bell System Operations | |
| by | |
| Taran King | |
| This file contains a variety of operating systems in the Bell System. | |
| Some of them are very familiar to most people and others are widely unknown. | |
| Each sub-section gives a brief description of what the computer system's | |
| functions are. | |
| Table Of Contents: | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| I. TIRKS | |
| a. COC | |
| b. E1 | |
| c. F1 | |
| d. C1 | |
| e. FEPS | |
| II. PICS | |
| III. PREMIS | |
| IV. TNDS | |
| a. EADAS | |
| b. EADAS/NM | |
| c. TDAS | |
| d. CU/EQ | |
| e. ICAN | |
| f. LBS | |
| g. 5XB COER | |
| h. SPCS COER | |
| i. SONDS | |
| j. CU/TK | |
| k. TSS | |
| l. TFS | |
| m. CSAR | |
| V. SCCS | |
| VI. COEES | |
| VII. MATFAP | |
| VIII. Various Operating Systems | |
| IX. Acronym Glossary | |
| TIRKS (Trunks Integrated Records Keeping System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| TIRKS is the master record-keeping system for the network. It | |
| supports network operations related to growth and change in the network by | |
| providing accurate records of circuits and components that are in use and | |
| available for use. It was developed to mechanize the circuit-provisioning | |
| process. Two circuit-provisioning aspects are applied: daily circuit | |
| provisioning and current planning. | |
| Daily circuit provisioning is processing orders to satisfy customer | |
| needs for special service circuits and processing orders initiated for message | |
| trunks and carrier systems for the PSTN. The process begins at various | |
| operations centers and ends up at the CPCs (Circuit Provision Centers) which | |
| track orders, design circuits, and assign the components using TIRKS. It also | |
| prepares work packages and distributes them to technicians working in the field | |
| who implement them. | |
| Current planning determines the equipment and facility requirements | |
| for future new circuits. It apportions forecasts for circuits among the circuit | |
| designs planned for new circuits. | |
| TIRKS consists of five major interacting component systems: COC | |
| (Circuit Order Control system), E1 (Equipment system), F1 (Facility system), C1 | |
| (Circuit system), and FEPS (Facility and Equipment Planning System). | |
| o COC controls message trunk orders, special-services orders, and | |
| carrier system orders by tracking critical dates throughout the | |
| existence of an order as it flows from the source to the CPC and on | |
| to the field forces. It provides management with the current status | |
| of all circuit orders and provides data to other TIRKS component | |
| systems to update the assigned status of equipment, facilities, and | |
| circuits as orders are processed. | |
| o C1 is the heart of TIRKS. It automatically determines the types of | |
| equipment required for a given circuit, assigns the equipment and | |
| facilities needed, determines levels at the various transmission | |
| level points on the circuit, specifies the test requirements, and | |
| establishes circuit records for the circuits. All records of | |
| circuits already installed are kept in C1 for future additions or | |
| changes. | |
| o E1 is one of the two major inventory component systems in TIRKS. | |
| It contains equipment inventory records, assignment records, and | |
| pending equipment orders. The records show the amount of spare | |
| equipment that is available and equipment's circuit identification. | |
| o F1 is the other of the major inventory component systems. It | |
| contains cable and carrier inventory and assigns records. | |
| o FEPS supports the current planning process which determines the | |
| transmission facilities and equipment that will be required for new | |
| service. It uses data in E1, F1, and C1 as well as other forecasts | |
| to allocate existing inventories efficiently, to determine future | |
| facility and equipment requirements, and to update planning | |
| designs. | |
| TIRKS uses IBM-370 compatible hardware and direct-access storage | |
| devices. It provides benefits to the BOCs through improved service to | |
| customers, capital and expense savings, and better management control. | |
| PICS (Plug-in Inventory Control System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| PICS is the mechanized operations system developed for the efficient | |
| management of large amounts of equipment inventories. It assists with both | |
| inventory and materials management. Inventory managers establish corporate | |
| policies for the types of equipment and for equipment utilization, assist | |
| engineering organizations in introducing new types of equipment while phasing | |
