Amdocs Cramer &RQILJXUDWRU
Concepts Guide
ED003009 Issue 1.0
Cramer Systems Limited, all its affiliates and subsidiaries were acquired by Amdocs in August 2006. This document contains naming conventions and branding information that is in the process of transition as part of the acquisition. Accordingly, slight inconsistencies may exist within this document and/or b etween this document and other portions of the Cramer Amdocs OSS Division materials or other Amdocs documents. Copyright © AmdoDT. All Rights Reserved. The included software and/or documentation cannot be reproduced, downloaded, downloaded, disseminated, published, transferred, or combined with any other materials, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of Amdocs. The included software may contain and utilize third-party s oftware products. These materials are confidential, and shall be returned to Amdocs upon request. Amdocs reserves the right to revise the included software and/or documentation and to make changes in the content from time to time without notice. The trademarks and service marks of Amdocs, including the Amdocs mark and logo, Ensemble, Enabler, Clarify, Return on Relationship, Intelecable, Collabrent, Intentional Customer Experience, QPASS QPASS and Cramer are the exclusive property of Amdocs, and may not be used without permission. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Cramer Systems Limited, all its affiliates and subsidiaries were acquired by Amdocs in August 2006. This document contains naming conventions and branding information that is in the process of transition as part of the acquisition. Accordingly, slight inconsistencies may exist within this document and/or b etween this document and other portions of the Cramer Amdocs OSS Division materials or other Amdocs documents. Copyright © AmdoDT. All Rights Reserved. The included software and/or documentation cannot be reproduced, downloaded, downloaded, disseminated, published, transferred, or combined with any other materials, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of Amdocs. The included software may contain and utilize third-party s oftware products. These materials are confidential, and shall be returned to Amdocs upon request. Amdocs reserves the right to revise the included software and/or documentation and to make changes in the content from time to time without notice. The trademarks and service marks of Amdocs, including the Amdocs mark and logo, Ensemble, Enabler, Clarify, Return on Relationship, Intelecable, Collabrent, Intentional Customer Experience, QPASS QPASS and Cramer are the exclusive property of Amdocs, and may not be used without permission. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Contents
Contents About this guide
Intended audience. audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Documentation feedback . feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Document structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1
Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter 2
Configurator overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Configurator as part of the"NEPDT$&4$SBNFS044. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Developer tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 3
Key features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Creation and maintenance of metadata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Datasets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Version names for datasets. datasets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Active version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Metadata transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Visualization of metadata. metadata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Color coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Globalization for multiple language support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Metadata library and version management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 4
Configurator technology support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 5
User interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wizards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WebReports. WebReports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 6
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
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Related reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Glossary
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Contents Index
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About this guide
About this guide The purpose of this document is to introduce you to the concepts of the Amdocs Cramer Configurator and to describe its purpose and function. It introduces you to the general features of the Configurator and the main concepts of it s operation within Amdocs Cramer. Two versions of the Configurator are available, the standard version and the advanced option pack. This guide describes the features available in both versions and indicates which functions apply to which version.
Intended audience This guide is intended for readers who are unfamiliar with the Configurator, in order to help them understand its capabilities and t he benefits that can be achieved by using it.
Software information This document reflects both the Configurator and the Configurator (Advanced option pack). Differences between the two products are clearly indicated.
Documentation feedback We value any feedback regarding our documentation. You can send your comments by e-mail to
[email protected].
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About this guide
Document structure This document is divided into the following chapters:
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Chapter No Title
Description
1
Executive summary
A summary of the capabilities of the Configurator in business terms.
2
Configurator overview
An overview of the main features of the Configurator and its integration with$SBNFS044.
3
Key features
How the Configurator works as a data configuration utility.
4
Resource Manager technology support
Describes the technology supported by the Configurator.
5
User interface
Broad explanation of the Configurator user interface.
6
Conclusion
A summary of the Configurator concepts described in this guide.
