Advantech DVB-RCS VSAT Technical Description Q2, 2007

DVB-RCS/S2 System Technical Description
Advantech Satellite Networks’

DVB-RCS/DVB-S2
VSAT Solutions for
Governments and Enterprises
A Technical Description
Q2, 2007
Last Updated April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................ 4
2. THE DVB-RCS VSAT SYSTEM ........................................................................................................ 6

2.1 DVB-RCS NETWORK OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 6
2.2 MEASURING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE ................................................................................................. 8
2.3 KEY SATCOM BENEFITS .................................................................................................................... 9
2.4 SYSTEM FEATURES ........................................................................................................................... 9
2.5 ACCELERATING THE TCP TRAFFIC WITH PEP ................................................................................... 10
2.6 ADAPTIVE RAIN FADE COUNTERMEASURES ...................................................................................... 10
2.7 DVB-RCS BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION ............................................................................................... 11
2.7.1 Traffic Shaping ...................................................................................................................... 11
2.8 VOIP.............................................................................................................................................. 12
2.9 DATA BROADCASTING & MULTICASTING ........................................................................................... 13
2.10 INTERACTIVE DISTANCE LEARNING (IDL) ...................................................................................... 14
2.11 SCADA...................................................................................................................................... 14
2.12 SHARED SERVICE PROVIDER PLATFORM ...................................................................................... 14
3. ADVANTECH DVB-RCS HUB EQUIPMENT .................................................................................. 16
3.1 ADVANTECH HUB NETWORK MODEL ................................................................................................ 16
3.2 RETURN LINK SUBSYSTEM .............................................................................................................. 18
3.2.1 Advanced Multi-Carrier Demodulator (MCD) ........................................................................ 19
3.3 FORWARD LINK SUBSYSTEM ............................................................................................................ 19
3.4 IP SUBSYSTEM ...............................................................................................................................20
3.4.1 Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP) System...................................................................... 20
3.5 SATNET NETMANAGER ................................................................................................................... 20
3.5.1 Virtual Service Provider Overlay to the NetManager (Optional) ........................................... 21
3.5.2 Network Operator Tools ........................................................................................................ 21
3.5.3 Service Provider Tools .......................................................................................................... 23
3.5.4 Control and Monitoring System (CMS) ................................................................................. 24
4. DVB-RCS TERMINAL (VSAT) EQUIPMENT.................................................................................. 31
4.1.1 The New Advantech 5200 (Mesh) Terminal (to be released in Q3, 2007)............................ 32
4.1.2 The New Advantech 5300 (ACM) Terminal (to be released in Q3, 2007) ............................ 32
4.2 EASE OF INSTALLATION OF ADVANTECH DVB-RCS/S2 TERMINALS ................................................... 33
4.3 CERTIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 33
5. CONTACT INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 34
Last Updated: January, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 2

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: System Architecture of a hub-spoke DVB-RCS System .............................................................. 6

Figure 2: DVB-RCS Mesh Topology Architecture........................................................................................ 7
Figure 3: VoIP over Satellite ...................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 4: Baseline DVB-RCS Multicast Support with Hub......................................................................... 14
Figure 5: SatNet DVB-RCS Hub Block Diagram (generic) ........................................................................ 17
Figure 6: SatNet “Max” (Fault-Tolerant version) – Available in one- or two rack versions ........................ 18
Figure 7: NMS Configuration Summary ..................................................................................................... 22
Figure 8: NMS Traffic Allocation ................................................................................................................. 23
Figure 9: NMS SLA Management ............................................................................................................... 24
Figure 10: CMS Functional View with the Flows ........................................................................................ 26
Figure 11 : CMS Physical View of the Gateway Equipment Status............................................................ 27
Figure 12: CMS Current Alarm and Recent Events Windows .................................................................... 28
Figure 13: CMS Device Window for a Skystream IP/DVB Encapsulator.................................................... 29
Figure 14: Illustration of CMS Trending capabilities ................................................................................... 30
Figure 15: Series 4100 VSAT .................................................................................................................... 31
Figure 16: Series 5100, 5200, 5300 VSAT ................................................................................................ 31
Last Updated: January, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 3

1. INTRODUCTION
This white paper describes the fundamental aspects of Advantech Satellite Networks’ DVB-RCS/DVB-S2
(Digital Video Broadcasting – Return Channel via Satellite<second generation>) Very Small Aperture
Terminal (VSAT) network implementing Governmental and enterprise-grade solutions for private
networking purposes. Advantech’s VSAT solutions provide integrators, service providers and end users
with region-wide two-way high-speed data, VoIP, and video services at very economical prices to provide a
significant return on investment.
Advantech Satellite Networks (formerly EMS Satellite Networks) is the world’s largest provider of DVB-
RCS hubs and terminals today. With more than fifteen years experience in digital communication
networks and systems, Advantech Satellite Networks has been a pioneer in advanced satellite networking.
In fact, Advantech was original company commissioned in 1994 to develop an architecture that later
became the DVB-RCS standard. Some salient features of our VSAT system include the following:
• Most bandwidth efficient (bits/Hz) system on the VSAT market today

• DVB-S2 compliant. Standard supports up to 80 Mbps in a 36 MHz transponder. Speeds start at 1
Mbps allowing for lower initial operating expenses. Saturating a transponder allows the remote
user to have smaller antennas for receiving the hub transmissions
• High speed inroutes (return channels) – up to 8 Mbps, starting as low as 64 kbps
• Governmental-grade/enterprise oriented platform to meet an end-user’s high processing needs
• The capability to use a signal line card architecture at the hub to support up to 96 inroutes (return
channels). Up to five separate satellites can be supported using this architecture. This is in
comparison to other proprietary VSAT systems which provide a mere one return channel/inroute
per line card.
• Cost-effective, bandwidth-efficient, scalable platform to support 1000s of remote sites
simultaneously
• User-friendly Network Management System (NMS) for commissioning, configuration, monitor &
control of the network
• VNO (Virtual Network Operations) to allow for multiple clients/end-users to “share” the facility, yet
have their data isolated from each other.
• Scalability of the network supported by the hub to reach in the tens of thousands of remotes
• Simple remote VSAT commissioning process
• Built-in rain fade countermeasures including uplink power control on the remote sites to adjust for
potential rain fade attenuation
• Built-in bandwidth saving features via the open-standard access methods and efficient use of
space segment
• Interoperability with other DVB-RCS compliant VSATs (as certified by SatLabs)
• Rapid deployment and re-deployment using mobile (quick-deploy) solutions
All the Advantech solutions adhere to the internationally adopted DVB-RCS open standard architecture for
two-way VSAT networking and have been certified by SatLabs, the international, not-for-profit association
whose members are committed to bringing the deployment of the DVB-RCS standard to large-scale
adoption on a global basis. As a result, service providers and governments are providing and utilizing
broadband access today using DVB-RCS VSAT solutions globally.
DISA acquired Advantech’s DVB-RCS platform in 2005 to support its efforts on the Global War on Terror
(GWOT) providing 2-way GBS support service in the USCENTCOM theatre of operations via the DoD
Teleport in Landstuhl, Germany.
There are numerous other examples of DVB-RCS/S2 technologies supporting Government missions
globally. Some example include the following: US Army PM-DCATS, US Army 56th Brigade, Marshall
Communications for DISN services, UK MOD, NATO.
Last Updated April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary

The DVB-RCS & DVB-S2 standards have been growing in stature and gaining great momentum within all
facets of the US Government as have similar standards in other technologies such as GSM in the mobile
cellular industry, RFC (the Internet), and P25 in the radio transmission (hand-held) industry.
Advantech offers its certified DVB-RCS VSAT technology to a wide range of vertical markets such as the
following:
• Federal Government
• Military Tactical Networks
• Enterprise & Private Networks
• Community Networks
• Distance Learning
• Telemedicine
• Disaster Recovery and Emergency Management
• Mobile Command Posts
• Satellite News Gathering
• Internet Service Providers
Advantech’s VSATs are designed to minimize cost, while maintaining DVB-RCS compliance and
performance. Our implementation offers tremendous functionality and performance, often on par with or
exceeding the capabilities of proprietary VSAT solutions on the market today.
With all the features noted above implemented today an integrator, service provider, or end-user of this
hardware platform and immediately reap the benefits of a world-class satellite communications network
while having the flexibility to start small and grow to incorporate large number of remote sites onto a single
hub infrastructure. New features that will be introduced in the 2007 include a mesh-topology VSAT
system & terminal capable of allowing any VSAT to communicate directly with another VSAT using a
single satellite hop, and a new terminal that will provide VCM (variable coding modulation) and ACM
(adaptive coding and modulating) schemes to ensure that mission critical data will not be impeded in its
transmission/reception to remote sites due to changing atmospheric conditions.
Last Update: April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 5

2. THE DVB-RCS VSAT SYSTEM

2.1 DVB-RCS Network Overview
A DVB-RCS VSAT network is a satellite-based communications system that provides interconnection
between users who are exchanging real time (and non-real time) applications like text, voice, images, and
video. There are two transmission paths, the Forward Channel from a centralized Hub location to the
remote location and a Return Channel from the remote location to the central Hub.
The DVB-RCS VSAT system underwent final standardization by the European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI) in 2000. The standard specifies a forward link based on a DVB/MPEG-2 data
format and a return link using Multi-Frequency – Time Division Multiple Access (MF-TDMA) scheme,
allowing a two-way exchange of data. The latest DVB-RCS standard update added support for the DVB-
S2 transmission standard which is incorporated in all of Advantech’s products. The DVB-S2 standard
describes the forward channel as delivering up to 80 Mbps in a 36 MHz transponder, providing a
tremendous bandwidth savings to the service provider. The return channels, based on an MF-TDMA
scheme allows from 64 kbps up to 8 Mbps per carrier, the highest data rate in the industry and the widest
range of data rates for any VSAT system.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 below provide overviews of the system architecture for a DVB-RCS network.
Forward traffic to the users at the remote stations (VSATs) is multiplexed into a conventional DVB-S2
broadcast stream at the Hub and broadcast via the satellite to the remote VSATs. This broadcast stream
is transmitted using 8-PSK modulation with LDPC (Low Density Parity Codes) coding (providing a
maximum forward data rate of approximately 80 Mbps in a 36 MHz transponder) in each transponder
used. The return link uses the highly efficient and fast MF-TDMA satellite access scheme together with
turbo-coding in order to provide seamless internetworking with other networks. All data is IP based.
DVB-S2
DVB-RCS
INTERNET VSAT
DVB-RCS
HUB
DVB-RCS
VSAT
FIGURE 1: SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE OF A HUB-SPOKE DVB-RCS SYSTEM

STAR
MESH
DVB-RCS
STAR VSAT
DVB-RCS
MESH VSAT
INTERNET
DVB-RCS
STAR/MESH
DVB-RCS VSAT
STAR/MESH
HUB MF-TDMA
DVB S2
FIGURE 2: DVB-RCS MESH TOPOLOGY ARCHITECTURE
The forward path (hub to remotes) of the system is based on the relevant ETSI/DVB standards that are
shared with the current direct-to-home (DTH) delivery of broadcast television and radio. Thus, both data
and video services can be paired (or multiplexed) together to take advantage of existing infrastructure and
space segment capacity.
Users at the VSAT remote sites transmit on various inbound carriers of varying data rates to the hub
location like a DoD Teleport, STEP site, a Navy facility, or a commercial teleport where a dedicated
backhaul to the customer’s headquarters may exist or for connection to the Internet or even to the PSTN
(Public Switched Telephone Network).
The VSAT employs a scheduled MF-TDMA scheme to access the network and participate in bi-directional
communications. MF-TDMA allows a group of VSATs to communicate with a Hub using a set of carrier
frequencies, each of which is divided into time-slots. The Hub allocates to each active VSAT a series of
bursts; each defined by a frequency, bandwidth, start time and duration. This collection of carrier
frequencies and time-slots is referred to as a frame. Each time/frequency slot contains exactly one packet.
Frequency-agile VSATs access a pattern of time/frequency slots within these frames. Having established
knowledge of the MF-TDMA structure via forward link tables, the VSAT initially accesses the network using
a slotted ALOHA burst. Thereafter, traffic capacity is allocated dynamically, allowing the VSAT to operate
in a contention-less mode. A VSAT can only transmit once the VSAT has forward channel reception.
Moreover the VSAT must have synchronized itself to the forward link, logged in and have been allocated
capacity (in terms of MF-TDMA slots).

2.2 Measuring System Performance

Overall system performance can be measured in several ways. At the highest level, Advantech’s DVB-
RCS network solution balances tradeoffs between bandwidth efficiency, power efficiency, network
scalability, and lifetime equipment costs.
• Bandwidth and Power Efficiency

Today’s DVB-RCS solution incorporates DVB-S2 which provides for 80 Mbps in a 36 MHz
transponder, an efficiency of 2.22 bits/Hz, the highest in the industry. This provides a huge
savings to the end-users as space segment is the number one price component of a VSAT
service. Having a higher efficiency reduces the amount of space segment needed, in turn,
minimizing the operating expenditure required for the service. In comparison, systems deployed
by the Army today using technology from iDirect achieve a mere 1 bit/Hz on the forward channel,
over 50% of what DVB-S2 can achieve.
• Multiple Access vs. SCPC

The return channel for DVB-RCS is by its nature a multiple access system, designed to aggregate
traffic from multiple different users on individual carriers. In SCPC systems, each user much have
a dedicated carrier, SCPC becomes very inefficient for even a small number of users.
• Network Scale Efficiency

DVB-RCS is fundamentally designed to be scalable to large populations of terminals. MF-TDMA
offers a significant efficiency advantage over other access schemes through the “pooling effect”
inherent in statistical multiplexing of large terminal populations in not just one, but two dimensions
(frequency and time) simultaneously.
• MAC Layer Efficiency

Performance of access layer protocols is highly dependent on traffic profile. Advantech’s
implementation of DVB-RCS, using the Combined-Frequency Demand Assignment Multiple
Access (CF-DAMA) protocol, has been specifically designed and tuned for multi-media traffic. In
comparison, other VSAT systems are tuned for transactional applications with narrowband
capacity needs.
• Frame Overhead
Given Advantech’s implementation of a short preamble burst structure, the overhead imposed by
the burst frame structure is kept to the bare minimum. Most TDMA systems utilize a longer
preamble and incur an additional efficiency penalty. The Advantech solution is optimized for
bandwidth efficiency while still allowing demodulation of the received signal.
• Channel Coding
Channel coding effectively sacrifices bandwidth efficiency for improved reliability of transmission.
DVB-RCS uses Turbo coding, which offers excellent bandwidth efficiency for given bit-error ratio
(and therefore power efficiency).
• Modulation Scheme
Advantech’s return channel uses QPSK, which is commonly acknowledged as the optimal trade-
off between power and bandwidth efficiency in modulation for multiple access IP over satellite
applications. An open standard modulation scheme using QPSK, which permits use of linear
radios, allows the remote VSAT user to use any qualified L-Band Block Upconverter (BUC)
manufactured on the market.
Advantech has been involved in trade-off analyses for each of these dimensions, and several others at
further levels of detail, for more than a decade. As a result, Advantech has determined that the most
efficient satellite multiple access method for accessing inbound channels is short preamble MF-TDMA.

Advantech’s implementation of DVB-RCS incorporates both short-preamble MF-TDMA and a high-

performance MAC layer capacity scheduling technique known as CF-DAMA. Furthermore, Advantech has
determined that using a burst composition of one to four 53-byte ATM-like cells per burst on the MF-TDMA
channel is often more efficient than using MPEG packets. Advantech also offers MPEG bursts, which may
preferable for certain video-only oriented networks such as for SNG applications. Advantech is confident
that our VSAT solutions offers can match up with and quite often, outperform many of the proprietary
VSAT solutions on the market today.
2.3 Key SatCom Benefits

Geographically dispersed, topographically challenged sites, as is common for DoD locations are an ideal fit
for SatCom/VSAT technology. Generally, in these locations, VSAT technology provides the only means to
support broadband transmission.
Advantech products enable advanced network solutions for these types of sites providing private data and
voice networks. Advantech makes it possible to establish a complete network capable of interconnecting
all VSATs to the desired network whether it is the Internet or a private facility.
Some common applications supported include the following:

• NIPRNET/SIPRNET (via HAIPE device) access
• Intranet access
• VoIP & Fax-over-IP transmissions
• Client/server connections
• Video/Data Broadcasting & Multicasting
• Videoconferencing
• Interactive distance learning (IDL)
• Remote monitoring (including SCADA and video transmission)
Advantech products offer various security options. The basic requirements for secure data transmission
are based on encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access
the network and that the data cannot be intercepted. COMSEC requirements can be supported with
external HAIPE devices or by utilizing the built-in AES 256-bit HIFN chip within the unit. Advantech is
currently investigating the incorporation of TRANSEC capability within its modems as part of the JIPM
(Joint IP Modem) initiative sponsored by PM-DCATS.
Solutions implemented with our product line allow the following:

• Delivery of bandwidth nearly anytime using a single network topology
• Seamless integration into existing one-way DVB-S2 Business TV (BTV) or IDL networks, allowing
dynamic sharing of bandwidth between existing one-way video and two-way applications
• Cost-competitiveness for any network size of remotes
• Industry-leading performance at the lowest cost, with an open-standards solution
2.4 System Features

In addition to DVB-RCS/S2 compliance, additional features built into Advantech’s product line include the
following:
• Support for more than 10,000 remote terminals per hub with thousands able to actively transmit
and receive on the network
• Support for up to five satellites per DVB-RCS/S2 hub
• Support for all frequency bands including X, Ka, Ku, and C
• TCP acceleration over satellite
• Support for encrypted data over satellite
• Adaptive Rain Fade Countermeasures to combat atmospheric attenuation and degradation due to
precipitation

• Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation

• QoS provisioning of the inbound and outbound traffic
• Support for Applications such as VoIP, Broadcasting/Multicasting, Interactive Distance Learning,
SCADA
• Virtual Network Operations (VNO)
2.5 Accelerating the TCP traffic with PEP

For any implementation of a multimedia-via-satellite platform such as DVB-RCS to be successful, it is often
necessary to include a Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP). PEP overcomes the limitations on TCP
performance imposed by networks with significant latency and jitter on both the forward and return links.
In addition to improving the user experience performance in terms of throughput, sensitivity to latency-
sensitive applications, a PEP can, in many conditions, lead to more efficient bandwidth usage; thereby
making the system less expensive.
Modern networks and the applications thereon all use TCP/IP. The TCP/IP portion is used to ensure
reliable delivery. TCP slow start windowing, however, does have well known and researched issues in any
geosynchronous (GEO) satellite environment. Specifically, the long propagation delays slow all of TCP’s
closed loop control mechanisms. Also, the combination of long delay and broadband capacity requires the
use of large buffers if high performance and reliability are not to be mutually exclusive. Bit errors and
terrestrial congestion (even when very minimal) often degrade TCP performance by orders of magnitude in
a GEO environment. Finally, using bandwidth on demand mechanisms for bandwidth efficiency purposes
presents an environment to which TCP is not well suited.
Fortunately, the solution to these problems is well known. A PEP intercepts all TCP connections at either
side of the satellite link and allows the use of a dedicated satellite protocol over the satellite hop.
Advantech has developed in-house a high performance solution to the problems of TCP performance and
is one of the very few manufacturers of DVB-RCS equipment to have this solution available in a truly
embedded (single box) IDU platform. This offers optimum performance, reduced hardware costs and
automatic configuration at the IDU when compared to competing solutions. This solution is uniquely
designed for DVB-RCS and any combination of return channel capacity types, providing consistent
performance even with high bandwidth usage at high data rates. Many aspects of Advantech’s unique
DVB-RCS PEP solution are patent pending.
The current Advantech PEP solution has the following key features.
• A distributed PEP solution - comprising two PEP nodes in the traffic path
• A gateway PEP server node located at the satellite gateway.
• A client PEP node, implemented within in the Advantech IDU itself
• A connection splitting approach with three connection segments
• Generic TCP acceleration with reliable, ordered service
• Accelerated connection opening and fast start of data transfer
• End-to-end flow control and rate control capabilities
• Performance optimized for DVB-RCS bandwidth-on-demand mechanisms
• Bandwidth fairness on a connection basis
2.6 Adaptive Rain Fade Countermeasures

