Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm

Status Viewer, Function Description

FACILITY DESCRIPTION

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Copyright

© Copyright Ericsson AB 2007-2008. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer

No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the written
permission of the copyright owner.

The contents of this document are subject to revision without notice due to
continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall
have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use
of this document.

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 Contents

Contents

1 About This Document 1

1.1 Purpose 1
1.2 Target Group 1
1.3 Prerequisites 1
1.4 Typographic Conventions 2

2 Overview 3

3 Description 7
3.1 Alarm Status Matrix 7
3.2 Alarm List Viewer 10
3.3 Alarm Log Browser 14
3.4 Commands for Searching Alarms 17
3.5 Alarm Status Viewer 17

Glossary 21

Reference List 23

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 About This Document

1 About This Document

This chapter contains the following parts:

• Purpose

• Target groups

• Prerequisites

• Typographic conventions

1.1 Purpose
This document describes the following application components within the Fault
Manager:

• Alarm Status Matrix - ASM

• Alarm List Viewer - ALV

• Alarm Log Browser - ALB

• Alarm Status Viewer - ASV

1.2 Target Group

The intended target groups for this document are:

• Users who supervise a telecommunications network

• System administrator responsible for administration and maintenance of

the application

1.3 Prerequisites
It is assumed that the user of this document:

• Is familiar with OSS

• Has root authority to perform the tasks in this document

• Is familiar with Sun workstations and window-based computer interfaces

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 Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm Status Viewer, Function Description

1.4 Typographic Conventions

The typographical conventions for all CPI in OSS RC are found in Reference [2].

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 Overview

2 Overview

The Fault Manager receives alarms from objects in the supervised

telecommunications networks, translates the alarm information to a standard
format, and logs the alarms.

It is possible to view the alarms with the Alarm Viewer and the Alarm Status
Viewer.

The purpose of the Alarm Status Viewer is to give a graphical overview of the
current alarm situation in the supervised telecommunications network.

The Alarm Status Viewer presents the current alarm status in the GNIP
(Geographical and Logical Network Information Presentation) framework, which
provides both maps showing each managed object at its geographical position,
and views showing the logical relation between managed objects.

The process is described in Figure 1.

The Alarm Viewer consists of three applications with graphical user interfaces:

• Alarm Status Matrix

• Alarm List Viewer

• Alarm Log Browser

A command for searching alarms is also available described in Section 3.4

on page 17.

With the Alarm Status Matrix, you can overview the current alarm situation
in a network in a compressed view. The Alarm Status Matrix is described in
Section 3.1 on page 7.

With the Alarm List Viewer, you can view details of the current alarms, also
handle these alarms and search the alarm log. The Alarm List Viewer is
described in Section 3.2 on page 10.

With the Alarm Log Browser, you can search for specific alarms in the alarm
log and view details and statistics of these alarms. The Alarm Log Browser is
described in Section 3.3 on page 14.

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 Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm Status Viewer, Function Description

GNIP Viewer Window Fault Manager

users

Alarm Other Fault Manager

Status Presentation
Viewer Functions

Current alarms

Fault Manager
Kernel Log of all alarms

Fault Manager Translation

Mediation to alarm records
Functions

Network
generating
alarms

Figure 1 Alarm Status Viewer

With the commands for searching alarms, you can also search for specific
alarms in the alarm log and view details and statistics of these alarms. The
commands for searching alarms are described in Section 3.4 on page 17.

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 Overview

User

Alarm Viewer

Alarm List Alarm Status Alarm Log Commands for

Viewer Matrix Browser searching alarms

Current alarms All alarms

Fault Manager Log of

Kernel all alarms

Fault Manager Translation of

Mediation Functions alarms to a
standard format

Network
generating
alarms
Figure 2 The Alarm Viewer In Its Context

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 Description

3 Description

3.1 Alarm Status Matrix

The Alarm Status Matrix allows the user to do the following:

• Supervise objects, see Section 3.1.1 on page 7

• Configure the user interface, see Section 3.1.2 on page 9

• Start related functions, see Section 3.1.3 on page 9

• Synchronize the objects, see Section 3.1.4 on page 10.

3.1.1 Supervising Objects in the Alarm Status Matrix

The Alarm Status Matrix is the starting point for alarm supervision. It displays
the current status for a network or a part of a network. The Alarm Status Matrix
shows the alarm status for a number of objects in a space efficient matrix. The
user is notified when any change occurs in the alarm status of an object.

Groups of monitored managed objects are shown as well as status information

related to those objects. By using management groups the congregate alarm
status for a number of objects can be shown.

By default the matrix consists of nine cells (three rows and three columns).
Rows and columns can be added manually. Each cell can contain a managed
object or group, viewed in detailed view mode or compact view mode. See
the figure below.