| out older types, and set utilization goals that balance service objectives and | |
| carrying charges on spare equipment. Material managers work to achieve | |
| utilization goals by acquiring spare equipment for growth and maintenance | |
| purposes. They also administer a hierarchy of locations used for storing spare | |
| equipment. | |
| PICS/DCPR (PICS with Detailed Continuing Property Records) administers | |
| all types of CO equipment. The DCPR portion of PICS/DCPR serves as a detailed | |
| investment database supporting accounting records for all types of CO plug-in | |
| and "hardwired" equipment. PICS/DCPR accomplishes its goals of increasing | |
| utilization, decreasing manual effort, and providing a detailed supporting | |
| record for phone company investment through software, databases, administrative | |
| procedures, and workflows. | |
| Two new functional entities are created in the BOC first: PIA | |
| (Plug-In Administration) and the central stock. PIA is the materials manager | |
| and is responsible for acquiring equipment, distributing it as needed to field | |
| locations, repairing it, and accounting for it. The central stock is a | |
| warehouse where spare equipment is consolidated and managed. | |
| There are five subsystems in PICS/DCPR: | |
| o Plug-in inventory subsystem - maintains order, repair, and | |
| inventory records for all types of plug-in equipment. | |
| o Inventory management subsystem - provides the PIA with mechanized | |
| processes to assist in various tasks. | |
| o Plug-in DCPR subsystem - provides processes required to maintain | |
| investment records for plug-in units. | |
| o Hardwired DCPR subsystem - maintains detailed accounting records | |
| for hardwired CO equipment. | |
| o Reference file subsystem - provides and maintains reference data | |
| used by all other subsystems. | |
| PICS/DCPR runs on IBM-compatible equipment with the IBM Information | |
| Management System database manager. It interfaces with TIRKS as well as a few | |
| other circuit-provisioning systems. | |
| PREMIS (PREMises Information System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| PREMIS provides fast, convenient access to information needed to | |
| respond to service requests. It was developed in response to the need for | |
| address standardization. It has three mechanized databases: address data, a | |
| credit file, and a list of available telephone numbers. It also serves a | |
| function to the LAC (Loop Assignment Center), called PREMIS/LAC. PREMIS/LAC is | |
| an extension of the address database and provides for the storage of outside | |
| plant facility data at each address entry. | |
| PREMIS supports the following service representative tasks: | |
| o Determining the customer's correct address. The address related- | |
| and address-keyable information is the major feature of PREMIS. | |
| If an input request does not contain an accurate or complete | |
| address, PREMIS displays information that can be used to query the | |
| customer. The address database allows PREMIS to give the full | |
| address and information about the geographic area which includes WC | |
| (Wire Center), exchange area, tax area, directory group, and the | |
| service features available for that area. It also displays | |
| existing or previous customer's name and telephone number, modular | |
| jacking arrangement at the address, and an indication of whether a | |
| connect outside plant loop from the address back to the CO was left | |
| in place. If service was discontinued at the site, the reason for | |
| disconnect and the date of disconnect are also displayed. | |
| o Negotiating service features. PREMIS indicates the service | |
| features that can be sold at that address, providing useful | |
| information for discussing these with a customer. | |
| o Negotiating a service date. If it indicates that an outside plant | |
| loop back to the CO has been left in place, PREMIS allows for | |
| earlier installation as no installer will need to visit the site. | |
| o Checking a customer's credit status. PREMIS maintains a | |
| name-keyable file of customers with outstanding debts to the | |
| telephone company. If there is a match in the database, the | |
| customer's file is displayed. | |
| o Selecting a telephone number. There is a file in PREMIS listing | |
| all available telephone numbers from which service representatives | |
| request numbers for a specific address. The available telephone | |
| numbers are read from COSMOS (COmputer System for Mainframe | |
| OperationS) magnetic tape. | |
| PREMIS/LAC has a feature called DPAC (Dedicated Plant Assignment | |