The Advantech DVB-RCS network provides for multiple methods to combat rain fade outages on the uplink
at remote sites. Advantech calls these “adaptive rain fade countermeasures”. They work in two
complementary ways:
• Uplink Power Control: The hub receives signal strength information from each terminal, and can
command terminals experiencing a rain fade to increase their output power if there is margin (in

dB) built into the remote sites power amplifier. Well-designed satellite links will budget for this
margin.
• Adaptive Countermeasure: The hub can command a terminal experiencing particularly deep rain
fades to transmit on a different (lower data rate and/or more heavily coded) return channel carrier
to combat the rain outage. In this case, the user may experience a diminished information rate,
but that is in contrast to losing the carrier altogether, which is common in most VSAT systems.
These countermeasures provide several advantages to network operators and/or service providers; the
most important of which is that link budgets for terminals in the network can be designed for clear-sky
conditions, resulting in a smaller antenna and/or BUC requirement for each terminal and or increased link
availability. The possibility of an outage at the remote site due to rain fade on the uplink is thus minimized.
ACM and VCM technologies incorporate on the DVB-S2 forward channel provide a similar capability for
the forward link. See Section 4.1.2 for greater detail.
2.7 DVB-RCS Bandwidth Allocation

The capacity allocation mechanism used by Advantech, following the DVB-RCS standard, is an optimized
version of a protocol from the family of Combined Free and Demand Assigned Multiple Access (CF-DAMA)
schemes. This scheme is shown to be about 25% more bandwidth efficient than standard DAMA typically
used by proprietary VSAT vendors. At low network loading the throughput delay for CF-DAMA is lower
than for reservation based standard DAMA due to the free capacity assignment mechanism.
Furthermore, in contrast to the contention-based protocols, the CF-DAMA is fully deterministic. There is
no random allocation mechanism involved. Capacity allocation to the terminals is based on requests
signaled through either pre-assigned or piggybacked request channels, and on free (un-requested)
distribution of unused capacity. Consequently, collisions are avoided and a much better capacity utilization
(approaching 100%) can be achieved.
Advantech’s implementation of DVB-RCS incorporates both a short-preamble MF-TDMA and CF-DAMA.

This combination offers a built-in capability to support flexible QoS, matched to user’s needs for multi-
media traffic. Furthermore, in the DVB-RCS standard, a number of capacity request categories are
specified to permit the MAC layer access protocol to support the QoS of the source traffic at the MAC/link
layer.
The deterministic bandwidth assignments of CF-DAMA and dynamic time slot allocation process of the
MF-TDMA scheme enable the following DVB-RCS capacity assignment categories, specifically defined to
meet QoS requirements of various services in a multimedia environment. The allocation methods include
the following:
• Continuous Rate Assignment (CRA) is defined for constant bit rate (CBR) traffic with
guaranteed static capacity, needed for such applications as voice telephony (VoIP)
• Rate Based Dynamic Capacity (RBDC) is intended for variable bit rate (VBR) traffic, requiring
dynamic bandwidth allocations for such applications as streaming video;
• Volume Based Dynamic Capacity (VBDC) is intended for the best effort type of traffic such as
traditional Internet data or for file transfers
• Free Capacity Assignment (FCA) permits the allocation of unused capacity to terminals by freely
assigning timeslots in to the remote VSATs in a round-robin fashion
2.7.1 Traffic Shaping

IP QoS on the forward and return links is implemented to enhance IP QoS and provide traffic shaping in
mixed-media networks.

The traffic shaping system monitors and controls user activity. This permits operators to graphically
monitor activity and enforce user policies including priority allocations, all of which enhance network
efficiency. Specifically, the device can do the following:
• Reserve or limit bandwidth usage of applications

• Adapt bandwidth allocation policies
• Set priorities of bandwidth allocations (98-levels)
• Partition applications into classes with the same properties
• Guarantee bandwidth for critical applications
• Enforce traffic-exclusion decisions
• Implement TCP and IP rate control
• Detect traffic from unauthorized servers
The benefits of the Advantech QoS solution can be summarized as follows:

• Good overall network resource utilization, with potential higher revenue for the network operator.
• QoS guaranteed for VoIP application, based on dynamic bandwidth, resulting in better overall
performance
• Application prioritization in the forward and return directions.
• Throttling of bandwidth to remote users when required.
2.8 VoIP
Voice over IP (VoIP) has become the fastest growing application on the Internet and in IP based satellite
networks. VoIP in a satellite environment has several challenges such a bandwidth-on-demand, jitter,
latency and perception quality. Advantech has developed field proven techniques and strategies to meet
all these challenges.
A Bandwidth on Demand (BoD) scheme is very desirable on a satellite network because operating costs
are directly related to the satellite bandwidth consumed. However, bandwidth-on-demand suffers from
latency issues because a request/allocation cycle is required repeatedly throughout the call. In addition,
congestion on the network may cause allocations of bandwidth less than the respective requests. The
answer to these issues is to use a guaranteed source of bandwidth that has priority over the typical
bandwidth-on-demand applications. Furthermore, the bandwidth needs to be available at the onset off the
VoIP call and then released at the end of the call. This is the approach Advantech has developed for VoIP
and other real-time jitter-intolerant applications.
The heart of this approach is the Advantech Call Control Protocol (CCP). The CCP is resident in the VSAT
and the hub. When a VoIP call is initiated at a remote VSAT, the VSAT recognizes the call set-up
signaling and immediately requests a constant rate assignment (CRA) of bandwidth for the call. The hub
responds by assigning 16 kbps of bandwidth to the terminal in the form of a CRA assignment. The CRA
assignment is maintained by the hub for the duration of the call without repeated request from the terminal.
When the call is terminated the terminal recognizes the call tear-down signaling and advises the hub to
stop the CRA assignment.
Each terminal is equipped with two queues, high and low priority. The VoIP traffic is directed to the high
priority queue which is serviced first by the network. If in a pause in the conversation, there are no VoIP
packets in the high priority queue, all the traffic assignment for that frame is used on the low priority traffic.
Note the terminal is still requesting bandwidth for the low priority traffic during the call so the bandwidth
assignment will be the sum of the CRA for the VoIP for that frame and the bandwidth-on-demand
assignment for that frame.

