adband, IP, mobile/wireless business management sub-processes sub-processes or functions information exchange business relationships with suppliers and/or other providers systems/application and data architecture that supports the business processes. Business process management is the design and definition of a company's processes and information, including the supporting data and systems structure. Business process management starts with a business process architecture designed OSS for Telecom Networks to accomplish a specific company's objectives upon which is defined the detail of end- to-end processes to deliver services to customers and to meet business requirements. 8.3 TMN and a Business Reference Model are Foundations of the TOM The TOM takes the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) model of the ITU-T as its basic foundation. TMN is built around the schematic pyramid shown in Figure 8.2. The TOM defines processes at each of the TMN's five layers. The TOM also defines information flow between processes at the same layer, horizontal flow and informa- tion flow between processes at different layers, vertical flow. The TMN framework applies to the infrastructure of a particular service provider, though there may be many companies contributing at different layers of the pyramid for any particular service provider. In addition to being based on TMN, the TOM is also based on a business refer- ence model which provides a framework for interaction between the business of a service provider on one the hand and the businesses that do not fall directly in the TMN pyramid on the other, such as vendors of third-party software applications. This business reference model is shown in Figure 8.3. Business Management Layer Service Management Layer Network Management Layer Element Management Layer Network Element Layer Figure 8.2 Telecommunications Management Network pyramid. Service Other Providers/ Customer Provider Operators Third party Applications Vendors Suppliers Figure 8.3 TOM business reference model. 8 Telem