| Card). Records of addresses where outside plant loop facilities are dedicated | |
| are organized and accessed by address by the LAC through DPAC. | |
| PREMIS is an on-line interactive system whose prime users are service | |
| representatives interacting with customers. It uses the UNIVAC 1100 as its | |
| main computer. It has network links to various other computer systems, too, | |
| to obtain various pieces of information that are helpful or necessary in | |
| efficiently completing service functions. | |
| TNDS (Total Network Data System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| TNDS is actually a large and complex set of coordinated systems which | |
| supports a broad range of activities that depend on accurate traffic data. It | |
| is more of a concept that incorporates various subsystems as opposed to a | |
| single computer system. It consists of both manual procedures and computer | |
| systems that provide operating company managers with comprehensive, timely, and | |
| accurate network information that helps in analysis of the network. TNDS | |
| supports operations centers responsible for administration of the trunking | |
| network, network data collection, daily surveillance of the load on the | |
| switching network, the utilization of equipment by the switching network, and | |
| the design of local and CO switching equipment to meet future service needs. | |
| TNDS modules that collect and format traffic data usually have | |
| dedicated minicomputers which are at the operating company's Minicomputer | |
| Maintenance (Operations) Center (MMOC/MMC). Other modules generate engineering | |
| and administrative reports on switching systems and on the trunking network of | |
| message trunks that interconnects them. These mostly run on general-purpose | |
| computers. Still others are located in AT&T centers and are accessed by | |
| various operating companies for data. | |
| The functions of TNDS are carried out by various computer systems | |
| since TNDS itself is just a concept. These subsystems include EADAS, EADAS/NM, | |
| TDAS, CU/EQ, LBS, 5XB COER, SPCS COER, ICAN, SONDS, TSS, CU/TK, TFS, and CSAR. | |
| The following sections cover these systems briefly. | |
| EADAS (Engineering and Administrative Data Acquisition System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| EADAS is the major data collecting system of TNDS and runs on a | |
| dedicated minicomputer at the NDCC (Network Data Collection Center). Each | |
| EADAS serves up to fifty switching offices. The 4ESS and No. 4 XBAR both have | |
| their own data acquisition systems built into the switch and they feed their | |
| data directly to other TNDS component systems that are downstream from EADAS, | |
| thereby bypassing the need for EADAS on those switches. EADAS summarizes data | |
| collected for processing by downstream TNDS systems and does so in real-time. | |
| EADAS is used by network administrators to determine quality of service and to | |
| identify switching problems. It also makes additional real-time information | |
| available to these administrators by providing traffic data history that covers | |
| up to 48 hours. This data history is flexible through the module NORGEN | |
| (Network Operations Report GENerator) so that administrators can tailor their | |
| requests for information to determine specifics. Information from EADAS is | |
| forwarded to other downstream systems in TNDS via data links or magnetic tape. | |
| EADAS/NM (EADAS/Network Management) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| EADAS/NM is one of the three TNDS systems that EADAS forwards traffic | |
| data downstream to either by data links or magnetic tape. EADAS/NM uses data | |
| directly from EADAS as well as receiving data from those switching systems | |
| which do not interface with EADAS previously mentioned. It monitors switching | |
| systems and trunk groups designated by network managers and reports existing or | |
| anticipated congestion on a display board at local and regional NMCs (Network | |
| Management Centers). It is used to analyze problems in near real-time to | |
| determine their location and causes. EADAS/NM provides information that | |
| requires national coordination to the AT&T Long Lines NOC (Network Operations | |
| Center) in Bedminster, NJ which uses it's NOCS (NOC System) to perform | |
| EADAS/NM-like functions on a national scale. Like EADAS, EADAS/NM uses | |
| dedicated minicomputers to provide interactive real-time response and control. | |
| TDAS (Traffic Data Administration System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The second of three TNDS systems that is downstream from EADAS is TDAS | |
