Table Of Contents

Cisco Transport Controller Operation

4.1  CTC Software Delivery Methods

4.1.1  CTC Software Installed on the 15310E-CTX-K9 Card

4.1.2  CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation

4.2  CTC Installation Overview

4.3  PC and UNIX Workstation Requirements

4.4  ONS 15310-MA SDH Connection

4.5  CTC Login

4.6  CTC Window

4.6.1  Node View

4.6.2  Network View

4.6.3  Card View

4.6.4  Print and Export CTC Data

4.7  Using the CTC Launcher Application to Manage Multiple ONS Nodes

4.8  Common Control Card Reset

4.9  Traffic Card Reset

4.10  Database Backup

4.11  Software Revert

Cisco Transport Controller Operation

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This chapter describes Cisco Transport Controller (CTC), the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH software interface. For CTC set up and login information, refer to the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Procedure Guide.

Chapter topics include:

•CTC Software Delivery Methods

•CTC Installation Overview

•PC and UNIX Workstation Requirements

•ONS 15310-MA SDH Connection

•CTC Login

•CTC Window

•Using the CTC Launcher Application to Manage Multiple ONS Nodes

•Common Control Card Reset

•Traffic Card Reset

•Database Backup

•Software Revert

4.1  CTC Software Delivery Methods

ONS 15310-MA SDH provisioning and administration is performed using CTC software. CTC is a Java application that is stored on the 15310E-CTX-K9 card in the ONS 15310-MA SDH. CTC is downloaded to your workstation the first time you log into a ONS 15310-MA SDH with a new software release.

4.1.1  CTC Software Installed on the 15310E-CTX-K9 Card

CTC software is preloaded on the 15310E-CTX-K9 cards; therefore, you do not need to install software.

You can view the software versions that are installed on an ONS 15310-MA SDH by selecting the Maintenance > Software tabs in node view (Figure 4-1). Select the Maintenance > Software tabs in network view to display the software versions installed on all the network nodes.

Figure 4-1 CTC Software Versions in an ONS 15310-MA SDH (Node View)

4.1.2  CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation

CTC software Java Archive (JAR) files are installed on your computer using one of the following methods:

•The JAR files are downloaded from the 15310E-CTX-K9 card and installed on your computer automatically the first time you connect to an ONS 15310-MA SDH. Downloading the CTC software files at login ensures that your computer has the same CTC software version as the ONS 15310-MA SDH you are accessing. The CTC JAR files are stored in the temporary directory designated by your computer operating system.

You can use the Delete CTC Cache button to remove files. If the files are deleted, they are downloaded the next time you connect to an ONS node. Downloading the CTC JAR files may take 1-2 minutes, or 45-50 minutes, depending on the bandwidth of the connection between your workstation and the ONS 15310-MA SDH. JAR files downloaded from a modem or a data communication channel (DCC) network link will require more time than JAR files downloaded over a LAN connection.

•You can install the JAR files on your computer using the CTC setup wizard provided on the CTC software CD. If you install the JAR files with the setup wizard you do not need to wait for the files to download the first time you log into the node. In addition, you can manage ONS 15310-MA SDH nodes that are added to networks with ONS nodes running older software releases. After you install the JAR files, you can log into an ONS 15454 running an earlier software release and manage the ONS 15310-MA SDH nodes. However, if you use the Delete CTC Cache function, you must reinstall the JAR files from the software CD.

During network topology discovery, CTC polls each node in the network to determine which one contains the most recent version of the CTC software. If CTC discovers a node in the network that has a more recent version of CTC than the version you are currently running, CTC generates a message stating that a later version of CTC has been found in the network and offers to install the CTC software upgrade JAR files. If you have network discovery disabled, CTC will not seek more recent versions of the software. Unreachable nodes are not included in the upgrade discovery.

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Note Upgrading the CTC software will overwrite your existing software. You must restart CTC after the upgrade is complete.

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4.2  CTC Installation Overview

To connect to an ONS 15310-MA SDH using CTC, enter the ONS 15310-MA SDH IP address in the URL field of Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. After connecting to an ONS 15310-MA SDH, the following events occur automatically:

1. The CTC launcher applet downloads from the 15310E-CTX-K9 card to your computer.

2. The launcher determines whether your computer has a CTC release matching the release on the 15310E-CTX-K9 card.

3. If the computer does not have CTC installed, or if the installed release is older than the 15310E-CTX-K9 card version, the launcher downloads the CTC program files from the card.

