WO2000031957A2 - Multi-user access of reverse path ingress - Google Patents
Multi-user access of reverse path ingress Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2000031957A2 WO2000031957A2 PCT/US1999/027736 US9927736W WO0031957A2 WO 2000031957 A2 WO2000031957 A2 WO 2000031957A2 US 9927736 W US9927736 W US 9927736W WO 0031957 A2 WO0031957 A2 WO 0031957A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- return path
- collecting data
- software
- data concerning
- path
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N17/00—Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
- H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
- H04H20/12—Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B3/00—Line transmission systems
- H04B3/02—Details
- H04B3/46—Monitoring; Testing
Definitions
- This invention relates to improvement in the collection and management of information relating to the performance of networks. It is disclosed in the context of data logging and data management in CATV systems, but is believed to have applications in other areas as well.
- CATV system test equipment manufacturers have been designing, developing and building test equipment for monitoring CATV system performance and, in many instances, saving data related to the performance of monitored CATV systems.
- each manufacturer adopted data formats that were convenient for whatever use that manufacturer's equipment, or a particular piece of that manufacturer's equipment, made of the saved data.
- the data was thus saved in these proprietary file formats, different for each manufacturer, sometimes different for different pieces of equipment from the same manufacturer. This meant that the data could not be passed among different applications, such as different software products, that required common data formats and manipulated by these different applications, such as by the performance of calculations from the data and so on.
- a method for managing a CATN system including a headend at which signals are assembled for transmission in a forward path to a subscriber and a return path permitting signals to flow from the subscriber to the headend.
- the method includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format, providing at least some of the collected data to a management software application, generating an output of the management software application, and managing the CATN system based in part on the output of the management software application.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in an open database connectivity-recognizable format.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in simple network management protocol.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in common management information protocol
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a dynamic data exchange-recognizable format.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in object linking and embedding format.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a standard data format includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in remote monitoring (RMON) format.
- RMON remote monitoring
- the method includes collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path in a proprietary format, translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format, providing at least some of the translated data to a management software application, generating an output of the management software application, and managing the CATV system based in part on the output of the management software application.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into an open database connectivity-recognizable format.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into simple network management protocol.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into common management information protocol.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into a dynamic data exchange- recognizable format.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into object linking and embedding format.
- translating at least some of the collected data into a standard data format includes translating at least some of the collected data into remote monitoring (RMON) format.
- RMON remote monitoring
- the management software application includes at least one of network monitoring software, network management software, man-machine interface software, spreadsheet software and database software.
- collecting data concerning the operation of at least one of the forward path and the return path includes collecting data concerning the operation of the return path.
- Fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of components implementing software according to an aspect of the invention
- Fig. 2 illustrates an architecture of a CATN system including local, regional and national offices implementing software architecture according to the invention
- Fig. 3 illustrates a software architecture according to one aspect of the invention.
- this invention is disclosed in the context of the management, for example, the control of, or gathering information from, reverse path ingress monitoring and mitigation apparatus in a CATN system 10.
- the proprietary, that is, non-standard, nature of prior art data collection formats in such an application is that they: require multiple computers, each dedicated to functions associated with each particular data collection format; the user is limited to the feature- set offered by the supplier; proprietary protocols are not easily incorporated into the CATN companies' operations software; and, each user must have the proprietary software in order to use the system.
- the CATN operator is faced with a growing variety of equipment which must be monitored or controlled.
- ingress monitoring devices 12 for monitoring amplitude versus frequency in the return spectrum of a CATN system, typically including 5 to 65 MHZ.
- the monitoring and control of this equipment is commonly done from a computer.
- the prior art practice of ingress monitoring equipment suppliers and others is to provide equipment which uses proprietary protocols. Such equipment must be accessed using proprietary software.
- proprietary nature of this software makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a user to customize the monitoring process to the user's needs.
- LANs local area networks
- WANs wide area networks
- SNMP and CMTP are sets of protocols for managing complex networks 14, 16.
- the first versions of SNMP were developed in the early '80s. SNMP works by sending messages, called Protocol Data Units, or PDUs, to different parts of a network.
- MIBs Management Information Bases
- RMON Remote MONitoring
- Ingress monitoring software that contains an SNMP agent 18 opens the ingress monitoring and mitigation process to SNMP management software.
- a number of off-the-shelf management software products for monitoring and control of SNMP compliant devices are then readily applicable.
- Ingress monitoring equipment which complies to such a standard has the advantage of reducing the number of computers required, for example, in a CATV system headend, for equipment monitoring.
- Some of the existing SNMP management software has open architecture which permits the user to customize the management process to best suit the user's needs.
- MMI Man-Machine Interface
- ODBC Open DataBase Connectivity
- DDE Dynamic Data Exchange
- Open DataBase Connectivity is a standard database access method developed by Microsoft Corporation.
- An ODBC server 20 facilitates access to any data from any application, regardless of which DataBase Management System (hereinafter sometimes DBMS) is handling the data.
- DBMS DataBase Management System
- ODBC manages this by inserting a translator, called a database driver, between an application and the DBMS.
- the purpose of this layer is to translate the application's data queries into commands that the DBMS understands.
