Application
Field officers, technicians or technical supervisors from telecommunications carriers, contractors or other service providers apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They conduct network performance analysis routinely to monitor the health of the network and also following network upgrades and new installations. This unit applies to switching, transmission, wireless and optical telecommunications networks. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Analyse network performance to determine service levels | 1.1. Establish network type and quality of service (QoS) standards levels required, in conjunction with equipment suppliers and customer opinion, to determine the benchmark for network performance standards 1.2. Analyse trend analysis data and statistical data to assess the level and type of network degradation 1.3. Conduct performance tests according to established performancechecklist to systematically evaluate the level of QoS using appropriate performance analysis tools 1.4. Analyse test results and determine the QoS levels and network problems 1.5. Establish restoration times in the event of service breakdown 1.6. Determine, organise and allocate resources necessary to monitor service levels |
2. Monitor the integrity of the network | 2.1. Monitor alarm panels and verify message retrieval system on an ongoing basis to maintain network integrity 2.2. Undertake real time analysis of data from all sources to determine network health |
3. Manage the delivery of quality service | 3.1. Conduct monitoring activities to maintain the quality of service level and integrity of the network 3.2. Analyse trouble reports and performance data including customer feedback on a regular basis as an indicator of network performance 3.3. Analyse drive test data as an input to performance and optimise the network to improve network level of service |
4. Analyse problems and organise repair | 4.1. Analyse performance results regularly and initiate investigations when performance levels are below specified standards and recommend network changes 4.2. Analyse causes of problems by testing specific network components 4.3. Isolate problems where possible and escalate repair according to enterprise policy 4.4. Undertake evaluation testing after repair to ensure that the problem has been rectified |
5. Coordinate upgrade of software and hardware | 5.1. Develop strategies to affect changes according to recommendations and produce a plan to coordinate activities 5.2. Produce a cost estimate of proposed change and submit a cost-benefit study for approval 5.3. Confirm shortcomings in hardware and software and negotiate with planners for network modifications 5.4. Evaluate the modifications to ensure network compatibility and use of appropriate protocols providing QoS in the network 5.5. Produce a plan for software and hardware changes to be initiated with minimum network downtime and customer impact 5.6. Undertake tests following upgrade to ensure the level of performance planned as a result of the upgrade has been achieved 5.7. Produce documentation including configuration details and tests results and submit to network planner |
Required Skills
Required skills |
analytical skills to interpret performance tests and make recommendations communication skills to liaise with customers and technical staff to ensure requirements are known and can be met within timeframes literacy skills to interpret technical specifications and related documentation numeracy skills to make calculations on test data for evaluation of network performance planning and organisation skills to develop activity plans and strategies to monitor, repair or upgrade equipment, systems or software problem solving skills to account for unexpected faults or equipment configuration anomalies technical skills to correctly analyse network performance service levels and provide solutions |
Required knowledge |
cost estimation customer: customer policies expectancies service level agreements network: alarms compatibility and interoperability operations performance analysis methodologies performance analysis tools performance tests planning and design principles protocols providing QoS QoS standard levels software and hardware upgrades technologies and architectures of: switching network transmission network technologies of customer network |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: interpret current network performance data monitor the integrity of the network manage the delivery of quality service conduct performance tests using appropriate performance analysis tools analyse problems and organise repair applying escalation procedures, if required, within service assurance guidelines coordinate upgrade of software and hardware. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: site where network performance analysis may be conducted data from organisations involved in planning initiatives range of software currently used in industry relevant regulations, specifications that impact on service measures and forecasting activities. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: review of proposed upgrade strategy prepared by the candidate, outlining cost-benefit analysis, equipment compatibility study and proposed testing routine direct observation of the candidate undertaking a practical monitoring, testing or planning exercise oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of monitoring and testing procedures and types of systems. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplaces and job role is recommended, for example: ICTTEN6043A Undertake network traffic management ICTTEN6045A Implement planned network changes with minimal impact to the customer ICTTEN6047A Manage a common channel signalling network. Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Network type may refer to: | internet protocol (IP) networks: internet protocol TV (IPTV) mesh multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) online games video teleconferencing (VTC) voice over internet protocol (VoIP) web packet switched networks frame relay(FR) asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) optical networks: dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) networks optical Ethernet wireless networks: world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) cellular mobile general packet radio service (GPRS) long term evolution (LTE). |
Quality of service (QoS) is a measurement of: | customer satisfaction level of performance level of quality of service quality of service by the network service response times. |
Customer may include: | communications consultant contractor to a major supplier end users other divisions of the company small, medium or large organisations wholesale service providers. |
Network degradation may refer to: | blockages call drop out congestion connection drop out latency lockouts packet loss poor data transfer rate poor quality of service server performance. |
Performance tests may include: | grade of service (GoS) IP systems: bit rate data throughput delay error probability jitter out of order packet delivery packet dropping mean opinion score (MOS) mean time between failures (MTBF) packet switched network: cross-talk echo frequency response interrupts loss loudness levels service response time signal-to-noise ratio quality of experience (QoE). |
Performancecheck list may include: | compression: disable firewalls: disable software types hardware: central processing unit (CPU) modems routers network service provider: port blocking compression software: applications operating system (OS) test: use test tools trace: use commands tunneling: virtual private network (VPN) verify: connectivity data transfer rate timings. |
Performance analysis tools may include: | network management system protocol analyser software: Linux advanced routing and traffic control bandwidth arbitrator Zeroshell. |
Monitoring activities may include: | customer perception surveys feedback from marketing personnel live tests via alarms network alarms network repair performance levels periodic updates from network management systems real-time performance indicators service levels temporarily connected test equipment trend data. |
Protocols providing QoS may include: | ATM FR next generation home network (G.hn) standard home phoneline networking alliance (Home PNA) - home networking over coax and phone wires Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards: IEEE 802.11e IEEE 802.11p IEEE 802.1p IEEE 802.1Q IP differentiated services (DiffServ) IP integrated services (IntServ) multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) Resource reSerVation Protocol (RSVP) RSVP traffic engineering (RSVP-TE) type of service (TOS) field in the IP header (now superseded by Diffserv). |
Sectors
Unit sector | Telecommunications |
Competency Field
Network planning |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor