The FNME 3000 (Fiber Network Management Expert ) helps to improve overall network reliability and maintainability and reduces operation and maintenance costs. Typically, an advanced FNME3000 is comprised of remote test units, a central controller installed on a personal computer, and client stations. The remote test units are installed at strategic points where they monitor both the physical and optical layers of the network and collect data that is stored and managed by the central server's installed database. The client stations, connected to the central server, provide staff with immediate access to all information.

FNME3000 monitors the optical fibers of the network by using OTDR measurements. The FNME3000 works by having the remote test units make OTDR measurements in the monitored fiber network at prescheduled times. After that, measured results are compared with reference measurements and, should there be deviations that exceed the tolerated margins, alarms are sent back in real time to the central site controller, notifying the network management staff. Mapping the measured events with geographical landmarks enables technicians to pinpoint the troubled area and respond promptly.

Besides providing fault location in case of an error, the FNME3000 serves as a tool for preventive maintenance, allowing the analysis of long-term degradations through automatic periodic measurements. This type of system allows carriers to monitor the integrity of their fiber-optic systems in real time, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.