4. The launcher starts CTC. The CTC session is separate from the web browser session, so the web browser is no longer needed.

5. You should always log into nodes having the latest software release unless you run the CTC setup wizard and install the ONS 15310-MA SDH JAR client software files on your computer. If the JAR files are installed on your computer, you can log into ONS 15454s running Release 4.1 or later o manage ONS 15310-MA SDH nodes that are connected by DCCs to the ONS 15454s.

Each ONS 15310-MA SDH can handle up to five concurrent CTC sessions. CTC performance can vary, depending on the volume of activity in each session, network bandwidth, and 15310E-CTX-K9 card load.

4.3  PC and UNIX Workstation Requirements

To use CTC, your computer must have a web browser with the correct Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed for the software release in use. The correct JRE and Java plug-in for each CTC software release are included on the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH software CDs. Table 4-1 lists the requirements for PCs and UNIX workstations.

Table 4-1 CTC Computer Requirements 

Area	Requirements	Notes
Processor (PC only)	Pentium 4 processor or equivalent	A faster CPU is recommended if your workstation runs multiple applications or if CTC manages a network with a large number of nodes and circuits.
RAM	512 MB RAM or more	A minimum of 1 GB is recommended if your workstation runs multiple applications or if CTC manages a network with a large number of nodes and circuits.
Hard drive	20 GB hard drive with 100MB of free space required	CTC application files are downloaded from the TCC2/TCC2P to your computer. These files occupy around 100MB (250MB to be safer) or more space depending on the number of versions in the network.
Operating System	•PC: Windows 2000 with SP4, Windows XP with SP2, Windows Vista SP1, Windows Server 2003 SP2 •Workstation: Solaris versions 9 or 10	Check with the vendor for the latest patch/Service Pack level
Java Runtime Environment	JRE 5.0	JRE 5.0 is installed by the CTC Installation Wizard included on the Cisco ONS 15454 software CD. JRE 5.0 provide enhancements to CTC performance, especially for large networks with numerous circuits. Cisco recommends that you use JRE 5.0 for networks with Software R9.0 nodes. If CTC must be launched directly from nodes running software R7.0 or R7.2, Cisco recommends JRE 1.4.2 or JRE 5.0. If CTC must be launched directly from nodes running software R5.0 or R6.0, Cisco recommends JRE 1.4.2.If CTC must be launched directly from nodes running software earlier than R5.0, Cisco recommends JRE 1.3.1_02.
Web browser	•PC:Internet Explorer 6.x or Netscape 7.x •UNIX Workstation: Mozilla 1.7, Netscape 4.76, Netscape 7.x	For the PC, use JRE 5.0 with any supported web browser. Cisco recommends Internet Explorer 6.x. For UNIX, use JRE 5.0 with Netscape 7.x or JRE 1.3.1_02 with Netscape 4.76. Netscape 4.76 or 7.x is available at the following site: http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/default.jsp Internet Explorer 6.x is available at the following site: http://www.microsoft.com
Cable	User-supplied CAT-5 straight-through cable with RJ-45 connectors on each end to connect the computer to the ONS 15310-MA SDH directly or though a LAN	—

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Note To avoid network performance issues, Cisco recommends managing a maximum of 50 nodes concurrently with CTC. The 50 nodes can be on a single DCC or split across multiple DCCs. Cisco does not recommend running multiple CTC sessions when managing two or more large networks.
To manage more than 50 nodes, Cisco recommends using Cisco Transport Manager (CTM). If you do use CTC to manage more than 50 nodes, you can improve performance by adjusting the heap size; see the "General Troubleshooting" chapter of the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Troubleshooting Guide. You can also create login node groups; see the "Connect the PC and Log Into the GUI" chapter of the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Procedure Guide.

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4.4  ONS 15310-MA SDH Connection

Table 4-2 lists the connection options and requirements for connecting a PC to the ONS 15310-MA SDH node.

