OSIX Real-time network performance monitoring.

Polystars OSIX system offers the telecommunications market

innovative monitoring solutions for maximising network performance
and managing advanced real-time troubleshooting.

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OSIX
From surveillance to advanced troubleshooting
The OSIX system
Features

Applications
Protocol Analyser
Call Trace
Performance Analyser
Mass Call
Real Time Statistics
Network Status
Statistics Alarm

The OSIX system

System design
OSIX in Polystars Network and Service Assurance offering
With OSIX, we provide telecom operators with a true real-time tool
they can use to ensure high network quality and proactively prevent
disturbances in their telecom networks. Currently, we have installations
all over of the world, from Taiwan to Canada, and in networks serving
20,000 subscribers up to networks with over 20 million.
Mark Moltzer / Product Manager Polystar

OSIX
From surveillance to advanced troubleshooting

The OSIX system

With the state-of-the-art monitoring system OSIX, Polystar offers the telecom market a wide range of

is an extremely robust solution with a small footprint

real-time network monitoring solutions. Using OSIX, you will be able to observe the network activity in

is a true real-time system

real time, which is crucial to maintain a first-rate customer experience and prevent quality degradation.

offers intuitive, easy-to-use applications with context-sensitive help functions

OSIX is a passive probe system that non-intrusively extracts information from the control and user planes

is built using Java, MySQL, and Linux, employing state-of-the-art hardware and open
architectures, standards, and interfaces

in telecom networks. Control plane signalling is available in real time, and the data is also stored for later
retrieval for historical analysis. The user plane data is correlated in real time against the corresponding
control signalling.

offers unique scaling possibilities due to its modular design

is highly flexible, with extremely fast installation and acceptance cycles, as well as
regular implementation of new features
has low investment requirements, while offering high cost-efficiency, rapid ROI (return
on investment) and a very competitive TCO (total cost of ownership)

The OSIX system is used for monitoring, troubleshooting, alarming, and xDR generation.
OSIX supports fixed-line, mobile, and IMS/VoIPall in one system.

The software component of OSIX includes a set of applications for viewing and analysing network data.
These offer a sophisticated correlation functionality that provides an end-to-end, network-wide view of

Features

calls and data transactions. The Network Status and Statistics Alarms applications provide powerful
alarm-handling functionality and allow integration to third-party systems through SNMP traps. The

All protocols and network technologies are accommodated in a single system

Mass Call, Performance Analyser, and Real Time Statistics applications provide fast and accurate error

Handles both control plane and user plane on a number of interfaces (including E1/T1,
STM-1, ATM, Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet)

detection, allowing the operator to quickly detect and resolve network problems or poor performance
before customers are affected.
The OSIX system is the foundation of all Polystar network and service assurance solutions. The advanced
features of this all-seeing system, in symbiosis with the power of Polystars real-time visualisation and
reporting tool Jupiter, give you full control over your network business.

Generates real-time alarms for quick detection and resolution of network problems or
poor performance before customers are affected
Generates real-time raw xDRs for third-party integration
Includes intuitive drill-down functionality for root-cause analysis

From SS7 to LTE in the same system, all your analysis needs
fulfilled from the OSIX Main Panel.

APPLICATIONS

Protocol Analyser

Protocol Analyser
In Protocol Analyser, you can monitor all messages on a link down to the lowest

Call Trace

level, either in real time or with historical data. All protocols can be mixed in one
view.
You can filter the protocol data in several ways, using link, protocol or parameter

Performance Analyser

filtersseparately or in combination.
Feature highlights

Mass Call

Advanced filtering functionality with an extensive set of filter options for specific
nodes, messages, release codes or user identities (IMSI, MSISDN, etc.)
Detailed information for each message is easily accessed
Up to four Main Window sessions can be active at the same time

Real Time Statistics

Network Status
Statistics Alarm

Windows in the Protocol Analyser application are highly configurable, allowing

easy adaption to personal preferences

Call Trace

Performance Analyser

The Call Trace application monitors calling processes, in real time or using historical data.

