nology, and multiprotocol means that published and well-defined protocol interfaces make it possible to use different types of protocols for interaction. The next generation network fosters multitechnology that is support for technologies like GSM, UMTS, CDMA, and multivendor that is open standards for ease of integration leading to different competing vendors. NGN has the following characteristics: Packet backbone for communication Separation of service, access, and core network Unified service experience to end user User access to different service providers leading to service mesh up Convergence of fixed and mobile space QoS (Quality of Service) determined on an end-to-end basis Open interfaces for interaction Wide range of services and applications Managing a network with the above characteristics ensures that everything from the end customer to the lower most nodes in a network element is managed, with seamless information flow from end-to-end. This makes minimal manual intervention a key feature to be available in next generation network management. Traditionally there were different standardizing bodies working different technol- logies in telecom. With convergence in the telecom domain, these standardizing bodies need to work together in developing standards that can be used across tech- nologies. Convergence is also happening at the domain level. All telecom compa- nies have an enterprise aspect. That is in addition to the telecom infrastructure there is also an enterprise network that needs to be managed. Convergence of enter- prise and telecom domain leads to the need for standards that makes it possible for a single management solution that can manage both the telecom and enterprise network in a company. Let us next look into an outline of NGN management requirements and what is usually defined in this space, which is not currently limited to just a network. A general set of capability map for NGN management was captured as part of the OSS vision document of ETIS TISPAN. Many other standardizing bodie