Using the Advantech CCP the VoIP traffic is assured adequate low latency and low jitter capacity in an
economical manner that minimizes satellite resources and costs.
A popular method to implement VoIP over Advantech’s platform is using Cisco Systems’ solutions. In this
scenario, there are three main components for the Voice over IP (VoIP) solution over Satellite setup: the
VoIP Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) installed behind the VSAT the VoIP Hub and the IP Call Manager
installed at the Advantech Hub. These components are depicted in Figure 3 below.
VoIP over Satellite
Satellite
DVB-RCS
Hub
Call Customer
Manager
SIte
VSAT
Internet
Switch
Router RLSS/FLSS
E1/ISDN
VoIP ATA
VoIP Gateway
PBX
E1 CAS*
Phone Phone
FXO* PBX
ISDN
* Option
PSTN
FIGURE 3: VOIP OVER SATELLITE
2.9 Data Broadcasting & Multicasting

Satellite telecommunications are most effective for broadcast or multicast type applications: the larger the
target audience, the cheaper the application per use. In this respect, satellites have an inherent advantage
over switched terrestrial networks. TV and radio broadcasts as well as also other types of content delivery
(e.g. pushing software applications, files, web pages, news content etc) from a central server to a large
number of client locations, especially when these are very dispersed and difficult to access, are the most
efficient uses of the technology.
Advantech equipment-based satellite network solutions enable broadcasters and content providers to
improve their service offerings
Broadcast solutions implemented with Advantech Products can allow the following:
• Implementation on a single platform with the following capabilities:
o Fast, secure distribution of digital content – anywhere
o Distribution and origination to/from both fixed and transportable VSATs
o Secure intranet communications for video, voice and data
• Providing industry-leading performance at lowest cost, with an open-standard guarantee.
Support of Broadcast/Multicast networks is a particularly complex (but useful) facility supported by the
Advantech product line. Details are described below.

The current Advantech IP multicast over DVB-RCS solution is a unidirectional multicast system offering
transmission of one copy of the data from a single point to between the Multicast Server and the whole
network host population, efficiently and simultaneously. The DVB-RCS architecture comprises a central
Hub (uplink site) and a remote VSAT. Every VSAT listening can receive an IP multicast directed from the
Hub. Behind each VSAT, IGMP is used to facilitate native IP multicast on each LAN.
Figure 4 below depicts for a typical configuration.
VSAT
Host
Multicast
FLSS ODU
Server
(IP-DVB Encap.)
IDU
Router
RLSS
FIGURE 4: BASELINE DVB-RCS MULTICAST SUPPORT WITH HUB
2.10 Interactive Distance Learning (IDL)

Advantech equipment is an enabler for IDL applications. Typically this type of application requires
videoconferencing, VoIP and Multicasting, all of which are supported using the appropriate appliances in
the Hub and VSAT.
2.11 SCADA
As in a wide range of industries, the utilities and environmental sectors are demanding comprehensive
telecommunications services to meet their monitoring and control requirements. By offering a cost
effective terminal as part of a comprehensive communication network, important value added services can
be provided to meet the specific needs of security agencies, monitoring agencies, oil and gas pipeline
companies, chemical firms, electric utilities, water management, earthquake monitoring facilities and
environmental monitoring institutions, anywhere in the world.
SCADA applications can be readily addressed with the Advantech DVB-RCS satellite network. SCADA
systems are characterized by low data rate transmissions from remote locations to a central hub. This
“star” network topology is the common design of DVB-RCS networks. Furthermore, the DVB-RCS network
works with a bandwidth-on-demand traffic protocol. This means satellite resources are used only when
required, thus providing significant savings in space segment costs.
The DVB-RCS network is IP-based. The VSATs are equipped with an Ethernet port and all traffic flowing
in and out of the terminal is IP. In legacy SCADA systems the interface between the monitoring equipment
and the transmission equipment was typically a proprietary scheme or serial data interface such as RS-
232. Recently deployed SCADA systems have been using IP as their transmission protocol and so are
well suited to the Advantech DVB-RCS network. If, however, interface converters are required between
the monitoring equipment and the DVB-RCS network, these are readily available from a number of
suppliers.
2.12 Shared Service Provider Platform

A wide variety of new applications now make use of IP as a packaging protocol, to allow transport over any
network, and many applications are now becoming available including telephony or voice over IP. The
advanced capabilities that make this possible can be mixed together and used by independent Service

Providers sharing the same network platform to offer the exact type of services required by their
customers. This type of configuration is known as Virtual Network Operations (VNO).
Advantech products enable advanced network solutions to Service Providers so they can deliver a range
of services including broadband internet, distance learning, virtual private networks and a host of other
services. Service Providers benefit from powerful QoS mechanisms that allow creation, monitoring and
control of a wide range of SLAs.
Advantech’s system design enables Service Providers to offer services concurrently on a wholesale basis
to resellers, and on a retail basis to end customers. For wholesale services to resellers, Service Providers
manage overall resource allocation for satellite and system capacity, and then allow each reseller, through
a secure and partitioned interface, to control SLA parameters in the system for their own subscriber base.
Advantech is constantly extending the boundaries of satellite communications by converging data, voice
and video applications over shared networks. Advantech supports solutions for video and voice capability
that allocates prioritization to video or voice packets over data traffic. For example, Advantech’s system
can overlay a two-way service with QoS over existing DVB-S2/S broadcast or multicast services, and can
dynamically adjust bandwidth use by video and/or voice applications such that any unused capacity can be
made available for data communications.
Advantech’s Hub architecture provides unmatched scalability. This enables Service Providers to offer a
high-quality, competitively priced service.

3. ADVANTECH DVB-RCS HUB EQUIPMENT

Advantech offers a full line of DVB-RCS products, available to assemble a Broadband DVB-RCS network
based on the open standard ETSI EN 301 790.
Within the Hub Station, Advantech can offer the Return Link Subsystem, the Forward Link Subsystem, and
the Network Management Subsystem. Advantech can also provide the antennas and RF.
There are four varieties of Hub offerings from Advantech:
1. SatNet “Max” - a full hub with no real upper bound

2. SatNet “Max” redundant – a fault-tolerant (redundant) “Max” hub
3. SatNet RLSS – the return link sub system that can be purchased as a stand alone system
perhaps for use with an existing DVB-S2/S one-way transmission system in place
4. SatNet FLSS – the addition of forward link subsystems using COTS products to support
additional satellites concurrently.
Key features of the Advantech’s broadband product line include the following:
• Adherence to the open standard (ETSI EN 301 790) ensuring interoperability with other compliant
suppliers.
• Bandwidth-on-demand access, as per the scheme incorporated within the DVB-RCS standard,
provides maximum efficiency and flexibility with minimum overhead.
• The Advantech Hub components have been designed from the ground up to incorporate modularity,
scalability and flexibility. The Advantech Hub can be tailored to each customer’s specific need in a
cost-effective package that can grow in the future as the customer’s client base expands.
• Advantech’s DVB-RCS network solutions offer industry-leading performance. The network can be
designed to provide forward link rates starting at 1 Mbps and increasing to 80 Mbps per DVB-S2 and
return link rates of up to 8 Mbps for up to 3000 simultaneously logged-in terminals and up to 10,000
terminals associated with a particular network
• A key feature of the Hub equipment is the Advantech Multi-carrier Demodulator (MCD). The latest
release of this card can simultaneously demodulate up to 96 separate carriers and can support a wide
variety of transmission rates from 64 kbps to 8 Mbps. This is in contrast to many competing
proprietary systems which require one card per carrier.
3.1 Advantech Hub Network Model

