Procedure (term)

This article is about a specifying a method for performing a task in telecommunications. For other uses, see Procedure.

A procedure is a sequence of actions or operations which have to be executed in the same manner in order to always obtain the same result under the same circumstances (for example, emergency procedures).^[1]

In telecommunications, this is the premise under which a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is generated. A SOP is specifically designed to describe and guide multiple iterations of the same procedure over a broad number of locations, on multiple occasions, and over an open period of time until such SOP is updated for whatever reason, or discontinued.

Used heavily in the telecommunications industry, a MOP differs from a SOP in that it contains specific directives for that particular activity, on that particular date, for that specific location or piece of equipment. In today's business model, wherein telecom providers can be both "provider" and "user", most "user" organizations require a MOP from the service provider whenever an acitivity has the potential to cause a traffic-affecting outage. The industry standard is <50ms of traffic interruption. If a "switch hit" or traffic interruption is 50 ms or less, it is "transparent" to the bit stream carrying the traffic, and is therefore considered "hitless" and non-traffic affecting.^[2]

References

1. ^ John Lee Cook Jr (1998). PenWell Books. ed. Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines. ISBN 9780912212692. http://books.google.com/books?id=lGIiLmB2VYkC. 
2. ^ The Froehlich/Kent encyclopedia of telecommunications, Volume 3; Volume 16 By Fritz E. Froehlich, Allen Kent, Carolyn M. Hall, Page 342