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 Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm Status Viewer, Function Description

Menu bar Toolbar

Matrix

Status bar Detailed View Mode Compact View Mode

Figure 3 Alarm Status Matrix Windows

It is possible to customize the information in the cells concerning which

severities to be shown, the name style and whether the number of alarms
are shown or not.

A managed object in detailed view mode is represented of an object symbol, a

name and two arrays which show the unacknowledged and the active alarms.
See the figure below.

Unacknowledged Alarms

Object Symbol Object Name

Active Alarms
Figure 4 Managed Object In The Matrix In Detailed View Mode With Default
Configuration

A managed object in compact view mode shows only the highest severity level
of the alarms. See the figure below.

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 Description

Unacknowledged Alarms

Object Symbol

Object Name

Active Alarms
Figure 5 Managed Object In The Matrix In Compact View Mode With Default
Configuration

3.1.2 Configuring the User Interface

The user can define personal configurations of the Alarm Status Matrix window.
When saving a configuration, the user can define that configuration to be
default.

The user interface is configurable to the following levels of detail:

• Toolbar

• Number of Rows and Columns

• Moving Objects in the Matrix

• Alarm Information

• Object Information

• Notification

• Inclusion of Subordinate objects

• Column Width

• Select the Managed Objects

3.1.3 Starting Related Functions

The user can select objects and start other applications with the selected
objects in focus.

• Alarm List Viewer, where the user can see details about current alarms and
acknowledge alarms, see Section 3.2 on page 13.

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• Alarm Log Browser, where the user can search among all alarms in the
alarm log, see Section 3.3 on page 16.

3.1.4 Synchronization

A synchronization updates the alarm information in the Fault Manager to make

this information consistent with the alarm situation in the managed object.

Normally the Fault Manager continuously receives alarm information from the
managed objects. The following situations require that a synchronization is
ordered:

• A new managed object is defined in the Information Model Manager.

• The alarm list in the Fault Manager might differ from the alarm list in the
managed object, for example, after a link fault.

Synchronization is automatically performed when a heartbeat failure is cleared,

provided that the automatic synchronization is set to On for that object.

3.2 Alarm List Viewer

The Alarm List Viewer allows the user to do the following:

• Viewing alarms, see Section 3.2.1 on page 10

• Viewing alarm details, see Section 3.2.2 on page 12

• Viewing related alarms, see Section 3.2.3 on page 12

• Acknowledging observation of the alarms, see Section 3.2.4 on page 12

• Adding comments to the alarms, see Section 3.2.5 on page 12

• Clearing alarms manually, see Section 3.2.6 on page 13

• Mailing, printing, storing, and copying alarm information, see Section 3.2.7
on page 13

• Starting related functions, see Section 3.2.8 on page 13

• Searching Alarm Log, see Section 3.2.9 on page 13

3.2.1 Viewing Alarms

The Alarm List Viewer window shows the alarms which have not been
both acknowledged and cleared from one or several objects in the
telecommunications network. The Alarm List Viewer window consists of one
or several List Frames. Every List Frame can display alarms from different
managed objects. By using filters, the user can specify which kind of alarm is

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 Description

shown in each Alarm List. For example, the user can have unacknowledged
alarms in one Alarm List and acknowledged alarms in another Alarm List.

Menu bar

Toolbar

List Frame with

one Alarm Log
List
Topology Pane

List Frame with

one Alarm List

List Frame with

two Alarm Lists

Figure 6 Alarm List Viewer With Two List Frames Showing Alarms From Two Different
Managed Objects

The Alarm List includes the following:

• Name of the Managed Objects

• Number of Alarms

• Summary of the Alarms that have Passed its Filters

• Alarm Severity

• Update Status

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 Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm Status Viewer, Function Description

• Filters

• Alarm List Viewer Configurations

• Toolbar

3.2.2 Viewing Alarm Details (Expanding Alarms)

Each List Frame can have an Expanded Alarm area, where the user can view
all details about selected alarms. It is also possible to let all List Frames share
an Expanded Alarm area. The Expanded Alarm area is in these two cases
updated dynamically every time the user selects new alarms. The user can also
view the expanded alarm information in a new frame. This information is static.

3.2.3 Viewing Related Alarms

A displayed alarm can be related to other, not displayed, alarms. With the
Alarm List Viewer, the user can view the history of an alarm by displaying its
related alarms. The related alarms can be of the following kinds:

• Previous alarm, that is, the alarm which has been replaced by the current
alarm. Repeated alarms and alarm clearings have previous alarms.

• Other related alarms, for example, the alarms which are correlated with the
current alarm by the Fault Management Expert (FMX) application.

