Sencore VB330 User Manual
VB3xx 10G Probes
Applies to software release v5.3
Form 8046E • February 2017
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual
Revision 02da336 (2017-02-23)
Copyright
c
2017 Sencore, Inc. All rights reserved.
3200 Sencore Drive, Sioux Falls, SD USA
www.sencore.com
This publication contains confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information. No part of this document
may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any machine-readable or electronic
format without prior written permission from Sencore. Information in this document is subject to change
without notice and Sencore Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies.
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that Sencore endorses or recommends the content on those pages. Sencore acknowledges the use of
third-party open source software and licenses in some Sencore products. This freely available source
code can be obtained by contacting Sencore Inc.
About Sencore
Sencore is an engineering leader in the development of high-quality signal transmission solutions for the
broadcast, cable, satellite, IPTV, and telecommunications markets. The company’s world-class portfolio
includes video delivery products, system monitoring and analysis solutions, and test and measurement
equipment, all designed to support system interoperability and backed by best-in-class customer support.
Sencore products meet the rapidly changing needs of modern media by ensuring the efficient delivery
of high-quality video from the source to the home. More information about Sencore is available at the
company’s website, www.sencore.com.
All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
Contents
Contents 3
Document Revision History 8
1 INTRODUCTION 9
1.1 About the 10G Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.1.1 VB330 – Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.1.2 10G Probe – Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.2 How to Use This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION 12
3 SAFETY 14
4 INSTALLATION AND INITIAL SETUP 15
4.1 Quick Installation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2 The Enhanced Chassis (VB300) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.1 Dual Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.2.2 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.3 The Enhanced Chassis –48V DC version (VB300-DC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.3.1 Dual Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.3.2 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3.3 VB300-DC Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.4 Serial Number Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.5 The Hardware Modules and Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.5.1 The VB330 Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.6 Installing the Unit in a Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.6.1 Default Installation — Connectors at the Front of Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.6.2 Optional Installation — Connectors at the Rear of Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.6.3 Optional Installation — Mid-Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.7 Powering up the Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.8 Initial Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.8.1 Initial Configuration Using the Pre-Set IP-Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.8.2 Initial Configuration Via Serial Console Emulated Over USB . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.8.3 Verifying Correct Initial Setup of the 10G Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 3
4.8.4 Initial Setup Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5 QUICK SETUP GUIDE 26
5.1 Basic Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.2 Input Signal Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.2.1 Multicasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.2.2 OTT Input (OTT Engine Option Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.3 Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.4 Adjusting Alarm Thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6 THE 10G PROBE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE 30
6.1 Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
6.1.1 Main — Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
6.1.2 Main — CPU usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
6.1.3 Main — Thumb overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
6.1.4 Main — Eii graphing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6.2 Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6.2.1 Alarms — All Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
6.2.2 Alarms — Alarm setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
6.2.3 Alarms — Flash Alarms (FLASH option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
6.3 OTT (Option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.3.1 OTT — Active testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.3.2 OTT — Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
6.3.2.1 OTT — Details — Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.3.2.2 OTT — Details — Manifest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
6.3.2.3 OTT — Details — Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
6.3.2.4 OTT — Details — Thumbnails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
6.3.2.5 OTT — Details — Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6.3.3 OTT — Latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6.3.4 OTT — Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
6.3.5 OTT — Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
6.3.6 OTT — Thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
6.4 Multicasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
6.4.1 Multicasts — Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
6.4.2 Multicasts — Parameters — Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
6.4.3 Multicasts — Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
6.4.4 Multicasts — History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
6.4.5 Multicasts — Join . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
6.4.6 Multicasts — Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
6.4.7 Multicasts — Ethernet thresh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
6.5 MW (Media Window) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
6.5.1 Media Window — Selected channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
6.5.2 Media Window — Bandwidth graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
6.5.3 Media Window — Inter Arrival Time graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
6.6 RDP (Return Data Path) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
6.6.1 RDP — Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
4 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
6.6.2 RDP — Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
6.7 Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
6.7.1 Traffic — Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
6.7.2 Traffic — Detect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
6.7.3 Traffic — Filter statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
6.7.4 Traffic — Filter setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
6.7.5 Traffic — Microbitrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
