Broadcast
Today’s broadcasters now rely on a growing mix of technologies to deliver service. More importantly, the devices in their networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the services more numerous. So understanding how network events are affecting services is an ever more complex, difficult task.
A broadcast network typically comprises a large number of main and relay transmitters that deliver multiple television, radio and data services over a wide area to a large customer base on behalf of a number of service providers.
Considering a particular example: If a failure of a single main transmitter occurs, associated downstream stations will be affected resulting in loss of service along the whole transmitter chain. The downstream stations will also generate sympathetic alarms, indicating loss of content, and this scenario would be propagated throughout the network. Very quickly, a large number of alarms will have been generated throughout the network and subsequently received at the central location. This makes it extremely difficult for support personnel to quickly and accurately identify where the original problem originated and why it had occurred. In the meantime, services will have been disrupted, customers affected, and potentially financial penalties incurred because of the failure.
To address this scenario, Sidonis|StateWise® maintains a model of the network that defines the devices contained within it and their relationships to each other. When a failure occurs, Sidonis|StateWise® determines both the root cause of the problem and the affected devices and services. The Network Operations Team is then presented with a succinct summary of the problems’ origination and from this can determine the best course of action to ensure its rectification.
Sidonis|StateWise® thus presents broadcast network operators with a mechanism to assure high levels of service to customers – supporting retention and revenue.
