Open EMS Suite by Nokia

Managed Object Framework

Functional Overview
Version 1.2

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Managed Object Framework

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Contents

Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................................................5
1.1 Support for the dynamics of today’s networks and services ....................5
1.2 Configuration management ......................................................................5

2 Functionality of Managed Object Framework......................................7

2.1 Overview ..................................................................................................7
2.2 Network modelling..................................................................................10
2.2.1 CM Basic adaptation ..............................................................................11
2.2.2 CMUI adaptation ....................................................................................13
2.3 Deployment of CM adaptations in MOF .................................................14
2.4 MOF Desktop tools.................................................................................15
2.4.1 Object Explorer.......................................................................................17
2.4.2 Object Editor ..........................................................................................18
2.4.3 Network View .........................................................................................18
2.5 MOF interfaces.......................................................................................21
2.5.1 CM Adaptation Interface.........................................................................22
2.5.2 CM South Mediation Interface................................................................22
2.5.3 CM access interfaces .............................................................................23

3 Technical features................................................................................25
3.1 Scalability and availability.......................................................................25
3.2 Security ..................................................................................................25

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Introduction

1 Introduction

1.1 Support for the dynamics of today’s networks and

services
Managed Object Framework (MOF) is a scalable, easily extensible, and
standards based solution for network topology and configuration data.
MOF provides a complete set of interfaces for accessing, importing, and
exporting managed objects and metadata.
Powerful graphical user interfaces – MOF Desktop tools – provide
comprehensive visualisation and comfortable editing of the data stored
in MOF.
MOF offers the ability to adapt to changes in the network structure and
to add new network element types and versions without developing new
software. Instead, model extensions (metadata) adapt MOF to changes
in the network. In this way, MOF fully supports the Open EMS Suite
instant adaptation concept.
MOF is multi-vendor, multi-service, and multi-technology enabled. It can
be used to model, store, and edit data on all TMN layers, from element
to service models, and it can handle services from radio and fixed
access to core technologies.
This enables you to manage topology, resources and services in line
with the quickly changing structure and contents of today’s networks.

1.2 Configuration management

Management Object Framework provides the most important building
blocks for configuration management (CM) systems and the means to

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reflect the complex dependencies within configuration data of network

elements.
MOF acts as the integration point between the different FCAPS domains
of Open MES Suite: models and instance data maintained by MOF is
available also in PM (for reporting, for example), FM (alarm correlation),
and your own CM applications.

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2 Functionality of Managed Object

Framework

2.1 Overview

Figure 1. Managed Object Framework components in Open EMS Suite

MOF is part of the Open EMS Suite Application Platform. It also provides
plug-ins for Adaptation SDK (CM Basic & CM User Interface adaptation

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fragments described in Chapter 2.2) and offers a set of open interfaces

as described in Chapter 2.5.

Instant adaptation
MOF has been designed to adapt to new network elements with
metadata. The metadata describing various aspects of a network
element type is called adaptation. Adaptations are processed at run
time by the Open EMS Suite software. This feature is called instant
adaptation, because it enables you to develop and deploy new
adaptations with minimum effort and minimum interruption in the run-
time system.
Instant adaptations improve release synchronisation and quick
integration of new network elements.

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Figure 2. Instant adaptation

Typical steps in creating an adaptation for a new network element

release and in deploying it with MOF could be as follows:
1. Create a model of the new network element release containing all
required attributes, constraints, relationships, and so on, with your
favourite UML-modelling tool.
2. Optionally, adjust data visualisation by modifying the configuration
management user interface (CMUI) file.
3. Deploy the new adaptation from the SDK to the Open EMS Suite
server.

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4. Perform a network upload or use Object Creation Wizard to create

new object instances.
5. Use the MOF Desktop tools to display and modify the stored
objects.
Support for instant adaptation in combination with the comprehensive
modelling capabilities of MOF provide Open EMS Suite customers with a
versatile solution to cope with today’s challenges in the network
management domain.

2.2 Network modelling

In the heart of any management solution stands the model of the
resources or services that have to be managed by the system.
In many cases, the object model is tightly built into management
systems. This means that the systems only work with the model for
which they have been designed for (3GPP, for example), and all
resources within the network have to be squeezed into this fixed model –
whether it suits the purpose or not.
Implicit assumptions about the object model mean that the applications
and interfaces need to be hardcoded. Consequently, later changes to
the object model are very expensive or virtually impossible, due to the
high effort needed in order to change the implicit model.