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Chapter
1
Chapter 1
Executive summary
At the hearUPG$SBNFS044 is the Resource Manager inventory management platform, which enables telecommunications operators to increase their productivity and functional efficiency. The Amdocs Cramer Resource Manager inventory is carefully designed to enable customers to tailor it to their business needs. One of the most important areas of configuration lies in the inventory's network model. Flexibility is provided to enable customers to model network equipment, connectivity and services in a manner most intuitive to their users, and most aligned with their operational needs. This flexibility is delivered out of the box through a layer of configuration data (known as 'metadata'). The metadata also drives user-oriented configuration, such as the authorization of functionality to users, the menus and submenus presented in the Amdocs Cramer user interface and the localization of user interface text into other languages. The Configurator product enables customers or their partners to create and maintain configuration data through a powerful and intuitive user interface. It is an optional component of $SBNFS044. Rapid design and deployment of new services and networks in Amdocs Cramer means customers can respond to market demands and start provisioning and automating delivery at the earliest opportunity.
Configurator capabilities snapshot The Configurator has a number of capabilities, which include the following:
•
State-of-the-art user interface that has the same look and feel as the Resource Manager, enabling you to visualize the metadata
•
Enables configuration without coding
•
Reduces effort and risk, by minimizing the complexity of creating and loading metadata
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Automatically carries out metadata integrity checking
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Based on the industry-standard Oracle RDBMS
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Allows metadata libraries (datasets) to be built away from live data
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Chapter 1 Executive summary •
Version controls to enable you to accurately identify current datasets and see historical development
•
If you have the Configurator (Advanced option pack), multiple datasets can be maintained in one database The standard version of the Configurator supports the maintenance of only one dataset at a time.
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Chapter 2
Configurator overview
Every Amdocs Cramer customer has specific requirements for the network equipment and technology supported in their deployment of Amdocs Cramer software, including the way in which it should be modeled and visualized. Customers also have tailored requirements for their users and user groups in order to ensure that the appropriate functionality is provided to authorized users. In order that the Resource Manager can support these requirements and be fully flexible, it uses a metadata configuration layer. The configuration of the metadata that forms this layer is carried out using the Configurator. The Configurator provides a sophisticated user interface to enable rapid and intuitive manipulation of this metadata layer. For example, typical tasks that you use the Configurator for include:
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To define new device types (from new manufacturers or required for new technologies)
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To define new parts for device types, such as new shelf types, slot types or card types
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To define new device templates, to automate the filling of devices
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To define new templates for cabling and cross connection
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To define new connection types, such as link types and circuit t ypes
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To define new logical configurations, such as location t ypes, service t ypes and subscriber types
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To define new customer-specific attributes for inventory data
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To define which attributes are available on the attributes page of Resource Manager wizards
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To authorize Amdocs Cramer users to execute Amdocs Cramer functionality
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To configure the Cramer Object Model
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To localize $SBNFS044 to one or more different languages
The Configurator is an independent database of metadata that you use to create and maintain metadata for rules and relationships used in the Resource Manager data models, for example, defining templates for new devices of evolving technology. The
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Chapter 2 Configurator overview Configurator has its own user interface with a similar look and feel as other products in $SBNFS044. In this guide you will discover that the Configurator:
•
Allows you to configure metadata without coding or an extensive understanding of the Resource Manager data models, through the use of the wizards.
•
Allows you to visualize your metadata in views.
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Provides you with a sophisticated dataset management function away from live data.
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Allows you to upgrade your metadata for new releases of the Resource Manager and version control your current metadata.
•
Allows you to check the integrity of your metadata.
•
Ensure that your metadata is protected using the same levels of security provided in the Resource Manager.
Configurator as part ofWKH&UDPHU266 The Resource Manager inventory model forms the core of $SBNFS044, as a complete network inventory application. Additionally, Amdocs Cramer has developed a number of tools to support every stage of network resource management. These include:
•
Inventory management tools, which support the Resource Manager in maintaining a complete, accurate and maintained model of network resources.
