Adaption of the Col-CC Integrated Management System to the new MPLS network

Abstract

The Integrated Management System (IMS) in the Columbus Control Center (Col-CC) is software capable of monitoring and commanding almost all of the subsystems of the complex Columbus Ground Segment. One of the subsystems monitored is the IGS network (Interconnection Ground Subnetwork). This network provides the basis for communication between Col-CC and its international partners (NASA, ESA, ATV-CC, etc.) and all user support and operations centers (USOCs) across Europe. The IGS network was originally designed to use ATM technology, but due to cost reductions many centers were connected via ISDN. Since last year the ATM and ISDN technology was replaced by a MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) network. The migration from ATM/ISDN to MPLS implies a lot of configuration and testing work within the Integrated Management System (IMS) in parallel to real-time operations. In the ATM/ISDN network the IMS was configured to monitor the ATM/ISDN connections and to start/stop the ISDN lines towards the remote user centers (USOCs) in order to maintain the costs under control. In the MPLS network the main focus is on monitoring the IGS network since start/stop of connections is not necessary anymore. The paper deals with the changes in the monitoring and commanding approach and the comparison of the different monitoring issues. Focus is on the subsystems of Col-CC, which were affected by the MPLS migration: The IGS network itself (including the WAN monitoring), the Voice System (VoCS) and the Video System (MVDS).