bmk@mvuxi.att.com (Bernard Mckeever) (01/04/90)
The Main Frame, may it rest in peace.
Southern Bell announced last month that they have cut over a central
office that uses 100% optical fiber for interoffice and feeder
facilities. What's more, by using digital cross connect systems, they
have been able to eliminate the MDF. Taken a bit further, although not
mentioned, they have eliminated the Central Office Technician.
With today's Intelligent Network Elements [INE] provisioning and
maintenance tasks are performed from remote operations centers. The
only requirement for a technician [in most cases] is to replace known
bad circuit packs under the direction of a tester or automatic
diagnostic. When the fiber reaches your home, and you own the
terminal adaptor, the outside plant technician will also pass into
history. When this takes place circuit designers will be gone as well.
Can test boards be far behind? Who does that leave?
Before we get too sad let me explain who that leaves. It leaves a
group of technicians that will have one of the most challenging and
rewarding jobs in the industry. They will manage and control the
network using the latest support systems and the newest performance
monitoring equipment. Expert systems will be required because all the
old experts will be gone, but knowledge will be the key factor in the
new network. Tomorrow when something brakes, and it will, automatic
systems will attempt to re-route service but the key to the situation
will be the employee that KNOWS what must be done to restore service.
Today's challenge, for anyone in the industry, is to design, build,
and manage, new technology that will allows us to evolve from todays
mostly digital network to tomorrows intelligent network.
Here's a quick quiz for all you OLD Telco people that worked on large
over crowded MDFs'.
WHAT IS A STICK MAN ?.......
HOW ARE THE HORIZONTALS LABELED ?.......
WHAT DO THE FOLLOWING STAND FOR
A. G&T [SXS]
B. LL [XB5]
C. MG [ESS]
D. CXR
E. DLL
F. TL1,TL2
G. PN1,PN2
H. E,M,SG,SB.
I. 2W 10W BRG
That's it for now. Happy New Year!
Bernie McKeever
598-960-6289