Chapter 4, Cisco Transport Controller

This chapter describes Cisco Transport Controller (CTC), the Cisco ONS 15327 software interface. For CTC set up and login information, refer to the Cisco ONS 15327 Procedure Guide.

4.1 CTC Software Delivery Methods

ONS 15327 provisioning and administration is performed using CTC software. CTC is a Java application that is installed in two locations. CTC is stored on the XTC card and downloaded to your workstation each time you log into the ONS 15327.

4.1.1 CTC Software Installed on the XTC Card

CTC software is preloaded on the ONS 15327 XTC cards; therefore, you do not need to install software on the XTC cards. When a new CTC software version is released, follow procedures in the Cisco ONS 15327 Software Upgrade Guide to upgrade the ONS 15327 software on the XTC cards.

When you upgrade CTC software, the XTC cards store the older CTC version as the protect CTC version, and the newer CTC release becomes the working version. You can view the software versions that are installed on an ONS 15327 by selecting the Maintenance > Software tabs in node view. Select the tabs in network view to display the software versions installed on all the network nodes.

4.1.2 CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation

CTC software is downloaded from the XTC cards and installed on your computer automatically when you connect to the ONS 15327. Downloading the CTC software files automatically ensures that your computer is running the same CTC software version as the XTC cards you are accessing. The CTC files are stored in the temporary directory designated by your computer operating system. You can use the Delete CTC Cache button to remove files stored in the temporary directory. If the files are deleted, they download the next time you connect to an ONS 15327. Downloading the jar files for CTC takes several minutes depending on the bandwidth of the connection between your workstation and the ONS 15327. For example, jar files downloaded from a modem or an SDCC network link will require more time than jar files downloaded over a LAN connection.

4.2 CTC Installation Overview

To connect to an ONS 15327 using CTC, you enter the ONS 15327 IP address in the URL field of a web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. After connecting to an ONS 15327, the following events occur automatically:

The launcher determines whether your computer has a CTC release matching the release on the ONS 15327 XTC card.

If the computer does not have CTC installed, or if the installed release is older than the XTC card version, the launcher downloads the CTC program files from the XTC card.

The launcher starts CTC. The CTC session is separate from the web browser session, so the web browser is no longer needed. Always log into nodes having the latest software release. If you log into an ONS 15327 that is connected to ONS 15327s with older versions of CTC, or to Cisco ONS 15454s, CTC "element" files are downloaded automatically to enable you to interact with those nodes. You cannot interact with nodes on the network that have a software version later than the node that you used to launch CTC.

Each ONS 15327 can handle up to four network-level CTC sessions (the login node and its DCC-connected nodes) and one node-level session (login node only) at one time. CTC performance may vary, depending upon the volume of activity in each session.

Note You can also use TL1 commands to communicate with the Cisco ONS 15327 through VT100 terminals and VT100 emulation software, or you can Telnet to an ONS 15327 using TL1 port 3083. See the Cisco ONS 15454 and Cisco ONS 15327 TL1 Command Guide for a comprehensive list of TL1 commands.

4.3 PC and Unix Workstation Requirements

To use CTC in ONS 15327, your computer must have a web browser with the correct Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed for the software release in use. The correct JRE for each CTC software release is included on the Cisco ONS 15454 software CD and doc CD. If you are running multiple CTC software releases on a network, the JRE installed on the computer must be compatible with the different software releases. Table 4-1 shows JRE compatibility with ONS software releases.

Table 4-1 JRE Compatibility
ONS Software Release	JRE 1.2.2 Compatible	JRE 1.3 Compatible
ONS 15327 Release 1.0	Yes	No
ONS 15327 Release 1.0.1	Yes	Yes
ONS 15327 Release 3.3	Yes	Yes
ONS 15327 Release 3.4	No	Yes

Requirements for PCs and UNIX workstations are provided in Table 4-2. In addition to Netscape Communicator and the JRE, also included on the ONS 15327 software CD and the ONS 15327 documentation CD are the Java plug-in and modified java.policy file.

Table 4-2 CTC Computer Requirements
Area	Requirements	Notes
Processor	Pentium II 300 MHz, UltraSPARC, or equivalent	300 Mhz is the recommended processor speed. You can use computers with less processor speed; however, you may experience longer response times and slower performance.
RAM	128 MB	—
Hard drive	2 GB recommended; 50 MB space must be available	—
Operating System	•PC: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6, Windows 2000, or Windows XP •Workstation: Any Solaris release	—
Web browser	•PC: Netscape Navigator 4.73 or higher, Internet Explorer 5.0 (Service Pack 2) or higher •Workstation: Netscape Navigator 4.73 or higher	Netscape Communicator 4.73 (Windows) and 4.76 (UNIX) are installed by the CTC Installation Wizard included on the Cisco ONS 15327 software and documentation CDs.
Java Runtime Environment	JRE 1.3.1_02	JRE 1.3.1_02 is installed by the CTC Installation Wizard included on the Cisco ONS 15327 software and documentation CDs. If you will connect to an ONS 15327 running Release 2.2.1, you must uninstall JRE 1.3.1 and install JRE 1.2.2_05, then reinstall JRE 1.3.1_02 when you connect to an ONS 15327 running Release 3.4 JRE 1.4 is not supported.
Java.policy file	A java.policy file modified for CTC	The java.policy file is modified by the CTC Installation Wizard included on the Cisco ONS 15327 software and documentation CDs.
Cable	User-supplied Category 5 straight-through cable with RJ-45 connectors on each end to connect the computer to the ONS 15327 directly or though a LAN	—