6.8 Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
6.8.1 Ethernet — FSM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
6.8.1.1 Ethernet — FSM — Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
6.8.1.2 Ethernet — FSM — Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
6.8.1.3 Ethernet — FSM — Syslog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
6.8.2 Ethernet — IGMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
6.8.3 Ethernet — PCAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
6.9 ETR 290 (Option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
6.9.1 ETR 290 — ETR Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
6.9.2 ETR 290 — ETR Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
6.9.3 ETR 290 — PIDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
6.9.4 ETR 290 — Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
6.9.5 ETR 290 — Bitrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
6.9.6 ETR 290 — Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
6.9.7 ETR 290 — PCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
6.9.8 ETR 290 — T2MI (requires T2MI-OPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
6.9.9 ETR 290 — SCTE 35 (requires SCTE35-OPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
6.9.10 ETR 290 — Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6.9.11 ETR 290 — Compare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
6.9.12 ETR 290 — ETR thr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
6.9.13 ETR 290 — PID thresh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
6.9.14 ETR 290 — Service thresh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
6.9.15 ETR 290 — Gold TS thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
6.10 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
6.10.1 Setup — Params . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
6.10.2 Setup — Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
6.10.3 Setup — Colors (requires EXTRACT-OPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
6.10.4 Setup — Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
6.10.5 Setup — Ethernet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
6.10.5.1 Setup — Ethernet — IPv6 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
6.10.5.2 Example 1 – Separate Management IPv4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
6.10.5.3 Example 2 – In-Line Management IPv4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
6.10.5.4 Example 3 – Mixed Mode IPv4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
6.10.6 Setup — VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
6.10.7 Setup — VBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
6.10.8 Setup — Login . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
6.10.9 Setup — ETR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
6.10.9.1 Parsing rules for private descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 5
6.10.9.2 ETR 290 tuning control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
6.10.9.3 ETR details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
6.10.9.4 EIT table IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
6.10.9.5 Inactive inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
6.10.10 Setup — VBC thresh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
6.10.11 Setup — Scheduling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
6.10.12 Setup — Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
6.10.13 Setup — Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
6.11 Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
6.11.1 Data — Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
6.11.2 Data — Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
6.11.3 Data — Table Descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
6.11.4 Data — Eii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
6.11.5 Data — Storage (FLASH option) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
6.12 About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
6.12.1 About — Release info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
6.12.2 About — License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
6.12.3 About — Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
6.12.4 About — Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
A Appendix: VB330 Versus VBC Alarms 188
B Appendix: Monitoring Practices 189
B.1 RTP Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
B.2 Default Multicst Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
B.3 Strategy for MediaWindow Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
B.3.1 IAT Before and After Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
B.3.2 Identifying UDP Packet Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
B.4 Multicast Thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
B.5 Dedicated interface for OTT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
B.6 OTT Bandwidth requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
C Appendix: OTT Profile Health 195
C.1 OTT Profile Health Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
C.2 OTT Profile Health Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
D Appendix: Software Maintenance 197
E Appendix: Software Upload 198
E.1 Obtain the software image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
E.2 Export and save the probe configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
E.3 Delete any existing probe stream recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
E.4 Transfer the image to the probe and save to flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
E.5 Wait while the software is being saved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
E.6 Verify the new image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
E.7 Software upload troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
6 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
F Appendix: Restoring probe factory defaults 203
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 7
Document Revision History
Date Version Description
February 2017 5.3 Updated manual to reflect changes in v5.3 software
March 2016 5.2 Updated manual to reflect changes in v5.2 software
February 2015 5.1 Updated manual to reflect changes in v5.1 software
January 2014 5.0 Updated manual to reflect changes in v5.0 software
8 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
1 INTRODUCTION
SUPER HEADEND
CORE NETWORK REGIONAL METRO NETWOR K
RG
STB
PHONE PADTV
PC
ACCESS NETWORK
DSLAM OR
FIBRE
AGGREGATION
VB330 PROBE
VB288 CONTENT EXTRACTOR
VB330 PROBE
VB330 PROBE
VB220 PROBE
microVB™
HOME NETWORK
MDC
– MicroDEVICE Controller
™
VBC
– VideoBRIDGE Controller
™
Remote Video Wall – Site 1
DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL
REGIONAL MUX AND COFDM MODULATOR
IP
GPS
COFDM
RF
ASI
CABLE DISTRIBUTION
REGIONAL MONITORING OF SATELLITE AND IP
IP ASI QPSK/
DVB-S/S2
DIGITAL SATELLITE
REGIONAL MUX AND QAM MODULATOR
IP ASI QAM
REGIONAL
CABLE
NETWORK
VB120 PROBE & VB252 DVB-T/T2 MODULEVB120 PROBE & VB272 QPSK/DVB-S/S2 MODULE
VB12-RF PROBE
VB120 PROBE & VB262 QAM/VSB DVB-C MODULE
1.1 About the 10G Probe
1.1.1 VB330 – Overview
The VB330 10G Probe was made specifically for IPTV backbone network monitoring. Equipped with two
10G SFP+ optical Ethernet inputs, the 10G Probe provides detailed IP packet monitoring of a very high
number of Ethernet streams, suitable for core networks carrying extreme amounts of media signals.
