The intended audience for this guidebook is IT managers, architects and developers. It is recognized that due to their respective needs some sections of this book are more technical than others. For those just wishing an overview then the first couple of chapters give a sufficient explanation of Business Services. This Concepts and Principles Guidebook is also intended to be used in conjunction with the open-source tooling software being developed and GB942U User Guidelines.

This guidebook produced by the Architecture Harmonization (AH) team focuses on the unification of the interface, information model activities with the Solution Frameworks Business Services(also known as Contracts) across the TM Forum ranging from framework to real implementation across all aspects of Digital Media, Communications and Information business operations. This work extends and adds detail to the TM Forum Solution Frameworks (formally known as NGOSS) lifecycle model. There is a clear need to identify the dependencies of the key Solution Frameworks artifacts: Information Framework (SID), Business Process Framework (eTOM), Application Framework (TAM), TM Forum Interfaces (mTOP, OSS/J, IPDR, CO~OP and new interfaces as they are developed) and Business Services in a Service Oriented ArchitectureA computer systems architectural style for creating and using business processes packaged as services (SOA) context ensuring a seamless migration to the future, while adhering to a common architecture. The document shows how Business Services provide the necessary linkage between the key Solution Frameworks artifacts.

This document provides a full definition for Business Services from Business and System views. A Solution Frameworks Business Service (aka Contract) represents a specification of system capability to achieve a stated business purpose. A Business Service includes a defined interface and may also define pre- and post-conditions, semantics for using the service(s), policies affecting the configuration, use, and operation of the service. A Business Service implements one or more use cases (task level processes). The document also provides direction for the Implementation view (TM Forum Interface Program - TIP) and for tooling (Tooling Taskforce and subsequent program work).

Solution Frameworks Business Service extends SOA to recognize that there is a relationship between specific client and server systems in the application environment. This relationship may be short-lived or long-lived based on the specification for a given Business Service. The relationship may be implemented via point-to-point interactions or via an integration framework, such as hub-and-spoke or an Enterprise Server Bus (ESB). Business Service may be state-full or stateless depending on the business need. These systems are defined by the Application Framework. SOA is also extended with granularity guidelines that derive from Business Process Framework and finally the information model that is implemented in Business Services is compliant with Information Framework (aka SID). Business Services add Service Level Agreements (SLA) to the interface specification and record metrics against these SLAs. The aim is to produce an interface specification for applications that is expressed in the language of the business and can be implemented with a range of different technologies. Ideally the implementation will be compliant to a TM Forum standard, such as TM Forum Interface Program. The Business Service is technology agnostic providing the ability to harmonize disparate interface standards. The granularity, fine or larger grained, is based on the number of use cases it implements.

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