| which formats the traffic data for use by most of the other downstream systems. | |
| It accepts data from EADAS, local vendor systems, and large toll switching | |
| systems on a weekly basis as magnetic tape. It functions basically as a | |
| warehouse and distribution facility for the traffic data and runs a batch | |
| system at the computation center. Correct association between recorded traffic | |
| data and the switching or trunking elements is the result of shared information | |
| between TDAS and CU/EQ. Data processed through TDAS is matched against that | |
| stored in CU/EQ. The data is summarized weekly on magnetic tape or printout | |
| and is sent for use in preparation of an engineering or administrative report. | |
| CU/EQ (Common Update/EQuipment) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| CU/EQ is a master database which stores traffic measurements taken by | |
| TDAS and it shares information with TDAS, ICAN and LBS. As said before, | |
| correct association between recorded traffic data and the switching or trunking | |
| elements is due to the shared information between CU/EQ and TDAS. It runs as a | |
| batch system in the same computer as TDAS and is regularly updated with batch | |
| transactions to keep it current with changes in the physical arrangement of CO | |
| switching machines which ensures that recorded measurements are treated | |
| consistently in each of the reporting systems that use CU/EQ records. | |
| ICAN (Individual Circuit ANalysis) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The final of the three systems downstream from EADAS is ICAN, which | |
| also uses data directly from EADAS but uses CU/EQ for reference information. | |
| It is a CO reporting system which detects electromechanical switching system | |
| faults by identifying abnormal load patterns on individual circuits within a | |
| circuit group. ICAN produces a series of reports used by the NAC (Network | |
| Administration Center) to analyze the individual circuits and to verify that | |
| such circuits are being correctly associated with their respective groups. | |
| LBS (Load Balance System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| LBS is a batch-executed system that helps assure the network | |
| administrator that traffic loads in each switching system are uniformly | |
| distributed. It analyzes the traffic data to establish traffic loads on each | |
| line group of the switching system. The NAC uses the resulting reports to | |
| determine the lightly loaded line groups to which new subscriber lines can be | |
| assigned. LBS also calculates load balance indices for each system and | |
| aggregates the results for the entire BOC. | |
| 5XB COER (No. 5 Crossbar Central Office Equipment Reports) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The 5XB COER provides information on common-control switching | |
| equipment operation for different types of switching systems. It is a | |
| batch-executed system that runs on a BOC mainframe that analyzes traffic data | |
| to determine how heavily various switching system components are used and | |
| measures certain service parameters. It calculates capacity for the No. 5 | |
| Crossbar. Network administrators use 5XB COER reports to monitor day-to-day | |
| switching performance, diagnose potential switching malfunctions, and help | |
| predict future service needs. Traffic engineers rely on reports to assess | |
| switching office capacity and to forecast equipment requirements. It produces | |
| busy hour and busy season reports so service and traffic load measurements can | |
| be most useful in predictions. | |
| SPCS COER (Stored-Program Control Systems Central Office Equipment Reports) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The SPCS COER is basically the same as the 5XB COER as it too monitors | |
| switching system service and measures utilization in the same manners as | |
| mentioned above. The essential differences between the 5XB COER and the SPCS | |
| COER are that the latter calculates capacity for 1ESS, 2ESS, and 3ESS switching | |
| offices as opposed to the No. 5 Crossbar switch and SPCS COER is an interactive | |
| system that runs on a centralized AT&T mainframe computer. | |
| SONDS (Small Office Network Data System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| SONDS collects its own data from small step-by-step offices | |
| independently of EADAS and TDAS. It performs a full range of data manipulation | |
| functions and provides a number of TNDS features economically for smaller | |
| electromechanical step-by-step offices. The data collected is directly from | |