A typical Advantech Hub Network is divided into four subsystems:
• The Forward Link Subsystem (FLSS) which contains the components necessary for the DVB-S2/S
outbound link (forward channel)
• The Return Link Subsystem (RLSS) which contains those components necessary to process the
inbound links (return channels) As noted above, Advantech can provide an RLSS as a stand
alone system
• The IP subsystem which contains the components necessary for connection to the Internet or to
the customers premise site.
• The Network Management System (NMS) which contains the components necessary to
management the entire DVB-RCS VSAT system
A block diagram of a hub is shown in Figure 5 below. Figure 6 depicts a fault-tolerant “Max” hub.

FIGURE 5: SATNET DVB-RCS HUB BLOCK DIAGRAM (GENERIC)
TABLE 1: TYPICAL HUB EQUIPMENT LIST
Non-Redundant Fault-Tolerant
Item Description
Hub Quantity Hub Quantity
RLSS Unit
E-1 - includes power supplies & signal distribution units 1 2
- includes items E-2,3,4
E-2 Processor #1 1 2
E-3 PCR Inserter 1 2
E-4 Multi-carrier Demodulator (“MCD”) 2 1 2
C-1 IP Router 1 2
C-2a IP-DVB Encapsulator (limited to 10Mbps) 1 2
C-2b DVB Multiplexer 1 2
C-3 DVB-S/S2 Modulator 1 2
C-4 GPS Receiver 1 2
C-5 Control Server 1 2
C-6a NetManager: 1 NMS Server 1 1
C-6b NMS Spare Server 0 1
C-7 PEP Server (licensed to 50 terminals) 1 2
C-8 Traffic Shaper (Optional), limited to 10 Mbps 0 0
C-9 Signal Distribution Unit 1 2
C-10 VPN Server (Optional) 0 0
D Rack 1 2
E-1 ASI Amethyst Switch 0 1
E-2 RF Switch 0 1

FIGURE 6: SATNET “MAX” (FAULT-TOLERANT VERSION) – AVAILABLE IN ONE- OR TWO RACK VERSIONS
Electrical interfaces to the hub are indicated in Table 2 below.
TABLE 2: HUB ELECTRICAL INTERFACES
Signal Frequency Level (dBm) Connector Type

-22 dBm total power for all
carriers in 500 MHz with N Female
Return link (receive) 950 to 1450 MHz
interface attenuator setting of 50 ohms
15 dB
N Female
Forward link (transmit) 950 to 1750 MHz -30 to -10 dBm
50 ohms
Baseband (Router) Ethernet 100/10 base-T N/A RJ-45
3.2 Return Link Subsystem

The basic RLSS functionality is fulfilled with 1 processor card which contains Traffic, Signaling &
Operations, Administration & Maintenance (OA&M). This key component supports thousands of terminals
for in the hub. In addition, it also contains 1 Multi-carrier Demodulator (MCD) card. The RLSS can be
expanded by adding additional processor cards and additional MCDs. Slots exist, for expansion of the hub
to support huge numbers of remote terminals.
Each MCD (E-3 in Figure 5) is programmable with multiple data rates, and can demodulate multiple
carriers at the selected data rate. Each MCD can demodulate up to 24Mbps of throughput. Each RLSS
Unit (E-1) can support up to 5 MCDs. MCDs run turbo coding (rates 2/3 or 4/5) and can demodulate up to
96 x 64/128/256 kbps carriers, 48 x 512 kbps carriers, 24 x 1024 kbps carriers, 12 x 2048 kbps carriers or
6 x 4 Mbps carriers or 3 X 8 Mbps carriers, or any combination of these carriers that sum up to an
aggregate throughput of 24 Mbps.
One PCR Inserter (E-6) is needed for each forward (DVB-S2/S) channel/transponder operated. Each
RLSS Unit can support up to 5 PCR Inserters, or 5 separate satellites/transponders/beams.

The signaling portion of the Processor board (E-2) is the heart of all the scheduling and controlling of
terminals in the DVB-RCS network.
The RLSS can support usage of up to five satellites.
3.2.1 Advanced Multi-Carrier Demodulator (MCD)

The advanced Multi-Carrier Demodulator (MCD) also referred to as MCD2, the latest addition to state of
the art products for DVB-RCS networks. There is no other multi-carrier demodulator that has the depth of
capabilities and features or the performance to match the Advantech Advanced MCD. Please refer to the
table below for the details of this product.
TABLE 3: ADVANCED MCD (MCD 2.0) PERFORMANCE
Item Parameter Performance

1 Maximum Return Channel/Inroute 24 Mbps
Throughput
2 Maximum Bandwidth 34 MHz (24 MHz is typical)
3 Maximum Number of Carriers per MCD 96
4 Channel Spacing 1.20 to 1.50 (variable)
5 Supported Traffic Encapsulation Format ATM1, 2, & 4 and MPEG
6 Information Data Rate per Carrier 128 kbps to 8 Mbps
7 Deployed Data Rates 128, 256, 512 1024, 2048 kbps in ATM1
128, 256, 512 1024, 2048, 4000 kbps in ATM 2
4000, 8000 kbps in ATM4
284, 624, 1192, 2384, 4000 kbps in MPEG
8 Symbol Rate Selectable per Carrier
9 Burst Format Selectable per carrier
10 FEC Coding Turbo Rate 2/3 and 4/5
One Advanced MCD can support several carriers operating simultaneously at different rates, and as such
is described as a “multi-rate” MCD.
3.3 Forward Link Subsystem
The FLSS consists of an IP/DVB encapsulator with ASI multiplexing port for the forward signaling traffic
from the RLSS and a DVB modulator. Advantech typically offers the SkyStream SMR-25 or Novra’s IPE-
400, but is not limited to any particular component. The encapsulator performs a number of functions:
• Encapsulates the forward link IP data traffic into MPEG packets

• Multiplexes the forward link signaling information from the RLSS into the composite MPEG
transport stream, and
• Generates and inserts the network level DVB-SI tables (NIT, RMT and MMT) into the composite
forward link transport stream.
The modulator is DVB-S2/S compliant and performs the 8-PSK/QPSK modulation and applies the selected
forward error correction (FEC). FEC rates available are:
1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6, 8/9, 9/10 for QPSK in DVB-S2 mode;
3/5, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6, 8/9, 9/10 for 8PSK in DVB-S2 mode.

