User
Interface and Displays
TNCS provides a user interface that represents all network
devices in a hierarchical child/parent tree display and also as
color-coded graphical displays that represent network devices in
simple block diagrams and drawings.
 Main
Window
The user interface is a Windows NT application. The graphical
user interface (GUI) consists of a main window with integrated
tree control. The tree control on the left side of the main
window is similar to that of Windows Explorer. The tree control
displays the network device hierarchy in the same fashion that
Explorer displays the hierarchy of the directory structure on
your computer's hard drive. Devices can be opened and viewed
from the tree control.
 Details
Screen
For each managed device, TNCS provides a "Details
Screen" that allows the user to verify alarms and status,
configure parameters and thresholds, set controls, and view
device properties.
 Log
Screens
System logs will record operator actions, alarms, and status
changes. Log files can be archived or printed for future
reference.
 Timed
Events Editor
This easy-to-use pop-up window editor can schedule time-based
events or changes to the network. Daily, multiday, weekly, and
one-time events or changes can all be automated.
 Top-Level System Screen
The top-level screen is a customized display revealing the
health of the headend, hub sites, and fiber links. Icons for
each of the different sites can be overlaid on a geographic map
of the serving area. Individual network components can be easily
accessed by a drill-down capability.
 Floor Plan Screen
This customized screen displays a graphical representation of
the floor plan in a headend or hub site. The multiple rows of
equipment racks (located inside the room) and backup (located
outside the building) can be viewed easily on one screen.
Additional details can be viewed by drilling down to individual
racks or devices with the click of a mouse.
 Alarm
Correlation/Fiber Monitoring
Allow cable operators to associate alarms from multiple network
devices so they can identify and be alerted to higher-level
failure conditions within the network.
 Reports
Several reports can be generated from the TNCS database.
Following are a few examples:
- Inventory Summary
Provides a listing of all of the network devices that are
contained in the TNCS Local System directory tree
- Channel Lineup Summary
Provides information about the system's modulation devices,
such as server, hierarchal name channel #, status of device,
and device description
- Software Summary
Provides a listing of all of the network devices being
monitored by the TNCS and the software/firmware revisions
that the devices are operating on
- Active Device Summary
Provides a listing of all of the network devices contained
in the TNCS Local System directory tree that are being
actively monitored
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