The OTT software option is available on the VB330 and enables monitoring of up to 500 adaptive bitrate
channels in steps of 5 or 50 (Bulk OTT option) OTT engines depending on licensing.
A built-in web server in the VB330 allows remote signal monitoring using a standard web browser. This
can be managed either through a separate Ethernet network, or by using the regular video/data network
– both IPv4 and IPv6 are supported.
The VB330 10G Probe can also be managed via the VideoBRIDGE Controller. The VideoBRIDGE
Controller will add management features like alarm aggregation and report functionality.
The VB330 10G Probe is a module housed in a 1 RU chassis. Several VB330 modules may be installed
in one chassis, extending the monitoring capacity.
Note: The VB330 does not support RF modules such as VB242, VB252, VB262, and VB272.
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 9
1.1.2 10G Probe – Functionality
An IP-based network is fully transparent with respect to signal contents quality, provided that the IP
packets arrive, and provided that they arrive in time. The 10G Probe therefore uses the patented
MediaWindow to allow monitoring at-a-glance of packet loss and errors in inter-packet arrival time. This
way the operator can conveniently ensure correct signal quality at IP-level.
The advanced Ethernet protocol analysis tool automatically detects all protocols carried over Ethernet
past the port the 10G Probe is connected to, and it displays statistics like percentage utilization of the
interface and percentage of the different transported protocols. This gives the 10G Probe a real-time
sniffer capability.
The 10G Probe allows the user to define a Return Data Path (RDP), using the regular video/data network
or the management network to return a stream. A faulty signal can then be further analyzed at the studio
premises, when necessary.
The recording functionality allows the user to record a stream, either triggered manually by the user or
triggered by a user defined alarm.
Full Service Monitoring (FSM) checks that vital system components like CA-servers are active.
Optional Ethernet TR 290 monitoring allows the operator to check parameters like transport stream sync
and PSI/SI standards conformity. This option also performs further PSI/SI analysis, making it possible to
view PSI/SI contents. PID and service bitrates are also continuously measured.
Optional OTT monitoring allows the operator to set up active testing of Over-the-top type signals as
found in adaptive bitrate streaming architectures. Formats supported include AppleTMHLS, Microsoft
Smoothstream, RTMP, MPEG DASH, AdobeTMHDS and Nullsoft SHOUTcastTM.
TM
10 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
The 10G Probe can be expanded through licence options to monitor the T2MI protocol layer as found in
DVB-T2 networks.
The 10G Probe can also be licensed with an SCTE 35 option that allows monitoring and logging of splice
time codes embedded in the transport streams.
1.2 How to Use This Manual
This User’s Manual is valid for software version 5.3 of the VB330 10G Probe.
Throughout this manual the term stream is often used rather than unicast or multicast. One stream may
consist of one or more services, and refers to one IP uni- or multicast.
Chapter 2 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION provides a simplified block-diagram overview of the probe.
Chapter 3 SAFETY lists safety precautions, and this chapter should be read prior to equipment installation.
Chapter 4 INSTALLATION AND INITIAL SETUP explains how to install the equipment in a rack, and
also how to perform the necessary initial configuration of the 10G Probe management IP address. A
step-by-step quick installation guide is found in section 4.1.
Chapter 5 QUICK SETUP GUIDE contains a quick setup guide; a step-by-step description of how to
setup the 10G Probe once the initial setup has been performed.
Chapter 6 THE 10G PROBE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE describes the graphical user interface
(GUI) as seen when pointing a web browser to the 10G Probe’s IP address.
A Appendix: VB330 Versus VBC Alarms describes the alarm handling in the 10G Probe versus the
VideoBRIDGE Controller.
B Appendix: Monitoring Practices explains some useful monitoring practices.
C Appendix: OTT Profile Health explains the OTT profile health bar and timeline.
D Appendix: Software Maintenance briefly describes software maintenance licenses and how they are
used.