To add capability for supporting addition satellites, an FLSS is added per satellite. Up to five satellites can
be supported by today’s Advantech hub platform.
3.4 IP Subsystem
The IP Subsystem in the Hub consists of several elements:
- IP router, which provides for internet connectivity and merging of the Forward and Return traffic
- Time & Frequency reference
- Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP) System
3.4.1 Performance Enhancing Proxy (PEP) System
3.4.1.1 TCP Acceleration Capabilities

The embedded TCP acceleration provided in Advantech’s new terminal product lines provides a high
performance solution for DVB-RCS satellite networks. The support for high TCP throughput even in pure
VBDC operation is a key feature of the SatNet system solution. Additionally, the improved TCP
acceleration capability introduces incremental feature improvements to further optimize TCP in a satellite
environment. These features are briefly described herein.
Future releases of the new terminal products will target the recently released SatLabs Interoperable PEP
(I-PEP) standard, thus furthering the benefits of DVB-RCS open standard interoperability in a multi-vendor
environment. Advantech is confident from its substantial insight into PEP technology for the DVB-RCS
environment that this TCP I-PEP standard can provide equivalent performance to existing proprietary
solutions. Software upgrades to the Interoperable PEP will be facilitated.
3.4.1.2 HTTP Acceleration Capabilities

Advantech’s latest terminal products also include HTTP acceleration capabilities embedded in the IDU.
This, in combination with the embedded TCP PEP capabilities, provide substantially enhanced web
browsing performance. The Advantech solution focuses on providing high performance to reduce page
load times while supporting pure VBDC operation; providing improvements to both the user and operator
experiences.
An HTTP enhancement standard for DVB-RCS is also under definition in the SatLabs community.
Advantech is playing a significant role in this definition, putting forward the current baseline for the near
term HTTP acceleration standard. Advantech has taken a balanced view with regards to performance and
bandwidth efficiency; maximizing performance gains while minimizing efficiency degradation. As this
HTTP standard is developed, Advantech will soon introduce the interoperable HTTP acceleration in its new
terminal product lines.
3.5 SatNet NetManager

In the marketplace, operators are demanding systems that require less dedicated skill to configure and
operate. Increasingly, the market is demanding simplification of configuration, automation where possible,
and also added capabilities for the monitoring and control of system health.
Advantech has responded to these market demands by developing the SatNet NetManager, a powerful
management system capable of meeting the functional and scalability requirements of a variety of system
configurations. The NetManager controls all the key operational elements of the hub, including RLSS,
FLSS and IPSS elements.
The NetManager provides several functions, all presented through a common GUI, including:
¾ Subscriber Management

¾ QoS Management
¾ SLA Management
¾ Configuration Management
A stand-alone GUI is provided for the optional Control and Monitor System (CMS). A full description of the
CMS is in Section 3.5.4 below.
In addition, the hubs support the SatNet Virtual Service Provider overlay to the NetManager, which allows
multiple service providers to securely and independently control their own terminal populations on a hub
controlled by a common network operator. This feature, as well as tools available to network operators and
service providers are summarized below and require a second NMS server.
3.5.1 Virtual Service Provider Overlay to the NetManager (Optional)

• Multiple service providers can access the system simultaneously through remote connections. Web
access allows service providers located in different regions to effectively operate a section of the hub.
• Security is provided at two levels.

¾ Remote access to the system is via secure mechanisms, e.g. Secure Socket Layer (SSL).
¾ Access to the database is restricted to ensure that any given Service Provider can view and/or
make modifications only within the scope of the SLAs granted to them.
• Interface to an OSS: features provided that allow automatic VSAT configuration import via an XML file
containing add, delete, modify commands, perform queries on VSAT configuration, faults and
performance, as well as performance data relative to VSAT groups.
3.5.2 Network Operator Tools

The Network Operator tools are used for management of the hub configuration, for both a single-tenant
and multiple service provider hub architecture. These tools provide the following functionality:
3.5.2.1 Gateway configuration management

¾ Configuration of Network Operator users (admin, operators and viewers)
¾ Configuration of the RLSS using its native application and export the results to a file.
¾ Import of RLSS configuration file into the NMS and automatic creation of Return Link Service
Level Agreements (RL-SLAs).
¾ Interactive graphical display of the gateway’s return and forward link SLAs and their
relationships to VSAT Groups (see Figure 7 ).
¾ Log of timestamped user modifications to the NMS database.
¾ Log of timestamped configuration commands sent to the gateway components.

FIGURE 7: NMS CONFIGURATION SUMMARY
3.5.2.2 Multiple Service Provider Hub management

¾ Definition of up to 25 service providers with the enforcement of a minimum number of
configured VSATs per service provider.
¾ Centralized shared hub operations option restricting service providers to VSAT management
tasks.
¾ De-centralized shared hub operations option enabling the management of bandwidth by
service providers.
¾ Complete handover of VSAT Management operations by service providers via automatic
configuration of routes in the SMR-25 IP/DVB encapsulator(s) and router(s).
¾ Configuration of FL bandwidth per service provider in the IP-DVB Encapsulator(s) or QoS
device via their native interface.
3.5.2.3 Single-Tenant Hub management

¾ Configuration of FL total bandwidth in the IP-DVB Encapsulator(s) or QoS device via their
native interface.
¾ Automatic configuration of N routes for each VSAT in the SMR-25 IP/DVB encapsulator(s) and
router(s).

FIGURE 8: NMS Traffic Allocation
3.5.3 Service Provider Tools

The Service Provider tools simplify the management of SLAs, Return Link and Forward Link Quality of
Service (QoS) and, most importantly, the daily management of VSATs. These tools provide the following
functionality:
3.5.3.1 Management of Service Level Agreements (SLA)

¾ Configuration of forward link bandwidth offered collectively to groups of VSATs, independently
of the network operator.
¾ Provisioning tools to plan the addition of SLAs and the control of the contention ratios.
¾ Storage of the previous 10 days (typical) of return link traffic statistics, with graphing
capabilities (see Figure 8).
¾ Provisioning of return link SLAs into QoS-related DVB-RCS capacity types, with graphical
representation (see Figure 9).
3.5.3.2 Management of QoS (FL and RL)

¾ Creation of custom forward and return link VSAT-Level QoS profiles.
¾ Creation of groupings of VSATs and association to QoS profiles and SLAs, both on the
forward and return links.
3.5.3.3 Management of VSATs

¾ Automatic configuration of N routes for each VSAT in the SMR-25 IP/DVB encapsulator(s) and
router(s).
¾ Commanding VSATs with any of the following: Tx Enable/Disable, DB Disable/Enable, Logoff,
VSAT status access.
¾ Monitoring of VSAT software version.
¾ Visibility to a detailed connection management activity log.