Table 4-2 ONS 15310-MA SDH Connection Methods 

Method	Description	Requirements
Local craft	Refers to onsite network connections between the CTC computer and the ONS 15310-MA SDH using one of the following: •The RJ-45 (LAN) port on the ONS 15310-MA SDH 15310E-CTX-K9 card faceplate •A hub or switch to which the ONS 15310-MA SDH is connected	If you do not use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), you must change the computer IP address, subnet mask, and default router, or use automatic host detection.
Corporate LAN	Refers to a connection to the ONS 15310-MA SDH through a corporate or network operations center (NOC) LAN.	•The ONS 15310-MA SDH must be provisioned for LAN connectivity, including IP address, subnet mask, default gateway. •The ONS 15310-MA SDH must be physically connected to the corporate LAN. •The CTC computer must be connected to the corporate LAN that has connectivity to the ONS 15310-MA SDH.
TL1	Refers to a connection to the ONS 15310-MA SDH using TL1 rather than CTC. TL1 sessions can be started from CTC, or you can use a TL1 terminal. The physical connection can be a craft connection, corporate LAN, or a TL1 terminal. Refer to the Cisco ONS SDH TL1 Reference Guide.	—
Remote	Refers to a connection made to the ONS 15310-MA SDH using a modem.	•A modem must be connected to the ONS 15310-MA SDH. •The modem must be provisioned for the ONS 15310-MA SDH. To run CTC, the modem must be provisioned for Ethernet access.

4.5  CTC Login

After you have installed CTC, you can log in to a node using your browser. To log in, you must type the node IP address in the URL window. The CTC Login window appears.

The CTC Login window provides the following options to accelerate the login process.

•The Disable Network Discovery option omits the discovery of nodes with data communications channel (DCC) connectivity. To access all nodes with DCC connectivity, make sure that Disable Network Discovery is not checked. If you have network discovery disabled, CTC will not poll the network for more recent versions of the software. (For more information about the automatic download of the latest CTC JAR files, see the "CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation" section.)

•The Disable Circuit Management option omits the discovery of circuits. To view circuits immediately after logging in, make sure that Disable Circuit Management is not checked. However, if disabled, after you have logged in you can click the Circuits tab and CTC will give you the option to enable circuit management.

These options are useful if you want to log in to a node to perform a single task, such as placing a card in or out of service, and do not want to wait while CTC discovers DCC connections and circuits.

4.6  CTC Window

The CTC window (Figure 4-2) appears after you log into an ONS 15310-MA SDH. The CTC window includes a menu bar, toolbar, and a top and bottom pane. The top pane provides status information about the selected objects and a graphic of the current view. The bottom pane provides tabs and subtabs to view ONS 15310-MA SDH information and perform provisioning and maintenance. The CTC window provides three views: network, node, and card.

Figure 4-2 ONS 15310-MA SDH Node View (Default Login View)

4.6.1  Node View

Node view is the first view that appears after you log into an ONS 15310-MA SDH. The login node is the first node shown, and it is the "home view" for the session. Node view allows you to view and manage one node. The status area shows the node name; IP address; session boot date and time; number of Critical (CR), Major (MJ), and Minor (MN) alarms; the name of the current logged-in user; the security level of the user; the software version; and the network element default setup.

4.6.1.1  CTC Card Colors

The graphic area of the CTC window depicts the shelf assembly. The colors of the cards in the graphic reflect the real-time status of the physical card and slot (Table 4-3).

Table 4-3 Node View Card and Slot Colors 

Card and Slot Color	Status
Gray	Slot is not provisioned; no card is installed.
Violet	Slot is provisioned; no card is installed.
White	Slot is provisioned; a functioning card is installed.
Yellow	Slot is provisioned; a Minor alarm condition exists.
Orange	Slot is provisioned; a Major alarm condition exists.
Red	Slot is provisioned; a Critical alarm exists.

The port color in both card and node view indicates the port service state. Table 4-4 lists the port colors and their service states. For more information about port service states, see "Administrative and Service States."

