es 7. trouble report (Trouble Ticket) 9. SLA 8. report impact problem Activities 6. (Service Service Problem Service Quality (Re)|Configuration) Resolution Management Processes Decide Monitor SLAs Cross FAB Processes I/F Repair Fulfilment Inter-process I/F 5. notify Processes problem/fix Inter-SP process I/F Decide 3. (Network Repair Other Providers (Re) Configuration) 4. Work order Network Maintenance 2. report & Restoration degradation Network Inventory Network Data Management Isolate Detect Management Detect Allocate Fault Perf/Traffic Resources Cause 1. alarm|event data 1. network/data Problems Network Element Management & Network Elements Figure 8.7 Segment of assurance process flow. using network data collection and correlation. Neither method is exclusive, because alarm data may be used for performance reporting. In addition, network data man- agement collects and processes both performance and traffic data, in addition to usage data. The usage data are used in the billing process. This illustrates overlap between a number of different processes. Most service providers are driving their service assurance processes to become mostly proactive, meaning triggered by automation rather than triggered by the customer. Until recently, customer care processes have been reactive. However, the pressure to reduce cost, customer demand for more control, and customer demand for being proactive, customer-enabled service support are driving a major shift to interactive support through automation. With the advent of Internet access, inter- active customer-enabled service includes giving the customer visibility into and control over service performance and also performance of the network on which they are reliant. Service providers who are highly competent in customer service have recognised that there is value in collecting information from the customer at each customer interface point. The information so captured can be used in various ways across the enterprise, such as to customise special offers and to relate better to