Serial Protocol Monitoring Agent
The
Model PBT-SA-1 SpecialAgent provides a means to monitor a wide
variety of legacy non-HMS headend transmission equipment using a
standards-based HMS management system. This device is especially
cost-effective for applications where a small number of devices are
monitored per location. Its simple hardware and embedded operating
firmware help to promote greater management system reliability by
eliminating complex intermediate PC-based proxy-agent layers and the
attendant single point of failure they can cause. This is especially
important in large equipment installations.
The
SpecialAgent hardware consists of an Ethernet interface, a
micro-controller subsystem, a power supply, and a configurable equipment
interface port that facilitates customization for proprietary interfaces.
The major components of the software are a TCPIP protocol stack, a SNMP
agent, an HMS proxy agent, a Web server, and an interface driver.
A
built-in SMTP mail client is available on many versions of the SpecialAgent.
The mail client can be set up
to send alarm messages to another computer or to a mobile phone when an
alarm occurs.
The
SpecialAgent’s hardware design and the SNMP agent allow the
device to interface to a wide variety of headend equipment that use
proprietary serial interfaces. The
SpecialAgent hardware and
software are both designed to make the interface easily adapted to most
equipment. The target
interface is configured using jumpers that are provided as part of the
interface cable assembly. The
modular software system allows the proper device driver to be easily
integrated into the software. For
headend equipment with parallel interfaces, consider the Phoenix
ContactAgent.
Each
family of equipment monitored requires different SpecialAgent
firmware. This firmware
is easily downloaded into the SpecialAgent. Consult Phoenix Broadband for the current list of equipment
supported.
The
micro-controller subsystem provides for storage of nonvolatile information
as well as remote firmware download. The SpecialAgent
is powered from a low voltage plug-in wall transformer in cases where
power is not provided by the equipment interface.
The
target device is monitored and controlled using the HMS standard SNMP MIBs.
Proprietary MIBS are used in situations where the HMS MIBs are not
appropriate. The HMS proxy
agent performs all HMS administrative and alarm processing functions for
the target device. The
SpecialAgent also includes a Web Server that allows any PC to access basic
monitoring information using only a Web browser.
- Remote
monitoring and control of CATV Headend equipment
- TCP/IP
interface
- SNMP
proxy agent built in
- Full
support of HMS MIBS
- Built-in
Web server for monitoring with a Web browser
- Built-in
SMTP mail client sends alarm messages to another computer or to a mobile
phone*
- Remotely
downloadable firmware
- Available
with many different types of interface connectors and protocols
- Eliminates
expensive & unreliable computer-based proxy agents
- Scaleable
cost is ideal for small installations
* Not available on all versions