Cisco® Video Assurance Management Solution (VAMS) 1.5 delivers to service providers real-time centralized monitoring of their backbone, regional, and aggregation networks for broadcast video transport. Cisco VAMS 1.5 provides the framework for a flexible end-to-end assurance platform for video.
Cisco Video Assurance Management Solution 1.5 comprises the following Cisco products and solutions:
• Cisco Active Network Abstraction (ANA) 3.6: Cisco VAMS 1.5 enhances the base functions of Cisco ANA 3.6 virtual network elements (VNEs) for Cisco 7600 Series Routers, Cisco Catalyst® 4948 Switches, and Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System devices that address the specific requirements of video delivery across the network.
• Cisco IPTV SLA solution built around Cisco Multicast Manager 2.5: Cisco VAMS 1.5 collects the outputs from Cisco Multicast Manager into Cisco Active Network Abstraction (ANA), providing views of both device and multicast faults.
• Cisco Info Center: This suite of products provides the manager of managers for Cisco VAMS 1.5. Traps from ANA and Cisco Multicast Manager and video probes are collected and correlated with affected broadcast services. The service dashboard provides a simple overview of the traps and their association to the services. Specific extensions to Cisco Info Center facilitate cross-launch of Cisco Multicast Manager from multicast-related traps.
In addition, Cisco VAMS 1.5 includes dedicated VNEs supporting vendor-specific video MPEG probes; this release includes VNEs for Ineoquest, Mixed Signals, and Tektronics video probes. The information from these probes allows problems in the video streams to be isolated to specific parts of the video system.
Cisco VAMS 1.5 uses northbound APIs that support integration with OSS applications. Cisco Info Center (IBM Tivoli Netcool software) provides a consolidated view of the services and their association to faults in the video transport network.
Cisco VAMS 1.5 provides a video service assurance solution with a wide breadth of coverage across the transport network for broadcast video services.
Table 1 lists the features and benefits of Cisco VAMS 1.5.
Table 1. Features and Benefits
Feature
Benefit
Visualization and Troubleshooting
Core and distribution topology map
Allows operators to view their core and distribution networks in a single map
Service-level dashboard
A single view of the services supported (specifically program IDs), providing associated multicast addresses that support the programs and correlated multicast-related traps collected
Event view
A single view of all events received, provided with information about the source, the time of last receipt, and the number of occurrences
Context-sensitive cross-launch
The user may select specific multicast-related traps and cross-launch Cisco Multicast Manager to facilitate problem isolation and troubleshooting.
Chassis views for elements on map
Allows operators to find more details on devices and status in both a tabular and graphical manner
Multicast view
Allows operators to see how the multicast trees overlay the physical topology
Visualize video probes on map
Allows pinpointing of problem areas by using information from video probes and their location on the topology map and the multicast trees
Single manager of managers view
A northbound API supports integration with Cisco Assurance Management Solution (AMS) 1.0 to provide a single manager of managers view of broadcast video across the transport network.
Monitoring
Service monitoring
Uses network device instrumentation to detect service-affecting packet drops and uses video probes to detect service degradation
Device fault monitoring
Aggregates device and service faults into a consolidated fault view
OSS integration API
Northbound API to support integration with third-party OSS products, for example, IBM Tivoli Netcool, part of the Cisco Assurance Management Solution
Multicast monitoring
Provides monitoring and troubleshooting of the multicast services in the network and correlates this with video probe data
Extended Device Support
Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System
Traps based on:
• Non-Reverse Forwarding Path (non-RFP) drops, for example video packets arriving on the "wrong" interface
• Ingress/egress Cyclical Redundancy Checking (CRC) packet drop rates exceeding the rate threshold (only on Protocol Independent Multicast [PIM]-enabled interfaces)
• Configurable drop/error rate thresholds
Cisco 7600 Series Routers
Cisco Catalyst 4948 Switches
Tektronix MTM400
• Add a vendor-specific probe VNE to ANA network view.
• Add the network links between the probe to the network element to which it is connected.
