Overview of Provisioning
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Table Of Contents
The Role of CSRC DPR in Provisioning
Provisioning API and API Library
Provisioning API Command Engine
The Role of the Service Provider in Provisioning
Client Class and Selection Tag Specifications
Class of Service Determination
Overview of Provisioning
The CSRC Device Provisioning Registrar (CSRC DPR) includes a provisioning API that you can use to automate configuration and provisioning of devices, such as cable and wireless modems, digital set-top boxes (DSTBs), and IP telephony devices. Using the API, you can integrate CSRC DPR into workflows that are driven by your internal operations support system (OSS), or you can integrate with other applications, such as billing systems. Through the API, you can direct the components of CSRC DPR to register devices, download device configurations, and configure the entire CSRC DPR system. Then, subscribers can easily select among your defined service offerings and subscribe to services without any manual intervention.
This chapter provides an overview of provisioning. It describes the provisioning process, the roles of CSRC and the service provider in the provisioning process, component interactions, and the details you need to know to implement a provisioning solution.
The Provisioning Process
Provisioning is the service provider's term for bringing a new subscriber into a network that connects to the rest of the world. The service provider manages this network and sells network services that subscribers buy. Typically, you derive classes of service from allocations of:
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Customers subscribe to the class of service that best fits their needs. In exchange, they pay a fee to you. Your billing system tracks subscribers and their network usage.
In general, the provisioning process consists of the following tasks:
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The way in which you implement the provisioning process depends on your business policy. You determine and implement a provisioning workflow model that enhances your customer care practices and network operation. Typical workflow models are preprovisioning and self-provisioning.
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The Role of CSRC DPR in Provisioning
CSRC DPR is the component in the provisioning process that implements an automated configuration and provisioning solution. Figure 1-1 shows CSRC DPR, its integration with clients, and its relationship with the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and Cisco Network Registrar.
Figure 1-1 CSRC DPR
The following sections discuss the role of CSRC DPR in the provisioning process.
Clients
The provisioning API supports several clients including your applications and a demonstration user interface.
Your Applications
You drive the provisioning process through applications such as OSSs/Mediators or billing systems. The provisioning API integrates with your application to provide an end-to-end flow-through provisioning process that does not need manual intervention.
Demonstration User Interface
The demonstration user interface program simulates the provisioning of a new cable modem using provisioning API methods. You need a web browser to run the program.
Caution
To run the demonstration program, you need the LDAP configuration information specified during the installation process. See the comments in the code for more information.
Provisioning API and API Library
The provisioning API provides the integration point between your clients and subscriber devices. In CSRC DPR, the processing of API requests takes place in the API library under the direct control of your program's threads.
The provisioning API supports provisioning of these devices:
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The provisioning API supports these technologies:
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The provisioning API supports these operations:
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Provisioning API Command Engine
The provisioning API command engine (PACE) is the component of the CSRC provisioning system that does the following:
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Your application connects to PACE, which in turn handles your batches. PACE has access to the interfaces that implement your methods. The interfaces are:
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PACE processing also uses:
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Multivendor LDAP Support
CSRC DPR supports LDAP version 3 (LDAP v3), which means that your business can select the LDAP server that best meets your business requirements. For this reason, the CSRC DPR product does not include the LDAP server.
LDAP is the CSRC DPR data store. The data store contains:
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Cisco Network Registrar
CSRC DPR works with the Network Registrar's protocol servers, which maintain the network address space. The protocol servers and their functions are:
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IP Address Selection
DHCP selects IP addresses based on configuration options including:
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This information ensures provisioning of devices on the correct subnet. For more information on IP address selection, see the "Key Programming Details" section.
Extension Points
Network Registrar implements extension points for the DHCP server, and CSRC DPR provides scripts at certain extension points to support the DOCSIS, DVB, and xGCP technologies. With these extension points, the DHCP server runs a discovery process that can:
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The Role of the Service Provider in Provisioning
While CSRC DPR can automate a provisioning solution, the service provider determines the application environment and certain network specific aspects of the provisioning model. It is the service provider's responsibility to determine and develop:
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The following sections discuss each responsibility.
DHCP Configuration
Network Registrar DHCP servers assign IP addresses to devices based on DHCP configuration information. For example, a new subscriber obtains a cable modem that is unprovisioned on the service provider's network. The subscriber then contacts the service provider requesting bronze, or basic, service for an unprovisioned cable modem. Then Network Registrar DHCP server uses client class information to select an IP address from an appropriate scope. The client class configuration must be set up on the DHCP server before device provisioning can begin.
For more information, see the Network Registrar User's Guide and the Network Registrar CLI Reference Guide. For information on using the provisioning API with the DHCP configuration parameters, see the "Key Programming Details" section.
Workflow Models
The service provider must determine and implement a provisioning workflow model, typically preprovisioning and self-provisioning. Using the provisioning API, the service provider's applications can drive the management of subscriber devices through these workflow models.
