Mediation Software for Digital Cable TV Network Integration

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Objective

The largest Russian CATV provider started a project aimed to extend its subscriber network to 1,5 millions households. This required heterogeneous network components (broadcasting hardware components, test probes, monitoring software etc.) to be used, which entailed serious integration challenges.

Because of these integration challenges, the client needed a custom mediation solution that provided interaction of all the used cross-vendor software and hardware components. It must ensure the following aspects:

• signal auto-leveling – the data from test probes is scanned on-the-fly to determine signal degradation and to change the settings of decoding hardware;
• the ability to manage all software and hardware system components from a single operator’s console (using an easy-to-use graphic user interface);
• quick equipment upgrades along with always-on digital cable TV services running.

Approach

BCS-IT developed the mediation solution that provides interaction of all the system components:

• test probes by Bridge Technologies,
• broadcasting hardware by AppearTV,
• DEV 2180 Signal Distribution System,
• network management software - Harmonic NMX.

The digital cable TV system components included:

• a configurator to
  • define the network topology;
  • manage the configuration-including tracking changes and import/export features;
  • define the conditions for specific scenarios to be executed automatically;
• software connectors to
  • provide interfaces to network hardware;
  • establish an integration with network management software;
• a scenario manager to
  • allow an operator to create executable scripts with the built-in programming language;
• a scenario player to
  • execute scripts and log the results.

Results Client Received

The network mediation solution built by the BCS-IT team provided the client with essential features for digital cable TV system configuration, fault-tolerance, and auto-leveling management:

• configuration management - the mediation system provides engineers with a single tool to manage remotely the broadcasting hardware;
• fault-tolerance – the system tracks the status of broadcasting components and in the case that any network component is down, it starts using a spare unit immediately; engineers define which spare unit to use and how the configuration should be changed according to the specific scenario;
• auto-leveling – the system analyzes the data from test-probes and if a signal degradation is determined it starts an auto-leveling script, created by engineers that updates the configuration of hardware and checks the data from test probes again to ensure the degradation is eliminated;
• network monitoring – integrated with Harmonic NMX the mediation system provides it with missed data about network components – this allows engineers to have a single tool for monitoring all network devices.

This solution essentially improved the client’s competitiveness on the market with providing:

• auto-leveling and fault-tolerance features allowing the client to comply with strict SLA requirements and guarantee high TV signal quality;
• a configuration management component that reduces expenses for digital cable TV hardware management and monitoring;
• the ability for the client to start using any 3rd party broadcasting hardware on demand.

Project Information

• Technologies: .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0, Developer Express Components, Interoperability, DataSet, Serialization, MS SQL 2005
• Project duration: 1 year
• Project team: project manager, architect, developer, test designer, tester

Get in Touch to Learn How We Can Help You

If you want to get a free detailed quote of your project, prepared by technical specialists, please tell us about requirements for mediation software necessary to manage your heterogeneous network:

• contact us and have us sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement,
• send us as much details as possible to get a more detailed evaluation,
• get a free technical proposal including budget and time-frames estimates.