With Performance Analyser, you can monitor calling statistics for different groups of

It then correlates network messages into complete calls, for analysis of the entire chain

nodes and numbers in your network in real time. It provides real-time overview of network

of events from start to end.

quality and monitors network-related KPIs, for example ASR, NER, PDP activations, per

The application features advanced filtering functionality, and offers comprehensive tools

user-configured group.

for adapting the user interface. You also have quick access to detailed information about

With flexible configuration options, you can create various call groups for real-time KPI

the processes and all messages sent during the session.

measurements. Advanced filter tools allow you to pinpoint and monitor the exact type of

The comprehensive correlation functionality allows you to view messages for all the

information or site.

different protocols of the end-to-end signalling flow, for example all messages involved in

Performance Analyser is commonly used on NOC walls, to provide an instant overview

a mobile call, SMS transaction, or a VoIP call.

of the performance of configured destinations, and also among roaming departments to

Call Trace helps your support staff give first-rate service to the subscribers, thanks to the
complete overview of all calling processes and root cause analysis capabilities of calling
events.
Feature highlights
A call-flow view, displaying how messages are sent between different nodes, is
available for both single and correlated calls
Signalling technicians get access to all the bits and bytes of every calling process and
protocol message for deep analysis
Call Trace supports a number of protocols for fixed, mobile, IMS/VoIP, and intelligent
networks
Advanced filtering capabilities with extensive set of filter options for specific nodes,
messages, release codes, and user identities (IMSI, MSISDN, etc.)

analyse outbound roaming.

Feature highlights
Instant drill-down access to Call Trace and Protocol Analyser for root-cause analysis
SNMP support for alarm generation to other systems

Mass Call

Real Time Statistics

The Mass Call application provides real-time monitoring of call attempts made to specific

With the Real Time Statistics application you can set up and view statistical information in

numbers, or made from specific numbers.

graphs or in table format, over configured parameters, messages or calls in your network

The application allows you to quickly identify if congestion scenarios are caused by mass

in real time.

calling events such as viewer voting in popular TV shows. Mass Call can also be used to

When configuring the graphs, you can decide how often you want the graph to be updated

identify fraudulent usage and to detect loop scenarios in the network.

(in seconds), and for how long you wish the data to remain in the graph (in hours and

When running Mass Call, you can have one window displaying high amounts of call

minutes).

attempts to certain numbers and one window displaying high amounts of call attempts

The graphs can be of two different types: message-based or call-based. That is, each

from certain numbers.

graph you create can be based either on the number of protocol messages or the number

Feature highlights
Detailed information about calling/called numbers, and the concerned point codes,
is easily accessed
Drill-down to Call Trace and Protocol Analyser, where filters will be set automatically
based on the numbers you have chosen

of calls that pass through the graphs filter settings. It is also possible to display different
traffic types in the same graph.
Using Real Time Statistics, you can monitor network traffic continuously, focussing on
traffic to selected destinations or towards specific applications.
Feature highlights
Extensive set of filtering options for statistical counters (same as in Protocol
Analyser and Call Trace), which can be used either separately or in combination
Colour schemes for quick overview and problem detection
Instant drill-down access to Call Trace and Protocol Analyser

Network Status

Statistics Alarm

The Network Status application is used to monitor alarms in the network on level 1

With the Statistics Alarm application you can set up alarms that are to be generated when

(hardware), and on levels 2 and 3 (nodes and links), including link load. The application also

certain filter criteria for protocol messages or calls/transactions are met. The alarms can

receives and stores all alarms from the Performance Analyser and Mass Call applications,

be generated either at first occurrence, or after a certain number of occurrences over

and alarms based on configured thresholds in the Statistics Alarm application.

a certain period of time. You can also configure the alarms to be automatically cleared.

Detailed information about an alarm is easily accessible, regardless of in which area or at

The application runs unobtrusively in the background. Triggered alarms are available as

which level the alarm occurs. This will help you detect problems quickly, and decrease the

SNMP traps, and are also displayed in the alarm application in Network Status.

time needed for problem solving.

