Generic Netspan support for all the new frequency bands introduced in this release.
Each BS TRx can be assigned up to four NTP server IP addresses, which can be used for time synchronisation. It is possible to configure those IP addresses from Netspan (instead of using the direct Web browser of the BS TRx). This feature is not available for MicroMAXBS TRx.
The IEEE 802.1Q-in-Q VLAN Tag is purpose to expand the VLAN space by tagging the tagged packets, thus producing a "double-tagged" frame. The expanded VLAN space allows the provision certain services, such as Internet access on specific VLANs for specific customers, and yet still allows the service provider to provide other types of services for their other customers on other VLANs. Generally the service provider's customers require a range of VLANs to handle multiple applications. Customers can use this feature to safely assign their own VLAN IDs on subinterfaces because these subinterface VLAN IDs are encapsulated within a service provider-designated VLAN ID for that customer. Therefore there is no overlap of VLAN IDs among customers, nor does traffic from different customers become mixed.
When adjacent sectors share the same channel different reuse groups are set for each sector. SSs that can see both sectors will only sign on to one sector. Reuse groups can be disabled or set to either Group A or Group B.
Clearest Channel Choice (CCC), BS TRx Netspan CCC configuration support has been added.
Subchannelisation is now supported by MicroMAX BS TRx and enabled in Netspan.
Scheduler defines scheduling, priority or WFQ. Netspan introduces an extra property in BS TRx custom config table to support this feature.
MAC Forced Forwarding is now available on MicroMAX As already available as part of VLAN configuration in MacroMAX and HiperMAX. With MAC Forced Forwarding the BS is given the IP address of the traffic gateway (Router), and it learns the MAC address of the gateway. ARPs in the uplink direction are not forwarded out of the BS, instead the BS replies to the ARP, giving the MAC address of the gateway.
New Fault Management web service to supports
Retrieval of active alarms
Allow acknowledge and editing of alarms.
Create/edit extensions to the service flow template and related items (e.g. classifier templates).
For release 6.0 the term 'Base Station' when it refers to hardware has been renamed BS TRx (Base Station Transceiver). This was renamed as base station has a broad range of meanings whereas BS TRx is specific to the actual transceiver (HiperMAX Blade HiperMAX-micro SDR and SCRT, MacroMAX and MicroMAX.
The term 'Sector' has been replaced with 'Channel' to bring it more in line with standard industry terminology.
Netspan server should be installed on dedicated server machine. The configuration where Netspan shares hardware with other server application (e.g. web sites) is not supported.
The only allowed OS platforms Netspan can be installed on are: Windows 2003 and Windows XP Pro. The installation program in SR6.0 enforces this requirement and stops installation if not supported an unsupported OS is detected. Older versions of Netspan were less strict and allowed installation on other OS platforms such as Windows 2000 Server. The upgrade of OS from Windows 2000 to Windows 2003 to satisfy the Netspan installation program may lead to some security issues and is not recommended. We recommend only new installations of Windows 2003 and Windows XP Pro and not upgrades from older systems.
The Netspan northbound interface supports communication between the Web Service client or consumer and Web Service server or Provider (hosted by Netspan), and is achieved via the exchange of SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) messages over HTTP. The services exposed by the Web Service are defined using WSDL (Web Service Description Language) files, which specify the contract between the client and server facilitating the easy development of Web service clients using most major programming languages / operating systems. The initial release of the Netspan Northbound interface concentrated on SS Provisioning. This service allows the provisioning of SSs and also the execution of a number of other standard operations related to SS Provisioning e.g. Enabling or Disabling service on an SS.
This release provides
New WEB services for definition of service profiles. This extension is exclusively offered to a single customer.
Multiple trap destination support covering BS TRx and BSDU. This feature allows customers with third party fault management system (e.g. HP OpenView) to quickly configure up to 8 trap destinations (including one for Netspan) on all BS TRxs and BSDUs in the network.
Several new categories of statistics are available in SR6.0
BS TRx Air Interface Stats has been divided into two separate categories as follows:
BS TRx Interface Usage. These are the per interface frame usage statistics that were previously available.
BS TRx Air Interface Counts. These are per interface counters. They include the Broadcast SDU and Broadcast Octet Counts that were available previously as well as new counters for SR6.0 covering management and traffic SDUs and octets for both uplink and downlink directions.
SS Ethernet Stats
These are new for SR6.0 and report the SS Ethernet Stats per SS as measured on the SS and reported to theBS TRx.
SS Air Interface Stats
These are new for SR6.0 and report the SS Air Interface Counts per SS as measured on the SS and reported to the BS TRx. The counters cover management and traffic SDUs and octets for both uplink and downlink directions.
The statistics are available on the management pages as follows:
Single and multi BS TRx management:
BS TRx Ethernet Statistics &endash; full history.
BS TRx Air Interface Usage &endash; latest measurements only.
BS TRx Air Interface Counts &endash; latest measurements only.
SS Ethernet Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
SS Air Interface Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
SS RF Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
SS Modulation Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
SS Packet Counts &endash; latest measurements only.
Single and multi Channel management:
BS TRx Air Interface Usage &endash; full history.
