The Value ofNon-Intrusive Core Router Monitoring ADC's Value-Added Module VAM Solution Executive Summary The evolution of Internet Protocol IP−based technology, coupled with advances in
Trang 1The Value of
Non-Intrusive Core Router Monitoring
ADC's Value-Added Module (VAM) Solution
Executive Summary
The evolution of Internet Protocol (IP)−based technology, coupled with advances in core-routing technology, is changing the way telecommunications carriers deliver once disparate services to their customers Enabled by an IP/Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, next-generation routers are designed to support multiple applications and services including combined voice, video and data Core routers today harness incredible power, supporting aggregate throughput of 92 terabits and supporting speeds up to OC-768 Given the advances in core router technology and their important role in the telecommunications architecture, the ability to non-intrusively monitor performance across every type of core router application is key to isolating problems, maintaining service levels and mitigating risks
This paper addresses why telecommunications carriers need the ability
to non-intrusively monitor the core router and best practices are for monitoring In addition, the paper discusses ADC’s Value-Added Module (VAM) monitoring solution, ADC’s Professional Services role in deploying core router VAM solutions and highlights a successful implementation for
a major telecommunications carrier
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The Network Core
The evolution of IP-based technology continues to
drive telecommunications carriers to provide
next-generation, converged IP services against a backdrop of
ever increasing bandwidth and performance demands
Packet-based network infrastructures that support
high-speed Internet, video on demand (VoD), and Voice over
IP (VoIP) services require telecommunications carriers
to upgrade their network architectures to meet the
challenges of networking convergence and multiservice
delivery At the heart of network migration and
architecture upgrades lay massive core routing solutions
designed to meet the growing demands of the carrier’s
customer base These high-end routers, geared toward
telecommunications companies with networks that
handle the greatest levels of Internet traffic, represent
the phasing out of multiple single-service networks
What have emerged are single, integrated networks
capable of delivering disparate services and applications
at unprecedented speeds and performance levels
Advances in Core Router Technology
Driven by MPLS technology that leverages the
integration of IP and dense wavelength division
multiplexing (DWDM), next-generation routers are
designed to support converged network services
Today’s core routers, supporting aggregate throughput
of 92 terabits and of up to OC-768, enable carriers to
deliver a suite of data, voice, and video services over
highly available and highly scalable IP infrastructures
that are well-suited for network expansion Given the
advances in core-router technology and its important
role in the telecommunications architecture, the ability
to perform out-of-band monitoring without disruption
in service is necessary for telecommunications carriers
seeking to isolate problems, maintaining service levels,
and mitigate risks
Limitations of Built-in Core Router Monitoring
Before next-generation core routers entered the scene,
telecommunications carriers were forced to rely on
multiple routers to assure redundancy and mitigate
risk Carrier-grade core routers today are designed
with safeguards in place to prevent system crashes
and failures Core routers incorporate elaborate
alarm-reporting systems, as well as other fault management
features, which alert administrators when thresholds
related to signal loss or signal degradation are crossed
or the system is operating outside a predetermined
service range Such features are not intended to provide
troubleshooting functionality or advanced performance
diagnostics; rather they are intended to offer high-level
performance data and some trend analysis
Carriers today are looking for advanced diagnostic
capabilities to enhance core router monitoring
functionality Given the complexity of today’s
telecommunications networks, carriers must be able
to efficiently identify problems and diagnosis IP, video, and voice faults - all of which require the ability, for example, to examine packet levels using third-party point-monitoring or analysis solutions
Monitoring the Essential Core – Taking it to the Next Level
Customers impose extremely high demands on network carriers to not only deliver high performance, but to ensure guaranteed service levels to customers across
a variety of industries—including financial, medical and emergency services Carriers are routing precious signals at incredibly high rates through the core If a problem arises, the entire network can be at risk To remain competitive and satisfy customer agreements, carriers must be able to troubleshoot problems quickly,
as well as conduct in-depth analysis at the packet level Detailed monitoring requires real-time, in-depth visibility into network traffic, and is necessary for effective risk mitigation and service-level management
Enabling Advanced Monitoring
Since the introduction of the next-generation routers, telecommunications carriers have sought real-time monitoring functionality With improved monitoring functionality, time-consuming and expensive troubleshooting can be easily averted The ability to non-intrusively monitor (i.e., without taking service down) means telecommunications carriers are able to:
• Provide validation of service-level agreements (SLAs) without disruption of the network (i.e., obtain end-user data necessary to monitor end-to-end business services and SLA compliance)
• Isolate problems and determine whether the source of the problem resides with the carrier or customer’s network
• Enable the measurement of network performance based on throughput and latency without circuit disruption
• Demonstrate effective service delivery via third party diagnostics that can compile information and provide reporting and advanced business intelligence reporting
Effective Practices for Core Router Monitoring
Best practices for monitoring the core router should include the following:
• Enable real-time, out-of-band monitoring with non-intrusive circuit access and signal splitting for testing and troubleshooting without service disruption
• Establish a test point that is separate from, or outside
of, the core router equipment so that problem