4.4 CTC Window

The CTC window appears after you log into an ONS 15327 ( Figure 4-1). The window includes a menu bar, toolbar, and a top and bottom pane. The top pane displays status information about the selected objects and a graphic of the current view. The bottom pane displays tabs and subtabs, which you use to view ONS 15327 information and perform ONS 15327 provisioning and maintenance. From this window you can display three ONS 15327 views: network, node, and card.

4.4.1 Node View

The CTC node view, shown in Figure 4-1, is the first view displayed after you log into an ONS 15327. The login node is the first node displayed, and it is the "home view" for the session. Node view allows you to view and manage one ONS 15327 node. The status area shows the node name; IP address; session boot date and time; number of critical (CR), major (MJ), and minor (MN) alarms; the name of the current logged-in user; and security level of the user.

If you move your mouse over cards in the graphic, popups display additional information about the card including the card type; card status (active or standby); the type of alarm such as critical, major, and minor (if any); and the alarm profile used by the card. Right-click a card to reveal a shortcut menu, which you can use to open, reset, or delete a card. Right-click a slot to preprovision a card slot before installing the card.

The graphic area of the CTC window depicts the ONS 15327 shelf assembly. The colors of the cards in the graphic reflect the real-time status of the physical card and slot ( Table 4-3).

Table 4-3 Node View Card and Slot Colors
Card or Slot Color	Status
Gray	Slot is not provisioned; no card is displayed or installed
Violet	Slot is provisioned; no card is installed
White	Slot is provisioned; a functioning card is installed
Yellow	Slot is provisioned; a minor alarm condition exists
Orange	Slot is provisioned; a major alarm condition exists
Red	Slot is provisioned; a critical alarm exists

Ports can be assigned one of four states, OOS, IS, OOS_AINS, or OOS_MT. The color of the port in both card and node view indicates the port state. Table 4-4 shows the port colors and their states.

Table 4-4 Node View Card Port Colors
Port Color	State	Description
Gray	OOS	Port is out of service; no signal will be transmitted.
Violet	OOS_AINS	Port is out of service, auto in service. The port will transmit a signal but will suppress alarms. The port will transition to in service (IS) when a signal is received for the amount of time specified in the AINS_SOAK field and no hardware-related alarms, such as Equipment Failure (EQPT) or Improper Removal (IMPROPRMVL) are present on the node.
Cyan	OOS_MT	Port is out of service, maintenance. The port will transmit a signal but alarms are suppressed and loopbacks are allowed. The port will not transition to IS until assigned by the user. Loopbacks are allowed in this port state.
Green	IS	Port is in service. The port will transmit a signal and display alarms; loopbacks are not allowed.

Table 4-5 Node View Tabs and Subtabs
Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the node and updates them in real time.	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the node.	—
History	Provides a history of node alarms including date, type, and severity of each alarm. The Session subtab displays alarms and events for the current session. The Node subtab displays alarms and events retrieved from a fixed-size log on the node.	Session, Node
Circuits	Create, delete, edit, and map circuits.	—
Provisioning	Provision the ONS 15327 node.	General, EtherBridge, Network, Protection, BLSR, Security, SNMP, SONET DCC, Timing, Alarm Behavior, Defaults Editor
Inventory	Provides inventory information (part number, serial number, CLEI codes) for cards installed in the node. Allows you to delete and reset cards.	—
Maintenance	Perform maintenance tasks for the node.	Database, EtherBridge, Protection, BLSR, Software, Overhead XConnect, Diagnostic, Timing, Audit, Routing Table, RIP Routing Table, Test Access

4.4.2 Network View

Network view ( Figure 4-2) allows you to view and manage ONS 15327s that have DCC connections to the node that you logged into and any login node groups you may have selected.

Note Nodes with DCC connections to the login node will not display if you select Disable Network Discovery on the Login dialog box.

The graphic area displays a background image with colored ONS 15327 icons. A Superuser can set up the logical network view feature, which enables each user to see the same network view. The icon colors indicate the node status ( Table 4-6).

The lines show DCC connections between the nodes. DCC connections can be green (active) or gray (fail). The lines can also be solid (circuits can be routed through this link) or dashed (circuits cannot be routed through this link).

