A telecommunications network is a network of telecommunications links and nodes arranged so that messages may be passed from one part of the network to another over multiple links and through various nodes. Telecommunications network links (including their endpoints or "nodes") may in turn be built out of hierarchical transmission systems. Examples of telecommunications networks are:
- Computer network
- the Internet
- the Public switched telephone network
- the global Telex network
- the aeronautical ACARS network
Structure
In general, every telecommunications network conceptually consists of three planes (so called because they can be thought of as being, and often are, separate overlay networks):
- The Control Plane is the part of the network that carries control information (also known as signalling).
- The Data Plane or User Plane is the part of the network that carries its users' traffic.
- The Management Plane is the part of the network that carries the operations and administration traffic required for network management.