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Provisioning automation tools, which provide the capability for encapsulating, and then automatically executing, the design and implementation processes.
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Adapters and integration tools, to rapidly integra te Amdocs Cramer products, including the Resource Manager, with external OSS applications.
•
Developer tools, to enhance the processes of building and maintaining inventory data.
The Configurator provides a user interface to guide developers through the process of configuring Resource Manager metadata. Using the Configurator, you can create, modify and delete metadata using libraries of metadata sets. The Configurator supports metadata configuration, that is, the definition of network inventory behavior and vendor-specific device models, without coding. Its sophisticated dataset management and integrity checking capabilities reduce effort and risk, by minimizing the complexity of creating and loading metadata. New network technologies and network equipment upgrades can be rapidly and easily modeled and passed into the inventory, as can additional attributes to existing network objects. A
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide complete history of all metadata changes is maintained, and comparison of different versions supported. The standard version of the Configurator supports the creation of a single dataset. The advanced option supports the partitioning of metadata into multiple datasets and subdatasets. This enables libraries of related or independent metadata to be maintained, ready to be combined in flexible ways for new deployments. Amdocs Cramer has developed a number of tools to support every stage of network resource management, from the initial loading of data to implementing a service. The Configurator is part of Amdocs Cramer’s Inventory solution. Figure 2-1 shows how the $SBNFS044 fits together in the context of the OSS environment. This diagram does not show the interaction between the Configurator and the Resource Manager; it is shown in Figure 2-2 on page 6. Figure 2-1
7KH&UDPHU266
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Chapter 2 Configurator overview Resource Manager The Resource Manager provides a centralized approach to network inventory and service configuration management within a framework that allows capacity constraints of all kinds to be modeled. It uses an industry-standard Oracle RDBMS to maintain the metadata driven model of physical and logical inventory. The Configurator interacts with your standard Resource Manager database directly, or indirectly through XML generated data. The interaction between the Configurator and Resource Manager database is represented in Figure 2-2. Figure 2-2
Interaction between product databases
ResourceManager database
Configurator database Metadata tables
Metadata tables
Core tables (hold the ResourceManager data)
Configurator XML
Satellite tables
Other (for example, Cramer constants)
Export/Import wizard
This architecture enables you to create and maintain independent libraries of metadata away from live data. The Configurator automatically enforces rules within its wizards to ensure that inconsistencies in the metadata you are maintaining are avoided. After you have created or carried out maintenance on your metadata, the Configurator provides you with tools to export the datasets either directly into the Resource Manager database, or into an XML file. During this procedure the integrity of the metadata is checked.
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide
Developer tools The Amdocs Cramer development environment comprises a number of products and licences that support the building and management of a network inventory at the developer level. Developer activities concern the configuration, initial population and maintenance of the inventory platform itself, and not the day-to-day user and maintenance activities. Developer tools are needed for:
•
Configuration
° •
•
Data migration
°
The process of population of the database is supported by the Migrator.
°
Data load from third-party sources can be carried out using the Sync Engine. If the source system is to remain in use, ongoing synchronization is supported by the Sync Engine. For further information, refer to the Sync Engine documentation set.
Integration
° •
Integration with external systems is supported by the Amdocs Cramer API, the Cramer Object Model and the Amdocs Cramer client framework.
Business rule customization
° •
Modeling of the components of an inventory, the equipment and services, at the developer level is supported by the Configurator.
For features such as naming conventions.
Web content tailoring
°
For modification or extension of homepages, WebReports, or graphical web content.
Further information about the developer tools are described in the Amdocs Cramer Resource Manager Concepts Guide.
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Chapter 2 Configurator overview
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3
Chapter 3
Key features
The Configurator enables you to create and modify your metadata by visualizing it as objects in the user interface. The Configurator is a database of metadata that you export for use in the Resource Manager. A number of key features form the framework for the successful operation of the Configurator; understanding these key features helps you to maximize its capabilities. These features can be summarized in the following list. Each feature is expanded in detail in subsequent sections: Feature
Description
Creation and maintenance of metadata
The Configurator has been built to enable you to manage your metadata in a simplified and logical way.
