actix release notes feb 2005

Release NotesActix drive test troubleshooting solutions

February 2005 Release

Release Notes

Contents1 2 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ................................................... 4Hardware requirements ....................................................................... 4

NEW: CLUSTER ACCEPTANCE ........................................... 5WHAT IS CLUSTER ACCEPTANCE? ............................................ 5Actix cluster acceptance compared with traditional processes............ 6 Traditional RF testing process ............................................................. 6 Traditional data service testing process .............................................. 6

THE ACTIX CLUSTER ACCEPTANCE PROCESS............................. 7Cluster acceptance with other Actix processes ................................... 7

BUILDING AN ACTIX CLUSTER ACCEPTANCE SOLUTION ............... 8

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NEW: EGPRS DT TROUBLESHOOTER ............................... 9Load the data....................................................................................... 9 Identify and prioritize the issues using the Dashboard ........................ 9 Diagnose the cause ........................................................................... 10 Confirm problem resolution................................................................ 10

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WHAT ELSE IS NEW OR IMPROVED? ................................. 11UMTS DT TROUBLESHOOTER............................................... 11New UMTS thresholds....................................................................... 12 UMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_CriticalIssues_Threshold ...................... 12 UMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_ImportantIssues_Threshold .................. 12 UMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_MissingNeighbours_Threshold ............. 12 Uu_MaxTimeBetweenRRC_REQandCallStart .................................. 12 Uu_Scan_PilotPollutionThreshold ..................................................... 12 Uu_Scan_TooManyServersThreshold............................................... 12

CUSTOMIZING TROUBLESHOOTER .......................................... 13Actix-defined KPIs ............................................................................. 14

SCREEN LAYOUTS ................................................................ 14To create a Screen Layout ................................................................ 14 To open a Screen Layout .................................................................. 16 Different screen resolutions ............................................................... 16 Screen Layout configuration files....................................................... 16 Share Screen Layouts ....................................................................... 17

BUG FIXES ........................................................................... 17UMTS Event Engine fix...................................................................... 17

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KNOWN ISSUES .............................................................. 18

Actix drive test troubleshooting solutions Page 2

Release Notes


Release Notes

1

System requirementsThis section defines the recommended and minimum system requirements for successfully running Actix Solutions. Hardware requirements Actix Solutions are 32-bit applications that run on the following Microsoft operating systems (Windows XP or 2000 is strongly recommended) and their latest service packs: Recommended: Alternative: MS Windows XP Microsoft Windows 2000

If you install an Actix Solution on a system that does not meet the recommended configuration requirements, you may suffer from: Inability to process large amounts of data Delays when trying to perform certain tasks Failure of some mapping capabilities Low performance of advanced correlation and analysis capabilities

Because Actix Solutions use system memory in a much more efficient way on later operating systems (especially Windows 2000), we strongly recommend that you upgrade to one of these systems. Optimal performance P4 2.6+ GHz 1+ GB 60+ GB available Minimal performance Pentium 1 GHz 512 MB 1 GB available To install the application For single-user hardware key 1280x1024x64K color resolution or higher 1024x768x256 color resolution

Hardware Processor: Memory (RAM): Disk space: CD-ROM drive: One Parallel or USB Port: Monitor: Other:

Mouse and keyboard Actix Solutions perform best when the Windows Virtual Memory Paging size is set to between 1000 and 1500 MB. The method for setting this parameter varies by operating system. Please consult your OS help for specific instructions regarding this parameter.


Release Notes

2

New: Cluster Acceptance

What is cluster acceptance?Cluster acceptance, also known as bubble acceptance, field integration test (FMT) or first market application (FMA), is critical to ensuring quality during the rollout of any new RF technology. It is the process by which operators test that specified quality targets are actually achieved, both consistently and efficiently across the network. Targets are specified in the form of key performance indicators intended to represent both network performance and userperceived service performance. Regional rollout teams work through the network to build and validate clusters of around 20 cells at a time. When these teams believe that a cluster has met target performance, they are required to validate this with KPI reports. Rollout is often performed by the vendor as a turn-key solution. In this case it is even more important to implement a cluster acceptance process to ensure that vendors meet their contractual obligations. A reliable cluster acceptance process ensures that:

Vendors keep their contractual commitments Quality targets are met and achieved consistently in all regions Deadlines can be met reliably and efficiently

Cluster acceptance can be a very complex, manual, error-prone and time-consuming process. Now, however, Actix can provide a cluster acceptance solution, ensuring:

Fast and cost-effective rollout by generating KPI reports in minutes not days. Simple, standard process for every engineer, every vendor, and every region. Maximum launch performance.