E Appendix: Software Upload explains how to upgrade the software on the 10G Probe.
F Appendix: Restoring probe factory defaults details how to reset the 10G Probe to factory default
settings.
Note that current version of the User’s Manual can be obtained from Sencore ProCare support by
emailing procare@sencore.com.
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 11
2 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The VB330 module is equipped with two SFP+ optical ports and one RJ45 Ethernet port. The user
selects which transport stream signal input to be used by the monitoring engine. Management of the
probe is conducted via the Ethernet management port or alternatively in-band via the video/data ports.
VB330 Module
Ethernet Management
SNMP Traps
SFP+ B main port
Monitoring Engine
SFP+ A (optional port)
Figure 2.1: The VB330 Module – Principle of Operation
A simplified diagram of the alarm handling mechanisms of the 10G Probe is shown in figure 2.2. The
input signals are continuously analyzed, and measured data are checked against user defined threshold
values. If the data do not comply with the threshold values alarms will be generated. The overall alarm
settings further make it possible to enable and disable alarms, thus defining which alarms should be
reported in the 10G Probe alarm list and sent as SNMP traps to an external management system.
12 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
Signal
Measurements
Threshold
Settings
Alarm
Settings
SNMP
Alarms
Alarm
Lists
Figure 2.2: Simplified Diagram of the Alarm Handling in the 10G Probe
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 13
3 SAFETY
Read the installation instructions before connecting the chassis unit to the power source. Do
not install the chassis unit with power on.
The chassis is intended for installation in restricted access areas. A restricted access area can
be accessed only through the use of a special tool, lock and key, or other means of security.
Blank face plates and cover panels serve three important functions: they prevent exposure to
hazardous voltages and currents inside the chassis, they provide electromagnetic interference
shielding and they direct the flow of cooling air through the chassis. Do not operate the chassis
unit unless all modules, face plates, front covers and rear covers are in place.
Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace or service this equipment.
This equipment must be installed and maintained by service personnel as defined by AS/NZS
3260. Incorrectly connecting this equipment to a general-purpose outlet could be hazardous.
The 10G Probe is shipped with an SX SFP+ module that is equipped with a Class 1 laser. Do not
stare into open optical ports. Note that if the SFP+ module is replaced special precautions may
have to be taken – refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. SFP+ modules are static sensitive
devices, and ESD-preventive measures should be taken when handling them, to avoid damage.
Ultimate disposal of this product should be handled according to all national laws and regulations.
To prevent the system from overheating, do not operate it in an area that exceeds the maximum
ambient temperature of 45 degrees Celsius.
Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.
The chassis requires short-circuit (overcurrent) protection. Ensure that the protective device is
rated not greater than 120 VAC, 15 A; 240 VAC, 16 A; 60 VDC, 20 A.
14 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
4 INSTALLATION AND INITIAL SETUP
4.1 Quick Installation Guide
1. Read the safety instructions, refer to chapter 3
2. Install the unit in a 19 inch rack for rack mount probes, refer to section 4.6
3. Connect the signal cables, refer to section 4.5
4. Power up the unit, refer to section 4.7
5. Perform initial set-up of IP addresses, refer to section 4.8
6. Verify that the GUI launches correctly, refer to section 4.8.3
4.2 The Enhanced Chassis (VB300)
The 1RU Enhanced Chassis can house a maximum of2modules, and it is equipped with two 100–240V
AC 75W power supplies. The unit is forced air ventilated, the air flow going from front to back. The
maximum power consumption of the chassis with optional modules is 75W. By default all connectors are
located at the front of the unit. The power plugs are located at the rear of the unit. The rack ears of the
chassis may be moved to provide for mid or rear mounting of the unit. The rack ears are designed to
support the weight of the unit.
Figure 4.1: The Enhanced Chassis with probe boards installed
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 15
4.2.1 Dual Power Supply
The Enhanced Chassis (VB300) is delivered with two 100–240V AC / 75W power supplies, providing
power redundancy. In normal operation load is shared between the two power supplies. If mains fall-out
occurs for one of the power sources or one of the power supplies fails, the power supply still in operation
will take the full load, seamlessly. This means that monitoring operation will not be affected if one of the
power sources fails.
4.2.2 Cooling System
The chassis is equipped with six long-life fans that suck in air from front of the chassis. The air exits at the
back of the unit. The fans are temperature controlled, allowing them to run at an optimum speed. Venting
holes at the sides of the chassis provide an optional air intake, ensuring good aerodynamical properties
of the cooling air flow. It is recommended, but not essential, that these venting holes are not covered.
