Assessor Resource

ICTTEN6047A
Manage a common channel signalling network

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


Technical officers or engineers from private and public organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They combine technical skills with organisational skills to provide signalling facilities to interconnect telecommunications over trunked networks.

They may be responsible for small projects or parts of larger projects and their primarily roles are to provide trunked transmission paths for a reliable service to customers.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to manage common channel signalling (CCS) network to control multiple data channels.

The most common CCS signalling methods in use are integrated services digital network (ISDN) and signalling system No.7 (SS7). ISDN signalling is used primarily on trunks connecting end-user private branch exchange (PBX) systems to a central office. SS7 is primarily used within the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The two signalling methods are very similar since they share a common background and in some cases, the same signalling messages are transmitted in both ISDN and SS7.

Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) communications use configurations with multiple routers to communicate via VoIP and CCS over a digital primary rate interface (PRI).

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

identify and implement repair action within service assurance guidelines

analyse and interpret alarms including CCS and digital path

apply enterprise fault management priorities and escalation procedures

resolve problems in a methodical and logical manner

conduct appropriate tests and interpret results.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

site with CCS network

tests and equipment currently used in industry

relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate managing a CCS network

oral or written questioning of the candidate to assess required knowledge of CCS networks, testing and repair and restoration procedures

review of documentation and records completed by the candidate.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICTTEN6043A Undertake network traffic management

ICTTEN6044A Coordinate fault rectification and restoration of service following network outages.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

analytical skills to interrogate and evaluate complex information from multiple sources and to develop positions and recommendations

communication skills to:

liaise with vendors, customers, and technical experts on technical and operational matters

negotiate with other repair and support staff

literacy skills to incorporate technical language into written tasks such as records and reports

numeracy skills to interpret technical data

planning and organisational skills to work in a methodical and logical manner

research skills to access technical information and sources to assist fault identification

technical skills to operate testing tools

Required knowledge

acceptance tests

alarm set ups

CCS:

architecture

protocols

signalling

testing

data and signalling pathways

repair and restoration procedures

routing architecture

switching network equipment operation

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards include:

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) standards as they apply to carrier operation

International Standards ISO 9000 and ISO 9001

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) recommendations network management series E410

occupational health and safety (OHS)

Privacy Act.

Repair and restoration procedures may include:

arranging test sequence

conducting clearance test

notifying network operation centre (NOC)

performing fault diagnosis

repairing or replacing affected component

restoring services

verifying alarm.

Escalation procedures may include:

pass onto network specialist at NOC

verification of fault status:

clearance likely to exceed set time

fault too complex for local attention

vendor technical specialist.

Acceptance testing may include:

compatibility

functionality

operational

performance.

Rearrangements scenarios may include:

CCS SS7 violations

digital path alarms

digital information path (DIP) running errors

link conversions.

Documentation may include:

alarm management system printouts

fault clearance methods

fault details

final fault clearance tests

recommendations

test results.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards to prepare for the task 
Activate alarm management system to produce a trouble report and verify CCS and data faults or problems 
Investigate cause of alarm and analyse results to determine appropriate repair action and allocate resources 
Monitor repair and restoration procedures to ensure commitment to specified timelines and initiate escalation procedures as appropriate and according to enterprise procedures 
Reset alarms on completion of repair and monitor subsequent alarms to ensure no re-occurrence of the problem 
Activate alarm screens and monitor port times on a regular basis to ensure that procedures are running 
Clear port blockage and problems on completion of planned works and log in appropriate database 
Monitor repair and restoration procedures to ensure commitment to specified timelines and initiate escalation procedures as appropriate and according to enterprise procedures 
Verify network stabilisation throughout repair and monitor 
Undertake acceptance testing according to prescribed operating procedures 
Monitor network stability on completion and refer problems to the appropriate area for action 
Block alarms for out of service circuits 
Log requests for relationship change and follow up problems with appropriate support staff 
Monitor network stability and manage loading of data until the process is completed 
Update models and enterprise systems 
Log requests for rearrangements scenarios and verify feasibility of rearrangement 
Enter details of rearrangement in appropriate system and update system records 
Monitor completed work for accuracy and network stability on completion 
Produce a copy of documentation for future reference 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICTTEN6047A - Manage a common channel signalling network
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

ICTTEN6047A - Manage a common channel signalling network

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: