Network Evolution and Implications

For Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Ray DeLuca
03 September, 2014
Agenda

 Plant Architecture and Protocol Changes

• CCAP, Remote Phy, frequency extensions
• DOCSIS 3.1 with OFDM and LDPC

 New Test & Measurement Strategies Required

• Pre-Equalization
• Full Band Capture
• Remote Analysis

 Making Sense of It All

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 2

Architecture and Protocol Changes
 Network Evolution: CMTSCCAP

Today’s Headend
• CMTS + Edge QAM’s
• HW Fwd Combining Network
• Inefficient (Power, Space, …)
• Difficult To Manage Changes

Future State
• Fully Integrated CCAP
• Virtual Fwd Combining Net
• Simple To Repurpose QAM’s
• Very Dense, Efficient

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 4

Return Path Monitoring In Remote Phy Environment

Node
R Phy

R Phy

Dedicated HW Embedded Support DOCSIS-MIB Based

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 5
Remote Phy Impact

Remove RF from headend/hub

Replace analog fiber from hub to

node with digital

Leverage Ethernet / PON and

Digital Optics

Gain some Db for higher rates

Enabler for IP Virtualization

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 6

Frequency Extensions – DOCSIS 3.1 Spec Requirements

1.2GHZ
• The D3.1 CM & CMTS Must Support 1.2GHz
1.794 GHz
DS • 1.7GHz Optional For CM & CMTS
Extensions

• 85MHz QAM or OFDM

• DOCSIS 3.1: 85 MHz Upstream (Just Like D3.0)
• 117MHz – For OFDM
• DOCSIS 3.1 Adds Additional Support For 117 MHz Return
US • 204MHz – For OFDM
Extensions • DOCSIS 3.1 Adds Optional Support For 204MHz return

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 7

 DOCSIS Protocol Changes Coming – OFDM/OFDM-A
Increasing Efficiency – More Bits/Hz

OFDM Legacy DOCSIS SC-QAM

• Orthogonal Frequency
Division Multiplexing
• Multi-Carrier Technology
• Composed of “Subcarriers”
• FFT-Based Implementation
6MHz

Source: Arris, CED DOCSIS 3.1 webinar 11/2013

192MHz
© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 8
DOCSIS Protocol Changes Coming – LDPC
Gain A Modulation Order or Two For Free

Source: Arris, CED DOCSIS 3.1 webinar 11/2013

Low Density Parity Check

(LDPC) Forward Error
Correction:
LDPC provides
Previously too complex to 3-6dB of gain
implement
Effectively can get
More Bits/Hz! 1024 QAM where
Source: Cable Congress 2013: HFC Readiness for DOCSIS 3.1 256 QAM with RS
Kabel Deutschland

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 9

Test And Measurement Implications
 Virtualization: The Rise Of The Silicon Technician

 MSO Goal: Find and Solve HFC Plant Issues Faster

• Send right tech to right place at the right time with the right tools/info

 Rack-Mounted T&M Gear Must Be Augmented By Network Elements

• Rack Space, Power/Thermal, $/Subs, RF Access…

 NFV Is Here! (CMTSCCAPRemote Phy/DOCSIS)

 CableLabs & Industry Aggressively Pursuing CPE as Virtual Probes

 The “Silicon Technician” Will Revolutionize HFC Maintenance!

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 11

 What Is Upstream Pre-Equalization?

CM Packet as  Frequency response of the

received at CMTS modem’s carrier can be
(No Pre-Eq) adversely affected by various
impedance mismatches and
diplex filters.

 With Adaptive Equalization (Pre-

Eq) enabled on the CMTS and
modems, the CMTS instructs the
modems to pre-distort the carrier
Same
CM Packet
Xmit As-
after Pre- based on what they look at the
Recvd at CMTS
Eq Applied input of the CMTS
With Pre-Eq
Applied  This makes the carrier’s
frequency response “flatter” at
the input of the CMTS.