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identification and isolation can occur without the
influence of any active equipment
• Enable testing, diagnostics and analytics of a small
percentage of the actual signal via third-party
equipment that is location independent
• Monitor signals in both directions (i.e., transmit and
receive)
• Locate monitoring ports/bays in close proximity to the
core router and monitor all inputs and outputs
ADC’s Value-Added Module
System: Monitor Modules
In today’s competitive environment, telecom carriers
cannot risk any interruption in service Finding a problem
before it becomes a hard failure does more than just
prevent loss of service, it affords service providers
sufficient time to address the problem appropriately
Deploying a Value-Added Module (VAM) system adjacent
to the core router provides needed flexibility and
functionality in a variety of monitoring applications
ADC VAM Monitor Modules
Features and Benefits
Service providers can deploy a monitor module as a
non-intrusive tap port for monitoring purposes or for
out-of-band testing The ADC VAM monitor module
is a platform for adding monitor functionality to
fiber-distribution frames The VAM module splits the signal
at the physical layer and delivers a small percentage of
the signal to active or passive test equipment for
out-of-band analysis or problem isolation ADC VAM Monitor
Modules enable out-of-band monitoring, test access and
signal splitting, in modular plug-and-play packaging
Benefits of ADC’s VAM solution include the following:
• Non-intrusive monitoring and signal access solution Using an ADC VAM, a percentage of the signal or designated wavelength is diverted to a monitor port
or external test equipment, while the remaining signal
or wavelength passes through the network without interruption Once the signal or wavelength is peeled off, it can be relayed via a fiber jumper to a network-monitoring center where third-party equipment can perform simple testing or more elaborate analysis and diagnostics (see Figure 1 for a splitting example) By utilizing such a small percentage of the actual signal, there is no significant signal loss or degradation of service, meaning it is intrusive The ability to non-intrusively monitor enables providers to troubleshoot networks without disrupting customer service
• Access to both Tx and Rx signals ADC’s VAM “bay” provides a monitoring point for both transmit and receive signals or any variation of transmit and receive The ability to easily monitor both directions from both ends of a fiber span greatly reduces the time necessary
to locate failures or degradation points
• Flexible, highly configurable platforms ADC VAM solutions are configurable for any telecommunications carrier environment, and are available in many different chassis styles (e.g., Micro VAM, LGX style VAM, wide VAM, FDF VAM and others) VAMs are ideal for core-router applications, as well as demarcation-point applications VAM monitoring ports can be used to route signals for long-term analysis in centralized diagnostic centers or they can be used to provide access for on-site diagnostic equipment or test gear
• Cost effective solution Carriers have the ability to monitor core-router performance, a well as diagnose and troubleshoot problems without disrupting service and without increasing operational and maintenance costs
• Flexible coupler and interface configurations The VAM can incorporate any variation on the number
of monitoring/test ports in multiple configurations, enabling easy deployment and access Various combinations of all-front access to input/output ports
or rear access to both input/output ports are also available (see Figure 2)
Connectorized Pigtail
Adapter Port
Adapter Port
Optical Components
Connectorized Pigtail (3 mm Jacketed) Bare Pigtail (2 mm Jacketed)
OSP
Cable
Core Router
Splice
Test Eq
Splitter
Splitter Rx
Tx
Rx Tx
10%
90%
10%
90%
Figure 1 Illustration of non-intrusive core router
monitoring and signal access.
Figure 2 VAM monitor modules can be tailored to meet application requirements Modules include most industry standard single-mode and multi-mode connectors Most inputs and outputs use adapter, pigail or bare fiber.
Trang 4implementing ADC Monitoring Solutions – ADC Professional Services
In response to the growing requirement to enable advanced core router monitoring, ADC Professional Services is designing ADC VAM monitoring solutions to fit virtually any carrier router implementation When a new router is installed, more often than not, so is the ADC VAM non-intrusive monitoring solution For existing core router environments, APS can integrate a VAM solution, regardless of vendor, service, or technology ADC equipment is extremely flexible and configurable, and can map to any fiber frame footprint (e.g., Next Generation Frames (NGF), LGX-style frames, Optical Distribution Frames (OMX), and others)
Telecom Carrier Core Router VAM Implementation
ADC Professional Services recently deployed a VAM solution on a Cisco CRS-1 for a major national telecommunications carrier The challenge for the carrier was the desire to examine packet levels The CRS-1 incorporates alarming features for power failure and signal degradation and can monitor routing capacity and speed, but does not perform analyses at the packet level to the extent as required by the carrier The VAM solution deployed (called the Monitor X-Connect in Figure ) enables the carrier to peel off a piece of the signal and pass it
to third-party packet-analyzing equipment (called Monitoring Equipment in Figure ) without any disruption or interference with the circuit
Service Level Agreements with customers typically dictate finite performance levels, including acceptable latency and throughput Any degradation of service that the carrier causes can result in serious financial ramifications, particularly when the customers are huge enterprises with complex, high-performance networks The ability to monitor optical signals off the core router can enable the determination of the root cause of problems before they manifest themselves in actual service outages Coupled with VAM monitoring solutions located at the furthest customer demarcation points, VAM solutions can provide considerable efficiency in troubleshooting network problems
Figure VAM monitor module deployment on a CRS-1, 9-panel LGX, carrier configuration.
Monitor X-connect
AC/front/rear
9 Panel LGX Complex -2 panels per CRS1 (96 ports) -1 panel for cross-connect
to monitoring equipment
Monitoring Equipment 90/10
90/10
90/10
90/10 CRS-1
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