Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
23/07/2026 4:13 PM AWST
23/07/2026 4:13 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Plan for an optical system upgrade and cut over
Plan for an optical system upgrade and cut over
Unit of competency
National Code
ICTOPN5120A
ICTOPN5120A
State Code
D3374
D3374
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
06/01/2011
Field of Education
031307 - Communications Technologies
Original Release Date
06/01/2011
Nominal Hours
55
Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to plan the activities of a major upgrade of optical systems from specifications provided by the planning and design section. Major upgrades in enterprise networks or telecommunications service provider's networks involve cut over activities to integrate additional work into existing network.The exponential growth of internet protocol (IP) traffic is driving IP optical integration, in particular the convergence of IP and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) networks in Next Generation Networks (NGN), necessitating regular system upgrades.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.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Gather information to prepare upgrade activity plan
- 1.1. Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards for compliance when conducting work
- 1.2. Obtain design specifications from the planning and design section to determine the scope and nature of the upgrade
- 1.3. Analyse the design specification and design plan and determine the accuracy of the design plan to site installation and requirements with customer
- 1.4. Determine the network equipment types and obtain installation details from manufacturer
- 1.5. Prepare an equipment and component list and source vendors for procurement
2. Prepare upgrade activity plans
- 2.1. Prepare a detailed installation plan of the upgrade for the installer
- 2.2. Prepare a detailed installation procedure to carry out the upgrade to minimise impact to the customer
- 2.3. Prepare pre-installation optical tests on existing equipment to determine benchmarks and performance levels prior to the upgrade
- 2.4. Prepare post-installation optical tests on upgrade to ensure upgraded system is achieving the desired results
- 2.5. Prepare monitoring schedule to progressively assess the progress of the upgrade
- 2.6. Prepare contingency plan for backing out if upgrade is not progressing according to schedule and disruptions to customer are excessive
- 2.7. Prepare cut over procedures
3. Complete documentation
- 3.1. Update and produce documentation for submission
- 3.2. Submit planning activity document to planning and design section for approval
RANGE STATEMENT
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 may include:
Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes
AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) Volume 1
AS/NZS 3000:2007
AS/NZS 3080:2003
AS/NZS 3084:2003
AS/NZS 3085.1:2004
AS/NZS IEC 61935.1:2006
AS/NZS IEC 61935.2:2006
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2007
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 15018:2005
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 24702:2007
cabling security codes and regulations
Environmental Protection Acts
OHS Acts
technical standards AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006.
Nature of upgrade work may include:
commission of new system
installation of new additional equipment
installation of new software
integration of new equipment into existing system
provision of temporary service
removal of redundant equipment
test on new system.
Upgrade may include:
introducing dispersion compensation devices
moving to 40 Gbps technology
network capacity upgrade:
additional optical fibres to be added
additional DWDM wavelength channels and associated hardware to be added
increase data rate by changing transmitter and receiver cards
replace optical fibre with a type more suited towards 40 Gbps
upgrading from erbium doped fibre amplifiers (EDFA) to Raman optical amplifiers
upgrading laser transmitter power.
Customer may be:
asset manager
contractor
network planner
nominated customer representative
project manager
service provider.
Network equipment may include:
asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch
dispersion compensation devices
enclosures
hubs
optical add drop multiplexer (OADM)
optical amplifier
optical filters
optical splitters
patch panels
regenerator
synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) multiplexers
transponder shelf.
Installation plan may include:
cable trays
detailed drawings and equipment layout
detailed list of equipment and types
earthing specifications
equipment locations
equipment mounting details
interconnecting cabling between racks
monitoring equipment
power feeds
rack positions
testing procedures
tools.
Installation procedures may include:
setup procedures
monitoring progress according to plan
notification of network operations centre (NOC)
sourcing hardware and software
upgrade activity:
installing optical equipment
post-upgrade testing
pre-update testing
shutdown installation
rectifying faults.
Optical tests may include:
bit error rate test (BERT)
default settings
functional test
optical power levels
optical return loss
optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR)
performance tests.
Progress of upgrade may include:
rate of deliverables against project timeline
risk management
timing.
Contingency plan may:
be developed as part of the upgrade planning and design
be escalated and referred to more specialist team
invoke partial upgrade to be continued at later stage
invoke reversion procedure to pre-update condition.
Documentation may include:
configuration details
implementation and testing procedures
network impact statement
software test results
system updates
test results and recommendations
upgrade details
vendor, equipment and enterprise specific details.