Table 4-4 Node View Card Port Colors and Service States 

Port Color	Service State	Description
Cyan (blue)	locked-enabled,loopback	(Out-of-Service and Management, Loopback) Port is in a loopback state. On the card in node view, a line between ports indicates that the port is in terminal or facility loopback (see Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-4). Traffic is carried and alarm reporting is suppressed. Raised fault conditions, whether or not their alarms are reported, can be retrieved on the CTC Conditions tab or by using the TL1 RTRV-COND command.
Cyan (blue)	locked-enabled,maintenance	(Out-of-Service and Management, Maintenance) Port is out-of-service for maintenance. Traffic is carried and loopbacks are allowed. Alarm reporting is suppressed. Raised fault conditions, whether or not their alarms are reported, can be retrieved on the CTC Conditions tab or by using the TL1 RTRV-COND command. Use locked-enabled,maintenance for testing or to suppress alarms temporarily. Change the state to unlocked-enabled, locked-enabled,disabled, or locked-disabled,Automatic In Service when testing is complete.
Gray	locked-enabled,disabled	(Out-of-Service and Management, Disabled) The port is out-of-service and unable to carry traffic. Loopbacks are not allowed in this service state.
Green	unlocked-enabled	(In-Service and Normal) The port is fully operational and performing as provisioned. The port transmits a signal and displays alarms; loopbacks are not allowed.
Violet	locked-disabled,Automatic In Service	(Out-of-Service and Autonomous, Automatic In-Service) The port is out-of-service, but traffic is carried. Alarm reporting is suppressed. The node monitors the ports for an error-free signal. After an error-free signal is detected, the port stays in locked-disabled,Automatic In Service state for the duration of the soak period. After the soak period ends, the port service state changes to unlocked-enabled. Raised fault conditions, whether or not their alarms are reported, can be retrieved on the CTC Conditions tab or by using the TL1 RTRV-COND command. The Automatic In Service port will automatically transition to unlocked-enabled when a signal is received for the length of time provisioned in the soak field.

Figure 4-3 Terminal Loopback Indicator

Figure 4-4 Facility Loopback Indicator

Table 4-5 lists the card statuses.

Table 4-5 Node View Card Statuses

Card Status	Description
Stby	Card is in standby.
Act	Card is active.
NP	Card is not present.
Mis	Card is mismatched.
Ldg	Card is resetting.

4.6.1.2  Node View Card Shortcuts

If you move your mouse over cards in the graphic, popups display additional information about the card including the card type; card status (active or standby); the type of alarm, such as Critical, Major, and Minor (if any); and the alarm profile used by the card. Right-click a card to reveal a shortcut menu, which you can use to open, reset, or delete the card. Right-click a card slot to preprovision it before installing the card.

4.6.1.3  Node View Tabs

Table 4-6 lists the tabs and subtabs available in the node view.

Table 4-6 Node View Tabs and Subtabs 

Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the node and updates them in real time.	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the node.	—
History	Provides a history of node alarms including date, type, and severity of each alarm. The Session subtab displays alarms and events for the current session. The Node subtab displays alarms and events retrieved from a fixed-size log on the node.	Session, Node
Circuits	Creates, deletes, edits, and maps circuits.	Circuits, Rolls
Provisioning	Provisions the ONS 15310-MA SDH node.	General, Network, OSI, Protection, Security, SNMP, Comm Channels, Timing, Alarm Extenders, Alarm Profiles, Defaults
Inventory	Provides inventory information (part number, serial number, Common Language Equipment Identification [CLEI] codes) for cards installed in the node. Allows you to delete and reset cards, and to change card service state. For more information on card service states, see "Administrative and Service States."	—
Maintenance	Performs maintenance tasks for the node.	Database, OSI, Protection, Software, Cross-Connect, Overhead XConnect, Alarm Extenders, Diagnostic, Timing, Audit, Test Access

4.6.2  Network View

Network view allows you to view and manage ONS 15310-MA SDH nodes that have DCC connections to the node that you logged into and any login node groups you have selected (Figure 4-5).

Figure 4-5 Network in CTC Network View

Nodes with DCC connections to the login node will not appear if you selected Disable Network Discovery on the Login dialog box.

The graphic area displays a background image with colored ONS 15310-MA SDH icons. A Superuser can set up the logical network view feature, which enables each user to see the same network view. Selecting a node or span in the graphic area displays information about the node and span in the status area. The icon colors indicate the node status (Table 4-7).

4.6.2.1  CTC Node Colors

The color of a node in network view indicates the node alarm status. Table 4-7 lists the node colors shown in network view.

Table 4-7 Node Colors Indicating Status in Network View  

Color	Alarm Status
Green	No alarms
Yellow	Minor alarms
Orange	Major alarms
Red	Critical alarms
Gray with Unknown#	Node initializing for the first time (CTC displays Unknown# because CTC has not yet discovered the name of the node)

4.6.2.2  Network View Tabs

Table 4-8 lists the tabs and subtabs available in the network view.