Metadata transfer in and out of Resource Manager deployments
The Configurator allows you to carry out your metadata management away from your live data, in its own database.
Visualization of metadata The Configurator provides you with a sophisticated user interface for creating, modifying and managing Resource Manager metadata. Globalization for multiple The localization of text strings into a different language can be language support done without programmers, managed using the Configurator. Metadata library and version management
A key feature of the Configurator is to provide security for your metadata.
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Chapter 3 Key features
Creation and maintenance of metadata The Configurator has been built to enable you to manage your metadata in a simplified and logical way. This typically includes tasks such as creating new metadata when new technology becomes available, or changing metadata when new operating procedures are introduced. The Configurator can cater for many different scenarios that you may want to implement for your business environment, such as the management of training systems. Key to understanding metadata management is the understanding of datasets, their hierarchy and version control.
Datasets A dataset is a collection of metadata that has been grouped together in the Configurator database. Each item of metadata in the database belongs to a specific dataset. When you use the standard version of the Configurator you can only work on one dataset at a time, this is know as the active dataset. The information shown in the user interface browsers, the views and the wizards all relate to the active dataset and compatible releases. The active dataset is at the top of a hierarchy, as one dataset can contain any number of other datasets. This may be used, for example, to differentiate between:
•
Old and new device types
•
Different technologies and manufacturers
•
Test, training and live inventory deployments The following additional options are available in the Configurator (Advanced option pack):
10
•
If you group related pieces of metadata together as datasets, you can use these as sub-datasets. For example, You can select sub-datasets to include in a containing dataset and so flexibly group the metadata in as many ways as you need. Including a dataset includes all its sub-datasets, this means that all the metadata that belongs to the sub-dataset can be seen and used in the containing dataset. You cannot change the metadata in the sub-dataset by making changes to the containing dataset.
•
You can organize datasets in a hierarchy so that there are as many levels of sub-datasets as you require. However, they can be included only if the datasets are compatible. That is, if they belong to the same, or compatible, Amdocs Cramer release and the metadata in the including dataset and sub-dataset is consistent.
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide
Version names for datasets The Configurator keeps a complete history of all the changes made to the metadata. You can consider each change to the metadata to be a different version of the metadata and you can give a version name to each of the changes at any time. Since any change you make to the Configurator database is associated with one dataset or another, you actually add version names to datasets. You can use the version name to export the metadata or to access it at a later date.
Active version If a dataset has versions, you can select one of its versions to be the active version (of the dataset). So that you can easily identify the dataset your are working with, the name of both the dataset and the version appears clearly in the user interface. Now, all the information shown in the browsers, views and homepages relates to the active version of the dataset and compatible Amdocs Cramer releases. That is, the metadata is shown as it was when the version was created.
Upgrades You can upgrade from one Amdocs Cramer release using the Configurator’s Upgrade wizard.
Metadata transfer The Configurator allows you to carry out your metadata management away from your live data, in its own database. In order for you to use your metadata, you need to export it from the Configurator database into the Resource Manager database. You can import from a Resource Manager database into the Configurator database. You can export and import metadata between Configurator databases, the Resource Manager databases and also XML files. For example, a partner carrying out metadata management for a customer can export the dataset to an XML file to enable the customer to download it from a remote server. You can either use the Export/Import wizard provided, or you can run a command line utility.
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Chapter 3 Key features Using an Export/Import wizard in the Configurator, you can:
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Export the metadata of a whole dataset or export only the difference between two versions of the same dataset
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Export a dataset If you are using the Configurator (Advanced option pack), you can choose to export a dataset with or without its sub-datasets.
•
Export complete or partial datasets
You can choose whether to include individual items of metadata when the dataset is exported, using an export selection option. Items that you choose not to include are shown in gray in the browser to help you to identify which items are included for export. You can override these settings when you run the Export/Import wizard.