4.3 The Enhanced Chassis –48V DC version (VB300-DC)
The 1RU Enhanced Chassis can house a maximum of2modules, and it is equipped with two –48V DC
75W power supplies. The unit is forced air ventilated, the air flow going from front to back. The maximum
power consumption of the chassis with optional modules is 75W. By default all connectors are located at
the front of the unit. The power plugs are located at the rear of the unit. The rack ears of the chassis
may be moved to provide for mid or rear mounting of the unit. The rack ears are designed to support the
weight of the unit.
4.3.1 Dual Power Supply
Figure 4.2: VB300-DC rear: two –48V DC connectors located on the the right
The Enhanced Chassis (VB300-DC) is delivered with two –48V DC / 75W power supplies, providing
power redundancy. Each VB300-DC unit consists of a 1RU chassis with2option slots. In normal
operation load is shared between the two power supplies. If mains fall-out occurs for one of the power
sources or one of the power supplies fails, the power supply still in operation will take the full load,
seamlessly. This means that monitoring operation will not be affected if one of the power sources fails.
16 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
4.3.2 Cooling System
The chassis is equipped with six long-life fans that suck in air from front of the chassis. The air exits at the
back of the unit. The fans are temperature controlled, allowing them to run at an optimum speed. Venting
holes at the sides of the chassis provide an optional air intake, ensuring good aerodynamical properties
of the cooling air flow. It is recommended, but not essential, that these venting holes are not covered.
4.3.3 VB300-DC Power Supply
The VB300-DC unit is equipped with two –48V DC / 50W power inlet connectors. The power plug is a
male 3-PIN D-sub(15) connector. Matching female plugs are supplied with the VB300-DC unit. This plug
should be soldered to the power cable in accordance with the drawing in figure 4.4.
Figure 4.3: The VB200-DC Power connector on the chassis
Figure 4.4: Soldering the Female 3-PIN D-sub(15) Connector to the Power Cable
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 17
4.4 Serial Number Location
The serial number of the Enhanced Chassis is located at the rear of the unit. The serial numbers of the
individual optional modules are located on the components side of the modules. All serial numbers can
also be found on the shipping box.
All modules except the demodulator interface modules have a serial number that is available via the web
GUI under About License.
4.5 The Hardware Modules and Connectors
4.5.1 The VB330 Module
The VB330 module is equipped with the following connectors:
SYNC: 1PPS input (for future use)
USB: USB serial port emulator for initial set-up of the probe – Type A
MANAGEMENT:
SFP+ A: SFP+ optical interface (optional interface not enabled by default)
SFP+ B: SFP+ optical interface – main data input.
A number of LEDs serve the following purposes:
PWR: Green power LED
For optionally running management of the probe on a separate network – RJ-45.
This interface supports 10/100/1000T.
The VB330 module’s SFP+ B port is shipped with an SR (short range) SFP+
module. This should be replaced if the system requires a different SFP+ module,
e.g. for use with single mode fibre. Note that using other SFP+ modules than the
type shipped may imply that special safety precautions must be taken, like using
protective glasses. Refer to the manufacturer for instructions.
18 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
STAT: Green status LED for future use
MANAGEMENT:
LINK: Green LED indicating SFP link status
ACT: Green LED indicating SFP activity (traffic)
The green LEDs indicate link and activity. A blinking LED indicates activity, whereas
a steadily lit LED indicates link without activity (traffic). If the left LED is active the
speed is 10/100Mbps, the right LED indicates 1000Mbps.
4.6 Installing the Unit in a Rack
The following equipment is needed for hardware installation of the unit:
• 4 rack screws
• A screw driver for the rack screws
• For rear mounting: a size 2 Phillips screwdriver for rack ear screws
4.6.1 Default Installation — Connectors at the Front of Rack
By default the Enhanced chassis is shipped with rack ears for front mounting of the unit. The rack ears
are designed to support the weight of the unit, so no additional support, like a rack shelf, is needed.
When deciding where to locate the unit, make sure there is sufficient space surrounding the unit to allow
efficient cooling, refer to section 4.2.2.
Use four rack screws to install the unit in the rack.
4.6.2 Optional Installation — Connectors at the Rear of Rack
For rear mounting of the chassis, the rack ears should be moved prior to rack installation. Unscrew the
six size 2 Phillips screws holding the rack ears, and move the six screws covering the rear mounting
holes to the front mounting holes. Remount the rack ears at the rear end of the unit.
