<p>Copyright TM Forum 2005<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>This vertical end-end process grouping is responsible for providing management, logistics and administrative support to the FAB process groupings, and for ensuring operational readiness in the fulfillment, assurance and billing areas. In general, end-end processes in this grouping are concerned with activities that are less "real-time" than those in FAB, and which are typically concerned less with individual customers and services and more with ensuring the FAB vertical end-end processes run effectively.  A clear example of these types of processes are the staffing capacity management processes which are used to ensure efficient operation of call centers.. They reflect a need in some enterprises to divide their processes between the immediate customer-facing and real-time operations of FAB and other Operations processes which act as a "second-line" or "operations management back-room". Not all enterprises will choose to employ this split, or to position the division in exactly the same place, so it is recognized that in applying the eTOM framework in particular scenarios, the processes in Operations Support & Readiness and in FAB may be merged for day-to-day operation. Nevertheless, it is felt important to acknowledge this separation to reflect a real-world division that is present or emerging in many enterprises. The separation, definition and execution of the Operations Support & Readiness processes can be critical in taking advantage of ebusiness opportunities, and is particularly important for successful implementation of Customer Self Management.<br/></p>