| the offices being measured. It processes the data and automatically | |
| distributes weekly, monthly, exception, and on-demand reports to managers at | |
| the NACs via dial-up terminals. SONDS runs on an interactive basis at a | |
| centralized AT&T mainframe computer. | |
| CU/TK (Common Update/TrunKing) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| CU/TK is a database system that contains the trunking network | |
| information and as well as other information required by TSS (Trunking | |
| Servicing System) and TFS (Trunk Forecasting System). The CU/TK is regularly | |
| updated by CAC (Circuit Administration Center) by personnel to keep it current | |
| with changes in the physical arrangements of trunks and switching machines in | |
| the CO. For correct trunking and switching configuration in the processing by | |
| TSS and TFS, this updating process, which includes maintaining office growth | |
| information and a "common-language" circuit identification of all circuits for | |
| individual switching machines, ensures that traffic data provided by TDAS will | |
| be correctly associated. | |
| TSS (Trunk Servicing System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| TSS helps trunk administrators develop short-term plans and determine | |
| the number of circuits required in a trunk group. Data from TDAS is processed | |
| in TSS and the offered load for each trunk group is computed. Through offered | |
| load calculation on a per-trunk-group basis, TSS calculates the number of | |
| trunks theoretically required to handle that traffic load at a designated grade | |
| of service. TSS produces weekly reports showing which trunk groups have too | |
| many trunks and which have too few that are performing below the | |
| grade-of-service objective. Trunk orders to add or disconnect trunks are made | |
| by the CAC after they use the information provided through TSS. | |
| TFS (Trunk Forecasting System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| TFS uses traffic load data computed by TSS as well as information on | |
| the network configuration and forecasting parameters stored in the CU/TK | |
| database for long-term construction planning for new trunks. TFS forecasts | |
| message trunk requirements for the next five years as the fundamental input to | |
| the planning process that leads to the provisioning of additional facilities. | |
| CSAR (Centralized System for Analysis and Reporting) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| CSAR is designed to monitor and measure how well data is being | |
| processed through TNDS. It collects and analyzes data from other TNDS systems | |
| and provides operating company personnel at NDCCs, NACs, and CACs with | |
| quantitative measures of the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the TNDS | |
| data flow as well as the consistency of the TNDS record bases. CSAR also | |
| presents enough information to locate and identify a data collection problem. | |
| CSAR summarizes the results of its TNDS monitoring for the company as input to | |
| the TPMP (TNDS Performance Measurement Plan) which is published monthly by | |
| AT&T. CSAR runs as a centralized on-line interactive system at an AT&T | |
| computer center. Its data is placed into special files, which, at the end of a | |
| CSAR run, are merged and transferred to the AT&T computer center. CSAR | |
| performs the proper associations and analyzes each system's results. These | |
| results are obtained by company managers via dial-up and they can be arranged | |
| in a number of formats that provide details on overall TNDS performance or | |
| individual system effectiveness. Specific problems can also be identified | |
| through these reports. | |
| The following is a diagram of data flow among TNDS systems: | |
| *Trunk Network Reporting Systems* | |
| |-> TSS ----------------------> TFS | |
| * Data*| ^ ^ | |
| *Acquisition*| %_______ _______/ | |
| * Systems*| %-CU/TK-/ | |
| _________ | | |
| | |-->EADAS | | |
| |Switching| Alt. | | |
| |Systems | Systems| * Central Office * | |
| |_________|% | / *Reporting Systems* *System Performance * | |
| | % %->TDAS-------------------------- *Measurement Systems* | |
| | % | %_______ | | | | |
| | % EADAS | LBS 5XB SPCS .............CSAR | |
| | % | | / COER COER . | |
| | EADAS/NM CU/EQ-< . | |
| | % . | |
| | ICAN SONDS . | |
| | ^ . | |
| |__________________________________| Selected data from | |
| other TNDS Systems | |
| SCCS (Switching Control Center System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The Switching Control Center (SCC) was created to centralize the | |
| administration, maintenance, and control of the 1ESS switching system. By | |