If the related alarms are related to yet other alarms, these can also be displayed.

3.2.4 Acknowledging Alarms

To confirm that an alarm is observed and that actions are taken to get the
fault corrected, a user with the proper authority can acknowledge the alarm.
When acknowledging an alarm, the time and user identity are added to the
alarm information.

If an alarm has been acknowledged by mistake, a user with the proper authority
can undo the acknowledgement. When undoing an alarm acknowledgement,
the time and user identity are added to the alarm information.

3.2.5 Adding Comments to Alarms

The user can add comments to the alarms. Together with the comment, the
time and user identity are added to the alarm information. The Comment Entry
field is shared by all List Frames.

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 Description

3.2.6 Clearing Alarms

Most managed elements send an alarm clearing to the Fault Manager as an
indication that the fault no longer exists.

In case an Alarm List contains an alarm from a network element or other

managed object which does not send alarm clearings to the Fault Manager, a
user with the proper authority can manually clear the alarm in order to remove
the alarm from being displayed in the Alarm List Viewer. When clearing an
alarm manually, the time is added to the alarm information.

3.2.7 Mailing, Printing, Storing and Copying Alarm Information

The user can select alarms and mail, print and store the alarm information in
the following formats:

• Summary format, the alarm attributes shown in the Alarm List

• Expanded format, the alarm attributes shown in the Expanded Alarm area

• Standard format, all alarm attributes in a format standardized within the

Fault Manager system

It is possible to copy the alarm information in the standard format, completed

with the name of the system handling the managed object and paste the copy
in other applications.

3.2.8 Starting Related Functions

The user can select alarms and start other applications, customer defined
actions and proposed repair actions.

The Alarm List Viewer has a predefined interface to the Alarm Log Browser,
where the user can search among all alarms in the alarm log.

There is also an interface from the Alarm List Viewer towards the ALEX library.

An example of a customer defined action is that an e-mail with information

about the selected alarms is sent to a predefined e-mail address.

An example of a proposed repair action is that a certain sequence of commands

is sent to the managed element that generated the alarm.

3.2.9 Searching Alarm Log

The user can search the alarm log by selecting an alarm in the Alarm List or
one or several Managed Objects in the Topology or Personal Groups.

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The search result is displayed in an Alarm Log List. The Alarm Log List is
similar to the Alarm List except it has a grey background and is static, that
means it's a snapshot from when the search was initiated and will not be
updated with any incoming alarms.

The user can mail, print, store and copy the alarms from the Alarm Log List.

3.3 Alarm Log Browser

The Alarm Log Browser allows the user to do the following:

• Select user interface, see Section 3.3.1 on page 14

• Specify a search, see Section 3.3.2 on page 15

• View the search result as individual alarms, see Section 3.3.3 on page 16

• View the search result as alarm statistics, see Section 3.3.4 on page 17

It is also possible to mail, print and store the search result.

3.3.1 Selecting User Interface

The alarms to be searched for, and the format of the search result, are specified
on the Search Configuration area. In the Search Configuration area, two user
interfaces are available:

• A wizard interface

• A conventional interface

With the wizard interface, the user guided step by step when specifying which
alarms to be searched for and how the search result is presented. With the
conventional interface, the user can specify which alarms to be searched for
and how the search result is presented on a number of tabs.

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 Description

Search Configuration area,

Search Configuration area,
Conventional User Interface
Wizard User Interface

Search Result Area

Figure 7 Alarm Log Browser, Conventional And Wizard Interfaces

3.3.2 Specifying a Search

When specifying which alarms to be searched for, the user specifies the
time interval and the managed objects of interest. The user can further limit

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the search by applying filters. Alarms from the specified managed objects
and time interval, matching at least one of the applied filters, are included in
the search result.

3.3.2.1 Filters

Each filter can be a combination of alarm attribute values. For most alarm
attributes, the alarm attribute values can be chosen in a list. If an attribute value
is a text string, you can use the wildcard characters ‘*’ (matches zero or more
characters) and ‘?’ (matches one character).

3.3.3 Viewing the Search Result as Individual Alarms

The search result can be displayed as individual alarms. The user can select
which alarm attributes to be displayed and the sort order of the alarms.

Individual alarms can be displayed in the following formats:

• Expanded, that is, individual alarms are displayed with each alarm attribute
on one row.

• Tab separated, that is, individual alarms are displayed with each alarm
attribute separated by the <TAB> character. This format is suitable for use
in spreadsheet programs.

• Standard alarm text, that is, individual alarms are displayed in a format
standardised within the Fault Manager.

The example below shows individual alarms, displayed in the tab separated
format. The alarms are primarily sorted on time, with the oldest alarm on
top, secondarily on severity, with the most severe alarm on top and thirdly
on object name.