Table 4-8 Network View Tabs and Subtabs 

Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the network and updates them in real time.	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the network.	—
History	Provides a history of network alarms including date, type, and severity of each alarm.	—
Circuits	Creates, deletes, edits, filters, and searches for network circuits.	Circuits, Rolls
Provisioning	Provisions security, alarm profiles, MS-SPRing, overhead circuits, server trails, and loads/manages VLAN databases	Security, Alarm Profiles, MS-SPRing, Overhead Circuits, Provisionable Patchcords (PPC), Server Trails, VLAN DB Profile
Maintenance	Displays the working and protect software versions, and allows software to be downloaded, retrieves Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) node information, and displays the list of automatic power control (APC) domains for a network	Software, Diagnostic, APC

4.6.2.3  DCC Links

The lines between nodes in the network view indicate DCC connections between the nodes. Active DCC connections appear as green/solid or green/dashed. Solid means circuits can be routed through the link, and dashed means circuits cannot be routed through the link. A gray link is in a fail state.

4.6.2.4  Link Consolidation

CTC provides the ability to consolidate the DCC, general communications channel (GCC), optical transport section (OTS), provisionable patchcord (PPC), and server trail links shown in the network view into a more streamlined view. Link consolidation allows you to condense multiple inter-nodal links into a single link. The link consolidation sorts links by class, meaning that, for example, all DCC links are consolidated together. You can access individual links within consolidated links using the right-click shortcut menu.

Each link has an associated icon (Table 4-9).

Table 4-9 Link Icons

Icon	Description
	DCC icon
	GCC icon
	OTS icon
	PPC icon
	Server Trail icon

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Note Link consolidation is only available on non-detailed maps. Non-detailed maps display nodes in icon form instead of detailed form, meaning the nodes appear as rectangles with ports on the sides. Refer to the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Procedure Guide for more information about consolidated links.

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4.6.3  Card View

Card view provides information about individual ONS 15310-MA SDH cards. Use this view to perform card-specific maintenance and provisioning (Figure 4-6). A graphic showing the ports on the card appears in the graphic area. The status area provides the node name, slot, number of alarms, card type, equipment type, and either the card status (active or standby), card service state if the card is present, or port service state (Table 4-4). The information that appears and the actions you can perform depend on the card.

Figure 4-6 CTC Card View of an E1_21_E3_DS3_3 Card

Table 4-10 shows the tabs and subtabs available in card view. The subtabs, fields, and information shown under each tab depend on the card type selected.

Table 4-10 Card View Tabs and Subtabs 

Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the card and updates them in real-time.	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the card.	—
History	Provides a history of card alarms including date, object, port, and severity of each alarm.	Session (displays alarms and events for the current session), Card (displays alarms and events retrieved from a fixed-size log on the card)
Circuits	Creates, deletes, edits, and search circuits, and completes rolls.	Circuits, Rolls
Provisioning	Provisions a card.	15310-MA SDH electrical cards: Wideband Ports, Broadband Ports, E1 (subtabs include Line, Line Thresholds, Elect Path Thresholds, and SDH Thresholds); DS3 (subtabs include Line, Line Thresholds, Elect Path Thresholds, and SDH Thresholds); E3 (subtabs include Line, SDH Thresholds, and SDH VC high-order path) 15310E-CTX-K9 card: Optical (subtabs include Line, SDH Thresholds, SDH VC high-order path, and Optics Thresholds); Pluggable Port Modules; External Alarms; External Controls, and Alarm Profiles. Ethernet cards (subtabs depend on the card type): Ether Ports, POS Ports, Ether VLAN, Ether Card, Card, Ether Thresholds, Alarm Profiles
Maintenance	Performs maintenance tasks for the card.	15310-MA SDH electrical cards: E1 (subtabs include Loopback, Protection, Path Trace Automatic In Service Soak); DS3 (subtabs include Loopback, Protection, Path Trace Automatic In Service Soak); E3(subtabs include Loopback, Protection, Path Trace Automatic In Service Soak) 15310E-CTX-K9 card: Optical (subtabs include Loopback, ALS, Protection, Path Trace Automatic In Service Soak); External Alarms; External Controls; and Virtual Wires Ethernet cards: Path Trace, Loopback, VC (virtual container) Allocation, Bandwidth, Automatic In Service Soak
Performance	Performs performance monitoring for the card.	15310E-CTX-K9 card: E1, DS3, E3, Optical Ethernet cards (subtabs depend on the card type): Ether Ports, POS Ports

4.6.4  Print and Export CTC Data

You can use the File > Print or File > Export options to print or export CTC provisioning information for record keeping or troubleshooting. The functions can be performed in card, node, or network views. The File > Print function sends the data to a local or network printer. File > Export exports the data to a file where it can be imported into other computer applications, such as spreadsheets and database management programs.

