Managing the Enriched Experience Network - Learning-Outcome Approach to the Experimental Design Life-Cycle

Experimental design methods have long been used in scientific areas such as agriculture, biology and physics to minimise error and assure validity. Although most network researchers performing experiments with testbeds and simulations implicitly follow scientific method, until recently there has been little emphasis on improving experimental design methods. Traditional experimental design focuses on experiments where the scope and objectives are relatively constrained, however network research in innovative areas where there is little or no precedence often has changing objectives that evolve over time. We describe the learning-outcome approach to the experimental design life-cycle that applies the concepts of systems development life-cycle models used in software engineering, as well as learning taxonomies used in education. Our approach extends traditional experimental design by providing a more comprehensive and efficient way of decomposing an experimental research project into manageable stages that are designed rather than improvised, leading to a well-structured way of assessing the knowledge gained. We provide an insight into our experiences with this approach in the context of experimental research in management of Alcatel Australia's new-generation Enriched Experience Network

Information Modeling of Trouble: A Service Provider View

Abstract—This paper focuses on providing an information model view of the Trouble component of the assurance domain. This is derived using an understanding of the TMF eTOM processes and the associated SID Information Model through its application to the Trouble processes. We begin by examining existing standards and adapt and/or derive entities which are used within these processes and develop some entities which are undefined or unavailable currently in the SID definitions. We describe an implementation that leverages the use of the SID information model principles to enhance Trouble assurance. I