Proactive Network Maintenance Pre-Equalization
What is the Proactive Network Maintenance and how does it use Pre-Equalization?
Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM) is a concept in cable network maintenance that aims to detect and identify outside plant (OSP) impairments before subscribers experience service issues. PNM uses pre-equalization data from cable modems to locate and identify impairments within a span of cable. Cable modems are used as test probes to analyze pre-equalization data, which can help technicians locate impairments and estimate their distance from the cable modem.
PNM applications use complex algorithms to deduce tap values, upstream frequency response, group delay, and micro-reflections from cable modems’ pre-equalization data. Using SNMP protocols or data already present in the database, the application can estimate the distance to the impairment and plot cable modems on a map using geo-location services and subscriber address information. The map can help technicians identify trouble locations and correlate the impairment’s location with the cable network’s plant. By using PNM, cable operators can be proactive in their maintenance and reduce troubleshooting and repair time, leading to increased customer satisfaction.
Through working groups at CableLabs we have learned that by analyzing the pre-equalization data in cable modems we can locate outside plant impairments and identify them within a span of cable. This means times savings, customer satisfaction improvements, and increased quality for both the subscriber and the technician.
By analyzing the pre-equalization data in cable modems, network operators can proactively identify and locate outside plant impairments and quickly resolve them before they cause major service disruptions or impact the customer experience. This helps to save time, improve customer satisfaction, and increase the overall quality of service for both subscribers and technicians. In the hypothetical example provided, the pre-equalization data helped to identify the location of the impairment, which allowed the technician to quickly identify and fix the problem, thereby reducing the time required to resolve the issue and minimizing customer impact.
To perform proactive network maintenance using pre-equalization, applications analyze data in cable modems using SNMP protocols or data already stored in databases. Using complex algorithms, the applications can deduce tap values from the cable modems, determine upstream frequency response, and identify impairments such as group delay and micro-reflections. Based on this analysis, the applications can then estimate the distance to the impairment, with the accuracy of the distance improving with each iteration of the algorithms. This information can then be used to proactively identify and locate outside plant impairments, reducing troubleshooting and repair times and improving customer satisfaction.
The final step of the Proactive Network Maintenance process is to plot the cable modems on a map using the subscriber database address information and geo-location services. This allows the modems to be marked with colors based on the severity of their impairment. The map makes it intuitive to correlate the impairment and location of your plant, as a circle with the radius of the impairment is drawn around the cable modem showing the intersection of the impairment with your plant. By using this map, you can easily identify the locations of trouble spots and determine the necessary steps to address them, such as dispatching a technician to the correct location or making network repairs.
Find our mobile app! Be sure to download our PNM app for iOS and Android devices
With the app you have access to downstream and upstream spectral analysis, RxMER, cable modem installation (CM Installer), geo-coding of cable modems, cable modem look up using the devices built-in GPS and more!
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