ABSTRACT: GR-1343 provides the complete set of proposed generic requirements for AMADNS, and replaces GR-1343, Issue 5. Addressed in the requirements are the components of the system and the interfaces to these components.

Automatic Message Accounting (AMA) is the mechanized process of measuring and accounting for the use of network resources by customers and carriers. The data generated during the AMA process must be transferred from the points of data generation (e.g., Switching Systems) to the points of data application (e.g., Billing Systems). In addition to data transfer, data processing and data management are required to support the provision of AMA data to applications. The transfer, processing, and management of AMA data is called AMA Data Networking and is provided by the AMA Data Networking System (AMADNS).

AMADNS supports the transfer, processing, and management mechanisms required to supply data applications with AMA data. Although similar mechanisms are provided by the AMA Teleprocessing System (AMATPS), which is the system currently used for AMA data transfer, the future environment dictates that mechanisms be supported that are considerably more advanced than the present ones. The future environment will see substantially higher AMA data volumes due to new network services and more comprehensive measurement strategies for existing services. At the same time, new applications will require access to AMA data, and some of these applications have special needs, such as specialized data processing, and near real-time and on-demand access to AMA data. In addition, the value of given AMA data may vary widely (e.g., due to the use of data aggregation), thereby requiring the capability to treat different AMA data in a different manner. Because AMATPS will not be able to adequately support this future environment, the concept of an AMADNS has been developed. AMADNS is designed to support the anticipated AMA data volumes and special needs of multiple applications while retaining the high degree of quality, availability, and security required for AMA data.

Updates to the requirements provided in Issue 6 of this GR address the recent issues that have been resolved for publication, including the role of AMADNS in Next Generation Network (NGN) billing solutions. The primary changes occurred in Sections 2, 3, and Appendix B.

This document replaces TA-NWT-001343.