Ingress Monitoring
AM's Omni2000™ Ingress Management System (SIMS-II) monitors, isolates ingress and analyzes the return RF spectrum from specific node areas. This system enables broadband operators to introduce with confidence such advanced services as high-speed data, Video-on- Demand, Internet and IP telephony, which are all highly dependent upon a reliable and robust HFC return path. The SIMS-II is an integrated software/hardware solution. The software component is an enhancement module to the Omni2000 Monitoring Software. The hardware component is a module housed in AM’s rack-mounted TAM (Telemetry Application Monitor) chassis system. The software module provides a set of sophisticated graphical display mechanisms that assist the operator in visualizing the diverse and complex nature of the RF return path. It is based on a combination of 3-D and 2-D spectrum analysis displays. The 3-D display is used for displaying the history of a series of spectrum measurements so that ‘hot spots’ can be easily identified. Any trace from the 3-D display can be extracted for detailed analysis in the 2-D mode. A powerful set of signal markers and display lines, together with digital readouts, show the relationships between signals. The SIMS-II hardware module is an independent 4-port spectrum analyzer, comprised of two boards which are stacked and fastened with 4 screws. Four RF “F” type connectors are attached to the analog board and serve as the inputs to the module, and an RJ-45 connector resides on the digital board for local port communications. The SIMSII module power requirements are supplied by the TAM chassis. The SIMS-II is capable of making a complete 1400 point spectrum measurement, continuously covering a frequency range of 5 to 75 MHz for each of the 4 input ports, every second (0.25 sec/port). As each measurement is completed, it is stored in temporary buffer memory so that a fresh spectral “snapshot” is available at all times. As measurements are rewritten to their respective buffers, they are also checked against a user-defined alarm mask. More than 100 alarm mask regions can be defined for each of the four monitored inputs, essentially providing continuous spectrum monitoring. Users can schedule tracing events over days, weeks or months instead of being restricted to a 24 hour period. Capture and Save can run in the background where a SIMS OCX does not need to be opened. Enhancements have also been made to the tree structures used to select specific serving areas, providing a more logical view of the SIMS serving areas for faster selection of functional groups.		Features Noise and Ingress Isolation Integrated into AM’s Omni2000 Network Management Software 3-D Graphical Software Available 4 Serving Areas Per Module Scaleable, Cost-Effective Solution
Omni2000™ is a trademark of AM Networks, Inc.