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Table Of Contents
Cisco Device Management Support
Cisco Management Architecture Solution
Features and Benefits in More Detail
Reduced Maintenance and Operations Costs through Central Control
Comprehensive Fault Management for Increased Reliability
Optimized Network Capacity and Growth through Comprehensive Reports
Cable Modem Software Image Download and Configuration File Generation
Small Deployment Server Hardware (<20,000 cable modems)
Large Deployment Server Hardware (20,000 to 100,000 cable modems)
Requirements to Remotely Access Cisco Cable Manager
Data Sheet
Effectively Manage and Control the
Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Network
with Cisco Cable ManagerCisco Cable Manager provides a graphical, client- server application that simplifies the monitoring and troubleshooting of a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable network. Cisco Cable Manager lets operators easily manage Cisco cable modem termination system (CMTS) products, as well as Cisco and third-party cable modems that are compliant with Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) or EuroDOCSIS. Based on the highly scalable Cisco Element Management Framework (Cisco EMF), Cisco Cable Manager integrates CiscoView, Cisco Cable Troubleshooter, and Cisco DOCSIS CPE Configurator into its product offering.
Introduction
Today, demand for advanced cable services is changing the landscape of the cable market. "Always-on" broadband cable allows consumers to change the way they communicate. Cable service providers can deploy with confidence new applications such as voice over IP (VoIP) and virtual private networks (VPNs).
With the introduction of new markets comes the challenge of managing the cable infrastructure that delivers these services. Effective network management requires monitoring and managing all aspects of the infrastructure, including the ability to build a composite view of components that make up the service.
Cable service providers need tools to deploy, maintain, troubleshoot, and monitor HFC network equipment. Tools must offer flexibility to support a rapidly changing environment where network configuration can change quickly to incorporate newer technology. The management framework must scale as the network grows. Network reliability is a central concern. Tools must deliver comprehensive yet easy-to- understand information that allows operators to detect and solve network problems quickly. Proactive network management is needed to ensure that problems do not escalate into more serious outages affecting the availability and performance of critical services.
Product Description
Cisco Cable Manager is a graphical, client-server application that supports proactive surveillance and maintenance of the HFC network. Together, with the bundled applications, Cisco Cable Manager allows operators to perform:
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Fault management—Detect and isolate faults with Cisco EMF Event Manager features, CiscoView chassis and cable modem views, and diagnostic capabilities
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Cisco Cable Manager bundles:
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Cisco EMF Version 3.1 serves as the foundation for the Cisco Cable Manager. Cisco EMF provides common interfaces and element management services across Cisco service provider products. This flexible, modular model lets cable operators install a mix of element managers today to meet current business needs yet accommodate future growth. Service providers can more rapidly deploy new element managers to manage new services.
Element managers are the applications that manage specific types of network devices. Element managers interact with users through graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and contain references to other managers in the set. Cisco EMF components include: Object Manager, Event Manager, Event Browser, Threshold Manager, Alarm Scoreboard, and Performance Manager. Cisco Cable Manager offers a Tools Launch Pad option to open CiscoView, Cisco Cable Troubleshooter, and Cisco DOCSIS CPE Configurator bundled applications.
Using Cisco Cable Manager, operators can build a model of the cable network using an object-oriented paradigm (Figure 1). An object is a building block within Cisco Cable Manager to model network elements. An object represents the element to be managed. Several objects can manage a network element. Each object within Cisco Cable Manager is a member of an associated object class. Objects exist within one or more hierarchical relationships, or containment trees. Cisco Cable Manager offers:
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Figure 1 Cisco Cable Manager Desktop with Application and Event Manager Windows
Cisco Cable Manager offers a client-server architecture:
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- Real-time cable network surveillance- Batch configuration of Cisco CMTS products
(See "Release Definition")- Automated cable modem software image download capability- Performance reports for capacity planning- Troubleshooting and diagnostics•
Release Definition
New Features Beginning with Cisco Cable Manager 2.0 include:
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- Enabling or disabling polling groups- Stopping and starting polling on one or multiple CMTSs and cable modems- Customizing polling interval/timer•
Cisco Device Management Support
Cisco Cable Manager Release 2.0 adds domain management of:
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Cisco Cable Manager Release 2.1 adds domain management of:
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Applications
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Cisco Management Architecture Solution
Cisco Cable Manager is part of an end-to-end Cisco management architecture solution that supports advanced multiservice cable networks (Figure 2). This solution includes the Cisco Subscriber Registration Center, as well as third-party monitoring and billing tools.
Figure 2 Cisco Cable Management Solutions Architecture
Features and Benefits in More Detail
Reduced Maintenance and Operations Costs through Central Control
Cisco Cable Manager automates monitoring of both data and RF components network-wide. The product integrates management of all Cisco CMTS and cable modem products, as well as DOCSIS- and EuroDOCSIS-compliant third-party RF CPE devices. With comprehensive, centralized control of all Cisco network equipment, operators are able to improve network reliability and reduce maintenance and operational costs. Auto discovery of cable network elements ensures complete and accurate network topology and status views.
