This manual covers the use of the Netspan Network Management System (NMS). The fields of each screen are described along with processes for setting up/editing ASMAX BS TRx and SS equipment.
Note: Some screens captured in this manual may be cosmetically different dependant on the build deployed.
BS TRx refers to the Base Station Transceiver. This was referred to as a base station in earlier documents but has now been changed to avoid confusion with other definitions of base station. Definition: The entity with single management stack. It consists of one or more BS TRx Channels
BS TRx Channel refers to the radio channel within the spectrum. In earlier documentation this was often referred to as a sector. Definition: The entity representing a single 802.16 MAC+Phy interface as defined in 802.16-2-004 standard
SS refers to a subscriber station. Often referred to as CPE (Customer Premise Equipment). The Airspan version is referred to a an ST (Subscriber Terminal) i.e. EasyST and ProST.
VoiceMAX is Airspans offering of VoIP (Voice Over IP) on MicroMAX equipment.
The Manual is organised into the following sections:
Network Management Overview: Describes some of the basic concepts behind a Netspan NMS
Installation: Describes the installation of database, sever and client machines
Getting Started: Describes the User Interface, account management and basic configuration steps.
Search: Instructions for using the search facility in Netspan
Configuration Management: Configuration, status and inventory management for all supported network elements.
Topology: Setting up regions and sites
Service Profiles: When creating an SS, properties of that SS are assigned properties through Service Products, Service Classes, Packet Classifiers, VLAN
BS TRx Profiles: When creating an BS TRx, properties of that BS TRx are assigned properties through Burst Profiles, OFDM Channel Profiles, 802.16 Protocols, Private Key Management, Subchannelisation, Custom Configuration and VoIP QoS profile.
Server: Contains information on server management, security and filters.
Software Management: Software download to BS TRx and SSs.
Fault Management: Alarm and Event Management
Performance Management: BS TRx Ethernet Stats, BS TRx Air Interface Stats, SS RF Stats, SS Modulation Stats, SS Packet Counts.
Reports: System status reports
Backup and Restore: System restoration and database backup procedures.
Appendix: Supporting information.
New users should start with the Getting Started section to familiarize themselves with the interface and basic setup procedures.
Note: Netspan
is designed to manage all 802.16-2004 WiMAX compliant equipment. The term
SS is used to describe subscriber stations in general. Netspan uses the term ST( EasyST and ProST)
to refer to Airspan WiMAX
compliant SS's and for the purposes of this manual the terms ST and SS
are interchangeable.
Netspan is a WEB based client-server Network Management System. Netspan server runs on a Windows 2003 Server PC(s) equipped with SQL server software. The server connects to the ASMAX equipment shelf. Netspan client runs on a Windows PC with Internet Explorer . Client PCs are connected to the server over an IP link.
Netspan is a client-server application, with 'always-on' server components implemented as windows services, and with a front end web intranet application. Netspan uses SNMP over Ethernet to communicate with ASMAX equipment.
Key features :
Fault management with comprehensive event, active alarm and historical alarms system
Configuration management with provisioning, configuration, status tracking and reporting, software upgrade and inventory management for BS TRxs, Subscriber Stations and other associated network elements
Performance management with collection of wide range of historical statistical data
Security management with NMS authentication and authorisation as well as with secure SNMP communication to equipment
Characteristics of Netspan for ASMAX:
Support for both nomadic and fixed SS
802.16d (802.16-2004 standard) SS is configured for service on the network. Does not have to be tied to a fixed BS TRx, (although can be).
SQL database engine for Netspan database
Indirect management of SS (MIB model)
Template/class based provisioning
Asynchronous configuration for provisioning data
Synchronous configuration for commissioning data
Asynchronous status and statistics collection
Full off-line provisioning capabilities
Database is a master for provisioning data
Re-synchronisation between equipment and NMS on request.
The Netspan server is accessed using upper level WEB browser (recommended Internet Explorer v6 or later), with BS TRx and Subscriber Station (BS TRx and SS) provisioning, management and fault-handling being accessed via web-based pages.
An SQL database is used to store all the provisioning information, alarms, events and statistical information.
The web browsers clients are normally remote from the server machine but it can be arranged to run both the client and server on one machine if required.
Netspan uses a management information base that can be monitored by a network management system. The management information base is used by SNMP, which allows monitoring of equipment within the ASMAX product range. The three MIBs are identified as follows:
802.16f standard MIB
BS TRx private MIB (developed by Airspan)
SS private MIB (developed by Airspan)
The private MIBs contain features that are important for the management of the radio network but which are not defined within the standard 802.16f MIB.
IIS - Microsoft Standard
.NET Framework - Microsoft Standard
SQL Server Database - Microsoft
NetToolWorks SNMP Manager Library
Front end ASP.NET web intranet application
SNMP job engine service
Discovery service
Alarm Service
Archive Service
Event Service
Software Manager Service
Provisioning Service
Statistics Service
ASMAX products are managed by Netspan. A shelf is managed using an IP based protocol for connection over a network using an Ethernet interface.
Configuration of Netspan is through the management system as are alarms, performance and statistics. Netspan has the capability of simultaneously managing up to 5000 BS TRxs and 200,000 subscribers.
The Netspan database is the master for provisioning data, whereas ASMAX equipment contains the master database for status and statistics.
The SQL database stores the following items:
Alarms
Events
Topology information
Provisioning data
Statistics data
Inventory data
Netspan integrates the SNMP libraries and provide internal access interfaces.
Netspan sends trap for each alarm of each type defined for the AS.MAX system
Netspan allows traps to enable/disable traps for each alarm type independently
It is NOT be possible to enable/disable different alarm types for different shelves but database format should allow this extension in the future
All of the systems alarms are sent to and acknowledged by the management system. The management system allows visibility of all alarms, and provides navigation and support to identify the cause of the alarm. The management system also provides logging of alarms in the database.
System statistics and status are all collected by the management system at programmable intervals. Statistics and status information will be lost in the case of system power failure.
The management system presents the data in tables. All of the data can be logged to file, which can be stored on the hard disk.
All statistics are time-stamped.
Template / Profile
"template" and "profile" are terms used in the document in places referring to the same entity defined as a "Set of properties grouped and identified by the name, used to provision/configure equipment/service by simple reference to the name of the template/profile (e.g. Packet Classifier Rule Profile). Profiles/templates are stored in the Netspan database and are applied to the equipment as a flat set of properties."
Class
A Class is a set of properties grouped and identified by the name for the common use in the Netspan database and BS TRx database (e.g. Service Class). Since the definition of the class is known by BS TRx the configuration is simplified to setting only class name instead of flat set of all properties.