Triple-Play Service Deployment

Chapter 7: Troubleshooting Video Service in the Field
Video Service Provisioning and Turn-up Testing
An Overview of on-site procedures
New service provisioning or turn-up testing can be accomplished
most effectively at the customer premises where the accumulated
effects of all the elements of the distribution network are seen.The
installation test procedure should address test access, test
methodology, and problem resolution.
Test access
A test access point close to or at the STB location reveals metrics that
involve all segments of the network including the in-house
distribution portion.However,due to network segment ownership and
responsibilities, testing at the interface to the access network, xDSL,
or customer side of a residential gateway, may also be important.
Test methodology
At the appropriate access point, it may be possible to have the
tester work in a Terminate mode in which the unit can be
configured as necessary to emulate the STB. While there are
numerous configuration items which would be required to
support a given network design, the goal is to achieve a
data–layer-up status such that application streams (in this case
video) can flow to the tester using IGMP or RTSP signaling as
appicable.
In those cases where a tester cannot or is not allowed to emulate
the STB, the tester could function in a Monitor mode. When a
Monitor mode, such as “xDSL to Ethernet Through mode” or
“Ethernet Bridge mode”, is used, the video flows can be successfully
accessed. In this monitor methodology, the STB conducts the
activities to bring up various program flows.
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