TMN provides a framework for networks that is flexible, scalable, reliable, inexpensive to run, and easy to enhance. TMN provides for more capable and efficient networks by defining standard ways of doing network-management tasks and communicating across networks. TMN allows processing to be distributed to appropriate levels for scalability, optimum performance, and communication efficiency.
TMN principles are incorporated into a telecommunications network to send and receive information and to manage its resources. A telecommunications network is comprised of switching systems, circuits, terminals, etc. In TMN terminology, these resources are referred to as network elements (NEs). TMN enables communication between operations support systems (OSS) and NEs.