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 may include:
Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes
AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) Volume 1
AS/NZS 3000:2007
AS/NZS 3080:2003
AS/NZS 3084:2003
AS/NZS 3085.1:2004
AS/NZS IEC 61935.1:2006
AS/NZS IEC 61935.2:2006
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2007
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 15018:2005
AS/NZS ISO/IEC 24702:2007
cabling security codes and regulations
Environmental Protection Acts
OHS Acts
technical standards AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006.
Nature of upgrade work may include:
commission of new system
installation of new additional equipment
installation of new software
integration of new equipment into existing system
provision of temporary service
removal of redundant equipment
test on new system.
Upgrade may include:
introducing dispersion compensation devices
moving to 40 Gbps technology
network capacity upgrade:
additional optical fibres to be added
additional DWDM wavelength channels and associated hardware to be added
increase data rate by changing transmitter and receiver cards
replace optical fibre with a type more suited towards 40 Gbps
upgrading from erbium doped fibre amplifiers (EDFA) to Raman optical amplifiers
upgrading laser transmitter power.
Customer may be:
asset manager
contractor
network planner
nominated customer representative
project manager
service provider.
Network equipment may include:
asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch
dispersion compensation devices
enclosures
hubs
optical add drop multiplexer (OADM)
optical amplifier
optical filters
optical splitters
patch panels
regenerator
synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) multiplexers
transponder shelf.
Installation plan may include:
cable trays
detailed drawings and equipment layout
detailed list of equipment and types
earthing specifications
equipment locations
equipment mounting details
interconnecting cabling between racks
monitoring equipment
power feeds
rack positions
testing procedures
tools.
Installation procedures may include:
setup procedures
monitoring progress according to plan
notification of network operations centre (NOC)
sourcing hardware and software
upgrade activity:
installing optical equipment
post-upgrade testing
pre-update testing
shutdown installation
rectifying faults.
Optical tests may include:
bit error rate test (BERT)
default settings
functional test
optical power levels
optical return loss
optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR)
performance tests.
Progress of upgrade may include:
rate of deliverables against project timeline
risk management
timing.
Contingency plan may:
be developed as part of the upgrade planning and design
be escalated and referred to more specialist team
invoke partial upgrade to be continued at later stage
invoke reversion procedure to pre-update condition.
Documentation may include:
configuration details
implementation and testing procedures
network impact statement
software test results
system updates
test results and recommendations
upgrade details
vendor, equipment and enterprise specific details.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
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:
prepare an upgrade plan incorporating the essential activities listed:
detailed installation plan and installation procedures
pre-installation and post-installation tests
monitoring schedule to assess progress of the upgrade
contingency plan.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
site where upgrade and cut over may be planned
use of equipment, software, test and monitoring equipment currently used in industry
relevant regulatory, equipment, enterprise and vendor documentation that impacts on work activities.
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 performing upgrade
direct observation of the candidate performing tests and monitoring alarms
review of documents prepared by the candidate providing upgrade plan and assessing impact of upgrade taking into consideration customer feedback
oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of upgrade, testing and monitoring procedures.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
ICTTEN4073A Cut over customer premises equipment major upgrades
ICTTEN4076A Complete equipment and software upgrades
ICTTEN4086A Undertake routine maintenance of the telecommunications network
ICTTEN5061A Cut over new and replacement network equipment.
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.
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:
prepare an upgrade plan incorporating the essential activities listed:
detailed installation plan and installation procedures
pre-installation and post-installation tests
monitoring schedule to assess progress of the upgrade
contingency plan.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure:
site where upgrade and cut over may be planned
use of equipment, software, test and monitoring equipment currently used in industry
relevant regulatory, equipment, enterprise and vendor documentation that impacts on work activities.
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 performing upgrade
direct observation of the candidate performing tests and monitoring alarms
review of documents prepared by the candidate providing upgrade plan and assessing impact of upgrade taking into consideration customer feedback
oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of upgrade, testing and monitoring procedures.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
ICTTEN4073A Cut over customer premises equipment major upgrades
ICTTEN4076A Complete equipment and software upgrades
ICTTEN4086A Undertake routine maintenance of the telecommunications network
ICTTEN5061A Cut over new and replacement network equipment.
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.
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWE22 | ICTOPN503 | Plan for an optical system upgrade and cut over | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWD7 | ICT50415 | Diploma of Information Technology Networking | Qualification |
| D570 | ICA50411 | Diploma of Information Technology Networking | Qualification |
| W812 | ICT50110 | Diploma of Optical Networks | Qualification |