Preprovisioning
In the preprovisioning model, you complete all necessary steps at your facility to prepare the device, services, billing system, and so on for a new subscriber. Typically, you use your OSS to implement these subscriber preprovisioning functions.
For example, subscriber preprovisioning includes these tasks:
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After you have completed the steps required to bring a new subscriber online, your field technicians can install the physical cable to the new subscriber's house and install the preprovisioned device (such as a cable modem, digital set-top box, or IP telephone) in the subscriber's home.
Self-Provisioning
In the self-provisioning model, the new subscriber completes the steps required to prepare the device, services, billing system, and so on. Typically, the new subscriber connects to your network and uses your user interface to provide all of the required information.
For example, during subscriber self-provisioning the new subscriber may perform the following tasks:
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CSRC then registers the new equipment and activates it on your network.
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Registration Modes
Registration modes give the service provider a way to control the number of interactions with the subscriber. For any registered device, the service provider must be prepared to process any change to the device. So there is a significant difference between registering 100 cable modems with unregistered computers behind them and registering 100 cable modems each of which has a potentially large number of registered computers behind them. For this reason, the service provider must carefully choose among three registration modes:
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Component Interactions
CSRC DPR interacts with both LDAP and Network Registrar, as well as devices. This section discusses the LDAP communication and component interaction in typical provisioning flows.
LDAP Communications
LDAP provides the communication mechanism between CSRC DPR and Network Registrar using TCP/IP.
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The communication between CSRC DPR and Network Registrar follows this path:
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Self-Provisioning Example
This example shows the interaction of components during the self-provisioning of a DOCSIS cable modem and a registered computer.
The CSRC DPR installation procedure establishes default selection tags and client classes for unprovisioned devices. In the self-provisioning flow, both the CSRC DPR scripts that run at Network Registrar extension points and the LDAP query mechanism rely on the defaults. For information on the defaults, see the CSRC Device Provisioning Registrar Installation Guide. For information on implementing this provisioning flow, see the use case for self-provisioned first time activation in "Provisioning Devices."
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Cable Modem:
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Network Registrar, CSRC DPR Scripts, and LDAP:
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Cable Modem and TFTP Server:
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Computer:
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Network Registrar, CSRC DPR Scripts, and LDAP:
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Service Provider's User Interface, and Spoofing DNS Server:
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Service Provider's Application, Provisioning API Client, and SNMP Reset:
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Computer:
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Preprovisioning Example
This example shows the interaction of components during the provisioning flow for a preprovisioned DSTB. In this example, the subscriber has contacted the service provider requesting service. The DSTB in this provisioning flow incorporates a DOCSIS modem for HSD, a DVB modem for digital video, and middleware that can initiate web browsing. For information on implementing this provisioning flow, see the use case for preprovisioned first time DSTB activation in "Provisioning Devices."
Service Provider's Application, and Provisioning API Client:
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DSTB:
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DSTB's DOCSIS Modem:
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Network Registrar, CSRC DPR Scripts, and LDAP:
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DSTB's DVB Modem:
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DSTB's Middleware:
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Key Programming Details
The provisioning API has many capabilities. This section points to key details that you should be aware of when developing your program.
Device Activation
Batches that you pass to PACE can include an Activation mode argument. Activation modes determine how PACE handles changes to the LDAP directory server and the rebooting of devices.
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Client Class and Selection Tag Specifications
When you add or modify a device you may need to change the client class using the provisioning API methods designed for this purpose. For example, the client class commonly changes when the device moves from unprovisioned to provisioned status. Client class specifications are case sensitive and must be identical with the specifications in Network Registrar. The CSRC DPR installation procedure establishes default selection tags and client classes for unprovisioned devices. For information on the defaults, see the CSRC Device Provisioning Registrar Installation Guide.
Class of Service Determination
If, in a class of service determination, there is contention between the values configured for Network Registrar scopes and values specified through the provisioning API, the values in the provisioning API will override the configured for CNR scopes.
Accessing LDAP Data
The only way to access LDAP data is through the provisioning API. CSRC DPR does not support other access methods. To specify additional device data, use the property maps supplied in the provisioning API.
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Logging
For troubleshooting, you can enable API logging. Each line in the log records an operation with day, date/time, and thread information.
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To enable the log, you must set the environment variable CSRC_LOGFILE to the log filename and specify a relative or absolute path. For example, in your call to the executable, add the environment variable as shown below to enable logging:
java -DCSRC_LOGFILE=filename.log -cp csrc-dpr.jar;myjar.jar MyClassImplementing Provisioning
To help you implement your provisioning of devices, this guide provides extensive examples of provisioning API use in the form of use cases that incorporate pseudocode. The use cases include:
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Table 1-1 lists the use cases. See "Provisioning Devices" for complete information.
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