MOF goes a different way

In order to provide customers with a highly flexible and adaptable
configuration management and network topology infrastructure, no
assumptions about the underlying object model have been made in the
design of MOF. Instead, MOF has an explicit metamodel that describes
the concepts applicable for the creation of object models. Accordingly
MOF can support standardised object models like 3GPP or your own
existing models.

MOF metamodel based on UML

The MOF metamodel is based on the UML class model and supports the
key techniques of object-oriented modelling, including:
• (object) classes
• attributes
• inheritance
• relationships

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In addition, advanced features of the UML model are supported, such as

derived relationships, packages, containment, multiple inheritance,
annotations, and model merging.

Complex network and resource models

The support of the most important object-oriented modelling concepts
simplifies the object model creation significantly. In today’s converging
networks the models can become quite large and complex in the attempt
to represent all manageable objects and their associations.
The maintenance and further development of such object models also
becomes much easier with the help of concepts described above: For
example, if all object classes in a model need additional attributes, such
as licence string or additional name field, these strings only need to be
added to the parent object class and not to each derived object class
separately.

Simplified modelling – Adaptation SDK

Adaptation SDK supports you in creating adaptations, so that it is easy
even without software engineering background. The SDK checks the CM
model constraints and consistency when you create an adaptation.
Possible constraint violations are immediately shown in the problem list.
A complete CM adaptation consists normally of two files:
• CM Basic adaptation (CMB)
• CM User Interface adaptation (CMUI)
The CM Basic adaptation file describes the physical and logical objects
residing in the network. The CMUI adaptation file configures the
graphical representation of the objects in the MOF Desktop tools.

2.2.1 CM Basic adaptation

The CM Basic (CMB) adaptation represents a basis for other

applications provided by Open EMS Suite, since other adaptation
fragments (FMB, PMB, CMUI, and so on) normally reference to the
hierarchy tree of object classes (containment hierarchy) provided by
CMB.

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Figure 3. CM Basic adaptation

Adaptation SDK offers access to all modelling features by the CM Basic

metamodel. Besides the already mentioned features (attributes,
inheritance, and relationships), there are also the following.

Multiple inheritance with attribute groups

This feature allows grouping of several attributes to represent often used
patterns: once an attribute group is defined, you can re-use it by
inheritance. This feature not only saves effort when creating new
adaptations, but it also helps to keep complex models well-structured
and maintainable.
A typical example for an attribute group would be an “Ethernet Interface”
containing IP-address, network mask, default gateway, and MAC
address attributes.

Constraints
CMB offers a predefined set of constraints. You can use them to define
simple constraints, for example the string length of an attribute that is
used to limit the user input in GUI tools.

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Extensibility with annotations

CMB offers the possibility to add annotations to adaptations. These
annotations can be used to transfer additional information that is not
captured by the model into applications built on top of Open EMS Suite.
You can use the annotations for example for object attributes that
require a special character set, and therefore a different representation
in graphical user interfaces. In general, annotations make it easy to build
your own metadata driven applications on top of MOF.

Model merging
Like in UML, model merging can be used to merge parts of models
originating from different organisation units. For example, one part of
your organisation might be responsible for topology (containment and
other relationships), and another for detailed parameters. Model merging
allows you to decouple the development and deployment of both parts of
the model while still presenting a coherent, merged model to the end-
user.

2.2.2 CMUI adaptation

The CMUI adaptation creates an object class specific configuration into

MOF Desktop tools.
You can define the following:
Icons for the object classes - CMUI supports the assignment of
different icons in GIF format for an object class. Different sizes for
representation in different applications are supported.
Menus per object class - When certain tools are often used in
combination with a certain object class, the respective menus can be
assigned to the objects. You can open the menus assigned this way with
right-click on the object.
Launch actions per object class - This powerful feature allows you to
create object specific launch commands. The launch commands can
contain metadata tags that are replaced by the object’s attribute values
(for example the IP-address of the object), when the launch is selected.
By linking a CMUI adaptation to a base class object (for example
ManagedObject), all derived objects can be initialised with a set of
“default” menu entries and launch actions, so that it is not necessary to
define these items for each adaptation separately.

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Figure 4. CMUI adaptation

2.3 Deployment of CM adaptations in MOF

The zipped CM adaptations are transferred via HTTP from Open EMS
Suite SDK to the Add-on Manager and stored into the server’s file
system. The Adaptation Manager unzips the adaptation and triggers the
Deployment Controller for the various adaptation fragments.
MOF uses two dedicated deployment controllers to enable easy
deployment and run-time activation of CM adaptations:
• CM Basic Deployment Controller - The CM Basic Deployment
Controller analyses the CMB file and stores adaptation data into
the database. It uses an RDB Manager to create the database
schema for storing object instance data accordingly.
• CMUI Deployment Controller - The CMUI Deployment Controller
generates Layer XML files of the CMUI adaptation. The Layer XML
files are downloaded via Java Web Start by the desktop clients at
startup.

