ACTERNA PATHTRAK RETURN PATH MONITORING SYSTEMRETURN PATH MONITORING SYSTEM With its intricate tree...

ACTERNA PATHTRAK™

RETURN PATH MONITORING SYSTEMTHE PREMIER SOLUTION FOR RETURN PATH ANALYSIS

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THE PREMIER RETURN PATH SOLUTION—

EARLY FAULT DETECTION IN A SUPERIORRETURN PATH MONITORING SYSTEM

With its intricate tree and branch architecture, the return path of hybrid fiber coax (HFC) net-

works provides multiple opportunities for impairments to occur, such as ingress, noise, and

common path distortion. Impairments are often intermittent, difficult to isolate, and they

can re-develop quickly. A highly efficient, continuous, and automated form of testing and

analyzing RF performance is critical for detecting problems and ensuring the availability of

customers’ return path networks.

To provide the operators’ entire network with 24x7 oversight and effortless analysis,

Acterna developed the PathTrak™ Return Path Monitoring System—the most powerful,

comprehensive solution on the market. PathTrak monitors cable operators’ return path

networks to improve quality of service. It also:

♦ Detects the most transient noise problems with ultra-fast scans

♦ Monitors for degrading performance so that minor faults don’t have major impact

♦ Provides detailed performance logging for identifying intermittent RF problems

♦ Reduces field maintenance time and costs through integration of field meters

♦ Ensures faster qualification of two-way networks

♦ Integrates with the Acterna NetMentor™ Status Monitoring System for

“one-screen” network observation

♦ Prioritizes the severity of detected problems with intelligent alarm management

ACTERNA


Central Headend

PathTrakServer

NetworkManagement System

RemotePathTrak Clients

Remote HUB

SNMP

Ethernet

HSM1000

Acterna Field Meter

HCU1500

The Acterna PathTrak system is the first in the industry to provide expert, nonstop return path moni-toring, in the most cost-efficient package available. With PathTrak, operators know when network per-formance begins to deteriorate well in advance of their subscribers, so they can maintain advanced,in-demand services such as digital video and voice over IP (VoIP). This extremely rapid notification ofproblem conditions allows fast resolution before return services are interrupted or compromised.

Because reverse noise can be very elusive, PathTrak provides ultra-fast spectrum scanning of alltest ports, regardless of the number of ports that are simultaneously being monitored. In addition,advanced user-definable alarm parameters and intelligent alarm management distinguishes realproblems that need immediate attention from routine, superficial problems, alerting techniciansonly when legitimate and potentially disruptive faults are detected.

PathTrak Eliminates Uncertainty in Return Path NetworksToday, cable operators must provide high-quality, advanced services over the return path toensure profitability and subscriber satisfaction. Any uncertainty about return path perform-ance can be costly. Unlike analog TV on the forward path, degraded performance of advanceddigital return path services often goes virtually unnoticed until too late—usually after serviceto subscribers is severely impacted, along with your reputation as a quality provider.

PathTrak’s outstanding functionality goes far beyond monitoring and alarm services. PathTrakis interoperable with the Acterna NetMentor Status Monitoring System and Acterna StealthDigital Analyzer Field Meters (SDA-4040D and SDA-5000), and its performance history featureprovides even greater problem-solving capabilities. This unique, comprehensive performancedata logging function provides crucial information for trend analysis, troubleshooting, andcommissioning. In addition, PathTrak’s integration with Acterna field meters significantly cuts“Find and Fix” time when trying to locate return ingress problems—technicians can view thelive headend screen with the touch of a button.

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Detect Minor Problems before Major Outages Occur

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Advanced, Multi-Functional Monitoring to Reduce Maintenance CostsPathTrak’s numerous high-speed features provide exceptional capabilities to isolate, analyze,and resolve current faults, and its advanced tools ensure future problems are repaired faster.

Ensures Precise Location to Accelerate Fault Resolution

Isolating and finding the sources of bursty and transient ingress and noise problems iscomplicated and time consuming. The PathTrak system and Acterna’s suite of advanced features help users find the sources of ingress quickly and accurately.

Automatically Isolates Problems to a Single Return Path

More than 100 return paths can often converge at a single remote hub site or headend.Before any field troubleshooting can proceed, problems must be isolated to a specificreturn path so they can be easily diagnosed. PathTrak easily scales to a user’s network byproviding a variable number of isolated test input ports, each of which can be dedicated toan individual return path. By constantly monitoring each test port individually, PathTrakisolates faults quickly and eliminates manual changing of test points.