Install the unit as described in section 4.6.1.
4.6.3 Optional Installation — Mid-Mounting
The Enhanced Chassis allows rack ears to be mid-mounted. This can be convenient if the chassis is
installed in a telco environment. Unscrew the six size 2 Phillips screws holding the rack ears, and move
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 19
the six screws covering the mid mounting holes to the front mounting holes. Remount the rack ears at
the middle of the unit.
Figure 4.5: Rack Ears Mounting – Side View of Enhanced Chassis Showing Screw Holes
4.7 Powering up the Unit
Once the chassis is securely mounted and signal cables are connected, it can be powered up by
connecting the power cable to a mains source. When the power cable is connected the power LEDs of
the individual optional modules should light up and the chassis fans should operate.
Note that it will take some time from power-up until the modules can be accessed via the management
interface – typically the start-up may take up to two minutes.
4.8 Initial Configuration
There are two alternative ways of performing an initial configuration of the probe module:
1. By using the preconfigured IP address of the probe management port
2. Via serial console emulated over USB
For most users the first method will be the easiest.
Note that if there are two 10G Probe modules in the chassis, each module should be configured
individually, one by one.
4.8.1 Initial Configuration Using the Pre-Set IP-Address
The 10G Probe modules are shipped with the following factory settings:
Management (eth1) IP address: 10.0.20.101
Management (eth1) subnet mask: 255.255.0.0
In order to connect to the eth1 management port, the PC used for set-up should have corresponding
20 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
Figure 4.6: Setting the IP address manually in Windows
network settings. Typically a lap-top PC is used for initial configuration. Connect directly to the device’s
eth2 management port using an Ethernet cable.
For Windows, the network parameters are set in the
work and Sharing Center — Network Connection — Properties — Internet Protocol Version 4
Properties
10.0.20.100 and the subnet mask to 255.255.0.0.
When the IP address of the PC has been set to match the VB330 factory setting, the permanent network
settings can be configured through the VB330 web browser interface. Refer to sections 4.8.3 and 6.10.5
for details on how to launch the VB330 graphical user interface and how to set the network parameters.
view, as shown in figure 4.6. Select the user defined address, and set the PC’s IP address to
Control Panel — Network and Internet — Net-
4.8.2 Initial Configuration Via Serial Console Emulated Over USB
If the 10G Probe for some reason cannot be reached through Ethernet communication, the initial set-up
may be performed via serial console emulated over USB. For the initial set-up, you must do the following:
1. Installing a driver for the USB communication, if not already supported by the operating system
2. Setting the management IP address
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 21
Figure 4.7: Connecting to the serial console over USB
Most operating systems will have native support for the FT232 driver needed. When a USB cable is
connected between a PC and the 10G Probe, the operating system will detect a new USB device. For
Windows, the new device will appear as a COM port in the
If your operating system does not detect the probe, you may have to download and install a driver for
it. The driver may be downloaded directly from the chip manufacturer at
Select first Drivers, then VCP followed by the operating system (VCP is short for Virtual COM Port).
If it is not already connected, connect the USB cable between the USB port on the probe and a USB port
on the PC.
Start a terminal program. Windows XP users can use Hyperterm, Linux users can use minicom. For
modern versions of Windows, that do not ship with a terminal program, the free application
be downloaded from http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.
Select the new COM port that should appear as the USB cable is plugged in (Linux users should check
/var/log/messages to see what device to use) and establish a serial connection to the 10G Probe using
these communication parameters:
Device Manager
http://www.ftdichip.com/
view as shown in figure 4.7.
PuTTY
may
• Baud rate: 9600
.
• Data bits: 8
• Parity: None
22 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
Menu: /ewe/probe/core/setup/ethernet/
==============================================================================
<0> Back <9> Exit
<1> ethStatusDoc
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------<A> data_dhcp - false SFP+ B port (eth0) DHCP
<B> data_ipa - 10.0.30.101 SFP+ B port (eth0) IP address
<C> data_mask - 255.255.255.0 SFP+ B port (eth0) netmask
<D> data_gateway - 10.0.30.1 SFP+ B port (eth0) IPv4 GW
<E> data_management - true SFP+ B port (eth0) web-server
<F> dhcp - false Management port (eth1) DHCP
<G> ipaddress - 10.0.20.101 Management port (eth1) IP address
<H> netmask - 255.255.255.0 Management port (eth1) netmask
<I> mm_gateway - 10.0.20.1 Management port (eth1) IPv4 GW
<J> management - true Management port (eth1) web-server
<K> gateway_interface - eth1 Force default interface
<L> dns_server - 208.67.222.222 DNS Server
<M> reboot - false
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 4.8: Text-based menu displayed when connecting over USB
• Stop bits: 1
• Flow control: None
Press
password elvis (this password can be changed in the Setup – Security view).