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Figure 5. MOF adaptation deployment

Alternatively, adaptations can be deployed into a file system folder from

where the adaptation manager retrieves them.
In both deployment methods the CMB and the CMUI Deployment
Controllers run the same constraint and consistency checks as in the
SDK to ensure that corrupted adaptations are not entered to the system.

2.4 MOF Desktop tools

Integration of MOF Desktop tools into Desktop Framework ensures that
the following features facilitate intuitive tool navigation and collaboration:
• Bookmark support – Bookmarks can be set on tools and views.
You can click on the saved bookmarks instead of navigating
through the menus to launch a regularly used tool or network view.
• Forward and backward navigation in subwindows – Desktop
Framework tracks the order in which you open desktop windows.
In a web browser, for example, you can navigate back and forth
through the opened windows by clicking on navigation arrows.
• Drag and drop functionality supported – You can use drag and
drop functionality between the Desktop Framework tools. This

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saves you from several mouse-clicks when you are for example
copying objects from one tool to another or launching the Network
View tool with a specific view.
• Automated software update – Each time the Desktop Framework
is started, it checks for software versions on the Open EMS Suite
server. If the software versions on the client PC are older than on
the server, the latest versions are uploaded via Java Web Start
and are automatically deployed by the client PC.
• Tooltips provided when selected by mouse – Like in most
modern graphical user interfaces, a tooltip is displayed for as long
as you hold the cursor on a menu item.

Figure 6. Service sharing with tool integration in Desktop Framework

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Functionality of Managed Object Framework

2.4.1 Object Explorer

Object Explorer displays the object hierarchy based on containment

relationship. Starting from the root object, the hierarchy can be explored
by opening child-level branches of the underlying tree.
Object Explorer allows having specific view angles to the hierarchy
displayed. You can choose to display the hierarchy model under the
corresponding physical locations (sites) or grouped by other logical
relations (maintenance regions, for example).

Figure 7. Object Explorer

In addition to the pure tree hierarchy, the browser can display attributes
of the corresponding objects. The result is a mixture of tree and table
display that you can arrange freely.
Object Explorer also provides a quick search functionality that finds
objects and their attributes within the visible area when you type in
attribute and object names or values.

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2.4.2 Object Editor

Object Editor provides two features:

a) Object Creation Wizard
Launch the Object Creation Wizard with a right-click on a parent object
in the Object Explorer. The wizard then guides you through the
necessary steps for creating a child object to the parent. You can also
launch the Object Creation Wizard from the File menu. In this case the
Wizard creates a new root object.
b) Property Editor
Property Editor is used to modify object attribute values. The modelled
constraints in the CMB adaptation are then checked before the values
are changed. To change the attribute values you need appropriate user
rights.

2.4.3 Network View

The Network View tool enables you to gain control over the whole
network. It provides hierarchical and scalable views over the entire
managed network. The graphical views allow drilling down from a
network-wide overview to the lowest modelled elements. In the upper
level views, you can quickly visualise the general topology of the
managed network. The detailed relationships between objects are
shown when you move to a subview.
In order to maintain the required overview, Network View supports
zooming and panning of views. Contained objects and the associated
text are zoomed with the views. Depending on the zoom level, objects,
labels, and decorations can be hidden away.
Views can be linked to subviews that typically model a specific aspect of
a network, or to a part of it with a higher level of details.

Visualising object state information

Plug-ins from other Open EMS Suite applications can add different
decorations to an icon or change the color of an icon in order to show
the status of objects. Status information provided by MOF:
• Note existing (Coming functionality) – The Network View tool
offers the possibility to store free text comments for each object
instance, much like paper notes. The existence of such comment
is visualised with decorations that are attached to the object icon.
• Subview existing /subview state – If an object has a subview
below it, this is shown with a decoration. A double-click on the icon
opens the respective subview.

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Example: Fault Management Platform plug-ins

• The Open EMS Suite Fault Management Platform provides an
alarm status plug-in for the Network View: view based alarm and
status monitoring displays the alarm status of an object with
different colours. The alarm with highest severity determines the
colour. Symbols attached to the object icon give further information
on object states, such as administrative state, alarming state,
operational state, or active filtering due to ongoing maintenance
work.

Figure 8. Comprehensive status information provided by Network View

Launch actions and menus

You can initiate user actions by selecting the objects with right-click. The
pop-up menu opens, and you can select service actions as configured
with the CMUI adaptation. The menus and launch actions shown depend
on what tools you have available.

