A case-based reasoning approach to the management of faults in communication networks

Most fault resolution systems for communications networks represent fault resolution expertise using a rule-based reasoning (RBR) paradigm. Although the RBR paradigm is appropriate for problem-solving tasks that are confined and well-understood, its limitations are an inability to learn from experience, an inability to deal with novel problems, and the difficulty of updating the systems to keep up with rapidly changing domains such as expanding heterogeneous networks. A case-based reasoning (CBR) application that is less constrained by these limitations is described. The approach taken is to enhance a standard fault management system with a CBR component, CBR techniques for retrieving, adapting, and embedding knowledge in a case library are reviewed, and CRITTER, a CBR trouble ticketing system for managing and resolving network faults, is described.<>