Release Notes

Actix cluster acceptance compared with traditional processesTraditional RF testing process An RF-testing process ensures that coverage and interference performance meets targets. It should also verify basic voice service KPIs. Traditional data service testing process A data-testing process ensures that data service performance meets targets which model the subscriber experience.

The traditional process is:

The traditional process is:

Complicated Time-consuming Labor-intensive Repetitive Error-prone

Ad-hoc Sample only Unreliable at the mercy of too many external factors Labor-intensive Time-consuming


Release Notes

The Actix cluster acceptance processActix simplifies RF testing and data service testing. It can:

Replace a series of complex steps with a single, automated process Provide radio performance as well as data services performance Standardize the process so that every engineer / vendor / region can work to same benchmark Be easily configured to reflect your business priorities

Cluster acceptance with other Actix processesCluster acceptance complements a customers rollout processes. It is a key process in a complete rollout solution, and can be integrated into existing processes. For example, an Actixconfigured cluster acceptance process fits together with the troubleshooter process. KPI reports can be designed to guide users to problem files when KPIs fail to meet acceptable targets.


Release Notes

Building an Actix cluster acceptance solutionEvery operator has different cluster acceptance requirements. These will be influenced by their view of engineering priorities, demographic issues and the planned service mix. In particular, a good cluster acceptance process should exactly match the vendors contractual obligations to ensure the delivered network performs as promised. An Actix cluster acceptance solution is not a ready-made product. It is a configured solution, embedding an operators business goals and processes, as well as the vendors contractual commitments.


Release Notes

3

New: EGPRS DT TroubleshooterWith eGPRS DT Troubleshooter, you can diagnose complex GPRS/EDGE issues faster than ever, in these easy steps:

Load the data Identify and prioritize the issues Diagnose the cause Confirm the problem resolution

Load the data

Configure event recognition thresholds Load multiple logfiles simultaneously Select/deselect logfiles and individual devices as required

Identify and prioritize the issues using the Dashboard The DT Troubleshooter Dashboard displays aggregated information from the loaded data. The Dashboard:

Highlights the critical issues: Low Throughput, RAU Failures, Attach Failures, and PDP Context Activation Failures . Highlights the important issue: High Cell Reselection Reviews events and design quality Summarizes all logged cell dataActix drive test troubleshooting solutions Page 9

Release Notes

Diagnose the cause With one click from the Dashboard, you can drill down into the data set. Follow the issues through to an analysis page, which identifies one or more of these diagnoses for each offending device:

Poor radio conditions Rapidly changing radio conditions Interference Excessive power reduction Low bandwidth allocation Co/adjacent channel allocations between neighbours Distant serving cells

Confirm problem resolution Now, prove the diagnosis with one click. This opens appropriate data views that let you review the diagnosis if the diagnosis is successful, move on to the next issue!


Release Notes

4

What else is new or improved?

UMTS DT TroubleshooterUMTS DT Troubleshooter now allows you to investigate packetswitched data as well as circuit-switched data. These new investigation pages are provided:

Packet Switched Dropped Call Packet Switched Call Setup Failure Excessive Call Setup (Circuit-Switched)


Release Notes

New UMTS thresholdsUMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_CriticalIssues_Threshold This threshold is used to filter out critical issues from the UMTS dashboard that are equal to or less than this value. Recommended value is 0. UMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_ImportantIssues_Threshold This threshold is used to filter out Missing Neighbour issues from the UMTS dashboard that are equal to or less than this value. Recommended value is 0. UMTS_DT_Troubleshooter_MissingNeighbours_Thresho ld This threshold is used to filter out critical issues from the UMTS dashboard that are equal to or less than this value. Recommended value is 0. Uu_MaxTimeBetweenRRC_REQandCallStart This threshold is used for determining UMTS CS calls with excessive setup time. Recommended value is 6000 ms. Uu_Scan_PilotPollutionThreshold In calculating Pilot Pollution, this threshold sets up the level of interference required for pegging the events (based on scanner info). When 4 or more pilots are above this threshold, it creates a pilot pollution event. Recommended value is -15 dB and should be in the range -18 and -10 dB. Uu_Scan_TooManyServersThreshold In calculating Too Many Servers, when 4 or more pilots (including the best server) are within the threshold value in dB of the best server, it creates a Too Many Servers event (based on scanner info). Recommended value is 5 dB and should be in the range 1 to 10 dB.


Release Notes

Customizing TroubleshooterThe DT Troubleshooter modules are designed to make it easy to diagnose wireless network problems by providing a user-friendly task-oriented interface that guides the user through the troubleshooting process. The modules can be used "out of the box" or customized to meet specific requirements. This section explains the customization options that are currently available and provides detailed information about how to use them. Using the techniques described in this section to customize the DT Troubleshooting modules requires knowledge of some advanced Analyzer features (such as creating screen layouts), but does not need any scripting or programming knowledge.