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2.4.3.1 Network View Editor

Network View Editor is a tool that allows the construction of views.
These views can have both logical and geographical representation.
When editing a view, you can drag and drop objects from the Object
Explorer into the view and place them freely into the view pane. It is also
possible to draw lines between objects to represent connections or use
other geometric shapes to mark logical associations. If required, you can
add background bitmaps, polygon lines, and text to complete the view.
Network View Editor also supports the creation of subviews.

Figure 9. Network View Editor

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2.4.3.2 View Explorer

View Explorer is a tool for visualising the view hierarchy with subviews. It
shows the views as folders, which helps to acquire a better overview on
the existing set of views.

Figure 10. Quick Search option in View Explorer

View Explorer provides also search functionality to find views according

to different aspects, such as contained objects. You can select a view for
manipulation or display different attributes of a chosen view in the
Properties window.

2.5 MOF interfaces

MOF provides interfaces for easy integration into element management
solutions.

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Figure 11. MOF interfaces

2.5.1 CM Adaptation Interface

This interface comprises the previously introduced files CM Basic and

CM User Interface. The interface is used whenever a new network
element, technology, or service is introduced in MOF.

2.5.2 CM South Mediation Interface

CM South Mediation Interface is an XML interface for mass data loading

from object instances via southbound interfaces. It provides
asynchronous data file loading from the file system, and the file format is
Open Configuration Standard (OCoS).
This interface can be used to implement CM upload (or discovery)
operation: the upload component queries the network and afterwards
creates an OCoS file that reflects the current network configuration.

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2.5.3 CM access interfaces

You can use CM access interfaces to access the data and metadata
stored into the MOF database.

2.5.3.1 OSS Inventory API (CM Access Java API)

OSS Inventory API is the main access interface for Java based
applications and therefore named in Open EMS Suite as CM Access
Java API. This interface implements the OSS Inventory API as specified
by the OSS through Java™ Initiative.

2.5.3.2 CM Access SQL API

CM Access SQL API provides generic SQL read access to the object
instance data stored in MOF. This interface is used by applications
implemented in other programming languages than Java (for example in
Perl or C++). It can be used for reading object instances and it
comprises a wide range of object queries.

2.5.3.3 CM Meta Access Java API

In order to enable you to implement your own metadata driven
applications, MOF provides read access to the metadata inserted into an
Open EMS Suite based system via CMB adaptations.
Additionally, the Java API provides information on the database mapping
to clients.
The CM Meta Access Java API is closely aligned with the OSS/J
common specification.

2.5.3.4 MOF Business Logic Extension Point

MOF manages the life cycle of managed objects. It is able to track
exactly which objects are being created, modified, and deleted. The
MOF Business Logic Extension point allows you to hook Enterprise Java
Beans into the life cycle management and get them called, in case a
managed object is created, modified, or deleted.
The interface can be used to implement, for example, the following
features on top of MOF:
• Network element operations: if you want every managed object
modification to result in immediate changes on the network
element, you can use this interface to trigger your provisioning
logic.
• Capacity limitation: if you want to limit the number of object
instances, you can use this interface to disallow new object
creation.

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• Dependent data update: if you have additional data outside of

MOF that is related to MOF data, you can use this interface to get
notified about MOF data changes and consequently update your
own data. Examples include aggregated data like “How many
objects with a certain property exists?” or additional data, that
should be created/deleted also in case MOF data is created or
deleted.
Technically, this interface is realized with JPreference based
configuration data and RMI call-backs. By using fine-grained
configuration data, you can specify the situations where you want to be
notified. Needless call-backs can be thus avoided, which guarantees
high system performance. Using RMI ensures that the user identity and
transactions context of MOF are transferred to your component, making
the solution more robust and secure.

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3 Technical features

3.1 Scalability and availability

As MOF is a shared component for most other Open EMS Suite
components, scalability and availability got intensive attention when
designing MOF.
MOF is fully J2EE-based and supports clustered J2EE configurations.
Consequently, MOF can be scaled in several ways, including up-scaling
(more CPUs per nodes), out-scaling (more nodes), and down-scaling
(running MOF inside a single Java Virtual Machine). This also means
that MOF supports the availability features of the J2EE application
server, including fail-over.

3.2 Security
MOF may contain sensitive corporate information, including network
element passwords, service configurations and locations.
Therefore, access to MOF data requires proper authentication and
authorisation. Authentication is handled via J2EE authentication, making
it impossible for persons without credentials to execute MOF business
logic. Once you have been authenticated, you can use authorisation to
restrict MOF data modifications by other people.

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