When monitoring the network using network maps, you have quick and easy access to
detailed information about the links. There is also a Global Link Status view, that displays
the current global link status, with link loads, counters for messages, etc.
Feature highlights
The Active alarms and Alarm log dialog boxes allow you to see all alarms that are
currently active, and perform network-wide searches for historical alarms
Instant drill-down to Call Trace and Protocol Analyser for troubleshooting alarms
Map view with automatic detection of SS7 links/point codes and SCTP associations/
endpoints
SNMP support for alarm generation to other systems

Feature highlights
Advanced filtering functionality (same as for Call Trace/Protocol Analyser)
SNMP support for alarm generation to other systems

One system that shows you everything you need to know.

The OSIX system

As the network topology becomes more and more complex, requiring legacy fixed
networks to coexist with modern IP-based LTE networks, disturbances in a modern

System design

telecom network can come from a number of places. Faults can occur in anything from

The OSIX system is a scalable solution that consists of probes, servers, and clients. The

handovers, DNS lookups, and access points to cooperation with roaming partners.

probes are non-intrusively connected to the network, and are independent from data

Network anomalies and root-cause errors can appear at any time, and having a monitoring

collected by the switches.

system like OSIX in place is essential to maintaining full control over network activity and

The system receives network data from three different types of probes, depending on the

keeping a high level of customer satisfaction.

interface to be monitored:

One of the main advantages of the OSIX system is that it supports all commercially used

E1/T1 probe with support for E1/T1 (64/56 kbps, HSL, FR (for Gb))

technologies in the telecom industryin one system. You do not need to run different

Gemini probe with support for ATM/SDH (STM-1)

systems to monitor your entire network.

MediaProbe with support for Ethernet (10/100 Mbps and 10 Gbps), for monitoring of
signalling traffic as well as user plane data

OSIX is also a future-proof system, demonstrated by the support of both legacy SS7 and
state-of-the-art LTE technology in the same system.

From the probe, data is sent through a router (RTR) that distributes the traffic evenly
between an arbitrary number of probe servers, which enables data capture on even the
largest Tier 1 installations. An OSIX deployment typically consists of multiple, regionally
distributed sites, where each site has probes and servers installed to capture, process
and store all data locally. This minimises the need to send data using expensive WAN
bandwidth. Storage of Signals (SoS) includes all captured signalling messages, and is
normally dimensioned to hold data for 4-10 days.
The mapping server (MAS) performs mapping between IMSI and TMSI. The global server
(GLS) acts as the OSIX management and authentication system, and the performance
server (PES) is the engine behind the Mass Call and Performance Analyser applications.
For hardware efficiency, and to accommodate smaller sites, several components can
share the same physical hardware.

OSIX in Polystars Network and Service

Assurance offering
Polystar offers a broad range of products in telecom network monitoring solutions. OSIX
is the product closest to the network, where it gathers network data directly from the
probes in real time.

POLYSTAR
Polystar is the premier supplier of Service Assurance, Network Monitoring and Test
Solutions to leading telecom operators, service providers and network equipment
manufacturers around the globe. The innovative product portfolio supports the complete

OSIX can then supply data to Jupiter, Polystars reporting and OSS system. It is also the

lifecycle of new services and technologiesfrom design, pre-deployment verification and

engine for the generation of xDRs to third-party systems, such as revenue assurance,

stress-testing, through roll-out, down to network assurance and service management of

fraud management, and active roaming management systems.

in-service mobile, fixed, IP or converged networks.

Polystar is recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies in Sweden. Since its
establishment in Stockholm in 1983, it has experienced a continuous and sustainable
growth, and evolved to a global presence, serving its customers in over 50 countries.

Facts
Server hardware
Polystar uses HP ProLiant servers as probe
servers. The physical measurements are 1U
19''. The probe servers are configured with
RAID 1+0, which prevents data loss in case of
hardware failure.
Operating system
The probe servers are running Red Hat Enter
prise Linux as operating system.
Database
The probe servers are using MySQL as data
base system.

Scalability
OSIX is built to be efficiently scalable from a
small system into large systems. The amount
of hardware needed is directly related to the
amount of traffic on a single site. If one site has
small traffic volume only 2 servers are needed
(one probe and one PRS).
The GLS (Global Server) is only needed in one
central location.
This makes it possible for OSIX to be a system
for any operator, from a global operator to a
locally based virtual operator.

Polystar / +46 8 50 600 600 / www.polystar.com