FCAPS is a network management functional model defined by ITU-T and ISO in specification M.3400. It partitions the network management into five functional areas: network device and application fault management, network device and application configuration management, network utilization and accounting management, network performance management, and security management.

• Fault Management: To detect, log, notify users of, and (to the extent possible) automatically fix network problems to keep the network running effectively. Because faults can cause downtime or unacceptable network degradation, fault management is perhaps the most widely implemented of the ISO network management elements.
• Configuration Management: To monitor network and system configuration information so that the effects on network operation of various versions of hardware and software elements can be tracked and managed.
• Accounting Management: To measure network utilization and activities of individual or group uses on the network for the purpose of network usage regulation and billing.
• Performance Management: To measure and make available various aspects of network performance for network performance monitoring and optimization. The network performance variables include network throughput, user response times, and line utilization.
• Security Management: To control access to network resources so that the network cannot be sabotaged and sensitive information can only be accessed by those with authorization.

FCAPS is an extension of the popular network management conceptual frameworks called Telecommunication Management Network (TMN), which describes network management in 4 layers. Each TMN layer needs to perform some or all FCAPS functions in certain ways.

There are many network management technologies and protocols which address some of the FCAPS functions. Popular technologies include the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) defined by IETF. Another popular protocol is the Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) and Common Management Information Service (CMIS) defined by ISO.

Network Management FCAPS and TMN Model

Network Management FCAPS and TMN Model

Related Terms: FCAPS,Network Performance,Fault Management,Security Management,Configuration Management,Accounting Management,TMN

Reference Links:
http://www.itu.int: Specification Documents M.3000, M.3400