Cisco Cable Manager integrates the CiscoView application, which provides dynamic status, monitoring, and configuration information on Cisco CMTS or cable modem products (Figures 3 and 4). CiscoView enables real-time fault and performance monitoring of cards, interfaces, and ports for selected devices. CiscoView displays a physical view of the device, with color-coding of modules and ports for at-a-glance status. Monitoring capabilities display performance and other statistics. Configuration capabilities allow comprehensive changes to devices if requisite security privileges are granted.
Figure 3 CiscoView CMTS Chassis View
Figure 4 CiscoView Cable Modem View
Comprehensive Fault Management for Increased Reliability
A rich suite of fault-management features in Cisco Cable Manager enables proactive surveillance of network status. Figure 5 provides a snapshot of the network alarm status.
Real-time fault alerts generated by cable components can be displayed, cleared, and color-coded based on severity. Cisco Cable Manager includes flexible options that support event filtering, as well as customizable event notifications that speed problem isolation and resolution.
Each node in the tree and each event are color-coded to indicate the severity of a propagated alarm. Cisco Cable Manager supports alarm filtering, clearing, and SNMP trap-forwarding capabilities. Flexible event notification is available through user-customizable scripts: for example, generating an e-mail message or a page.
Additional alarms can be generated when user-defined utilization and error threshold levels are exceeded. This allows proactive monitoring of potential problems. User-defined threshold levels may be based on raw SNMP attributes or on derived rate-based thresholds.
In addition, for quicker fault isolation, Cisco Cable Manager supports "ping" connectivity tests at the IP and MAC layers between the Cisco CMTS and the cable modem. Cisco Cable Manager offers template-based CMTS configuration to adjust parameters. Easy-to-use forms-based templates enable users to retrieve or set multiple parameters for the Cisco CMTS.
Figure 5 Cable Network Topology, Providing a Real-Time Snapshot of the Network Alarm Status
Optimized Network Capacity and Growth through Comprehensive Reports
Cisco Cable Manager provides predefined reports in tabular and graphical format. Reports can be run on demand, providing CMTS and cable modem statistics, IP statistics, and RF statistics. Available reports include:
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Reports enable operators to monitor network utilization and performance over time. Multiple statistics are available in a single graph. Reports enable trend analysis and aid in early detection of problems. Inventory reports help identify current network capacity, providing summary and detailed information on cable modems registered per CMTS line card, as well as the number of LAN and WAN interfaces. Reports display the installed Cisco IOS Software version for the Cisco CMTS, as well as hardware and software revisions for all inventoried line cards. Reports can be customized.
Figure 6 Historical Performance Reports
Cable Modem Software Image Download and Configuration File Generation
The Cisco Cable Manager software download utility automates software image distribution to a set of cable modems associated with a specific upstream channel. The download procedure can be performed on demand.
In addition, Cisco Cable Manager bundles the Cisco DOCSIS CPE Configurator application. This application hides the complexity of creating a DOCSIS or EuroDOCSIS cable modem configuration file. The product presents a user-friendly interface that collects the information needed to generate a file.
User Authentication
Access to the management system is controlled with user login names and passwords. Access is partitioned by user-group types. Cisco Cable Manager security access levels include:
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System Requirements
Small Deployment Server Hardware (<20,000 cable modems)
For small deployments, use the Sun Ultra 60 configured as follows:
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Large Deployment Server Hardware (20,000 to 100,000 cable modems)
For large deployments, use the Sun Enterprise 250 configured as follows:
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Client Hardware
The Cisco Cable Manager server supports up to five simultaneous users. If more than five simultaneous user sessions are required, up to five additional users may be added as Cisco Cable Manager clients.
Cisco Cable Manager client requirements are:
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Requirements to Remotely Access Cisco Cable Manager
Users can run Cisco Cable Manager remotely using rlogin, telnet, or rsh through a ReflectionX or Exceed session on a UNIX workstation or PC.
UNIX Workstation Requirements
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PC Requirements
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Supported Network Elements
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- Cisco uBR10012 requires Cisco IOS Release 12.2(2)XF or later- Cisco uBR7200 Series requires Cisco IOS Release 11.3NA or later for Telnet and version 12.1EC or later for SNMP- Cisco uBR7100 Series requires Cisco IOS Release 12.1(5)EC1 minimum for DOCSIS models and Cisco IOS Release 12.1(7)EC minimum for EuroDOCSIS models•
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Cisco Service and Support
Service and support for Cisco Cable Manager is available through the Cisco Software Application Services program. These services provide 24-hour technical assistance, full access to the information and support resources on the Cisco.com Web site, and software maintenance updates within a single release. Available as an option are advanced Software Application Support Plus Upgrades, which include proactive shipment of all minor (update) and major (upgrade) product releases.
Related Information
For more information about:
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www.cisco.com/cable/products/cable_manager.html•
www.cisco.com/cable/products/troubleshooter.html•
www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/wr2k/view/prodlit/index.shtml•
http://www.cisco.com/support/toolkit/CableModem/•
www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/servpro/operate/csm/nemnsw/cemf/prodlit/index.shtml•
www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/servpro/operate/csm/nemnsw/csrc/prodlit/
