Chapter 5: Solution Management

The success of a Cisco ASAP Solution relies largely on ensuring that quality of service (QoS) is maintained once voice and dial traffic is combined. This requires an understanding of the techniques and applications available for the following key areas:

Includes maintaining QoS by avoiding contention, and managing voice and data traffic.

Includes such applications as Cisco Info Center and Cisco Internet Performance Monitor.

Includes managing GWs; configuring and managing VoIP ports, dial peers and dial plans; and managing SS7 components, among many other features.

Resource Management

Resource management is essentially the management of traffic, with special application for VoIP telephony where quality of service, or QoS, must be maintained. The following sections briefly introduce several techniques, both H.323 and Cisco IOS based, to ensure QoS:

Note

These techniques are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 3, "Using Management and Shared Support Services," in the Cisco ASAP Solution Implementation Guide.

Ensuring Quality of Service

Because voice demands tightly controlled delay, loss, and jitter, it is necessary to prevent the destructive interaction of the two traffic types.

In short, give precedence to voice communications—once again. In the voice traffic component of a Cisco ASAP Solution, it is essential that customers receive the same quality of service, or QoS, that they receive with basic PSTN services. Unlike data services, VoIP, being a real-time service, is extremely sensitive to such factors as bandwidth and delay. A variety of remedies are introduced in the sections that follow.

Call Admission Control and RSVP

When too much data traffic burdens a particular network link, techniques such as queuing, buffering, and packet dropping can relieve the congestion. The extra traffic is simply delayed until the interface is once again available, or, if packets are dropped, either the protocol or the end user initiates a timeout and requests retransmission.

With real-time traffic such as voice, this is not acceptable. Both latency and packet loss jeopardize the QoS expected by users. For delay-sensitive traffic such as voice, it is better to deny network traffic at the outset under certain conditions. Call admission control (CAC), a generic term, is a set of voice-specific mechanisms designed to do this.

RSVP and RSVP-Based CAC

RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol) is an IETF standard designed to support resource (such as bandwidth) reservations through networks of varying topologies and media. The Cisco Resource Reservation Protocol feature is an enhancement to CAC that ensures QoS in Cisco ASAP Solution networks where H.323 is used.

Note

CAC, both basic and enhanced, is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 3, "Using Management and Shared Support Services," in the Cisco ASAP Solution Implementation Guide.

Low Latency Queuing

Low latency queuing (LLQ) is another remedy for voice/data contention. LLQ is a feature that is supported by the Cisco Resource Reservation Protocol. The Cisco Low Latency Queuing feature brings strict priority queuing to Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ). Strict priority queuing allows delay-sensitive data such as voice to be dequeued and sent first (before packets in other queues are dequeued), giving delay-sensitive data preferential treatment over other traffic.

IP Precedence

IP precedence is a remedy for voice and data contention by marking traffic for different priority classes. This technique is required if any link in the entire network can become congested—an extremely likely possibility. IP precedence is implemented at the GW edge interfaces, both voice and modem.

Port Policy Management and Cisco RPMS

Port policy management (PPM) is the ability to aggregate ports as a shared pool—either in a single GW or across stacks of multiple GWs. PPM is a key component of port wholesaling, as it allows ports to be allocated dynamically before the call is answered. This allows wholesale access service providers (ASPs) to lease voice and dial ports virtually to customers, and also to enforce SLAs by restricting port use according to port policy.

Caution

In initial releases of the Cisco ASAP Solution, port policy management is supported for dial services only.

For example, consider a wholesale ASP who wants to host a dial-only SP (such as MSN), a voice-only SP (such as DialPad), and a voice and dial SP (such as AOL). The following basic activities would then be implemented:

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Policies on port use are established and enforced on a per-GW or per-POP basis, or across the entire network.

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Enforces limits on port use before the call is accepted, preventing ports from being tied up.

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Prevents degradation in service that can result from customer oversubscription.

The Cisco Resource Policy Management (RPM) feature, critical to dial solutions, is a port policy management (PPM) feature that resides on the UG, but that can also be implemented through a Cisco RPMS. Port policy management is essential to the Cisco ASAP Solution.

The Cisco RPM feature enables wholesalers to aggregate their dial resources across multiple NASs (UGs), and allocate subsets of these resources to retail ISPs. RPM can be achieved by using the RPM component of the resource pooling solution on the NAS itself, or by using that component in conjunction with one or more external Cisco RPMSs.

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Enforcement of SLAs between a wholesale SP and a retail ISP prior to call acceptance

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Grouping of physical resources at the UG (for speech, digital, v.110 traffic)

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Resource assignment and configuration (modem speed, compression) per retail ISP

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Call screening and call rejection treatment (busy, no answer, channel not available)

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VPDN management, through load balancing among LNSs (L2TP network servers), and through tunnel limits per LNS

RADIUS PPM Server

A RADIUS-based PPM server can also be used for preauthentication. See RADIUS-Based Platforms.

Additional Network Management Tools

The following are additional network management tools that can be used in conjunction with a Cisco ASAP Solution:

Cisco Info Center

Cisco Info Center (CIC) is another member of the CiscoWorks2000 family. CIC provides the following features with respect to fault management and event correlation:

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Optimizes fault management by reducing alarm information overload through "de-duplication" and fault correlation; this enables faster problem solving and better operations scaling.

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Flexibly manages and monitors faults in multivendor, multitechnology, and multiservice environments.

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Correlates faults received from multiple sources, such as SNMP traps and syslog events.

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Supports distributed operational environments, to do such things as the following:

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Translates faults and events into actions, to do such things as the following:

The most current version is Release 2.0. For additional information, refer to Cisco Info Center 2.0 Release at the following URL:

Cisco Internet Performance Manager

Cisco Internet Performance Manager (IPM) is a performance management application that can monitor the performance of a service provider's network with special application for voice. Cisco IPM provides the following features related to network performance:

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Provides real-time and historical network-performance reports on VoIP characteristics such as the following:

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Measures network performance on a hop-by-hop basis, to do such things as the following:

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Generates traps based on response-time thresholds, to provide real-time alerting of potential problems.

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Works with Cisco IOS Service Assurance Agent (SAA) to support service level measurement.

Element Management Systems

Element management systems (EMSs) are optional components that are used for managing or provisioning other components in the solution.

Note

CVM 2.0.2 provides limited provisioning support and is currently the only EMS supported by the Cisco ASAP Solution.

The following element management systems are considered the principal EMSs for use in the Cisco ASAP Solution:

Cisco Universal Gateway Manager

The Cisco Universal Gateway Manager (UGM) is an element management system for Cisco UGs. Running on a Sun Solaris platform, UGM provides comprehensive FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting/Inventory, Performance, and Security) capabilities, for the configuration, management, and maintenance of dial networks.

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Autodiscovery (of new UGs and subchassis components) and inventory management

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Fault management through an event browser and network map, with UG availability and alarm states

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Management of configuration files and Cisco IOS images, including the distribution of Cisco IOS and DSP images

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Historical and snapshot performance monitoring of the dial network, including chassis, modems, and each T1/E1 or T3 interface

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Role-based security, through read only, read-write, and read-write-administrative privileges

Cisco Voice Manager

CiscoWorks2000 Voice Manager (CVM) Version 2.0.2 is an element management system that provides the following features:

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Support for basic VoIP configuration parameters, such as interface signaling types, dial peers, and H.323 registrations

CiscoWorks2000 Voice Manager (CVM) Release 2.0.2 supports performance and statistical reporting for voice services within the Cisco ASAP Solution. CVM is a client/server, web-based solution to managing the VoIP functionality of the UGs used in the solution. CVM allows you to do the following:

Note

Cisco CVM with Telemate provides limited provisioning support, and is not well-suited to large-scale service provider deployments. Applications from other vendors may work with CVM to provide more capability. CVM 2.0.2 is the only release currently supported.

