A model and OSI-based message set for the unified management of testing in communications networks

A model and message set for the management of testing is described which is independent of both the purpose and the nature of the test. It is shown to support a unified end-to-end (i.e., user premises to user premises) testing capability that is independent of equipment, vendor, specific network, and network service. This unifies the traditional telecommunications view of testing with the more recent data communications view, resulting in a message set that is applicable to both common carrier and private networks. The message set is shown to use the open systems interconnection (OSI) common management information services (CMIS) international standard, to be generally applicable between open systems to manage testing, to possess a rich set of features, and to have the ability to be easily extended