Whether you choose to print or export data, you can choose from the following options:

•Entire frame—Prints or exports the entire CTC window including the graphical view of the card, node, or network. This option is available for all windows.

•Tabbed view—Prints or exports the lower half of the CTC window containing tabs and data. The printout includes the selected tab (on top) and the data shown in the tab window. For example, if you print the History window tabbed view, you print only history items appearing in the window. This option is available for all windows.

•Table Contents—Prints CTC data in table format without graphical representations of shelves, cards, or tabs. This option does not apply to all windows; refer to the print task in the
Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Procedure Guide for specifics.

•The Table Contents option prints all the data contained in a table with the same column headings. For example, if you print the History window Table Contents view, you print all data included in the table whether or not items appear in the window.

4.7  Using the CTC Launcher Application to Manage Multiple ONS Nodes

The CTC Launcher application is an executable file, StartCTC.exe, that is provided on Software Release 9.0 CDs for Cisco ONS products. You can use CTC Launcher to log into multiple ONS nodes that are running CTC Software Release 3.3 or higher, without using a web browser.

CTC Launcher provides two connection options. The first option is used to connect to ONS network elements (NEs) that have an IP connection to the CTC computer. The second option is used to connect to ONS NEs that reside behind third party, OSI-based gateway network elements (GNEs). For this option, CTC Launcher creates a TL1 tunnel to transport the TCP traffic through the OSI-based GNE.

The TL1 tunnel transports the TCP traffic to and from ONS end network elements (ENEs) through the OSI-based GNE. TL1 tunnels are similar to the existing static IP-over-CLNS tunnels, GRE and Cisco IP, that can be created at ONS NEs using CTC. (Refer to the Cisco ONS product documentation for information about static IP-over-CLNS tunnels.) However, unlike the static IP-over-CLNS tunnels, TL1 tunnels require no provisioning at the ONS ENE, the third-party GNE, or DCN routers. All provisioning occurs at the CTC computer when the CTC Launcher is started.

Figure 4-7 shows examples of two static IP-over-CLNS tunnels. A static Cisco IP tunnel is created from ENE 1 through other vendor GNE 1 to a DCN router, and a static GRE tunnel is created from ONS ENE 2 to the other vender, GNE 2. For both static tunnels, provisioning is required on the ONS ENEs. In addition, a Cisco IP tunnel must be provisioned on the DCN router and a GRE tunnel provisioned on GNE 2.

Figure 4-7 Static IP-Over-CLNS Tunnels

Figure 4-8 shows the same network using TL1 tunnels. Tunnel provisioning occurs at the CTC computer when the tunnel is created with the CTC Launcher. No provisioning is needed at ONS NEs, GNEs or routers.

Figure 4-8 TL1 Tunnels

TL1 tunnels provide several advantages over static IP-over-CLNS tunnels. Because tunnel provisioning is needed only at the CTC computer, they are faster to set up. Because they use TL1 for TCP transport, they are more secure. TL1 tunnels also provide better flow control. On the other hand, IP over CLNS tunnels require less overhead and usually provide a slight performance edge over TL1 Tunnels (depending on network conditions). TL1 tunnels do not support all IP applications such as SNMP and RADIUS Authentication. Table 4-11 shows a comparison between the two types of tunnels.