- Both the application and the DBMS must be ODBC-compliant. That is, the application must be capable of issuing ODBC commands and the DBMS must be capable of responding to them.
- ODBC version 2.0 the standard version of this software, supports SAG SQL.
- DDE an InterProcess Communication (IPC) system
- IPC InterProcess Communication
- the chart in the document automatically incorporates the spreadsheet data changes.
- OLE Object Linking and Embedding
- Another method for opening ingress monitoring to third party software is to save the ingress data in a format compatible with a wide variety of software.
- An example of this method is to use a popular database 24 format such as Microsoft® Access TM.
- the data in an Access TM compatible database 24 can be made available to any user on the network via a readily available ODBC server 20.
- Any third party software that is ODBC compliant can then make use of this data.
- An example of an ODBC compliant program suitable for mathematical analysis of ingress data is Microsoft® Excel TM. Using Excel TM, a user creates spreadsheets to make useful computations on ingress data 24 and present results in tabular or graphical format.
- Such computations are independent of the ingress monitoring/data collection software, giving essentially an unlimited number of users the ability to customize the ingress data 24 analysis and reporting to their specific needs. All of this customization is done without changing the proprietary portion of the ingress monitoring software.
- the user may, at the user's option, automate the data collection and computation process using, for example, the macro language supplied with Excel TM or other third party software products. Similar links to an ODBC server 20 and/or a DDE or OLE server 22 are used, for example, to control the alarm handling function 26 of the ingress monitoring software launching and clearing alarm activities.
- Fig. 3 illustrates one realization of the software.
- the ingress data is obtained from the monitoring equipment by an ingress logger module 12.
- the ingress logger module 12 for collecting amplitude and frequency measurements in an industry standard data format creates database files 24 which make ingress data in one or more standard data formats available to one or more commonly available third party software products not specifically intended for ingress measurement via an ODBC server 20.
- the most recent data is held in memory by the ingress logger module 12 where it can be accessed by a DDE or OLE server 22.
- the ingress logger module 12 also forwards information concerning out-of-limits ingress data to the alarm module 26 where a variety of alarm functions, such as issuing a page, e-mail or audio warning of a fault, are launched.
- the alarm module also keeps files 28 holding alarm information. These files 28 are available to external applications via the ODBC server 20. External applications can also launch alarms by accessing the alarm module 26 via the DDE or OLE server 22 or a common disk file.
- the SNMP agent 18 uses data from the ingress logger module 12 and alarm handler module 26 to issue traps, that is, advisories to the CATV system 10 operator, and provide general information via a Management Information Base, or MIB, to third party SNMP management software products, such as Hewlett-Packard® Openview®.
- the SNMP agent 18 also permits remote clearing of alarms.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU18280/00A AU1828000A (en) | 1998-11-23 | 1999-11-23 | Multi-user access of reverse path ingress |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10958698P | 1998-11-23 | 1998-11-23 | |
US60/109,586 | 1998-11-23 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2000031957A2 true WO2000031957A2 (en) | 2000-06-02 |
WO2000031957A3 WO2000031957A3 (en) | 2000-11-09 |
Family
ID=22328466
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1999/027736 WO2000031957A2 (en) | 1998-11-23 | 1999-11-23 | Multi-user access of reverse path ingress |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
AU (1) | AU1828000A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2000031957A2 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9357163B2 (en) | 2012-09-20 | 2016-05-31 | Viavi Solutions Inc. | Characterizing ingress noise |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4491968A (en) * | 1983-04-07 | 1985-01-01 | Comsonics, Inc. | Status monitor |
US4494138A (en) * | 1983-05-11 | 1985-01-15 | Comsonics, Inc. | Segmented upstream management for cable television |
WO1994029983A1 (en) * | 1993-06-10 | 1994-12-22 | Adc Telecommunications, Inc. | Performance monitoring and failure isolation in a point-to-multipoint communication network |
US5710885A (en) * | 1995-11-28 | 1998-01-20 | Ncr Corporation | Network management system with improved node discovery and monitoring |
-
1999
- 1999-11-23 WO PCT/US1999/027736 patent/WO2000031957A2/en active Application Filing
- 1999-11-23 AU AU18280/00A patent/AU1828000A/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4491968A (en) * | 1983-04-07 | 1985-01-01 | Comsonics, Inc. | Status monitor |
US4494138A (en) * | 1983-05-11 | 1985-01-15 | Comsonics, Inc. | Segmented upstream management for cable television |
WO1994029983A1 (en) * | 1993-06-10 | 1994-12-22 | Adc Telecommunications, Inc. | Performance monitoring and failure isolation in a point-to-multipoint communication network |
US5710885A (en) * | 1995-11-28 | 1998-01-20 | Ncr Corporation | Network management system with improved node discovery and monitoring |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9357163B2 (en) | 2012-09-20 | 2016-05-31 | Viavi Solutions Inc. | Characterizing ingress noise |
US10594364B2 (en) | 2012-09-20 | 2020-03-17 | Viavi Solutions Inc. | Characterizing ingress noise |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2000031957A3 (en) | 2000-11-09 |
AU1828000A (en) | 2000-06-13 |
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