All of the DT Troubleshooter modules follow a broadly similar design, central to which is the dashboard page. This provides an overview of network performance and lists issues (known as key


Release Notes

performance indicators or KPIs) under Critical, Important, and Information headings. The user can click links about critical and important KPIs to open a detailed investigation. This consists of an investigation page and a screen layout that are specific to that KPI. Actix-defined KPIs The DT Troubleshooter modules come with a number of Actixdefined KPIs (sometimes simply called Actix KPIs), which can be customized as follows:

You can change how a KPI is calculated by modifying the threshold that is used in its formula. (Thresholds are userdefinable constants.) For example, the GSM formula for poor signal strength is defined as any value below the G_RxLevSub_Min threshold. This has a default value of -95 dBm, but you can change this to any other value. You can create a custom screen layout for the investigation. For example, you could add a custom state form to the default screen layout.

Screen LayoutsTo create a Screen Layout1 Arrange the views on your screen as required:


Release Notes

2

From the View menu, select Screen Layouts, Save Screen Layout to open this dialog:

The Save Screen Layout dialog allows you determine what happens when the screen layout is re-opened. Windows to Save - This area shows a list of currently open windows. - Uncheck any windows that you do not want to include in the screen layout configuration. - Click on the window name to edit the name (for example, Map1 in the above example). Changing the name here will change the title of the window when the screen layout is reopened. Note that you can only edit the names of windows. Close all windows before opening this layout - This checkbox determines what happens to other windows when the screen layout is opened. If the box is not checked, the new windows will appear on top of other windows which are already open. File Name Specify the name and location of the Screen Layout configuration file.


Release Notes

To open a Screen Layout1 2 From the View menu, select Screen Layout, Open Screen Layout. Select the layout file. You can also right-click on the stream name and select Screen Layouts, Open Screen Layout.

Different screen resolutionsScreen Layouts are designed to work well on a variety of screen resolutions, so Layouts designed for one resolution still function well on a larger or smaller screen. Stateforms and Replay are restored at a fixed rather than relative size.

Screen Layout configuration filesWhen you save a Screen Layout .asl file, a layout folder with the same name plus an appended "_VT" is also created in the same location. The layout folder contains a configuration file for each individual view within the screen layout:


Release Notes

Share Screen LayoutsScreen Layouts can be a handy tool to share an optimization process throughout a group or organization. Be sure to copy the sub-folder as well as the layout file. For example: A team leader may define a Screen Layout for troubleshooting a handover problem. By giving a copy of the layout files to other users, they may all use the same process each time they troubleshoot the same type of problem.

Bug fixesUMTS Event Engine fixPreviously there was an issue with the UMTS event engine loading log files containing RRC connection Reject. The previous event indicated a Call Setup failure after it had received a RRC Connection Reject, but what should happen is that the event engine should highlight a Call Setup Failure after several RRC Connection Reject. This is the effect it can cause:Load file VIP_050121.dt1 Previous Events Call Setup failures Drop Calls Call OK Calc Call Setup failure 38 3 9 80.85% Nemo Events 20 3 9 68.97% New Events 20 3 9 68.97%

The UMTS event engine has now been updated.


Release Notes

5

Known IssuesCDMA Troubleshooter script errors Loading files into the Troubleshooter through the File | Open dialog is likely to cause script error messages. To mitigate this, load files directly through the Troubleshooter task pages. Attribute Explorer occasionally blank after loading files Load a file from the UMTS DT Troubleshooter load data page, select Display Attribute Explorer from the View menu to see the loaded data. Click the Close All Files button and then load a new data file. Select Display Attribute Explorer again, and the Attribute Explorer is blank. Windows application switching locks Analyzer Start UMTS or CDMA DT Troubleshooter, load data, go to the Dashboard. Open Analysis Manager, switch to another application, then switch back to Analyzer. Analyzer is now frozen and has to be closed using the Windows Task Manager. UMTS DT Pilot Pollution problem From both handset and scanner Pilot Pollution pages, if you select a point on the map, selecting any subsequent operation simply refreshes the page and Analyzer has to be closed using the Windows Task Manager. Analysis Manager corrupts Generate Aggregate Data Set flag If you edit a query that contains this flag set to false, the Analysis Manager overrides it and re-sets it to true, which causes problems in the Troubleshooters. Do not override the current setting if the current setting is false. Analysis Manager query order Analysis Manager changes the position of a user query in the list once the query has been edited.


actix release notes feb 2005

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