ON MANAGEMENT OF CATV FULL-SERVICE NETWORKS - A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE

The CATV network operators hope to offer digital services and evolve t heir networks to full service networks. There ore many hurdles for the m at the moment in the transition to a digital network and digital ser vice offering from the current analog-based technology. Key to the suc cess of the transition will be a well-integrated and capable managemen t system to allow CATV operators and service providers to control the network as well as the services they will offer. The CATV operators ne ed to agree on a common data communication infrastructure and plan how their new digital services will be offered to subscribers without dis rupting the current customer base of analog service users. The choice of network technology and data communication protocols will have a str ong influence on the network management technology chosen. A vital ele ment for the provision of a common open communication architecture as well as for the purposes of network management is that IP is used. The adoption of existing standards is vital in order-to establish a fast route to open network management for CATV networks. It is possible tha t CATV operators and service providers will have to integrate existing SNMP management systems and TMN/OSI management, with newer integrated service management systems based on TINA and implemented on a CORBA p latform. There is a strong need to address security Issues before any of these technologies can be deployed for service. There is currently investment (deployed systems and research) which uses each of the tech nologies mentioned, so these technologies will need to coexist. This a rticle highlights the differences between the North American and Europ ean network architectures, and outlines the European network and netwo rk management scenario. This is based on the authors' involvement in a Pan-European CATV project, integrated Broadband Communication over Br oadcast Networks - IBCoBN.