| using the remote-interaction interfacing of the MCC (Master Control Center), | |
| which is a frame of equipment in a 1ESS system that indicates the current state | |
| of the office equipment, the SCC functions as the centralized maintenance | |
| center for the switch. | |
| At the SCC, a minicomputer system called the CSS (Computer Sub-System) | |
| is added and along with the equipment units that remote the MCC, it makes up | |
| the SCCS. The CSS can support a number of SCCs. Generally, the CSS is located | |
| in the MMOC. Basically, a number of switches are handled by each SCC and the | |
| various SCCs are handled by the CSS. | |
| The SCCS contains maintenance and administrative data that is sent | |
| directly from the switches. Through the SCCS, a technician can remotely operate | |
| the MCC keys on the switches hooked up to it as well as perform any available | |
| command or task supported by the switch. The SCCS can handle up to 30 or more | |
| offices although usually only 15 or so are handled per SCC. This number | |
| depends also on the size of the offices and the amount of data that is | |
| transmitted. | |
| Major alarms that sound at a switching office set off alarms at the | |
| SCC within seconds and it also causes an update of the status of the office on | |
| the critical indicator panel and it displays a specific description of the | |
| alarm condition on a CRT alarm monitor at a workstation. Software enhancements | |
| to the SCCS fall into four broad classes: | |
| o Enhanced Alarming - Besides alarms sounding, incoming data can | |
| generate failure descriptions for easy interpretation and | |
| real-time analysis techniques. | |
| o Interaction with Message History - Using past information on a | |
| switch's troubles, the SCCS allows pertinent information on a | |
| specific switch to be provided in case of an alarm. | |
| o Mechanization of Craft Functions - Certain conditions no longer | |
| need to be looked into directly. If an alarm goes off, the SCCS | |
| can perform routine tests and fix the problem as best it can or | |
| else, if that doesn't work, a trouble ticket is issued. | |
| o Support for Switch Administration - Through the SCCS, data can be | |
| sent automatically to different operations centers as well as | |
| other operations systems which require data from the switches. | |
| Since the original SCCS came into operation, many changes have taken | |
| place. The current SCCS supports all of the entire ESS family of switches as | |
| well as network transmission equipment and it also can maintain several | |
| auxiliary processor systems, like TSPS (Traffic Service Position System) and | |
| AIS (Automatic Intercept System), and supports network transmission equipment. | |
| COEES (Central Office Equipment Engineering System) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| COEES is a time-sharing system that runs on a DEC PDP-10. It is the | |
| standard system for planning and engineering local switching equipment. COEES | |
| contains component systems for Step-By-Step, Crossbar, 1/1AESS, and 2/2BESS | |
| switching systems, each of which has a different capability. | |
| The COEES database stores information obtained from forecasts for each | |
| local switching office on number of lines of all types, number of trunks of all | |
| types, average call rate per line and trunk, average usage per line and trunk, | |
| and all features, signaling types, etc. that are required. COEES determines | |
| the quantity of each type of equipment in the office needed to satisfy the | |
| forecasted load at objective service levels, determines an estimated price for | |
| engineering, procuring, and installing the equipment addition needed to reach | |
| the require level, and then it sums up the costs of doing it eight different | |
| ways for the network designer to review. The system also takes into account | |
| varying parameters like call rate or proportion of lines with certain features | |
| which is called sensitivity analysis. | |
| With the information provided by the COEES forecast, the designer can | |
| then make a recommendation. After a decision is made on the recommendation, | |
| COEES prints out an order so that the additional equipment can more quickly and | |
| easily be obtained. | |
| COEES also puts out a report called call store on a 1ESS, which tells | |
| the engineer and the equipment supplier how much memory to allocate to | |
| different functions in the switch depending on inputs that the engineer | |
| provides to the system. | |
| MATFAP (Metropolitan Area Transmission Facility Analysis Program) | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| MATFAP is a computer program that aids in facility planning. It | |
