1、 ATIS-0300039 (Formerly TCIF 03-005) Guideline for Identifying Downloadable Software for Plug-in Cards ATIS is the leading technical planning and standards development organization committed to the rapid development of global, market-driven standards for the information, entertainment and communicat
2、ions industry. More than 200 companies actively formulate standards in ATIS Committees, covering issues including: IPTV, Cloud Services, Energy Efficiency, IP-Based and Wireless Technologies, Quality of Service, Billing and Operational Support, Emergency Services, Architectural Platforms and Emergin
3、g Networks. In addition, numerous Incubators, Focus and Exploratory Groups address evolving industry priorities including Smart Grid, Machine-to-Machine, Connected Vehicle, IP Downloadable Security, Policy Management and Network Optimization. ATIS is the North American Organizational Partner for the
4、 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a member and major U.S. contributor to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio and Telecommunications Sectors, and a member of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL). ATIS is accredited by the American National Standards Inst
5、itute (ANSI). For more information, please visit . Notice of Disclaimer 2) Program change without the need to change the hardware. This type of firmware is usually stored in EEPROM or Flash Memory. Firmware that supports program changes without the need to change the hardware is a type of downloadab
6、le software. See Downloadable Software. 5 To be clear, all changes that need to be made by sending the plug-in card back to the manufacturer will be considered hardware changes. Firmware is often responsible for the behavior of a system when it is first switched on. A typical example would be a “mon
7、itor“ program in a microcomputer which loads the full operating system from disk or from a network and then passes control to it. GTIN Global Trade Item Number The GS1 System identifier for trade items, which encompasses both products and services. GTINs provide the capability to deliver unique iden
8、tification worldwide. The most recognized and used GTIN in North America is the U.P.C. and EAN in other parts of the world. Maintenance Manual A document which describes the detailed steps for handling plug-in card maintenance. Management Information Base (MIB) A database of network performance info
9、rmation that is stored on a Network Agent for access by a Network Management Station. MIB consists of a repository of characteristics and parameters managed in a network device such as a NIC, hub, switch or router. Manual Intervention Manual intervention is when it is required to have a field techni
10、cian physically remove the in service equipment from service in order to upgrade the equipment software or firmware. Manual Intervention also includes when a field technician must physically upgrade the software or firmware on out of service equipment prior to installation. Note: If the equipment is
11、 in service and can be upgraded without removing it, this is not manual intervention. Network Agent A device, such as a workstation, a router or a plug-in card, that is equipped to gather network performance information to send to the network management station. Network Management Station (NMS) A de
12、dicated workstation that gathers and stores network performance data, obtaining that data from network nodes running network agent software that enables them to collect the data. New Product Announcement New Product Announcements are required for certain product changes. Some product changes are of
13、such magnitude that it is impractical to update existing products either in the field or at the manufacturers location. In such cases, the manufacturer may either discontinue manufacture of the old product and make only the new product or continue making both products. In either case, the manufactur
14、er must notify the customer of the new products existence by means of a New Product Announcement rather than a Class B Product Change Notice. PCN Product Change Notice. Public Network Operator (PNO) Service provider; a term used outside of North America. Remote Location Location other than the immed
15、iate area where the plug-in is located. Simplex Mode When a network element does not have a redundant back-up available for use. The single working plug-in card is now a potential single point of failure. Software Detailed electronic instructions to operate a computer, differentiating instructions f
16、rom the hardware. Service Provider Communications company, carrier, public network operator (PNO). TIRKS - A provisioning system developed, supplied and supported by Telcordia Technologies, Inc. 6 5 Background Several telecommunications equipment manufacturers supply plug-in cards that accept softwa
17、re that can be downloaded to these cards while in service or installed in a shelf (i.e., mounting, housing, frame, etc.). Modifications to the downloadable software can result in a Class A, AC or B change (Product Change Notice per Telcordia document, GR-209-CORE). Prior to Issue 1 of this document,
18、 some of these manufacturers were not issuing software PCNs while others were issuing a Class B PCN for hardware along with a software PCN, which results in a change to the CLEI-7. For products that have CLEI Codes assigned, this hardware PCN results in a new product ID, re-labeling of the plug-in c
19、ard with a new CLEI Code and an update to the CLEI Code in the Management Information Base (MIB) to match the label. This is a costly process. This also causes major processing problems for the service provider (i.e., carrier, phone company). Service providers, using CLEI Codes, store spare plug-in
20、cards in “bins”, at their warehouses and central office spare cabinets, by CLEI-7. When only a downloadable software change is made to the card, changing the CLEI-7 on the hardware results in the service providers creating a new bin in the warehouses and central office spare cabinets (multiplying th
21、e inventory of what is really the same product with a different version of software). The service providers do not want to create multiple bins for the same hardware with different versions of the software loaded on the card. Telecommunications equipment manufacturers also supply “Intelligent Plug-i
22、n Cards”. These cards always automatically load the current version of the software when installed. Manufacturers and service providers have requested this guideline to describe the process for handling these plug-in cards with downloadable software capability. As noted above (“Reason for Reissue” s
23、ection), there have been changes in firmware technology (since the original publication of this guideline) that provide some plug-in cards with the capability of updating the firmware without the need to change the hardware. Firmware that supports program changes without the need to change the hardw
24、are is a type of downloadable software. 6 Business Problem Prior to this document, some equipment manufacturers using CLEI Codes were issuing PCNs that change the CLEI-7 for Plug-in cards where the only thing being changed is the downloadable software. This process was driving additional cost into t
25、he telecommunications industry. Note the following concerns: 1. When the software was remotely downloaded to the card and the CLEI-7 was changed, the service providers may not have applied new CLEI labels on every card as soon as the software was downloaded. This card was then incorrectly identified