John Downey

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 12

How Pre-Equalization Data Can Help Cable Operators
Correlate, Localize, and Pinpoint Impairments Quickly – Right From Your Desk

 Correlate: Automatically Separate Modems With Statistically

Similar Freq Responses Into Groups
• Premise: Their packets are passing through the same impairment(s)

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 13

 How CableLabs™ PNM Can Help Cable Operators
Correlate, Localize, and Pinpoint Impairments Quickly – Right From Your Desk

 Correlate: Automatically Separate Modems With

Statistically Similar Freq Responses Into Groups
• Their packets are passing through the same
impairment(s)

 Localize: Plot Modem Groups on Google Map To

Allow Identification of Last Common Isolation Point
• Where to start field find and fix from

 Pinpoint: Use Microreflection Data To Calculate

“Echo Cavity” distance
• Dispatch to fix, not to find

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 14

 MSO Problems Solved By PNM Technology
Early Adopters Having Great Success With This Technology

 Address Plant Weaknesses Before Customers Impacted

• See weaknesses masked by DOCSIS correction mechanisms

 Detect and Fix Real Underlying Root Cause

• Don’t just tweak amps to make symptoms temporarily go away

 Remotely Pinpoint Location of Plant Weaknesses

• Dispatch to fix, not to find

 Determine Scope and Severity of Plant Weaknesses

• Which to fix immediately, which to keep an eye on

PNM Technology Unmatched For Detecting and

Localizing Plant Impedance Mismatches
© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 15
 Downstream Full-Band Capture
Breakthrough Downstream Visibility Using Your CPE As Probes

Full-Band Capture CPE

• Digitize downstream with high-speed ADC
• Digital tuners replace discrete HW tuners
• Enable SNMP retrieval of downstream
spectrum data on-demand
• Raw RF data source for other applications

Downstream Spectral Analysis

• Useful tool for skilled Technicians who can
interpret spectrum analyzer display

Remotely Accessible Downstream Spectrum Analyzer Inside Customer Homes

Operates Non-Invasively – No Impact On CM/STB Performance

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 16

What’s Next For Full-Band Capture CPE?
Embedded Test Clients Add On-Board Digital Analysis

Convergence of CPE and Test & Measurement Worlds

• Rapid implementation of T&M expertise into Smart CPE
• Established field meter functions migrate to CPE
• CPE polls replace truck rolls

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 17

CPE Test Client Approach – More Of Everything
Except System Complexity or Bandwidth Required

Breadth Digital Analysis For The Other 90% of DS

Depth Exclusive Customer ExperienceSTB: MER For

Metrics
Tuned-To Carrier

Pre-EdgeTrak CM: MER For Up To 8 DOCSIS Downstreams

For ALL Downstream Digital Carriers
Modem: MER For
Granularity
Standard
• Orders
Equalized of Magnitude
MER (SNR) More Looks At Plant
DOCSIS
Daily
Carriers
Downstream • UnEqualized MER
Post-EdgeTrak
50MHz SpectrumCPE: MER For All Downstream Digital Carriers
1GHz
• Ingress Under QAM
• Symbol Vector Error Smart CPE: MER For
Proactive SNMP Trapping Upon Major Entire Issue Downstream
Detection
Ingress • Carrier Level
50MHz Under 1GHz
QAM • Equalizer Tap Coefficients
© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 18
 Issue will become making sense of all the data
DS SNR Payload/Carrier DS Spectral Data/Carrier
906.00,-25.2,906.75,-0.3,907.50,-1.5,908.25,-0.3,909.00,0.2,909.75,0.9,910.50,-0.4,911.25