| analyzes the alternatives available to the operating company for its future | |
| transmission equipment and facilities using present worth of future expenses | |
| and other measures. | |
| By combining trunk and special-service circuit forecasts with | |
| switching plans, network configuration, cost data, and engineering rules, | |
| MATFAP can identify what transmission plant will be needed at various locations | |
| and when it will be needed. It also determines economic consequences of | |
| specific facility and/or equipment selections as well as routing choices and it | |
| provides the least-cost assignment of circuits to each facility as a guide to | |
| the circuit-provisioning process. It is oriented towards metropolitan networks | |
| and facilities/equipment found in those regions. | |
| MATFAP provides two benefits. It helps automate the transmission- | |
| planning process and it takes into account economies that cannot be identified | |
| by restricted analysis. It also balances circuit loads on high-capacity | |
| digital lines with additional multiplex equipment. Data from MATFAP is edited | |
| through RDES (Remote Data Entry System). | |
| Various Operating Systems | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| The following is a list of other operating systems used by the Bell System with | |
| brief descriptions: | |
| ATRS (Automated Trouble Reporting System) - aids in the analysis of trouble | |
| %%%% reports by sorting, formatting, forwarding, and examining them from | |
| the entire country for standard errors | |
| BOSS (Billing and Order Support System) - allows access to customer records, | |
| %%%% CN/A, bill adjustments, and information routing | |
| CAROT (Centralized Automatic Reporting On Trunks) - operations system that | |
| %%%%% tests a trunk on electromechanical and electronic switching systems | |
| and sends its findings to a remote computer terminal | |
| CATLAS (Centralized Automatic Trouble Locating and Analysis System) - an | |
| %%%%%% operations system that automates trouble location procedures that | |
| identify faulty circuit packs in a switch when trouble is detected | |
| and diagnosed | |
| CMDS (Centralized Message Data System) - analyzes the AMA tapes to determine | |
| %%%% traffic patterns | |
| COSMOS (COmputer System for Mainframe OperationS) - stores the full inventory | |
| %%%%%% of telephone numbers | |
| CRIS (Customer Records Information System) - contains the customer billing | |
| %%%% database | |
| CRS (Centralized Results System) - a management information system that | |
| %%% automates the collection, analysis, and publication of many | |
| measurement results | |
| CUCRIT (Capital Utilization CRITeria) - used mainly for project economic | |
| %%%%%% evaluation and capital budgeting and planning | |
| DACS (Digital Access Cross-connect System) - remote digital access for testing | |
| %%%% of special-service circuits in analog or digital form | |
| EFRAP (Exchange Feeder Route Analysis Program) - used in planning of the loop | |
| %%%%% network | |
| IFRPS (Intercity Facility Relief Planning System) - also like MATFAP but deals | |
| %%%%% with radio and coaxial cable as opposed to voice-frequency facilities | |
| IPLAN (Integrated PLanning And Analysis system) - used mainly for project | |
| %%%%% economic evaluation | |
| LMOS (Loop Maintenance Operations System) - maintenance outages on loops | |
| %%%% remotely by a service employee | |
| LRAP (Long Route Analysis Program) - like EFRAP, used in planning of the loop | |
| %%%% network | |
| LSRP (Local Switching Replacement Planning system) - a system used in the | |
| %%%% planning of wire centers | |
| NOTIS (Network Operations Trouble Information System) - aids in the analysis | |
| %%%%% of trouble reports | |
| NSCS (Network Service Center System) - at the NSC, aids in the analysis of | |
| %%%% trouble reports | |
| OFNPS (Outstate Facility Network Planning System) - similar to MATFAP but | |
| %%%%% contains a decision aid that identifies strategies for the | |
| introduction of digital facilities in a predominantly analog network; | |
| rural transmission facility network planning | |
| RDES (Remote Data Entry System) - allows for remote editing of on-line | |
| %%%% computer data | |
| RMAS (Remote Memory Administration System) - changes translations in the | |
| %%%% switching systems | |
| SARTS (Switched Access Remote Test System) - accessed to perform sophisticated | |
| %%%%% tests on most types of special-service circuits | |
| SMAS (Switched Maintenance Access System) - through the use of relays, | |