• ANA monitors probe properties exposed through MIB2 (system and interface).
• ANA receives video stream-related traps from the probe and maps into ANA format and severity levels.
• Video events are visible through ANA network view or ANA event view and are forwarded through the ANA northbound interface.
Ineoquest
Mixed Signals
Solution Specifications
To order Cisco VAMS 1.5, the following must also be purchased as prerequisites:
• Cisco ANA 3.6 with VNEs and right-to-use (RTU) licenses for relevant devices (4948s, 7600s, and CRS-1s)
• Cisco Multicast Manager 2.5 with the VOS (Video Operations Solution) extensions
• Cisco Info Center - Object Server 7.2, Webtop 2.1, TBSM 4.1, and Impact 4.0
Cisco VAMS 1.5 may then be deployed as extensions to the above.
Note: VAMS has been structured in a modular architecture. Customers may choose to deploy specific modules of VAMS depending on their existing NMS/OSS environment. Customers may also choose to take a phased approach to rolling out VAMS, selecting Cisco Multicast Manager 2.5, for example, as an initial starting point for deployment and then building out from there.
Customers are recommended to work with their account teams and with Cisco Advanced Services to identify the appropriate strategy.
Ordering Information
Table 2 gives ordering information.
Table 2. Ordering Information
Product Description
Part Number
VAMS 1 ANA Extensions
Cisco VAMS 1 , Extensions to ANA 3.6 (Top level part number)
VAMS1-ANA3.6-SW
VAMS 1 ANA Options
VAMS 1, Extension to 4948 (G2) VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNE4948
VAMS 1, Extension to 7600 (G3) VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNE7600
VAMS 1, Extension to CRS-1 (G5) VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNEG5
VAMS 1, Extension to CRS-1 (G6) VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNEG6
VAMS 1, Cisco Multicast Mgr VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNECMM
VAMS 1, Ineoquest Video Probe VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNEIQ
VAMS 1, Mixed Signals Video Probe VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNEMS
VAMS 1, Tektronics Video Probe VNE - ANA 3.6
VAMS1-ANA36VNETK
VAMS 1, Ineoquest Video Probe RTU - RTU for one IQ probe
VAMS1-ANA36IQRTU
VAMS 1, Mixed Signals Video Probe RTU for one MS probe
VAMS1-ANA36MSRTU
VAMS 1, Tektronics Video Probe RTU for one TK probe
VAMS1-ANA36TKRTU
VAMS 1, Ineoquest Video Probe RTU for one IQ probe
VAMS1-ANA36RTUIQ
VAMS 1, Mixed Signals Video Probe RTU for one MS probe
VAMS1-ANA36RTUMS
VAMS 1, Tektronics Video Probe RTU for one TK probe
VAMS1-ANA36RTUTK
VAMS 1 Cisco Info Center Extensions
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center (Top level part number)
VAMS1-CIC-SW
VAMS 1 Cisco Info Center Options
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center 7.2 ObjectSvr/Webtop
VAMS1-CICMOM72-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center 7.2 ObjectSvr/Webtop - Failover
VAMS1-CICMOM72F-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center 7.2 ObjectSvr/Webtop - Non Prod
VAMS1-CICMOM72N-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center TBSM 4.1
VAMS1CICTBSM41-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center TBSM 4.1 - Failover
VAMS1CICTBSM41F-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center TBSM 4.1 - Non Prod
VAMS1CICTBSM41N-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center Impact 4.0
VAMS1CICIMPT40-K9
VAMS 1, Extensions to Cisco Info Center Impact 4.0 - Non Prod
VAMS1CICIMPT40N-K9
Service and Support
Using Cisco Lifecycle Services, Cisco and its partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your network's business value and return on investment. This approach defines the minimum set of activities needed, by technology and by network complexity, to help you successfully deploy and operate Cisco technologies and optimize their performance throughout the lifecycle of your network.
For More Information
For more information about Cisco Video Assurance Management Solution, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/vams or contact your local Cisco account representative.