(Conceptual) 906.02,-20.6,906.77,0.9,907.52,0.0,908.27,1.8,909.02,-0.6,909.77,1.7,910.52,-1.4,911.27
906.05,-18.5,906.80,-1.8,907.55,-1.5,908.30,-0.1,909.05,-0.4,909.80,0.4,910.55,0.4,911.30
906.07,-14.2,906.82,0.0,907.57,-0.8,908.32,-1.6,909.07,-1.0,909.82,-0.4,910.57,0.8,911.32
906.09,1.6,906.84,-2.0,907.59,1.3,908.34,1.0,909.09,1.5,909.84,0.0,910.59,-0.8,911.34 Downstream spectrum polling
906.12,-0.1,906.87,-1.6,907.62,0.2,908.37,1.3,909.12,-1.1,909.87,-1.3,910.62,0.4,911.37
906.14,-2.0,906.89,1.5,907.64,-1.1,908.39,0.6,909.14,-1.9,909.89,1.7,910.64,-1.8,911.39
906.16,-1.2,906.91,0.8,907.66,-0.4,908.41,0.5,909.16,0.1,909.91,-0.4,910.66,-0.6,911.41
906.19,1.6,906.94,1.3,907.69,0.6,908.44,-1.8,909.19,-0.5,909.94,1.3,910.69,1.3,911.44
906.21,0.4,906.96,1.1,907.71,-0.5,908.46,-1.9,909.21,-1.3,909.96,1.7,910.71,-0.9,911.46
906.23,-0.4,906.98,1.0,907.73,-1.3,908.48,-1.8,909.23,-2.0,909.98,-1.7,910.73,-1.5,911.48 consumes orders of magnitude
909.00, 42.34 906.26,1.2,907.01,0.3,907.76,0.4,908.51,1.5,909.26,1.8,910.01,-2.0,910.76,1.1,911.51
906.28,-0.6,907.03,-1.2,907.78,-1.1,908.53,-1.6,909.28,-0.3,910.03,1.5,910.78,0.2,911.53
906.30,1.5,907.05,-1.9,907.80,-0.9,908.55,-0.7,909.30,-0.3,910.05,-0.4,910.80,2.0,911.55
906.33,0.2,907.08,1.8,907.83,-1.9,908.58,0.3,909.33,1.7,910.08,1.7,910.83,-0.3,911.58
906.35,-0.4,907.10,0.2,907.85,1.4,908.60,1.4,909.35,-1.2,910.10,-2.0,910.85,0.5,911.60
906.38,1.5,907.13,1.6,907.88,1.2,908.63,-0.5,909.38,0.5,910.13,-1.3,910.88,1.3,911.63
906.40,-1.7,907.15,1.4,907.90,-1.9,908.65,-0.7,909.40,1.7,910.15,-1.3,910.90,0.8,911.65
906.42,0.4,907.17,-1.9,907.92,0.5,908.67,-1.9,909.42,0.6,910.17,-0.4,910.92,1.6,911.67
greater upstream BW than
906.45,-1.0,907.20,-0.8,907.95,1.4,908.70,0.5,909.45,2.0,910.20,-0.2,910.95,-1.7,911.70
906.47,0.5,907.22,-0.4,907.97,-1.2,908.72,1.3,909.47,0.8,910.22,-1.8,910.97,0.1,911.72
906.49,-0.2,907.24,1.9,907.99,-1.6,908.74,-0.9,909.49,-0.8,910.24,-1.8,910.99,1.7,911.74
906.52,-2.0,907.27,0.0,908.02,1.4,908.77,-1.9,909.52,-1.1,910.27,0.4,911.02,0.8,911.77
906.54,1.4,907.29,-1.0,908.04,0.8,908.79,0.0,909.54,-1.7,910.29,-1.7,911.04,-0.8,911.79
traditional level/SNR polling
906.56,-1.6,907.31,-0.8,908.06,0.5,908.81,-0.4,909.56,0.1,910.31,0.2,911.06,-1.1,911.81
906.59,-1.1,907.34,-0.1,908.09,0.4,908.84,1.4,909.59,0.4,910.34,1.6,911.09,-1.2,911.84
906.61,0.3,907.36,2.0,908.11,-1.1,908.86,-0.5,909.61,-1.0,910.36,2.0,911.11,-1.1,911.86
906.63,1.1,907.38,-0.3,908.13,1.1,908.88,-0.7,909.63,1.6,910.38,-1.4,911.13,-1.9,911.88
906.66,-0.9,907.41,-0.8,908.16,0.2,908.91,-1.9,909.66,1.0,910.41,0.4,911.16,-12.0,911.91
906.68,-0.4,907.43,1.4,908.18,0.3,908.93,2.0,909.68,1.7,910.43,0.9,911.18,-17.6,911.93
906.70,1.6,907.45,1.6,908.20,-0.1,908.95,1.8,909.70,1.5,910.45,1.5,911.20,-20.4,911.95
906.73,0.8,907.48,0.4,908.23,-1.6,908.98,1.4,909.73,-0.7,910.48,-2.0,911.23,-25.3,911.98

Strategies For Leveraging Full Band Capture Data For Monitoring:

Centralized: Distributed:
• Poll all freq’s for all CPE many times/day, • Enable CPE as always-on monitoring
process responses, look for fails/changes agents, CPE logs processed historical data
• Scalability Implications: and alerts upon relevant fails/changes
- Massive polling bandwidth increase • Scalability Implications:
- Massive data processing capacity - Reduced polling bandwidth
- Massive database storage capacity - Reduced data processing/storage capacity
- Sophisticated processing algorithms - Less NMS complexity since CPE send
processed results
- Mine information from the flood of data
- Receive results from CPE, not just data

By Thinking Differently We Can Maximize Value From Smart CPE

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 19
 Example: Centralized Polling and Distributed Processing
Orders of Magnitude Higher Granularity Historical Data

Midnight Midnight
CQI 100MHz 106MHz 112MHz … 972MHz 980MHz
12:00 95 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
12:10 92 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
12:20 94 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
… … … … … … … …
4:40 94 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
MER=32, IUC=18dBC
12:10 AM
5:00 72 Pass Freq=107.25 Pass … Pass Pass
MER=32, IUC=18dBC
-40
5:10 70 Pass Freq=107.25 Pass … Pass Pass
44.2
dBMER
45.3
dBMER
41.2
dBMER
40.8
dBMER
39.8
dBMER
40.0
dBMER
40.7
dBMER
… … … … … … … …
-60
MER=32, IUC=18dBC
6:50 70 Pass Freq=107.25 Pass … Pass Pass
-80
705 715 725 735
7:00 94 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
12:20 AM 7:10 92 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
… … … … … … … …
-40
7:50 93 Pass Pass Pass … Pass Pass
44.2 45.3 41.2 40.8 39.8 40.0 40.7
dBMER dBMER dBMER dBMER dBMER dBMER dBMER

-60

-80

….
705 715 725 735

8:00 AM
7:50 AM

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 20

Summary: Upstream Pre-Eq vs Downstream Full-Band Capture

Pre-Eq (PNM) Full-Band Capture Spectrum

~20-42(or 65)MHz ~54-1,000MHz

Deliver raw X-Y pairs from CPE to enable central

Characterize US Xmit server to draw spectrum chart for entire
Path Using Pre-eq Downstream
Taps
CPE Test Client
Detect impedance Add Depth, Breadth, and Granularity to DS Visibility
mismatches that
manifest in US band Enable Distributed Processing Model
Migrate Field Meter Functions to CPE

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 21

Making Sense of It All
 RF Probes and Pre-Eq are complementary
Upstream RF Probes
• Defacto Tool for Upstream Ingress
- Still the most common problem
• Able to detect Impulse Issues
• Truly Live Spectrum & QAM Analyzers
• Interaction with Field Force
• Detect & Troubleshoot All Impairments
• Monitoring/Alarming – Spectral & Carrier
• Spectral & Carrier-Based Node Ranking
& Associated Performance History
PNM/Pre-Eq
• Find plant weaknesses which
manifest as impedance
mismatches in HFC Plant
• Proactively detect impairments
masked by DOCSIS pre-equalization
• Accurately discern in-home wiring vs
plant as source of microreflections
• Very efficient localization process
possible for microreflections
• Proven CableLabs technology base
- Deployed >2 years at major MSO’s
with proven results
© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 23
 Service Visibility Across Entire HFC Network
Long-Term View: Probes Covering HFC From End to End

MSO NMS

API
Customer CPE/CMTS
HFC Portal MSO Polling API Calls Data

Return
Path Video DS CMTS/
Monitoring Monitor CPE Client Spectrum CCAP

Sweep

Remote
Pre-Eq Phy

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 24

This Looks Challenging – But You Can Do It!

 The Basics Still Matter

• Low noise floor
• Sweep
• Clean installs
• Fix hidden plant weaknesses now!

 New Plant Architecture and Protocols Will Drive New

Tools and Techniques
• Leverage the Silicon Technician to your advantage
- Your people are overworked but your CPE have free time!
• OFDM/1.2GHz will necessitate some tool replacement
- Vendors will be there when you are ready
• Begin educating yourself and your staff on DOCSIS 3.1
- SCTE is working on material now

© 2014 JDS Uniphase Corporation | JDSU CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION 25

Thank You!

Any Questions?