ABSTRACT: As the telecommunications network becomes more intelligent and carries signals other than voice (data, image, video, or combinations of these), the software needed to provide flexible services and network management grows in both size and complexity. As a consequence, a large percentage of the product delivery and network field problems are software related. Software Architecture Review (SAR) is targeted to improve the Reliability and Quality (R&Q) of software delivered to the Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) or other service providers using product-oriented software system analysis. SAR focuses on three areas: capability evolution, fault management, and robustness improvement.

This Special Report (SR) presents the SAR methodology and introduces the SAR checklists.