Visualization of metadata The Configurator provides you with a sophisticated user interface for creating, modifying and managing Resource Manager metadata. Configurator provides you with wizards, WebReports, views, homepages and tree browsers for navigating and managing metadata. The wizards are for creating and modifying metadata for use in the Resource Manager. They allow you to see, for example, descriptive text about object behaviors, rather than trying to identify an object’s constant value. Apart from the fact that you only see information in the wizards that is in the active dataset, the way in which the Configurator wizards work does not differ from the way the Resource Manager wizards work. WebReports enable you to carry out tasks that may otherwise be time consuming and prone to errors, such as comparing differences between versions of datasets. After you run a WebReport, the results are presented in a logical order in a formatted HTML page in the user interface. The Configurator views are used to take textual information f rom the database and present it in the user interface using a range of different icons, bitmap images and color coding. The icons you see in the views are context-sensitive, which means that you can open further views or related information about an object, or you can select and deselect the item from inclusion in an export. The items that you see in the views are displayed only for the active dataset.
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Color coding An important part of the visual features of the Configurator is the use of color to help you understand the organization of the metadata you are viewing. When you create a dataset you can choose a color to represent its icon in the user interface. All the icons of the objects belonging to a dataset have the same color as the dataset icon itself. This is especially useful for distinguishing between items belonging to a dataset and items belonging to its sub-datasets. As described previously, names of items can appear as either black or gray in the Resource browser. Gray items indicate that they are not to be included in the export.
Globalization for multiple language support Amdocs Cramer's Resource Manager, Resource Manager Options, Service Catalog, Task Engine, Delivery Engine, Route Finder, Sync Engine, Activation Engine, adapters and Packs are fully globalized, and are capable of being localized into virtually any language. The localization of text strings into a different language can be done without programmers, managed using the Configurator. Configurator displays all translation values for any item of user interface text, with full unicode support. Configurator provides an export capability for all translation information into tab delimited file format, in addition to the standard Configurator XML format. This allows translatable information to be passed to third-party translation tools that can import tab delimited files. The Configurator can subsequently import the translated tab delimited files. The localization metadata and localizations for all user interface text can then be passed to a Resource Manager deployment. Multiple language support is provided, enabling a Resource Manager instance to support users with different preferred languages. The Configurator user interface enables configuration of values into virtually any language. The user interface of Configurator itself is English and is not localizable. Any module metadata managed outside the Configurator product (for example, a Task Engine Metadata Maintenance Utility) is translated outside Configurator.
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Chapter 3 Key features
Metadata library and version management A key feature of the Configurator is to provide security for your metadata. The levels of security are the same levels as those provided by the Resource Manager and other products in $SBNFS044. It implements the same features of owners and roles, which means that you can limit Configurator users with respect to:
•
The type of access they have, whether it is read-only or read and write.
•
The wizards, homepages, WebReports and browser information they can access.
•
Making changes to datasets they own. In the Advanced option pack, datasets are assigned their own access permissions using the Dataset wizard, which is available in only the Advanced option pack.
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4
Chapter 4
Configurator technology support
The Configurator is built alongside Amdocs Cramer’s standard product suite to support all technologies currently supported in the Resource Manager. As the Configurator is used to create the metadata that the Resource Manager uses to support different technologies, the full list of technologies are described in more detail in the concepts documentation for the Resource Manager. For more information on supported technologies, see the Amdocs Cramer Resource Manager Concepts Guide.
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Chapter 4 Configurator technology support
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Chapter 5
User interface
The Configurator’s user interface has four resizable frames comprising the Resource and Relation browsers, a Wizards frame and a WebReports and Views frame that display information about the metadata, the Configurator wizards and the Configurator views, homepages and WebReports. The user interface has a title bar, menu bar and tool bar, which includes a Find facility, and a status bar, as well as context-sensitive shortcut menus. The Configurator enables you to visualize the metadata using specific wizards, WebReports and views in the user interface. Figure 5-1
The Configurator user interface
WebReports and Views frame
Resource browser
Relations browser
Wizards frame
Each frame has a dedicated use and the overall configuration allows separate but related functions to coexist without overlapping.
