IP-based voice, video and data services are based on a set of core components comprising today’s digital home: a broadband Internet service, multiple Internet-capable devices and a home network, all of which give consumers unprecedented choice for communication, information and entertainment. While providing the infrastructure for exciting new service innovations, these technologies also introduce a host of complexities requiring service providers to extend the boundaries of their management operations beyond the traditional network interface and into the digital home.

Consider voice over IP (VoIP). Basic broadband access uses a simple DSL modem configured for best-effort traffic, while VoIP might require a sophisticated residential gateway featuring a variety of complex components such as a DSL modem, a NAT-enabled router, an embedded PPPoE client and a VoIP ATA, with different quality of service (QoS) levels to prioritize voice traffic over data traffic. All of these elements must be provisioned, configured, tracked and supported. In addition, the VoIP service might exist in a “shared” environment in which the majority of gateway and voice-related parameters are managed by the provider, but some variables, such as username and password, are set by the subscriber.

Service providers have traditionally used a variety of standard and proprietary protocols to integrate with advanced customer premise equipment (CPE) for broadband activation and support. To date, functionality has been neither robust nor consistent, and security and well-defined extensibility mechanisms have often been lacking. Complex customizations have been necessary, and while some basic use cases can be realized with combinations of existing protocols, large-scale, multivendor deployments of millions of devices require more robust standards so providers can perform zero-touch provisioning, diagnostics and service enablement across a range of new devices. A combination of wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) standards allow service providers to remotely configure and manage devices, as well as provide an automated means to interact with them within the subscriber’s home.

Two recently released Technical Reports (TRs) from the DSL Forum address this need: “TR-064: LAN-side CPE Configuration Specification,” and “TR-069: CPE WAN-side Management Protocol.” TR-064, which facilitates easier broadband service self-installation and self-management from a consumer’s own location, is built on top of UPnP, a protocol widely deployed in the retail consumer electronics industry to promote interoperability between consumer electronics devices. TR-069, which enables network-based CPE auto-configuration and other management functions such as performance monitoring and dynamic service provisioning, also builds on industry standard technology, such as SOAP/XML, HTTP and SSL/TLS. Using these well-defined standards reduces deployment complexity and costs, while speeding time-to-market and simplifying the customer experience.

TR-064 consists of two major components:

• The UPnP Device Architecture, which defines how an intelligent LAN-side software agent (known as a Control Point) can discover a device, dynamically learn about its capabilities and control its configuration.
• A device model that exposes the major hardware functions service providers are interested in, such as wireless, DHCP, NAT and PPPoE configuration and diagnostic information at multiple layers.

Because TR-064 is built on top of UPnP, it allows a common management framework for service provider-supplied devices and consumer electronics devices the subscriber may have purchased at retail.

TR-069 defines two entities: an Auto-Configuration Server (ACS), which is the network-based device management platform, and the CPE device being managed. Although TR-069 does not define the server applications itself, the protocol was defined with the following capabilities in mind:

• auto-configuration and dynamic service provisioning;
• software/firmware image management;
• status and performance monitoring; and
• diagnostics.

TR-069 enables an ACS to discover devices and their capabilities, configure and interrogate them, download new firmware and provision device-based services. Additionally, TR-069 defines a mechanism allowing the ACS to request active alerts from the CPE about changes. For example, a CPE can be set up to alert the ACS proactively if port mapping configurations have changed or it could be configured to send regular reports of the performance statistics of the device. An ACS can also configure and receive information on large numbers of TR-069 compliant devices, which makes it a powerful tool for network management at the edge--and within the home.

Information exposed by the CPE data model can be shared between the TR-069 and TR-064 protocols, which enable seamless end-to-end management by an integrated device management platform. For example, in the VoIP service described above, the majority of the necessary configuration data could be downloaded to the device from a TR-069 compliant ACS in the provider’s network, and a TR-064 compliant application on the user’s PC could allow the subscriber to set his username and password. If the subscriber has a problem with the service, he or she could run a TR-064-based self-support application to diagnose and restore the device locally, providing a fast and convenient troubleshooting process. Conversely, a network management application using TR-069 might proactively track service performance and availability across the network to minimize service disruptions for subscribers.