Delivers Remote, Real-Time Spectrum Analysis

With PathTrak system software, a user with a PC has a virtual spectrum analyzer at his orher fingertips. The spectrum analyzer gives users advanced control over data collection atremote sites, as well as the capability to view that same data on a local PC screen. Spectrafrom many return paths or any single return path can be viewed on the PC without the needfor a technician to travel to a remote site.

HCU1500 or HCU400Modular ControllerThis 19” rack-mounted control chassis pro-vides local data storage, intelligence, and thecommunications interface point. The VME-based chassis contains 15 slots (HCU1500)or 4 slots (HCU400) for the RPM1000 spectrum analyzer monitoring modules. This provides a customizable and scaleablesystem from which to build. Users can designate the number and type of monitoringmodules needed immediately, and can orderadditional modules as their networks evolveand develop.

CUSTOMIZED AND SCALABLE TO

MEET YOUR CHANGING NETWORK NEEDS


Faster “Find and Fix” Field Capability with Acterna Meter Integration

Because there’s no need to dedicate an entire forward path channel to a spectrum display,PathTrak drastically cuts return path ingress troubleshooting time. By comparing live spectrumdata captured at the headend to field test point spectrum captured by Acterna field meters,PathTrak’s “Find and Fix” tools reduce the time, travel, and manpower required to find sources offield noise and ingress and make manual test point connections at the headend unnecessary.

Easy Analysis of Past Performance

PathTrak stores extensive historical performance data for each monitored port in a database, andmakes it readily accessible via network or modem connection to the PathTrak server. Data is easilysorted, summarized, and saved over any timeframe. Field repair time and labor is substantiallyreduced with PathTrak’s advanced data logging.

Prompt Indentification of RF Network Problems

When cable modem or set-top converter reports indicate communication problems, PathTrak helpsmanage maintenance response by providing users with an easy way to review RF performance overa set time period. PathTrak compares RF network performance to error reports from cable modemsystems. Users quickly determine if the fault was caused by distortions on the return network, orif there was no RF network problem at all.

SNMP Compatibility

PathTrak software supports SNMP standard protocols for communication with other managementsoftware systems, including the Acterna NetMentor Status Monitoring System. Alarms, status, andother data can be easily passed to network management and other element management software.

Protects Your Investment

The PathTrak system grows with your network. A single PathTrak server supports up to 2,500 testports without the slightest sacrifice in performance. Each headend control unit (HCU) has a built-inPC and hard disk, providing unmatched local intelligence and dependable system reliability withminimal LAN impact. The unique design of Acterna’s HCU1500 Modular Controller—part of PathTrak’sexpandable system—allows users to specify the number of input test ports, making the PathTraksystem economically adaptable to individual needs and network architectures. Since the HCU1500has a large number of open slots available, future expandability and scalability are inherent.

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PathTrak Integration with Acterna’sNetMentor Status Monitoring SystemAll tools necessary for diagnosing outsidephysical plant problems are now on a singlescreen. Using the PathTrak Link Agent, userscan view NetMentor status monitoringalarms on the same screen as PathTrak’sreturn path alarms. This leverages the powerof both systems and speeds the process ofdiagnosing RF problems.


Stores One Year of Performance Data—While Monitoring Hundreds of Return Test Ports

With the vast amount of data being collected from a multitude of individual return paths,PathTrak’s intelligent data management is critical to prevent data overload and tedious manualdata backups. PathTrak’s unusually large capacity stores considerable amounts of information,eliminating the need to discard important data due to space restraints.

Displays Status Monitoring and Return Path Alarms Simultaneously, on a Single Screen

Using the PathTrak Link Agent, users can view Acterna’s NetMentor status-monitoring alarms onthe same screen as PathTrak return path alarms. This integration to NetMentor’s domain manage-ment system software leverages the power of both systems to streamline the diagnostic processfor RF problems.

Accurately Characterizes Baseline Performance to Speed Repairs

The PathTrak system simplifies analysis of historical performance data to assist future troubleshoot-ing. Effective performance summaries provide the user with simplified presentation of the mostimportant information. Standard “Quick Summaries,” such as hourly performance summaries for agiven day and daily assessments for a user-set timespan, present frequently used information in aconvenient format. Summaries may include minimum, average, and peak noise or percentage of timeabove an alarm threshold. PathTrak’s capability for customized, flexible review of historical data aidsin frequency allocation of new services and helps set baseline performance standards.

With PathTrak—the first and fastest tool dedicated to return path maintenance—Acterna leads theindustry in addressing the complex and evolving needs of cable operators.