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Chapter 5 User interface
Frame
Description
Resource browser
Provides an information exploration tool. Provides access through tabs that show different configurable entities, such as circuit types or location types. Exploring these tabs shows instances of them that exist in the active dataset.
Relations browser
The Relations browser provides related information on a selected objects. Anywhere in the interface that you find an object you can send the object to the Relations browser, which will instantly be populated with its related objects. Similarly to the Resource browser, related objects are grouped under headings. The Relations browser is context sensitive and the displayed information is specific to the selected object. For example, you select Relation from the shortcut menu of the Copper link type (in the Connection Types tab of the Resource browser), in the Bandwidths tab of the Relations browser you can see a short list of bandwidths.
WebReports and Views frame
The WebReports and Views frame displays graphical representations of the metadata that is configured in t he active dataset. Every object within the Configurator has an associated homepage that can be displayed in this frame. Homepages present the information of the object, in forms. They assist you in maintaining a wide range of object-specific attribute data as attributes can be updated on the form and submitted. WebReports are the reporting interface, providing summary information for different activities. For example, you can use the Comparison WebReport to compare the active dataset with an earlier version of the active dataset.
Wizards frame
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The Wizards frame displays the wizards that are used to create metadata.
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide
Wizards Wizards make standard operations faster, easier and consistent. The wizards provide a logical sequence for carrying out tasks and offer appropriate choices for each task. There are many wizards that you use to configure and manage your metadata; t hese are split into three main categories to help you understand their function. The wizards include:
•
Network wizards that create and maintain metadata used by Resource Manager wizards. For example, Bandwidth wizard or Device Type wizard.
•
Client wizards that create and maintain metadata for the Resource Manager user interface. For example, the Icon wizard or the Action wizard
•
Configurator wizards that organize the metadata held in the Configurator. For example, the Dataset wizard or the Export/Import wizard. For a more comprehensive list of the wizards available in the Configurator, see the Amdocs Cramer Configurator (Advanced option pack) User Reference Guide.
WebReports WebReports are powerful data visualization tools that provide interactive reporting and investigation of the metadata held in the Configurator. WebReports incorporate a combination of text, hyperlinks and graphics:
•
The Comparison WebReport can compare different versions of the same dataset or different datasets of compatible releases.
•
The History WebReport shows all the changes made to any of the metadata in a dataset.
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The Integrity Check WebReport reports inconsistencies in the metadata w ithin a dataset.
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Chapter 5 User interface
Views The views available in the Configurator allow you to v isualize the metadata components of an object, instead of a representation of numbers and IDs for related objects. For example, a bandwidth view as shown in Figure 5-2, can be used to see configured bandwidth information. Figure 5-2
Example of a Bandwidth view
Views available in the Configurator are:
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Bandwidth
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Card template
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Card type
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Circuit type
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Dataset
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Device template
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Elevation
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Internal cross connection
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Link type
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Link template
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Shelf type
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Topology type
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Chapter 6
Conclusion
The Configurator provides a powerful user interface for the management of inventory configuration data known as metadata. By taking out the requirement for an in-depth knowledge of the Resource Manager schema, your metadata can be managed by specialized users, instead of developers. The wizards in the Configurator ensure that you create only metadata that conforms to the rules and relationships used in the Resource Manager data model. This metadata can be viewed graphically and with color-coded icons, using views in the user interface. The Configurator provides ongoing flexibility for introduction of new technology and simplifies the task of upgrading metadata between Amdocs Cramer releases. The Configurator provides you with a complete solution for simplify ing the maintenance and management of your inventory model as your business evolves.
