FCAPS is an acronym that identifies the five principle domains of network management and system management. These include:

• Fault management: This domain concerns the monitoring of network resources to detect alarms, correlate multiple alarms stemming from the same problem, coordinate trouble tickets, and track problem resolution.

• Configuration management: This domain concerns the maintenance of network configuration information including such things as system profiles, equipment locations, configuration scripts, and software and firmware revisions.

• Accounting management: This domain concerns the tracking of network and resource utilization and is typically associated with billing (for public services) or cost accounting (for internal resources).

• Performance management: This domain concerns the tracking of network and system performance metrics such as total load, delay, processor utilization, storage capacity utilization, and application response times.

• Security management: This domain concerns all aspects relate to control over network and system access and deals with such things as password and user-names, single sign-on capabilities, firewalls, virus and spam protection, and intrusion detection and/or prevention.

A well managed network and/or system has management software, hardware, and processes for all five domains.