PathTrak—The Industry Leader in Meeting Return Path Testand Analysis NeedsWith the most advanced capabilities available, the PathTrak system will not miss crucialperformance data.

RPM1000 Spectrum Analyzer: No Competing Solution Can Compare

PathTrak’s unparalleled RPM1000 spectrum analyzer module provides ultra-fast scanning of thereturn path from 5 to 65 MHz, and detects bursts of noise less than 1 microsecond in duration. Inaddition, PathTrak scans each test port 5 times per second—even in large-scale deployments.

Intelligent Alarm Managementto Eliminate Lengthy, ArduousAlarm ListsEffective alarms ensure that no manualeffort is needed to seek, sort, and ratepriorities. Users have complete controlof advanced alarm features that rank theseverity of detected problems. The flexi-ble PathTrak system allows users to filterout single or very intermittent noisespikes. At the same time, the systemdetects when more consistent ingress oraverage noise floor problems occur, plac-ing a high priority on notifying users ofthese events.

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Acterna is built on a combined, century-longtradition of quality and innovation in the com-munications test and management industry.Now, the excellence you have come to expectin our products forms the cornerstone of anintegrated suite of services and solutionsdeveloped to drive your business performanceto new levels. Our comprehensive solutionscan be tailored to meet your business require-ments for product support, service deployment,training, process improvement, program management, and custom software applications.

At Acterna, we use a consultative approach todefine your exact service needs. We thenleverage an unmatched depth of knowledge

and experience in communications, products,systems, and processes to provide solutionsthat solve your unique business challenges.

From basic instrument support for the fieldtechnician, to complex program managementand consulting for company-wide operation initiatives, Acterna's service professionals arecommitted to exceeding your expectations.Whatever your needs–Education Services,Program Services, Consulting Services, ProductSupport Services, or Innovative SoftwareDevelopment Services–we can be a part ofyour solution.

Powerful Remote Analysis ReducesTroubleshooting Time in the FieldPathTrak’s Windows NT®-based softwarepackage includes a virtual SpectrumAnalyzer tool that provides users withremote spectrum analysis via PC and fieldmeters. Technicians can access advancedcontrol and view return path spectrummeasurements previously available onlywith expensive spectrum analyzers. Livespectrum data from multiple return pathscan be viewed simultaneously on the PCdisplay to compare performance acrossreturn paths.

System RequirementsPathTrak Return Path Performance Monitoring system is a Windows NT-based software packagethat provides the primary user and communications interface to the PathTrak RPM1000 ReturnPath Spectrum Analyzer Module. PathTrak coordinates cable system status centrally, and has aclient/server architecture. The PathTrak server version requires a dedicated server (PC) with aWindows NT operating system. The client version can be operated on portable or remote PCs withWindows 95, 98, 2000, or NT operating systems, and allows up to 30 users to access the systemand database. A single PathTrak server with the server software can support from 10 to 2,500 testports—without any sacrifice in performance.

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GLOBAL SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS


Regional Sales Headquarters

Acterna is present in more than 80 countries. To find your local sales office, go to www.acterna.com

Global Headquarters20400 Observation DriveGermantown, Maryland 20876-4023 USAToll Free: 1-800-638-2049 Tel: +1-301-353-1550 Fax: +1-301-444-8468 www.acterna.com

North America20400 Observation DriveGermantown, Maryland 20876-4023 USAToll Free: 1-800-638-2049 Tel: +1-301-353-1550 Fax: +1-301-444-8468

Latin AmericaAv. Eng. Luis Carlos Berrini936 8/9. Andar04571-000 Sao Paulo, SPBrazilTel: +55 11 5503 3800 Fax: +55 11 5505 1598

Asia/Pacific42 Clarendon StreetPO Box 141South Melbourne, Victoria 3205AustraliaTel: +61 3 9690 6700 Fax: +61 3 9690 6750

Western EuropeArbachtalstrasse 672800 Eningen u.A.GermanyTel: +49 7121 86 2222 Fax: +49 7121 86 1222

Eastern Europe, Middle East & AfricaElisabethstrasse 36PO Box 132500 BadenAustriaTel: +43 2252 85 521 0 Fax: +43 2252 80 727

1st Neopalimovskiy Per. 15/7 (4th floor)119121 MoscowRussiaTel: +7 095 248 2508 Fax: +7 095 248 4189

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Note: Specifications, terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice.

© Copyright 2001 Acterna, LLC. All rights reserved. Acterna, The Keepers of Communications, and its logo are trademarks of Acterna, LLC.All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.PATHTRAK/A/BR/CN/IND/04-01


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