UnitySuite Network Management System

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The UnitySuite Network Management System (NMS) provides an SNMP standards-based network and element management capabilities in monitoring and control of all SecureMesh hardware. UnitySuite NMS manages large-scale deployments of SecureMesh WAN and NAN network devices. It is designed to improve network visibility and performance by building and maintaining knowledge about physical and logical network connectivity. Using UnitySuite NMS, utility operators can connect and manage SecureMesh-enabled devices (e.g., meters, collectors, in-home devices) with an online device status view of the entire Smart Grid network. UnitySuite NMS software automates the utility’s business, operations, and networking rules (or policies), enabling cost-efficient, centralized management of intelligent Smart Grid devices. UnitySuite NMS is designed to be easy to use for small-scale test projects while providing the power and depth to support full-scale Smart Grid network deployments of millions of end devices.

UnitySuite NMS implements industry-standard FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) administration model. To provide automatic and dynamic network visualization, UnitySuite NMS integrates with the Google Earth^TM application to greatly enhance network visualization . UnitySuite NMS automatically discovers topology information, provides visualization, advanced fault correlation, root cause analysis and diagnosis capabilities.

Fault Management

UnitySuite NMS delivers a robust fault management system with real-time alarm and event reporting. A color-coding system visually identifies critical, major, minor and informational alarms, and enables easy methods of handling automatic notifications. With UnitySuite NMS, utility operators have a systematic process for problem detection and rapid issue resolution. The UnitySuite NMS reporting system provides detailed event logging and includes extensive filtering capabilities to sort and prioritize data.

Configuration Management

UnitySuite NMS provides an efficient, centralized method of managing device configuration, which supports over-the-air automatic provisioning and configuration of SecureMesh devices throughout the network. Service profiles may be defined and stored that specify a range of networking, security, and quality of service (QoS) parameters, and UnitySuite NMS provides backup and restore capabilities for device configuration from the embedded database.

Administration

UnitySuite NMS provides the capability to create the set of authorized users by establishing users, passwords, and permissions, and to administer the operations of the equipment.

Performance Management

UnitySuite NMS provides advanced topology and graphical performance monitoring capabilities, enhanced by integration with Google Earth mapping services. Administrators are able to collect data and generate reports for entire networks, providing essential scalability for large Smart Grid deployments.  Using Google Earth Pro, GPS coordinates for each SecureMesh WAN device are plotted instantly to create dynamic network diagrams, which accurately overlay node locations on map terrain, display descriptive data and link performance for each device, and graphically portray link associations between nodes. As the network changes and grows, UnitySuite NMS scales with the deployment, automatically providing real-time updated diagrams that greatly enhance the accuracy and timeliness of the network monitoring process. In addition, UnitySuite NMS supports performance thresholds. The performance threshold can be configured as needed. When a threshold is exceeded, alarms are generated.   Alarms are classified into different levels for easy management. Alarms are detected based on the SNMP “push mechanism” from the collectors to the head-end software in real-time.  Head-end “listens” (filter) on the alarms/events and classify them accordingly.

Security

Utility operators have full control over user management, including the creation of user accounts and user groups, and functional access permissions at both levels. UnitySuite NMS allows for the centralized control of user authorization throughout the entire network, including the prevention of rogue association with the wireless network.