Transmission fiber is the heart of all services at the corporate and consumer level. The drive for more bandwidth to corporations and to the home continue to drive the need for optical technologies as well as methods of transmitting more data over the optical transport layer. Network Element Manufacturers continue to introduce technologies which need to be managed to provide the foundation for delivering content across wireless, wireline, and broadband wireless services.

Transmission technologies include but are not limited to:

• Synchronous optical networking (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), are two closely related multiplexing protocols for transferring multiple digital bit streams using lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) over the same optical fiber. (definition reference from SONET wiki)
• Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (WDM) is a technology which multiplexes multiple optical carrier signals on a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (colours) of laser light to carry different signals. This allows for a multiplication in capacity, in addition to enabling bidirectional communications over one strand of fiber. Also there is Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) that employs light wavelengths to transmit data parallel-by-bit or serial-by-character. (definition reference from WDM wiki)
• A Passive Optical Network (PON) is a point-to-multipoint, fiber to the premises network architecture in which unpowered optical splitters are used to enable a single optical fiber to serve multiple premises, typically 32-128. A PON consists of an Optical Line Termination (OLT) at the service provider's central office and a number of Optical Network Units (ONUs) near end users. A PON configuration reduces the amount of fiber and central office equipment required compared with point-to-point architectures. (defintion reference from PON wiki)
• Packet over SONET/SDH, abbreviated POS, is a communications protocol for transmitting packets in the form of the Point to Point Protocol (PPP) over SDH or SONET, which are both standard protocols for communicating digital information using lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) over optical fibre at high line rates. POS is defined by RFC 2615 as PPP over SONET/SDH. (definition reference from PON wiki)
• Fiber to the x (FTTX) is a generic term for any network architecture that uses optical fiber to replace all or part of the usual copper local loop used for telecommunications. The four technologies, in order of an increasingly longer fiber loop are:
  • Fiber to the node / neighborhood (FTTN) / Fiber to the cabinet (FTTCab)
  • Fiber to the curb (FTTC) / Fibre to the kerb (FTTK)
  • Fiber to the building (FTTB)
  • Fiber to the home (FTTH)
  (definition reference from FTTX wiki)
• Ethernet Over SDH (EoS) or Ethernet over SONET refers to a set of protocols which allow Ethernet traffic to be carried over synchronous digital hierarchy networks in an efficient and flexible way. The same functions are available using SONET (a predominantly North American standard). (definition reference from EoS wiki)
• An automatically-switched optical network (ASON) is a network which is based on technology enabling the automatic delivery of transport services. Specifically, an ASON can deliver not only leased-line connections but also other transport services such as soft-permanent and switched optical connections. (definition reference from ASON wiki)

Example: Transmission at the heart of all services

Increasing Complexity

The demand for broadband anywhere and the deployment of these new wireless broadband services increases the complexity in management. The multi-protocol multi-vendor network resources need to be not just monitored but also managed. As an example service providers have increased challenges in managing the following functions:

• Monitoring TL1 and SNMP IP messages
• Retrieving Equipment Configurations from the network elements
• Modeling SONET/SDH/WDM network topology for root cause correlation
• Dialoging with SONET/SDH/WDM through man-machine TL1 equipment for reconfiguration and auto-restoration
• Activating new services on SONET/SDH/WDM resources, etc...

One of the most critical components is a Common Information Model (CIM) which can be synchronized with an existing inventory system. The CIM can also be populated as an active inventory by using resource management discovery adapters. The goal is to be able to model point-to-point relationships between Target ID's and Access ID's with circuit facilities. Also the goal is to be able to model containment relationships. These relationships then provide the foundation for correlation.

Example:
If an Add Drop Multiplexer uniquely named by Target/AccessID receives a Loss of Signal,
Then can this be correlated automatically to the root cause?
Was there a fiber cut and can this be correlated to a single correlation alert?
Also was this a card failure or fan failure contained within a shelf, rack, and location?
Can a Trouble Ticket be created? Can it be created automatically? Can all alerts be associated to the same ticket?
Can a dialog/command be sent automatically back to restore service? Or does a trunk need to be dispatched?
Can the alert(s) be auto-cleared?

Example: Transmission network model relationships

Getting it right the first time

With Transmission taking off in different global markets, huge investments are being made in hardware and resources. Furthermore new and existing network element manufacturers are investing R&D resources towards design and development of transmission hardware, customer trials, and mass production. Over this transmission layer critical services are deployed such as WiMAX, DSL, VoIP, IPTV, and other corporate IP services. Once the services begin their trials, do CSPs have the right solutions to manage the customer and service assurance as well as deploy these complex solutions? Existing Element Management Systems are limited in scalability and multi-vendor management.

Where is the problem?

Managing the transmission layer, event correlation, service impact, and service activation is where OSI NETeXPERT has been leveraged for nearly 20 years.

OSI's goal is to help Communication Service Providers proactively provide as much information as possible on service impacting resources as well as help automate the test and resolution of end-to-end transmission resources:

• SONET/SDH Add Drop Multiplexers
• Cross Connects
• Wave Division Multiplexers
• Routers/Switches
• Optical Network Units/Residential Gateways
• Other transmission service related resources

Customer Satisfaction

Retaining customers in today’s competitive environment requires the development and management of Customer Experience Management. Customers have higher expectations for data services; the bar has been set very high with DSL, FTTX, and existing broadband services. Wireless broadband services like WiMAX will need to meet the same standards and customer experience will determine the success or failure in the adoption rate of services.

At the heart of Service and Customer Assurance is the transmission network, and this must be managed, not just monitored. Existing event monitoring systems which just monitor and filter events are not sufficient in managing today's tranmission networks. If you are relying on a successful launch of new services you cannot merely rely on event monitoring and filtering. Once a fiber cut occurs, you will be overwhelmed with thousands of alerts; therefore, automated topology-based correlation is required. Service model propagation is also required to help determine service impact. Customer and service portals then provide visibility to service impact. Portals can also enable on-demand testing and configuration. Service impacting escalations help to much more rapidly diagnose problems, increasing customer satisfaction.

Solution

OSI is actively managing transmission networks across Wireless and Wireline Communication Service Providers around the world. NETeXPERT is used to manage network resources to service quality and to improve customer experience. OSI implements solutions built with network/service models and automated behavior policies for correlation and propagation for service impact. Adapters are also available to help gather events, exceptions, and KPI's from service resources including signaling, active tests, fault, performance, and other systems.

To learn more about these solutions, feel free to contact us.

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