Bridge Technologies adds total data-gathering capability to the microVB System
September 8, 2011
Bridge Technologies has added new capabilities to the microVB home network monitoring probe that allow operators to remotely gather complete analytics information on all data streams at the customer premises. In addition to offering the new Traffic Monitoring Option (TMO), which provides detailed monitoring and analysis of every packet received at the customer premises, the microVB can now differentiate between various OTT services and streams. These new capabilities provide broadcasters and telcos with the means to diagnose any service-affecting problem over the last mile and in the subscriber’s home network.
As the industry’s only viable solution for deep analysis at the customer premises, the microVB gives digital media operators unprecedented access to complete information about the service quality experienced by the subscriber, providing massive savings in maintenance costs and enabling fast resolution of quality issues. With the new data-gathering option, the microVB allows operators to monitor every factor influencing the QoS received by the viewer, including interactions between triple-play services, contention for bandwidth with Internet streaming media, and OTT service degradation.
“These new options for the microVB offer extraordinary potential for operators,” said Simen Frostad, chairman of Bridge Technologies. “Maintenance staff can now have complete remote insight into the entire activity at the subscriber premises, with full information not just on the quality of digital media streams, but also on the OTT services, too, and any other bandwidth-consuming activity. Performance over the last mile is often limited, and this problem, combined with the sometimes complicated contention for bandwidth in triple-play packages, can now be unpicked and fully analyzed for speedy resolution of service problems.”
With its zero-touch installation, network self-registration, and non-intrusive operation, microVB makes end-to-end monitoring a practical reality. All data on parameters such as packet loss and jitter statistics are gathered with 1-second granularity using standards-based protocols, and data is correlated with information from other probes in the delivery chain to present a complete trail for fault tracking. Data from the microVB system can be received by the VBC server/controller for detailed graphical representation, or it can be incorporated into third-party management systems via the microVB’s powerful Eii (external integration interface).
Widely deployed by major digital media providers, the microVB is a breakthrough in miniaturized remote monitoring and analysis for digital media applications, providing substantial savings in transport and technician costs for cable, satellite, and IPTV operators. Robust and small enough — at 75 mm by 20 mm — to be delivered to the customer by mail, and with simple plug-and-play installation, microVB is the first cost-effective and technically viable solution for gathering continuous real-time data about the performance at the viewer’s premises.