A simple text based menu system like the one in figure 4.8 should now be displayed. To change a
setting, press the appropriate character from the left-most column, enter the new value and confirm by
pressing
ethStatusDoc option.
The 10G Probe is equipped with two network interfaces called management (or eth1) and data/video
SFP+ B (or eth0). It is necessary to configure at least one of these interfaces from the terminal and
then do the rest of the setup from a web browser. Depending on the installed license, an additional data
interface, labelled data2 (eth2), may also be available.
The 10G Probe supports both in-band management (i.e. using eth0 for both data/video and management)
and separate management (i.e. using eth1 for management). In any case make sure that the subnets
configured for eth0 and eth1 do not overlap – otherwise the probe will not work properly. Note that if IP
addresses for eth0 and eth1 are configured so that the subnets overlap, the IP address of one of the
ports will be automatically set to 1.1.1.1 by the 10G Probe.
To configure the management interface, edit values for ipaddress, netmask and mm_gateway or enable
dhcp instead.
Enter
a few times to bring up the login prompt. Log in using the user name
Enter
. If DHCP is enabled, you can find the currently assigned IP address by selecting the
admin
and the
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 23
Make sure Management is enabled (set to true) – otherwise management via web will not be possible.
To configure the data/video interface, enter values for data_ipa, data_mask, data_gateway or alternatively
enable data_dhcp. Set data_management to true to enable web access via the data interface.
When all the listed parameters have been configured, the probe must be rebooted to let the parameters
take effect. This is achieved by selecting the reboot option and confirming by selecting ‘t’ for TRUE.
4.8.3 Verifying Correct Initial Setup of the 10G Probe
Once the probe management network interface have been configured, all further configuration takes
place using a web browser over HTTP.
Launch a web browser application on the management PC. The following web browsers are supported:
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 or higher
• Mozilla Firefox 29 or higher
• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
Type the IP address of the probe in the browser URL field and press
probe is that of the eth0 or eth1 port (the one used for management) as set in the initial set-up procedure.
The default management view should be displayed inside the browser. This could look similar to figure 4.9,
depending on the options installed.
Enter
. The IP address of the
4.8.4 Initial Setup Troubleshooting
If there are problems bringing up the probe web-based management interface, verify the following:
•
Verify that the laptop and the probe are configured on the same subnet and that they have different
addresses. The network settings of the probe can be verified through RS232/USB as described
earlier
• Make sure that the IP address of the gateway and the network interface are not the same
• Verify that the appropriate Ethernet link indicators of the PC and probe are lit
• Verify that web browser proxy settings are not interfering
• Verify that local firewall settings on the laptop are not interfering
24 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
Figure 4.9: Web-based management view
•
Make sure that the management and data/video subnets do not overlap (even if only one is
physically connected)
• Make sure the probe was rebooted to activate the new settings
• Clear the browser’s cache
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 25
5 QUICK SETUP GUIDE
This quick setup guide is intended to provide a step-by-step explanation of how to setup a probe once
the initial setup has been performed (as described in chapter 4).
More detailed instructions are found in chapter 6 of this manual.
The Return Data Path and Full Service Monitoring features are not covered by this quick setup guide.
5.1 Basic Setup
1. Set appropriate parameters in the Setup — Params and Setup — Ethernet views.
2.
Enabling Time synchronization is strongly recommended, this can be done in
If no time reference for automatic time locking is available set the time manually in the
Time view.
3. If access control is required, define a password in the Setup — Login view.
Setup — Params
Setup —
.
Note:
ter 6.10.8.
it is important to read the instructions in the associated section of this manual, see chap-
5.2 Input Signal Definitions
5.2.1 Multicasts
1.
Define multicasts, either by using the multicast detect feature (
multicasts manually (Multicasts — Streams).