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Chapter 6 Conclusion
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Related reading
Related reading Configurator documentation •
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Overview documentation
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$SBNFS044 Concepts Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Release Notes
Administration documentation
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$SBNFS044 System Administration Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Prerequisites Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Installation and Upgrade Guide
User documentation
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator User Interface Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator User Task Guide
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator User Reference Guide
Documentation is distributed through licences. For example, you must have the CustomizationKit licence before you receive the Configuration documentation and API documentation.
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Related reading
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Glossary
Glossary Active dataset
The dataset that is currently active. The active dataset is the one whose name appears to the right hand side of the status bar. It has a red right-arrow to its left in the Resource browser, Dataset tab. Its contents populate the wizard lists. In views, the items in the active dataset appear with no color, items belonging to its sub-datasets appear in the same color as the sub-dataset itself. Note. The existence of multiple datasets and sub-datasets is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack). See Dataset.
Active version
The version of the active dataset that is currently active. The name of the active version of a dataset appears to the right hand side of the name of the active dataset, in the status bar. The red right-arrow still appears to the left of the active dataset in the Resource browser, Dataset tab. Few wizards are available for use when an active version has been selected. The information you see in the view, WebReports and homepages reflect the metadata as it had been at the point in time when the version was created, read-only. See Active dataset.
Alias
An alias is another value for an instance of metadata. You can use an alias to override certain values of the metadata in a sub-dataset. This feature is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack).
API
Application Program Interface An API is the specific method prescribed by a computer operating system or by an application program (in this case, the Configurator) by which a programmer writing a program can make requests of the operating system or application program.
Browser icon
Browser icons are the small icons that appear to the left of the names of items in the Resource and relations browser frames. See also View icon.
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Glossary Change
A change is any change made to a dataset. After one or more changes are made to a dataset it can be given a version name. The Configurator keeps a complete history of all the changes made to every dataset. See Version.
Client
A client is an instance of the Configurator t hat is running.
Color coding
Colors help to understand the organization of the metadata that is on view in the Configurator user interface. Each dataset and the items that belong to it are represented in the Configurator user interface by the same color. The names of items in a dataset that have been deselected for export are shown in gray in the Resource browser.
Compatible release
Metadata in the Configurator comes from a specific Resource Manager release. The Configurator can hold metadata from different Resource Manager releases. Metadata in the Configurator is said to be compatible if the metadata comes from Resource Manager releases that are compatible. Resource Manager releases are compatible if there has been no significant change to the Resource Manager data model between releases. An example of compatible releases are Resource Manager 4.0 and Resource Manager 4.0d.
Containing dataset
A containing dataset is a discrete set of metadata that includes one or more other datasets, known as sub-datasets. This feature is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack). See Sub-dataset.
Dataset
A dataset is a discrete set of metadata. The Configurator (Advanced option pack) database can contain several sets of metadata simultaneously. The dataset is a concept relevant only in the Configurator and any intervening XML files. When metadata is imported to a Resource Manager database, information relating to datasets, versions and aliases are discarded.
Dataset hierarchy A dataset hierarchy exists if a dataset has one or more sub-datasets. In turn these sub-
datasets may themselves contain sub-datasets. To see a dataset hierarchy either expand the tree levels of a dataset in the Resource browser or open the Dataset View of a dataset. This feature is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack). Dataset type
To help organize the Configurator metadata it is possible to define different ty pes of dataset, using the Dataset Type wizard. When different types of dataset exist, actual datasets can be created. This feature is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack).
Export
Moving metadata from a Configurator database, a Resource Manager database or an XML file.
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Amdocs Cramer Configurator Concepts Guide History
The Configurator keeps a complete history of all the changes made to every dataset. See Change.
Homepage
Homepages are displayed in the Views frame of the Configurator user interface. Each homepage provides details of the item and allows maintenance of the item.
Import
Moving metadata to a Configurator database, a Resource Manager database or an XML file.
Initial version
This version of a dataset is generated by the Configurator when a new dataset is created. It is usually empty. It is used in the WebReports and in the Export/Import wizard as the beginning of the list of available versions of a dataset.
