Customer control and management in a multi-controller environment

The author discusses the extension of CCM (customer control and management) capabilities to allow customers to control networks which span multiple control areas. A three-layer CCM control architecture is described, along with the functionality of each of its elements. The architecture addresses the three key attributes: ability to access the entire network from one user terminal, autonomy within control areas, and well defined, open intercontroller interfaces. The information passing between the control and the proposed interface protocols is also described. An example illustrates how the multi-control-area CCM concept will work