 vendors. While this may seem to fly in the face of the OSI-centric TMN architecture, it really doesn't. TMN is more of a philosophical approach to network manage- ment, and does not specify technological implementation requirements. Thus, a conversion from CMIP to the Simple Network Management Pro- tocol (SNMP), or the implementation of CORBA, does not affect the over- all goal of the TMN. Summary IP is here to stay and is profoundly changing the nature of telecommu- nications at its most fundamental levels. Applications for IP range from carrier-class voice that is indistinguishable from that provided by tradi- tional circuit switching platforms to best-effort services that carry no ser- vice quality guarantees. The interesting thing is that all of the various capability levels made possible by the incursion of IP have an application in modern telecommunications, and are being implemented at rapid fire Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website. Telephony Telephony pace. There is still a tremendous amount of hype associated with IP ser- vices as they edge their way into the protected fiefdoms of legacy tech- nologies, and implementers and customers alike must be wary of "brochureware" solutions and the downside of the Jurassic Park Effect, which warns that just because you can implement an IP telephony solu- tion doesn't necessarily mean you should. Hearkening back once again to the old telephone company adage that observes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," buyers and implementers alike must be cautious as they plan their IP migration strategies. The technology offers tremendous opportunities to offer consolidated services, to make networks and the companies that operate them more efficient, to save cost and pass those savings on to the customer. Ultimately, however, IP's promise lies in its ubiquity, and its ability to tie services t