Note:
received, and in this case it will usually not be possible to detect multicasts automatically. Select
predefined threshold templates that seem appropriate for the signal. Note that the sequence of
the multicast definitions will be reflected in monitoring, so order the multicasts correctly if required.
Also note that ETR 290 monitoring for Ethernet streams is disabled by default, so if this is required,
it will have to be enabled by the user (on a per-stream basis).
Often upstream equipment will not transmit multicasts unless join messages have been
26 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
Traffic — Detect
) or by defining
2. Define stream page name(s) in the Setup — Pages view (not strictly necessary).
3. Join multicasts in the Multicasts — Join view or in the Multicasts — Streams view.
5.2.2 OTT Input (OTT Engine Option Only)
1.
Define the OTT channel manifest URLs and channel names in the
the Threshold and VBC threshold settings at default values for now. Remember to tick the Enable
box in the dialog box. If you have multiple OTT engines installed (1 to 50 are allowed) then select
which engine to assign to the channel. Any number of OTT channels can be assigned to each
OTT engine. Each engine works in parallel to each other.
Note:
When monitoring both multicast (UDP) and OTT (TCP) traffic, we recommend using different
network interfaces. Mixing the two traffic types on the same network can have unwanted impact on
the monitored signals. The interface used for OTT traffic is controlled using the
view.
2. Inspect the OTT monitoring progress using the OTT — Active testing dialog. Useful information
on OTT monitoring can be found in Appendix C.
OTT — Channels
Setup — Routing
view. Leave
5.3 Monitoring
When input signal parameters have been set, the signals may be monitored.
For Ethernet multicasts the relevant monitoring views are
Ethernet
OTT are of relevance as well.
Ethernet monitoring hints are found in B Appendix: Monitoring Practices.
. If the probe is equipped with the ETR 290 and/or the OTT option then the views
Main,Alarms,Multicasts,MW,Traffic
ETR 290
and
and
5.4 Adjusting Alarm Thresholds
When the probe inputs and streams have been defined using default thresholds, the result will usually
be a number of more or less permanent alarms, some which may not be relevant under the current
circumstances. In order for the user to get rid of unwanted alarms, the probe provides alarm filtering
functionality in the form of alarm thresholds and alarm on/off selection.
Multicasts
By default Ethernet thresholds are set to raise alarms when service affecting errors occur, that are
caused by the network. There may however be reasons for these thresholds to be altered, for instance to
reflect receiver robustness in the case of IAT, or to reflect a TS into IP mapping different from the default
(7TS/UDP). Creating a new threshold template is done either by copying an existing one and altering the
copy, or by creating a new threshold template from scratch. The Ethernet thresholds are defined in the
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 27
Multicasts — Ethernet thresh.
— Streams view.
In addition to the miscellaneous thresholds, that affect only the streams with which they are associated,
the
Alarm — Alarm setup
also possible to define the alarm severity levels for different alarms in this view.
OTT
When an OTT channel is defined the default OTT threshold template is assigned to it. To change
threshold values create one or more new templates in the
OTT channels in the OTT — Channels — Edit view.
ETR 290
view. These thresholds are associated with streams in the
view allows the user to enable and disable alarms on an overall basis. It is
OTT — Thresholds
view and assign them to
Multicasts
By default the streams configured in the probe will be set up to use the ETR 290 threshold named
This has the most important alarms enabled but have been adjusted to match real world systems and
only alarm on more severe problems. The threshold named
101 290 guidelines and are fairly strict generating more alarms. The ETR 290 thresholds should be
changed if there are tables that are not relevant for a system, or if the user requires alarm functionality
that exceeds the ETR 290 guidelines. The ETR engines has a lot of powerful functionality not enabled by
default, for instance the ability to raise alarms if the number of services present in a signal is lower than a
preset limit.
The default PID and service thresholds do not affect alarming at all, they are completely transparent. The
thresholds may be altered for instance in order to mask an alarm generated by an unreferenced PID or to
ensure an alarm is raised if a service or PID bitrate is outside preset limits.
Creating a new threshold template is done either by copying an existing one and altering the copy, or by
creating a new threshold template from scratch. The thresholds are defined in these views:
ETR thresh., ETR 290 — PID thresh., ETR 290 — Service thresh.
The thresholds are associated with streams in the Multicasts — Streams — Edit view.
ETSI TR 101 290
is based on the ETSI TR
Default
ETR 290 —
.
28 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3 29
6 THE 10G PROBE GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACE
30 VB3xx 10G Probe User’s Manual version 5.3
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