By Allen Maharaj, Rogers Communications; James Medlock, Akleza, INC
Upstream triggered spectrum capture (UTSC) is a proactive network maintenance (PNM) test defined in the DOCSIS 3.1 CCAP Operations Support System Interface specification (OSSI-CCAPv31. This PNM test is supported for both integrated CCAPs with local radio frequency (RF) ports as well as for distributed access architectures (DAA) with a shift of RF generation and reception in remote PHY (R-PHY) to the outside plant. This functionality facilitates the capture of upstream spectrum data from the CCAP or remote PHY device (RPD) remotely and allows operators to move from using that information not only as a real time diagnostic tool, but to a more effective automated triggered capture and analysis function applied to transient events. As game changing as this feature is for troubleshooting intermittent impairments, it is not without its deployment and operational challenges. This paper will endeavor to explain the operational theory of UTSC, and include: • Operationalization methods like simple network management protocol (SNMP), trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP), and layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP) • Challenges that come along with each of those options • Benefits of each option including factors like scalability and data refresh rates • Caveats of each option including cost and implementation requirements like hardware and routing, as well as link utilization • Considerations that need to be evaluated which include security. • Use Cases