BS TRx Air Interface Counts &endash; full history.
SS RF Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
SS Modulation Statistics &endash; latest measurements only.
Single and multi SS managements:
SS Ethernet Statistics &endash; full history.
SS Air Interface Statistics &endash; full history.
SS RF Statistics &endash; full history.
SS Modulation Statistics &endash; full history.
SS Packet Counts &endash; full history.
MicroMAX BS TRxs will support a subset of these statistics in SR6.0
It is possible to navigate to the management page of any BS TRx, Channel or SS in the statistics grids by following the appropriate hyperlink in the grid.
MacroMAX/HiperMAX/HiperMAX-micro support for PVID.
Release SR6 brings the implementation of VLAN bridging closer to IEEE802.1Q standard. SR6 MacroMAX, HiperMAX and HiperMAX-micro SR6 now have standard implementation of Port VLAN ID and accepts standard based configuration with Acceptable Frame Types and PVID.
The backwards compatibility is guaranteed in both directions:
BS TRx running SR6 code still responds to old configuration sets.
Netspan running SR6 offers the support for both legacy and 802.1Q based configuration (auto-detection of the support).
Netspan has new set of warning messages reflecting the changes in the configuration system and depending on the support available in a given BS TRx.
Protocol VLANs
Classifier based VLAN tagging.
VoiceMAX dynamic service flow VLAN tagging (MicroMAX)
Bridging section in custom configuration (platform dependent):
Ageing time (all platforms).
LAN table size per BS TRx (MacroMAX, HiperMAX and HiperMAX-micro).
Flooding control (MacroMAX , HiperMAX and HiperMAX-micro).
The use of custom configuration profile for some bridging properties will help customers in turning new bridging generic properties on for the entire population of the BS TRxs.
The basic bridge and port configuration remains on the BS TRx edit page and is not covered by the multi configuration. The future releases will see all the BS TRx bridge and port configuration transferred to a new BS TRx bridging profile for more flexibility.
DHCP option 82 for each VLAN for all BS TRx platforms. New binary mode.
Support for default priority used for frames tagged with Port VLAN ID.
In addition to statistics, VLAN support changes and SS management support the following new features are available in SR6.0.
Dynamic Frequency Switching:
Configuration with new BS TRx Channel profile "Unlicensed Channel Profile” (MicroMAX platform only).
New event (trap) reporting DFS changes and failures. New associated alarm. (see full list of new events at the end of this document)
DFS feature is not available on all MicroMAX BS TRx. Only BS TRx with DFS feature supported and enabled will process the configuration done with "Unlicensed Channel Profile”. Other BS TRxs will ignore the sets.
Custom Configuration Profile: New BS TRx Custom Configuration Profile properties for MicroMAX platform:
Midamble Repetition Interval
New bandwidth 2.75 MHz
Bridge Ageing Time
Ofdm Channel Profile: Existing BS TRx Ofdm Channel Profile properties with extended support in MicroMAX:
Frame durations
Cyclic Prefix
Service Class: Existing Service Class properties with extended support in MicroMAX:
Scheduling Type: rtPC, UGS
VoiceMAX: Support for VoiceMAX in MicroMAX via BS TRx VoIP QoS Profile.
MacroMAX, HiperMAX and HiperMAX-micro support for new features as described in other sections:
Statistics
VLAN support changes
SS management support
Changes to SS Custom Configuration Profile:
New downlink adaptive modulation configuration (averaging factors, SNR margins)
New limit to maximum number of network hosts
New event (trap) indicating the change of any of identification parameters (addresses, versions) as described above.
It is possible to restrict the list of BS TRx Channels on which an SS may register. SS provisioning now allows the assignment of 'Service' allowed channel and 'Registration' allowed channels.
SS global service provisioning is available under Configuration Management, allowing a combination of service parameters (service product, configuration template and VLAN template) to be assigned globally to all SSs, on a network wide basis.
SS reporting inventory and equipment addresses.
SS reports to BS TRx, using custom management messages the following: its own IP address, SW version and HW revision number, MAC Address and IP address of integrated WiFi AP and MAC Address and IP Address of integrated voice gateway (EasyVoice).
BS TRx exposes reported values in read-only MIB table and also sends the trap when any of the values change for any given SS.
Netspan reads the values from the BS TRx MIB table and also from the objects of the relevant trap and displays the values on the screen.
IP Addresses are displayed as HTML links to local management pages of the corresponding equipment.
The SS list now contains additional columns for WiFi access point and residential voice gateway IP addresses.
The SS inventory list has additional columns for the WiFi access point and residential voice gateway Mac Addresses.
The SS management page State tab now has the additional information of WiFi Access point and residential voice gateway IP and Mac addresses.
A new event type ("SS Equipment Status Change”) has also been added for the trap containing the WiFi and easy voice IP and Mac addresses.
Provisioning
provides identity, SNMP connection and port connection information.
Port connections are automatically discovered if the BSDU is capable of reporting them.
In a scenario where BSDU loses connection with MicroMAX, last port connection information is maintained in Netspan. (BSDU expires port connection information in 3 minutes.)