Because the architecture that enables TR-069 to interact with CPE is defined separately from the shared data model, it can be easily applied to new types of devices or new categories of capabilities without having to revisit the protocol definition. As new types of devices to support new services are deployed, service providers can make use of the same protocol and management system.

The ability to apply TR-069-based management to new types of devices is not limited to standard capabilities; it can also be used to manage unique vendor features. Using the concept of vendor extensions, CPE manufacturers can expose hardware functionality, value-added services, and interfaces which are unique to their products. Unlike cable DOCSIS standards, DSL Forum protocols actively embrace and encourage vendor differentiation on top of a common functionality core--giving service providers the opportunity to take advantage of the efficiencies of standardization but still reap the benefits of innovative vendors. These specifications also provide a means for multiple, cutting-edge device features to be exposed through a single management interface.

Although these technical reports provide an important starting point for service providers seeking to deploy and manage IP-based services, standards by themselves are only hard-fought pieces of documentation. As with any emerging technology, new protocols often contain bugs, which can only be worked out in actual implementations and during extensive interoperability work between management software/ACS providers and CPE vendors. Additionally, TR-069 defines numerous optional capabilities and multiple mechanisms for some functions, requiring an ACS and the associated CPE to make the same assumptions about which options are used. This includes which parts of the full data model are supported, or which security mechanisms are employed. In addition, the protocol is defined generally, which provides flexibility and extensibility but also lengthens the certification and interoperability testing process. In order for a technical report to become “real,” actual implementations are the next important step.

One of the main benefits of any standardization effort is interoperability between various vendor technologies: in an ideal situation, an ACS platform should be able to manage any TR-069 compatible device. The ability to manage multiple vendor devices offers numerous benefits over vertically integrated, proprietary solutions provided by a single vendor. The biggest advantage is the ability to multi-source hardware devices to encourage competition among vendors and enable carriers to negotiate lower prices. It also gives providers the ability to choose a best-of-breed solution. A service provider can select a set top box from one company, VDSL modems from a second, ADSL modems from a third, and VoIP devices from a fourth. Multi-vendor management gives providers the flexibility to choose among low-cost vendors for basic access devices, and to work more closely with preferred partners to support strategic services with rich feature sets, such as IPTV.

Returning again to our VoIP example, consider a service provider planning to conduct a VoIP trial using two vendor devices with different hardware configurations: one featuring a residential gateway with an embedded ATA, and one with an ATA deployed as a stand-alone solution. The trial could be offered in two tiers: either as a basic, single-user voice service in which the provider wants to use the lowest cost hardware available; or, as a “home networking” service, in which subscribers receive both a higher-end integrated modem/router/wireless access point and greater bandwidth.

The ability to manage configurations across multiple vendors and device types, gives the provider maximum flexibility to experiment with deployment models and to employ alternate hardware acquisition strategies for different consumer segments. As CPE vendors and service providers make strategic decisions about the functions to bundle together, management software/ACS vendors must be able to accommodate these different choices and configurations across customers and hardware providers. Software vendors must also be capable of working with hardware providers to expose their unique differentiators, so that the provider can take full advantage of various hardware device capabilities.

Moving forward, a number of enhancements to the TR-069 core are planned. This work falls into three areas: both the extension of the data models and of the TR-069 protocol, and continued interoperability work. For data model extension, one area of focus is QoS configuration of the gateway to ensure differentiated services, which is critical as voice and video services become widely deployed. Another emphasis is the specification of an object model for VoIP, an effort that may also be extended to devices delivering video or other services of interest to providers. From the protocol perspective, work is already under way to extend the ability to perform management of devices behind the gateway within the subscriber’s LAN, such as set top boxes and media adapters. Finally, interoperability work is focused on TR-069 clarifications and errata, as well as ongoing testing and certification of the protocol moving forward.

Standards-based device management is crucial to the rapid, cost-effective deployment of next generation IP-based services. Interoperability must be built-in to devices from the beginning, so that providers can take advantage of new hardware innovations as they become available, and reap the benefits of the cost efficiencies derived from multi-sourcing. As new services move into the mainstream, the ability to offer zero-touch provisioning, automated diagnostics and problem resolution across complex environments will increase subscriber satisfaction, promote service adoption -- and substantially improve provider profitability.

Heather Kirksey is Manager of Standards & Emerging Technologies for Motive Inc.

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