Latest version
This is the most recent version of a dataset. It has the most up-to-date changes in the dataset. It is used in the WebReports and in the Export/Import wizard (as the last choice) in the list of available versions of a dataset and in the Comparison WebReport as the most up-to-date version of the datasets against which to run the comparison.
Metadata
Metadata is used in most of the $SBNFS044. It is data of a predefined value and behavior that cannot be changed by users of the product suite. It is widely used in wizards, homepages and WebReports.
MMU
Metadata Maintenance Utility. Tool used to manipulate the metadata of the Task Engine, the Delivery Engine, the Route Finder and the Sync Engine.
Release
See Compatible release.
Resource Manager
The Resource Manager is Amdocs Cramer’s inventory management tool. It was previously known as the Cramer Active Inventory Platform (AIP).
Resource Manager database
The standard database on which the Resource Manager runs.
Sub-dataset
A sub-dataset is a discrete set of metadata that is included in another dataset, known as the including dataset. This feature is applicable to only the Configurator (Advanced option pack). See Including dataset.
Upgrade
To upgrade a dataset means updating the metadata from one Resource Manager release to another.
Version
After one or more changes are made to a dataset it can be given a version name. This ‘snapshot’ of the dataset is known as a version of the dataset. See Change, Initial version, Latest version.
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Glossary View icon
View icons are the icons that appear in views, in the Views frame. See also Browser icon.
WebReport
These are typically sophisticated queries of the data model (in this case, the Configurator data model) visualized using a combination of text, hypertext and graphics. WebReports combine visual and textual information for you to explore.
XML
eXtensible Markup Language XML is a way to create common information formats and to share both the format and the data on the World Wide Web, intranets, and in the case of the Configurator, between the Configurator and Resource Manager databases.
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Index
Index A
HTML ............................................................... 12
Access permissions ........................................... 14 Active dataset ........................................... 10 12 Active version ................................................... 11 Attribute tables ................................................... 3 Automating delivery .......................................... 1 ,
I
Icons .................................................................. 12 Import ............................................................... 11 Include .............................................................. 12 Integrity ....................................................... 1 4 Inventory Management ............................................... 5 ,
B
Behaviors .......................................................... Bitmap .............................................................. Browser Relations .................................................... Resource ....................................................
12 12 18 18
C
Colour coding .................................................. 13 Compatible ....................................................... 11 Compatible releases ......................................... 10 D
Data model ......................................................... 3 Database .............................................................. 3 Dataset ..................................................... 10 11 Dataset management .......................................... 4 Developer tools .................................................. 7 Application Program Interface (API) ........ 7 Configurator ............................................... 7 Migrator ...................................................... 7 Differences ........................................................ 12 ,
L
Live data ..................................................... 9
,
11
M
Metadata ............................................................. 4 Multiple datasets ................................................ 2 O
Objects ................................................................ 9 Oracle .................................................................. 1 OSS ...................................................................... 5 P
Provisioning ....................................................... 1 R
Relations browser ............................................. 18 Remote server ................................................... 11 Resource browser ............................................. 18 Rules .................................................................... 6 S
E
Export ........................................................ 6
,
11
F
Security ............................................................... 4 Sequence ........................................................... 19
Frames Views frame ............................................... 18 WebReports .............................................. 18 Wizards ..................................................... 18
T
H
Upgrade ..................................................... 4 11 User interface .................................... 9 12 17 Relations browser ..................................... 18
Tasks ................................................................... 3 Templates ........................................................... 3 U ,
History .............................................................. 11
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,
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Index Resource browser ...................................... 18 V
Version .............................................................. Version control .......................................... 2 Views ................................................................. Frame ......................................................... Visualize ....................................................... 1 ,
,
11 10 20 18 4
W
WebReports ...................................................... Frame ......................................................... Wizards ...................................................... 3 Frame ......................................................... ,
19 18 19 18
X
XML ........................................................... 6
,
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