Functional Structure in Networks presents a new method for creating models of telecom systems that are used by professional network architects and designers. This method emphasizes modeling the (very complex) functional structure of networks in a way that is independent of any hardware and software design methodology. The method also allows designers to express their model in two main views: a generic view and a system view that takes protocols and network configuration issues into account. While the terminology is domain unique, i.e., based on de-facto telecom terminology, all concepts that are used in modeling are well defined. Using a telecom-oriented terminology instead of industry-standard methods for software and protocol design (e.g., UML and SDL) leads to models that are expressive and intelligible for network architects and designers. They are graphical models that show the functional and physical structure of networks at different levels of details, and information on properti.es, including behaviour, is attached.

Zusammenfassung
The architecture of "The Worlds Biggest Machine^" is of course expressed in the many underlying communications standards; however it is far from explicit nor readily accessible. While on one hand, marketing people are busy looking for their so called "Killer Applications" that will maintain the economic growth of this machine, the engineers are struggling to keep up with the myriad of networks, pro­ tocols and standards that interconnect an ever growing number of network services across a rapidly increasing variety of platforms and protocols. Within the industry, it is commonly accepted that fewer than 10% of engineers working in the field have sufficient knowledge and experience to tackle the p- study and feasibility phases; that is to say, only this group can process the knowl­ edge and overview of the elusive architecture that allow them to identify the net­ work nodes, network services, protocols and messages that will be affected by adding new network functionalities. It follows that 90% of engineers are capable of performing the execution phase.

Inhalt
to Network System Modeling.- Layer Structures.- Node Structures.- Modeling Vertical and Horizontal Partitions.- Management and Traffic Systems.- Applying AMLn.