In a scenario where a MicroMAX is moved from a BSDU to a Site by a user, port connection information should also be manually released.
In a scenario where a MicroMAX which is connected to a BSDU is replaced with another, the old MicroMAX could be found under the same site as of the BSDU.
State
provides connection state, provisioning state and facility to re-provision BSDU.
Software
provides means to upgrade and monitor software status of BSDU.
Inventory
provides available inventory information of BSDU.
Alarms
provides alarms synthesised from Netspan events.
This includes snmp connection state alarms, port connection state alarms, port power state alarms, link alarms and GPS alarms.
Events
Events synthesised from BSDU traps as well as Netspan internal events.
This includes snmp connection state events, port connection state traps, port power state traps, link traps and GPS traps.
ATCA shelves are now discovered by Netspan via discovery of either the Shelf Manager via SNMP or information provided by the HiperMAX and HiperMAX-microERROR: Variable (rMAX) is undefined. SDRs contained within the ATCA shelf.
A new discovery type "Shelf" has been added to the list of discovery types to enable the discovery parameters to be specified for Shelf Managers.
A new "Shelf" list page is available under "Configuration Management" giving access to "Edit" and "Manage" pages for a single Shelf.
Shelf Management:
Provisioning: Identity and SNMP connection information
Slot: Details of each slot in the Shelf such as whether a board is present and the board type
Alarms: Alarms based on Netspan events.
Events: Events based on Netspann internal conditions.
Topology changes
The topology hierarchy has been updated to recognise that:
1) HiperMAX BS TRxs are grouped together in Shelves
2) MicroMAX BS TRxs are grouped together by sharing a BSDU
A Shelf list page has been introduced and shelves may be added, deleted and have their properties edited. The relationship between BS TRxs and Shelves is automatically determined by the discovery service.
Topology Navigation Tree
The Topology Navigation Tree is a new view showing the hierarchy of items managed by Netspan and provides the following features:
Integrated search of Names and Ids as they appear in the tree.
Layout is remembered so that the same items are shown next time the page is visited.
Hyperlinks provide navigation to the management page or property page of each item.
Icons show items that are unmanaged, are offline or have alarms associated with them.
Additional information such as the IP Address is available in tooltips.
Management Page Mini Tree
The Mini Tree has been updated to provide the following new features:
Shelf and BSDU is shown in the hierarchy when present
It is possible to navigate down the hierarchy if a "+” button is shown. This gives the next level in the hierarchy and provides links to the appropriate management page.
Introduction of ’r;Download and Activate’ command for BS TRx, SS and BSDU.
As a consequence of this, the status of ’r;pending’, ’r;in progress’, ’r;completed’, and ’r;retrying’ for this command are reported in ’r;Upgrade categories list’ page and ’r;Edit upgrade category’ page.
Additional column introduced in software compact report to report ’r;retrying’ state separately.
Additional row introduced in software compact report to report on BSDU.
Scheduling available in node specific management page, multi node management page and software category pages.
Improved Netspan password security with configurable security policy. User can select one of 3 policies: Basic, Medium and High
Basic Security Policy is defined by what is implemented in Netspan SR5. This is a default policy.
Medium Security Policy applies stricter rules on what strings are acceptable for password, eliminates obvious strings like "password”, "pass” and enforces password change of first login of a new user.
High Security Policy, in addition to Medium one, introduces strict password recycling with configurable expiry period.
Use of AJAX technology
AJAX enables a web page to be partially updated without the need to fully reload the page. It helps to eliminate the delay, flicker and loss of scrollbar position which can be seen when pages communicate with the server without the use of AJAX.
Netspan makes use of AJAX to improve the user experience by giving a smoother, richer experience for the user.
Global SS provisioning.
SS provisioning in SR5 was offered in form of single SS edit and multiple SS edit. The multi-edit feature is limited to 100 SSs, which often is not enough for many users. On the other hand the Service Product cannot be edit while in use. To address the need of changing Service Product assigned to large number of SSs SR6 Netspan introduces Global SS Provisioning Page.
The Global SS Provisioning page operation is similar to multi-edit but the selection of the population of SSs to edit is performed based on the criteria given by user rather than by selecting SSs on the list. The selection criteria choose SSs, which are provisioned with a given set of profiles: Service Product, Custom Configuration and Port VLAN Profile.
The provisioning of large number of SSs is time demanding hence it is done asynchronously. User can watch the progress on the page or go to a different page while the operation continues.
Lists:
Export to Excel of entire list of items (SR5 offered only WYSIWYG list export)
Use 100% of available space
Custom sorting (IP address, enumeration backed columns)
Search has been added to list pages
Cleanup: removed not implemented actions:
Reset Channel (no channel actions available at all)
Delete SS Config (SS action)
Delete All SSs Config (BS TRx action)
Reinitialise MIB (BS TRx action)
During creation/edit of service products, it is now allowed to creates service flow templates with identical parameters (except the service flow template name which needs to be unique within the service product as was the case before).
SF Status added to Channel Management
SF Status is now available from the Channel Management page in addition to the BS TRx Management and SS Management pages where is was previously available.