Client/Server Networking

7.3.1 Client/Server Networking

Application processing, data collection and storage are distributed across multiple computer servers and client PCs connected to a Local Area Network (LAN). The client PCs are commercial personal computers running the Microsoft®_Windowsoperating system for networked computers. Authorized system managers or network

administrator personnel use the client PCs to start and run the software applications for configuring, viewing equipment operational status, and monitoring network utilization and performance.

The servers are industrial grade, high performance computers geared to handle the intense, typically real-time, data processing tasks associated with managing a single zone or handling specific cluster-level tasks, in multizone systems.

7.3.1.1 Windows-Based Clients

The NM architecture distributes most of the user application processing to the client PCs. This approach yields important benefits:

• Application performance is less dependent on the number of concurrent users and open applications; • Personnel typically responsible for managing a radio system or computer network are already familiar

with, or easily trained to use, the GUI of PRNM applications that conform to Windows operating system conventions; and,

• Remote operation performance over a limited bandwidth link (for example, a telephone line used for accessing the network remotely through dialup modems) is improved.

7.3.1.2 NM Client Applications

The following NM applications run on or may be accessed from the NM client workstations:

7.3.1.2.1 Cluster-Level Applications

• User Configuration Manager (UCM) - A management application used to enter and maintain configuration information for the User Configuration Server (UCS). The User Configuration Manager (UCM) configures System, radios, Security, and ZoneWatch Configuration objects.

• System Profile - Displays how cluster-level applications are being used by the network management clients. It displays the users that are currently accessing cluster-level applications, the number of purchased licenses for these applications, and displays the number of licenses that are currently being used. System Profile displays information for the following applications:

– User Configuration Manager (UCM) – System Profile

– Software Download

7.3.1.2.2 Zone-Level Applications

• Zone Profile - The Zone Profile application displays detailed information about the applications that are operating in the zone. In the Zone Profile application, the Application Usage tab displays how zone-level applications are being used by the network management clients.

• Zone Configuration Manager (ZCM) - A management application used to enter and maintain configuration information for the Zone Database Server (ZDS). The ZCM configures the infrastructure equipment for the system. The ZCM is part of the Motorola Private Radio Network Management Suite.

• ZoneWatch - (1) A Windows application that monitors trunking activity and radio call traffic for an individual zone in real time. This application is part of the Private Network Management Suite. (2) A Motorola software application that allows users to monitor activity within a zone

• Affiliation Display - Affiliation Display is a Private Radio Network Management (PRNM) Suite management application that monitors how radio users travel between different sites in a zone and how they communicate with other members of their assigned talkgroup or even with members outside of their talkgroup within a particular zone.

• Air Traffic Information Access (ATIA) Log Viewer - Data packets that contain talkgroup registration and site registration and deaffiliation/deregistration information for each radio user in a particular zone. The Air Traffic Router (ATR) collects this radio traffic information from the Zone Controller and broadcasts an information stream of these packets on the network.

• Dynamic Reports - An application intended for short term monitoring. The display provides zone-level, real-time charts that illustrate channel utilization for all call types – group, private, interconnect, control channels, and dynamically blocked calls.

• Historical Reports - A management application producing reports on radio infrastructure and radio resource usage within an identified zone.

• Fault Manager using Unified Event Manager®_{- The Dimetra IP fault management application. Unified}

Event Manager identifies problems rapidly and provides functions and tools for notifying support personnel, tracking, diagnosing, and correcting faults. It also maintains a data warehouse, storing up to 30 days of event history.

• Radio Control Manager (RCM) - A management application used to issue commands to radios and monitor events from radios. The Radio Control Manager (RCM) is part of the Motorola PRNM Suite. • Radio Control Manager Reports - The application provides reports of two types of functions of the RCM:

radio commands initiated and radio events displayed.

These applications input to or extract information from one or more of the NM servers where system configuration parameters are stored, transactional statistics are accumulated, real-time data streams are sourced, and supporting processes are performed. In addition to these “user applications,” the NM servers also run several autonomous processes in the background to support the ongoing operation of the system. Applications and processes are described later.

7.3.1.3 Network Management System Servers

Motorola has integrated the NM application and database servers on the HP ProLiant DL360 Gen8 platform. The NM subsystem is comprised of the following servers at the zone and system levels of the system:

7.3.1.4 Zone-Level Servers

7.3.1.4 Zone-Level Servers

The following describes zone-level servers.

7.3.1.4.1 Air Traffic Router

The Air Traffic Router (ATR) hosts a variety of real-time, data processing applications to support user and system applications. Its functions include:

• Providing the Affiliation Server, the “backend” of the Affiliation Display application

• Processing real-time call transactions, being the information source for ZoneWatch and RCM

• Serving as source of the Air Traffic Information Access (ATIA) data stream to third-party applications • Logging to disk ATIA data for viewing or export to a text file

• Routing RCM command and status/messages to/from the Zone Controller

• Routing call logging information from the Zone Controller to the Zone Statistics Server (ZSS) and System Statistics Server (SSS)

• Hosting the statistics proxy agent for the Zone Controller as a source for dynamic and historical reports statistics

7.3.1.4.2 Zone Database Server

The ZDS handles a variety of tasks, including: • Hosting the zone configuration database

• Administering the standard and optional applications licenses • Authenticating network manager users accessing the system • Performing backend support services for user applications • Handling telephone interconnect record processing

7.3.1.4.3 Unified Event Manager Server

The Unified Event Manager server handles most fault management tasks for the system. Unified Event Manager handles device discovery, supervision and synchronization.

7.3.1.4.4 Zone Statistics Server

The Zone Statistics Server (ZSS) collects and stores zone-wide statistics regarding call processing traffic and air interface load. It derives this information from the Air Traffic Information Access (ATIA) stream supplied by the Air Traffic Router and from the sites. The ZSS serves up this information to the Historical Reports application, which is used to map out zone resource usage and performance.

7.3.1.5 Cluster-Level Servers

7.3.1.5.1 User Configuration Server

The User Configuration Server (UCS) provides database storage and backend processes required for most system wide functions. Included are the radio records, talkgroup records, and services to automatically distribute and replicate these records in the ZDS for all zones in a multizone system. Only one UCS is required per single or multizone system. The UCS is accessible to authorized users from any client PC in the single or multizone system. To configure information for users during various stages of the system's life User Configuration Manager is used. The UCM spans cluster-level and zone-level configuration information. You can configure the following types of information:

• System Configuration - Configuration of cluster-level parameters, such as Adjacent Control Channels (ACCs).

• Radios - Configuration of talkgroups, multigroups, and radio users.

• Security - Configuration of records that control cluster management functions

• ZoneWatch Configuration - Configuration of zone-level parameters for ZoneWatch, such as filters, watch window definitions, and watch profiles.

• External Configuration - Registration and configuration of all zones, RF sites and call routes that have been configured in other clusters of the system.