Table 4-11 TL1 and Static IP-Over-CLNS Tunnels Comparison 

Category	Static IP-Over-CLNS	TL1 Tunnel	Comments
Setup	Complex	Simple	Requires provisioning at ONS NE, GNE, and DCN routers. For TL1 tunnels, provisioning is needed at CTC computer.
Performance	Best	Average to good	Static tunnels generally provide better performance than TL1 tunnels, depending on TL1 encoding used. LV+Binary provides the best performance. Other encoding will produce slightly slower TL1 tunnel performance.
Support all IP applications	Yes	No	TL1 tunnels do not support SNMP or RADIUS Server IP applications.
ITU Standard	Yes	No	Only the static IP-over-CLNS tunnels meet ITU standards. TL1 tunnels are new.
Tunnel traffic control	Good	Very good	Both tunnel types provide good traffic control
Security setup	Complex	No setup needed	Static IP-over-CLNS tunnels require careful planning. Because TL1 tunnels are carried by TL1, no security provisioning is needed.
Potential to breach DCN from DCC using IP.	Possible	Not possible	A potential exists to breach a DCN from a DCC using IP. This potential does not exist for TL1 tunnels.
IP route management	Expensive	Automatic	For static IP-over-CLNS tunnels, route changes require manual provisioning at network routers, GNEs, and ENEs. For TL1 tunnels, route changes are automatic.
Flow control	Weak	Strong	TL1 tunnels provide the best flow control.
Bandwidth sharing among multiple applications	Weak	Best	—
Tunnel lifecycle	Fixed	CTC session	TL1 tunnels are terminated when the CTC session ends. Static IP-over-CLNS tunnels exist until they are deleted in CTC.

TL1 tunnel specifications and general capabilities include:

•Each tunnel generally supports between six to eight ENEs, depending on the number of tunnels at the ENE.

•Each CTC session can support up to 32 tunnels.

•The TL1 tunnel database is stored locally in the CTC Preferences file.

•Automatic tunnel reconnection when the tunnel goes down.

•Each ONS NE can support at least 16 concurrent tunnels.

4.8  Common Control Card Reset

You can reset the common control card for the ONS 15310-MA SDH (the 15310E-CTX-K9 card) by using the hard-reset or soft-reset commands in CTC. A soft reset reboots the 15310E-CTX-K9 card and reloads the operating system and the application software. A hard reset temporarily removes power from the 15310E-CTX-K9 card and clears all buffer memory. Before you hard-reset a card, put the card in standby mode by completing a soft-reset.

From the node view, select a card and right-click to open a menu with the hard-reset and soft-reset commands. Soft resets do not impact traffic, but hard resets are service affecting. A card must be in the Out-of-Service and Management, Maintenance (locked-enabled,maintenance) service state before you can perform a hard reset.

4.9  Traffic Card Reset

You can reset the CE-100T-8, ML-100T-8, E1_21_E3_DS3_3, and E1_63_E3_DS3_3 cards by using the hard-reset or soft-reset commands in CTC. A soft reset reboots the card and reloads the operating system and the application software. A hard reset temporarily removes power from the card and clears all buffer memory.

From the node view, select a card and right-click to open a menu with the hard-reset and soft-reset commands. A card must be in the Out-of-Service and Management, Maintenance (locked-enabled,maintenance) service state before you can perform a hard reset.

4.10  Database Backup

You can store a back-up version of the database on the workstation running CTC. This operation should be part of a regular ONS 15310-MA SDH maintenance program performed at approximately weekly intervals and should also be completed when preparing an ONS 15310-MA SDH for a pending natural disaster, such as a flood.

A database backup may be restored in two ways, partial or complete. A partial database restore operation restores only the provisioning data. A complete database restore operation restores both system and provisioning data. For more information on restore database, refer to the Cisco ONS 15310-MA SDH Procedure Guide.

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Note The following parameters are not backed up and restored: node name, IP address, mask and gateway, and Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP) port. If you change the node name and then restore a backed up database with a different node name, the circuits will map to the new node name. Cisco recommends keeping a record of the old and new node names.

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4.11  Software Revert

When you click the Activate button after a software upgrade, the 15310E-CTX-K9 copies the current working database and saves it in a reserved location in the 15310E-CTX-K9 flash memory. If you later need to revert to the original working software load from the protect software load, the saved database installs automatically. You do not need to restore the database manually or recreate circuits.

The revert feature is useful if a maintenance window closes while you are upgrading CTC software. You can revert to the standby software load without losing traffic. When the next maintenance window opens, complete the upgrade and activate the new software load.

Circuits that were created and provisioning that was performed after a software load is activated (upgraded to a higher release) do not reinstate with a revert. The database configuration at the time of activation is reinstated after a revert. This does not apply to maintenance reverts (for example 8.0.1 to 8.0.0), because maintenance releases use the same database.