There are four possibilities for the appearance of DCCs: green/solid, green/dashed, gray/solid, gray/dashed. DCC appearance corresponds to the following states: active/routable, active/nonroutable, failed/routable, or failed/nonroutable. Circuit provisioning uses active/routable links. Selecting a node or span in the graphic area displays information about the node and span in the status area.

The node colors shown in network view indicate the status of the node ( Table 4-6).

Table 4-6 Node Colors Indicating State in Network View
Color	Alarm Status
Green	No alarms
Yellow	Minor alarms
Orange	Major alarms
Red	Critical alarms
Gray with Unknown#	Node is initializing for the first time. CTC displays Unknown# because CTC has not yet discovered the name of the node

Table 4-7 Network View Tabs and Subtabs
Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the network and updates them in real time	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the network.	—
History	Provides a history of network alarms including date, type, and severity of each alarm.	—
Circuits	Create, delete, edit, filter and search for network circuits	—
Provisioning	Provision security, alarm profiles, BLSR and overhead circuits	Security, Alarm Profiles, BLSR, Overhead Circuits
Maintenance	Displays the type of equipment and the status of each node in the network; displays working and protect software versions, and allows software to be downloaded	Software

4.4.3 Card View

Card view displays information about individual ONS 15327 cards. Use this view to perform card-specific maintenance and provisioning ( Figure 4-3). A graphic showing the ports on the card appears in the graphic area. The status area displays the node name, slot, number of alarms, card type, equipment type, and either the card status (active or standby), card state (IS, OOS, OOS_AINS, or OOS_MT), or port state (IS, OOS, OOS_AINS, or OOS_MT). The information that appears and the actions you can perform depend on the card.

Table 4-8 shows the tabs and subtabs available in card view. The subtabs, fields, and information displayed under each tab depend on the card type selected.

Table 4-8 Card View Tabs and Subtabs
Tab	Description	Subtabs
Alarms	Lists current alarms (CR, MJ, MN) for the card and updates them in real-time	—
Conditions	Displays a list of standing conditions on the card	—
History	Provides a history of card alarms including date, object, port, and severity of each alarm	Session, Card: The Session subtab displays alarms and events for the current session; the Card subtab displays alarms and events retrieved from a fixed-size log
Circuits	Create, delete, edit, and search circuits	Circuits
Provisioning	Provision an ONS 15327 card	Line, Line Thresholds (different threshold options are available for electrical and optical cards), Elect Path Thresholds, SONET Thresholds, or SONET STS, and Alarm Behavior
Maintenance	Perform maintenance tasks for the card	Loopback, Info, Protection, and J1 Path Trace (Options depend on the card type)
Performance	Perform performance monitoring for the card	—

4.5 XTC Card Reset

You can reset the ONS 15327 XTC card using CTC or by physically reseating the card. Resetting the XTC card reboots the XTC card and reloads the operating system and the application software. Additionally, a reseat temporarily removes power from the XTC card and clears all buffer memory.

You can apply a reset from CTC to either an active or standby XTC card without affecting traffic. If you need to reseat an active XTC card, put the XTC card into standby mode first by performing a reset using CTC.

4.6 XTC Card Database

When dual XTC cards are installed in the ONS 15327, each XTC card hosts a separate database; therefore, the protect card database is available if the database on the working XTC fails. You can also store a backup version of the database on the workstation running CTC. This operation should be part of a regular ONS 15327 maintenance program performed at approximately weekly intervals, and should also be completed when preparing an ONS 15327 for a pending natural disaster, such as a flood or fire.

Note The following parameters are not backed up and restored: node name, IP address, mask and gateway, and IIOP port. If you change the node name and then restore a backed up database with a different node name, the circuits will map to the new node name. Cisco recommends keeping a record of the old and new node names.

4.7 Software Revert

Reverting to Software R2.2.1 or later will load the database without affecting traffic or DCC connectivity. This feature requires dual XTC cards and CTC Software R2.2.1 or later as the protect version.

When you click the Activate button after a software upgrade, the XTC copies the current working database and saves it in a reserved location in the XTC flash memory. If you later need to revert to the original working software load from the protect software load, the saved database installs automatically. You do not need to restore the database manually or recreate circuits.

Tip

The revert feature is useful if a maintenance window closes while you are upgrading CTC software. You can revert to the standby software load without losing traffic. When the next maintenance window opens, complete the upgrade and activate the new software load.

Note A revert from a matching maintenance release software load will use the current active database; therefore, no provisioning is lost. All other reverts do restore the database. (A maintenance release has a three-digit release number, for example 2.2.2).

Circuits that were created and provisioning that was performed after a software load is activated (upgraded to a higher software release) will not reinstate with a revert. The database configuration at the time of activation is reinstated after a revert. This does not apply to maintenance reverts (for example 2.2.2 to 2.2.1), because maintenance releases use the same database.

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Cisco Transport Controller Operation