With respect to network performance, CVM provides the following reporting features:

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An open interface enabling third-party management systems to gather and correlate data

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A clean, well-formatted VoIP call-history file, allowing third-party applications to obscure platform statistics

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Reports, including answer seizure rate, call success rate, call volumes, and disconnect causes

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Support for scalability through the modeling of hierarchical GK design (CVM resources can be inserted on demand as capacity and network coverage area grow)

Key Features in CVM

CVM is a client/server, web-based voice management solution. The following list describes some of the key features of CVM:

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Voice port management—Manage the configuration of FXO, FXS, E&M, and ISDN configurations in single or batch mode.

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Dial plan management—Create and manage local dial plans and VoIP, VoFR, and VoATM network dial plans.

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Report generation—See the Telemate.net Quickview documentation for complete details of the reports you can generate.

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Multiple platform support—CVM clients can run in web browsers running Windows 95, Windows NT, or Solaris platforms.

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Integration with CiscoWorks 2000 CD One—CVM is integrated with CiscoWorks2000 CD One, which provides a common platform for running different applications that manage a wide variety of router functions.

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Scalability—CVM can scale to support combinations of the following voice-enabled Cisco routers: Cisco 1700 series, Cisco 2600 series, Cisco 3600 series, Cisco MC3810 multiservice access concentrator, Cisco AS5300 series universal access server, and Cisco 7200/7500 series.

CVM is not a device configuration tool. Devices supported by CVM must first be configured through the command-line interface (CLI) and have Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) enabled before they can be managed by CVM. You can then use CVM to modify the configuration of voice ports and create and manage local and network dial plans.

CVM's support for SNMP includes trap viewing and forwarding. CVM 2.0.2 can receive and collect traps from GWs through SNMP. Traps can be forwarded to Cisco Info Center (CIC) for event correlation.

Note

CVM is a stand-alone product that is not appropriate to the scaling needs of large-scale service providers. Although CVM can be used on a POP basis for small to medium service providers, it is not suitable for wholesale providers. It is used primarily with a polling application. In order to provide an effective distributed reporting solution, CVM requires integration with a third-party partner.

Cisco MGC Node Manager

Cisco Media Gateway Controller Node Manager (CMNM) is the element management system for the components of a Cisco MGC node, also known here as an SC2200 node.

Note

In the Cisco Open Packet Telephony (OPT) architecture, MGC is a generic term for the call-control functional layer.

Cisco CMNM provides fault, configuration, accounting, and performance management.

Caution

Switches are managed components of a Cisco SC2200 node. Among the Cisco Catalyst 5000 series switches, only the Cisco Catalyst 5500 switch has been tested with Cisco CMNM. Cisco 6000 series switches cannot currently be managed by means of Cisco CMNM.

For more information about Cisco CMNM, refer to the Cisco Media Gateway Controller Node Manager User's Guide 1.5 at the following URL:

Cisco Billing and Measurements Server

Cisco CMNM also incorporates the Cisco Billing and Measurements Server, or BAMS. BAMS collects, formats, and stores billing and measurements data from the Cisco MGC (Cisco SC2200 node). BAMS-formatted data can then be processed by a billing system and other measurement collection and reporting systems.

For more information, refer to Billing and Measurements Server Phase 2 at the following URL:

Caution

BAMS is still under test in the Cisco ASAP Solution. If you are using BAMS to provide billing data and are upgrading to Cisco ASAP Solution 1.0, take care to monitor your billing data for accuracy.

Cisco Voice Services Provisioning Tool

Cisco Voice Services Provisioning Tool (VSPT) can also be deployed as an integrated component of Cisco CMNM. Cisco VSPT provides a configuration and provisioning graphical user interface for the Cisco SC2200 host as well as for the Cisco BAMS component.

Table Of Contents

Solution Management

Resource Management

Ensuring Quality of Service

Call Admission Control and RSVP

RSVP and RSVP-Based CAC

Low Latency Queuing

IP Precedence

Port Policy Management and Cisco RPMS

RADIUS PPM Server

Additional Network Management Tools

Cisco Info Center

Cisco Internet Performance Manager

Element Management Systems

Cisco Universal Gateway Manager

Cisco Voice Manager

Key Features in CVM

Cisco MGC Node Manager

Cisco Billing and Measurements Server

Cisco Voice Services Provisioning Tool