| %%%% provides concentrated metallic access to individual circuits to | |
| permit remote access and testing by SARTS | |
| TASC (Telecommunications Alarm Surveillance and Control System) - an alarm | |
| %%%% program that identifies the station and transmits it back to the | |
| central maintenance location | |
| TCAS (T-Carrier Administration System) - an operations system responsible for | |
| %%%% T-carrier alarms | |
| TCSP (Tandem Cross Section Program) - a program for analysis of traffic | |
| %%%% network planning | |
| TFLAP (T-carrier Fault-Locating Application Program) - a subprogram of | |
| %%%%% Universal Cable Circuit Analysis Program which analyzes networks with | |
| branches, multiple terminations and bridge taps | |
| Acronym Glossary | |
| %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% | |
| AIS Automatic Intercept System | |
| AMA Automatic Message Accounting | |
| ATRS Automated Trouble Reporting System | |
| BOSS Billing and Order Support System | |
| C1 Circuit system | |
| CAC Circuit Administration Center | |
| CAROT Centralized Automatic Reporting On Trunks | |
| CATLAS Centralized Automatic Trouble Locating and Analysis System | |
| CMDS Centralized Message Data System | |
| CPC Circuit Provision Center | |
| CO Central Office | |
| COC Circuit Order Control | |
| COEES Central Office Equipment Engineering System | |
| COSMOS COmputer System for Mainframe OperationS | |
| CRIS Customer Records Information System | |
| CRS Centralized Results System | |
| CRT Cathode-Ray Tube | |
| CSAR Centralized System for Analysis and Reporting | |
| CSS Computer SubSystem | |
| CUCRIT Capital Utilization CRITeria | |
| CU/EQ Common Update/EQuipment system | |
| CU/TK Common Update/TrunKing system | |
| DACS Digital Access and Cross-connect System | |
| DPAC Dedicated Plant Assignment Card | |
| E1 Equipment system | |
| EADAS Engineering and Administrative Data Acquisition System | |
| EADAS/NM EADAS/Network Management | |
| EFRAP Exchange Feeder Route Analysis Program | |
| ESS Electronic Switching System | |
| F1 Facility system | |
| FEPS Facility and Equipment Planning System | |
| 5XB COER No. 5 Crossbar Central Office Equipment Report system | |
| ICAN Individual Circuit ANalysis | |
| IFRPS Intercity Facility Relief Planning System | |
| IPLAN Integrated PLanning and ANalysis | |
| LAC Loop Assignment Center | |
| LBS Load Balance System | |
| LMOS Loop Maintenance Operations System | |
| LRAP Long Route Analysis Program | |
| LSRP Local Switching Replacement Planning system | |
| MATFAP Metropolitan Area Transmission Facility Analysis Program | |
| MCC Master Control Center | |
| MMC Minicomputer Maintenance Center | |
| MMOC Minicomputer Maintenance Operations Center | |
| NAC Network Administration Center | |
| NDCC Network Data Collection Center | |
| NMC Network Management Center | |
| NOC Network Operations Center | |
| NOCS Network Operations Center System | |
| NORGEN Network Operations Report GENerator | |
| NOTIS Network Operations Trouble Information System | |
| NSCS Network Service Center System | |
| OFNPS Outstate Facility Network Planning System | |
| PIA Plug-In Administrator | |
| PICS Plug-in Inventory Control System | |
| PICS/DCPR PICS/Detailed Continuing Property Records | |
| PREMIS PREMises Information System | |
| PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network | |
| RDES Remote Data Entry System | |
| RMAS Remote Memory Administration Center | |
| SARTS Switched Access Remote Test System | |
| SCC Switching Control Center | |
| SCCS Switching Control Center System | |
| SMAS Switched Maintenance Access System | |
| SONDS Small Office Network Data System | |
| SPCS COER Stored-Program Control System/Central Office Equipment Report | |
| TASC Telecommunications Alarm Surveillance and Control system | |
| TCAS T-Carrier Administration System | |
| TCSP Tandem Cross Section Program | |
| TDAS Traffic Data Administration System | |
| TFLAP T-Carrier Fault-Locating Applications Program | |
| TFS Trunk Forecasting System | |
| TIRKS Trunks Integrated Records Keeping System | |
| TNDS Total Network Data System | |
| TPMP TNDS Performance Measurement Plan | |
| TSPS Traffic Service Position System | |
| TSS Trunk Servicing System | |
| WC Wire Center | |
| ______________________________________________________________________________ | |
| Recommended reference: | |
| Bell System Technical Journals | |
| Engineering and Operations in the Bell System | |
| Phrack IX LMOS file by Phantom Phreaker | |
| Phrack XII TNDS file by Doom Prophet | |
| Various COSMOS files by LOD/H, KOTRT, etc. | |
| Completed 3/17/89 | |
| ______________________________________________________________________________ | |