structure. Another common element is that each business model relies on OSSs to manage and automate its business and processes. In many cases, they also need OSSs to communicate with each other, manage their business interactions and support their customer relationships. For example, a CLEC is likely to link its network with several IXCs and NSPs that provide underlying transport services for voice and data traffic. The CLEC must be able to submit and track orders and trouble tickets with those providers, and might want real-time access to network status data to support service level agreements. These functions are all OSS intensive and often critical to an IIC doing business at all. Thus, OSSs are the binding elements that bring the disparate pieces of the communications services puzzle together and enable IICs to offer complete, reliable and adaptable service packages. Chapter 1 - Introduction to IICs and OSS WHAT IS AN OSS? Much like an IIC, an operations support system (OSS) has no singular definition. Many different systems performing extremely specialized functions are considered OSSs. Simply, OSSs are the systems that IICs use to build, monitor, manage, manipulate and maintain their networks, service offerings and customer relationships. They are tied to IICs' business and customer support processes. They provide the automation and intelligence that allow the Internet infrastructure supply chain to function efficiently and reliably. Some vendors and IICs no longer refer to these systems as OSSs, calling them operations systems (OSs) instead. They have dropped the word "support" because it is a remnant from the early days of OSSs, when these systems were designed to support telephone company staff and manual processes. We have chosen to stick with the term OSS regardless, however, SO as to avoid confusion with os as it refers to operating systems (such as Unix or Windows). The origins of the term also reflect a major issue ILECs have faced in meeting the mandates set forth in the Telecommunications Act of 1