Table 1 Search Result Example

Date Severity Object Specific
problem
2004-05-15 Critical East Group switch
traffic restrictions
2004-05-15 Warning South System restart
2004-05-16 Warning South System restart
2004-05-16 Warning West External alarm
receiver blocked
2004-05-17 Major East EM manually
blocked
2004-05-17 Warning South System restart

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 Description

3.3.4 Viewing the Search Result as Alarm Statistics

The search result can be displayed as alarm statistics of the following kinds:

• single attribute statistics

• double attribute statistics

• time interval statistics

3.4 Commands for Searching Alarms

With the commands for searching alarms, the user can view details and
statistics of all alarms. By using these commands together with the Unix
cron function, reports can be generated automatically on a regular basis, for
example, every week or every month.

When specifying which alarms to be searched for, the user specifies the
time interval and the managed objects of interest. The user can further limit
the search by specifying filters. Alarms from the specified time interval and
managed objects, matching at least one of the specified filters, are included in
the search result. Each filter can be a combination of alarm attribute values. All
alarm attributes can be used for filtering.

If an attribute value is a text string, it is possible to use the wildcard characters

* (matches zero or more characters) and ? (matches one character). The
conditions which can be used for different types of alarm attribute values are
are for example ‘=’ ‘<‘ or ‘blank’.

It is possible to view the search result in the following presentation formats:

• Individual alarms, see Section 3.3.3 on page 16

• Alarm statistics, see Section 3.3.4 on page 17

3.5 Alarm Status Viewer

This chapter describes functions of the Alarm Status Viewer, as follows:

• Presented information, see Section 3.5.1 on page 17

• Functions for users, see Section 3.5.2 on page 18

• Functions for system administrators, see Section 3.5.3 on page 19

3.5.1 Presented Information

The Alarm Status Viewer informs the user about the following:

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 Fault Manager, Alarm Viewers and Alarm Status Viewer, Function Description

• Managed objects

• Alarm status

• New alarms

• Supervision status

• Synchronization status

The figure below shows how the Alarm Status Viewer presents the alarm status
in the GNIP Viewer window.

Figure 8 Alarm Status In The Gnip Viewer Window

3.5.2 Functions for Users

The functions available to the users are of the following kinds:

• Presentation functions

• Object handling functions

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 Description

3.5.2.1 Presentation Functions

The presentation functions concerns how the alarm status and other information
is presented on the screen. The user can select the following:

• Which map layers and symbol layers are displayed

• Which objects are displayed (all objects, only objects with alarms, or only
objects with not acknowledged alarms)

• Which severity levels are displayed

• How the alarm status is displayed

• How not acknowledged alarms are indicated in the alarm status symbols

• How new alarms are indicated

• Whether notification symbols (that is, the New Alarm, Synchronization

Ordered, and Synchronization Ended symbols), are automatically removed

• The size of object symbols and alarm status symbols

3.5.2.2 Object Handling Functions

The object handling functions concerns the selected object. The user can do
the following:

• Start the Alarm List Viewer for any object, provided this application is
installed. With the Alarm List Viewer, the user can see details about current
alarms, and acknowledge alarms.

• Start the Alarm Log Browser for any object, provided this application is
installed. With the Alarm Log Browser, the user can access all alarms
in the alarm log.

• Order an alarm synchronization for those objects that support

synchronization.

• View the contents of any management group, for example, to see from
which of the group members an alarm comes.

• Other functions can also be available, as defined by the system

administrator.

3.5.3 Functions for System Administrators

The system administrator can do the following to customize the Alarm Status
Viewer:

• Add object handling functions. An example of an object handling function

that could be added is a Command Handling Application, from which the

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user can send commands to a managed element. For more information,

see Reference [3] — FM Basic Functions: Kernel, System Administrator
Guide.

• Define a new colour for each severity level.

• Localize the displayed object names. Each managed object has a name
in Latin characters in the information model, but the name on the label
displayed together with an object can be translated to the characters of
any language.

• Define different symbol layers for different object types. The reason to have
more than one symbol layer for the objects is to provide more flexibility, as
the user then can select which object types are displayed.

If other symbols are desired than the standard symbols provided by the Alarm
Status Viewer, new symbols can be created with the symbol editor included in
the GNIP application.

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 Glossary

Glossary

Refer to Reference [1].

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 Reference List

Reference List

[1] Operations Support System (OSS) Glossary, 0033-AOM 901 017/2

[2] OSS Library Typographic Conventions, 1/154 43-AOM 901 017/4 Uen

[3] Fault Manager Basic Functions, Kernel, System Administrator Guide, ,

1543-APR 901 0092

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