10G Technology

Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM)

Find and fix network issues before they become big enough to impact customer services.

  • What is Proactive Network Maintenance? 

    Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM) focuses on improving network problem detection and reducing resolution time and cost. It is based on various standardized methods of collecting key network performance data from various wired, wireless and optical technologies, like modems or wireless routers, and then using this data to quickly detect and address issues before they lead to network failure. 

  • Why is PNM important?

    In the modern world, almost everything and everyone relies on some type of internet connection, either wired or wireless. Even an apple at the grocery store is paid for using an internet-connected point of sale system, not to mention all the communication devices, gadgets and other smart things that we depend on every single day. So as long as internet access is important, we need Proactive Network Maintenance systems to keep our connections running smoothly. 

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    What problem are we solving? 

    Preventative measures typically cost less than dealing with problems after they happen. For example, troubleshooting residential Wi-Fi issues consumes valuable industry resources every year. An effective PNM program not only helps to reduce troubleshooting costs, but it also standardizes the data collection process, automates remote problem solving and provides an unprecedented amount of actionable information about the state of the network. But most importantly, it helps reinforce the public’s trust in the reliability of cable services—the most valuable metric of all. 

Proactive Network Maintenance Technical Reports

Proactive Network Maintenance Guidelines

How will we get there? 

Our PNM efforts revolve around creating an efficient, standardized way of collecting key performance indicators (KPIs) from cable modems and cable modem termination systems. The DOCSIS® Common Collection Framework (DCCF) is a toolkit of technologies that include powerful cloud-based predictive algorithms, machine learning and analytics for finding and solving various network issues without impacting customer experience. We are also working on a Combined Common Collection Framework (XCCF) that standardizes and further optimizes the data collection process from many types of access network technologies, including hybrid fiber coax (HFC), fiber optics and wireless solutions.

To give operators more visibility into residential Wi-Fi networks, we’ve developed Wi-Fi Common Collection Framework (WCCF). It’s a standard architecture for the capture and transport of key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to home Wi-Fi troubleshooting. Based on this data, the system can quickly pinpoint the source of a potential problem, like a Wi-Fi coverage issue or interference with the neighbor’s network, and automatically fix it before the customer notices. We’ve already demonstrated its effectiveness through a member field trial and are now working with the Wi-Fi Alliance and Broadband Forum to make it widely available to the rest of the communications industry.

As optical technologies become more prominent within the cable access network infrastructure, so should optical PNM practices. Operators will soon be able to use CableLabs’ Optical Common Collection Framework (OCCF) to ensure that any issues in the fiber portion of their network are identified and fixed before they become a bigger problem. We are leading the cable industry with efforts to specify what data is needed to support optical PNM and how to best use this data for proactive troubleshooting.

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