26、. All processes that read the CLEI label on the faceplate incorrectly identified these cards. 2. When the software is downloaded to the card and the CLEI-7 isnt changed, the service provider will not be able to differentiate what software version is loaded on the plug-in by visual inspection only. I
27、f the software loaded on the plug-in is not the same as what is loaded in the network element, remote download of the software may not be possible. This causes additional intervention by a technician at the site to load the proper version of software. Loading this software could take several hours t
28、o complete. 3. Changing the CLEI-7 will generate operational costs that service providers have been trying to reduce and avoid with new product lines. There is a drive to acquire functionality, either through an Element Management System (EMS) or OSS, to enable centralized remote software downloadin
29、g to multiple Network Elements. A requirement to change the CLEI-7 would require a technician to go to each site and change the CLEI Code bar code label on every software upgrade to every Network Element. This becomes a costly process. 7 4. There is a need to store and identify these plug-in cards i
30、n the warehouses and central offices as hardware only without regard for different versions of downloadable software. The following are examples of problems that could result if different versions of software are on plug-in cards that should have the same CLEI-7 but where a different CLEI-7 was assi
31、gned for each downloadable software release: A technician may order a new plug-in card when he or she only needs to load software on the plug-in card in storage. TIRKS function coding changes (for companies using this system) would be required. Some Network Elements download whatever software is on
32、the active plug-in card onto a newly inserted replacement plug-in card. When replacing certain types of plug-in cards, a Network Element will download the software version of whatever is on the active plug-in card. For example, the active plug-in card has release 3.4.1 and the replacement card has 4
33、.0. Once the replacement card with 4.0 is inserted into the Network Element, the 3.4.1 software from the active plug-in card is loaded onto the inserted replacement plug-in card. As a result, the replacement plug-in card has an incorrect CLEI Code label on it. Increased inventory would result by nee
34、ding multiple bin locations in the warehouses and Central Offices. 5. The equipment manufactures baseline software may not be the same as the service providers baseline software for a specific product. 6. Storing hardware (e.g., PICS warehouse, spares cabinet) with the same CLEI-7 with different sof
35、tware versions may cause additional time and effort from the field technician to get the proper version of software loaded onto the plug-in. In some cases, the software can be loaded remotely and in other cases, travel to the site is required. 7. On site software downloads require that each technici
36、an be equipped with a laptop PC containing proper software versions of all plug-in types supporting downloadable software for the network elements. Additional costs are required to maintain multiple laptop PCs with the same set of software versions for multiple network elements. Development and supp
37、ort of a written script to execute the download add to the cost. This can take from a couple of hours to a couple of days, depending on script complexity. 8. Customer service may be affected when replacing a failed plug-in. If the technician has to download software onto the plug-in on site, then th
38、e time that the failed plug-in is out of service has been extended. This could either extend the time that a customer circuit is out of service or increase the time running in simplex mode which increases the risk of a single point of failure. 9. The software version of a defective plug-in sent in f
39、or repair needs to be controlled since most repair vendors trade plugs with different service providers. Otherwise a different software version than was on the original plug-in card could be returned. Additional time to verify software version could be required. 10. There is a need to have a method
40、of tracking what software release is installed on a plug-in card. Service providers may need or want to acquire additional hardware (e.g., test head) to be used in verification of software version prior to installation. 11. The technology of remotely downloading software to a card is a growing techn
41、ology, so it is important that this document provide an industry solution which prevents additional conflicting practices. 8 7 Assumptions This guideline is based on the following assumptions: Physical plug-in cards have an associated CLEI code or GTIN product identification per ATIS-0300005 and ATI
42、S-0300038. Any physical hardware change that renders the plug not interchangeable will require a new CLEI-7 (Class A, AC or B PCN). Companies not using or providing CLEI Codes have their own company-specific process for noting this change affecting the product identification. The version of the soft
43、ware needs to be identified. Changing the version of the software may result in a change in the functionality. Plugs that have the same CLEI-7 will be co-mingled in the same warehouse bin, even though they may have different versions of software. Downloading software from a remote or local location
44、to the plug-in card at the service provider location will not change the CLEI Code of the plug-in card. Plug-in cards with downloadable software capabilities, that require manual intervention by a technician, must be physically identified differently than plug-in cards that do not have these capabil
45、ities. Plug-in card replacement only is being considered not network upgrades to a new software load. 8 Resolution of Issues This section provides the proposed resolution of the identified issues. The following subsections identify the issues and proposed resolution for downloadable software: 8.1 Ch
46、aracteristics of Plug-in Cards with Downloadable Software Capability When a plug-in card has the ability of receiving downloadable software: Users can no longer assume that the plug-in card can “plug-and-play”. The CLEI-7 identifies the hardware only. If 2 or more plug-in cards have the same CLEI-7
47、they are physically interchangeable, and are capable of supporting the same version of downloadable software (but may have different versions of the software loaded). 8.2 Determine if a Plug-in Card Has the Capability of Downloadable Software The manufacturer shall determine whether this guideline a
48、pplies to the plug-in card. This guideline applies to a plug-in card if: It is capable of automatically updating its software when placed in service (“Intelligent Network Cards”), or 9 It is capable of supporting downloadable software from a remote or local location to the plug-in card at the servic
49、e provider location AND requires additional intervention by a technician (beyond the act of inserting the card in the slot) to ensure that the correct version of software is loaded on that plug-in card. 8.3 Product Change Management When the supplier issues a Product Change Notice (PCN) for a plug-in card supporting downloadable software, if downloadable software is the only change made, the CLEI-7 for the hardware shall not be changed. The supplier may choose to track new hardware shipped with the most current software.