¾ Storage of the previous 10 days (typical) of return link connection statistics, with graphing
capabilities.
FIGURE 9: NMS SLA MANAGEMENT
3.5.4 Control and Monitoring System (CMS)

The Control and Monitor System (CMS) is a GUI-based application that controls and monitors all active
gateway devices, as well as one or many witness VSATs. The Windows XP server running the CMS is
already included in the standard hub. The CMS is used by the network operator, either at a local console
or remotely via a CORBA client-server interface. The CMS provide a graphical environment where the user
can monitor the health of the gateway system and allow corrective action to be taken in the event of a
system fault. The CMS catches SNMP traps and gathers performance indicators, and presents this
information to the network operator in an intuitive manner via a simple and clean Graphical User Interface
(GUI). The GUI includes the following set of basic windows:
¾ A Functional View, displaying device and flow status (IP, ASI and RF) (Figure 10)
¾ A Device Status view as the devices appear in the gateway rack (Figure 11)
¾ An Alarm Window, including root cause analysis (top of Figure 12).
¾ An Event Window (bottom of Figure 12).
¾ Device Windows, with detailed monitoring information per device (Figure 13).
All views are completely user-configurable to match all possible system configurations. A large set of
drivers are available to add RF equipment to the views. Drivers for custom equipment can be provided by
Advantech, at an additional cost. In addition, map views displaying the status of witness terminals can be
easily added to the CMS. To summarize, the CMS offers the following functionality, sorted according to the
FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security) categories.

Faults:
¾ Provides map views of Gateway sub-systems.
¾ Provides Gateway sub-system status on an iconic representation.
¾ Provides status of flows within the gateway, independently of device status.
¾ Provides a change of color per severity (e.g., Information – Blue, Clear – Green, Warning –
Yellow, Minor – Orange, Major – Red and Critical – Magenta).
¾ Displays events/alarms and allows them to be acknowledged and cleared.
¾ Supports alarm filtering and sorting.
¾ Events/alarms summarized (suppression of redundant alarms)
¾ Events/alarms saved in log file.
¾ Audible alarms (sound card required).
¾ Optional email notification on selectable set of alarms.
¾ Supports root cause analysis of gateway faults.
¾ Capability to log and search operator notes attached to alarms or devices.
¾ Supports control functions for each subsystem, where possible (e.g., Start, Stop, Save
Configuration, Restore Configuration).
¾ Local or remote operation.
¾ SNMP Northbound interface for external Network Management Systems (NMS).
Configuration:
¾ Configuration of gateway devices via SNMP (e.g. modulator).
¾ Access to all gateway devices’ native applications from the gateway map (right-click).
Performance:
¾ Supports performance monitoring (collect, store and display counters) of Gateway sub-
systems.
¾ Supports graphical display of historical performance monitoring results (trending example
shown in Figure 14).
Security:
¾ Three standard user role categories with configurable access privileges (Administrator,
Operator, Viewer). Additional roles may be added.
¾ Log of user actions.
¾ Automatic backup of database and restore feature.

FIGURE 10: CMS Functional View with the Flows

FIGURE 11 : CMS PHYSICAL VIEW OF THE GATEWAY EQUIPMENT STATUS

FIGURE 12: CMS CURRENT ALARM AND RECENT EVENTS WINDOWS

FIGURE 13: CMS DEVICE WINDOW FOR A SKYSTREAM IP/DVB ENCAPSULATOR

FIGURE 14: ILLUSTRATION OF CMS TRENDING CAPABILITIES

4. DVB-RCS TERMINAL (VSAT) EQUIPMENT

Advantech SatNet offers a VSAT product line that will support multiple types of users in all frequency
bands including the C, Ku, Ka, and X-bands. The 4100 Series has been shipping since early 2006. The
5100 terminal was released in January, 2007.
The key features of the Advantech VSAT product line are the following:
• Support of the opens standards DVB-RCS using DVB-S2 or DVB-S on the forward link
• 2 indoor unit (IDU) models available to match customers’ needs: Series 5100 and Series 4100
• Support of forward and return links
• Support for DVB-S2 (standard supports up to 80 Mbps) starting as low as 1 Mbps
• Return link up to 8 Mbps, starting as low as 64 kbps
• Turbocoded return links (inroutes) using FECs 2/3 and 4/5
• Support for uplink power control in order to mitigate the effects of rain-fade attenuation
• Easy integration with any antenna, either fixed or transportable
• Easy installation and commissioning process
• Return link IP traffic supported via encapsulation in ATM-like cells or MPEG packets
• Forward link IP traffic supported via encapsulation in MPEG packets
• Built-in 10/100 Base T Ethernet LAN port
• The end-user interface to the IDU uses IP on an Ethernet connection allowing seamless connection to
terrestrial equipment and offers extensive IP and TCP/UDP/RTP/IP capabilities such as QoS, VoIP,
multicast, TCP acceleration, IPSec, etc.
• Up to 36 Mbps of unicast/multicast/broadcast traffic can be delivered to the end-user’s Ethernet
connection for Series 5100 and Series 4100
• Fixed or mobile antenna (quick deploy) solutions
• Built-in GPS support for mobile solutions (5000 series units)
FIGURE 15: SERIES 4100 VSAT
FIGURE 16: SERIES 5100, 5200, 5300 VSAT

4.1.1 The New Advantech 5200 (Mesh) Terminal (to be released in Q3, 2007)
The TIA has approved a mesh extension to the open standard modem spec. Advantech is releasing a
product, the 5200 VSAT, in the second quarter of 2007 that will provide a full-blown mesh topology
solution which will enable any user of the network to communication directly, using a single satellite hop,
with any other user. Currently this product has been released in a partial mesh format and delivered to a
couple of commercial clients. The mesh VSAT network’s topology was depicted in Figure 2 previously.
4.1.2 The New Advantech 5300 (ACM) Terminal (to be released in Q3, 2007)
The new DVB-S2 standard offers very significant bandwidth savings in the outbound link of DVB-RCS
systems, compared to the current, older DVB-S standard. The simplest form of DVB-S2 is known as
Constant Coding and Modulation (CCM). This is a direct replacement for DVB-S, but offers a 30% better
bandwidth efficiency, thanks to the use of sophisticated channel coding techniques. The 5300 terminal
supports CCM as well as DVB-S. With the Advanced DVB-S2 option, the 5300 terminal supports two
additional, advanced modes of DVB-S2 known as Variable Coding and Modulation (VCM) and Adaptive
Coding and Modulation (ACM). The choice between th e latter two is usually driven by system
characteristics such as frequency and precipitation statistics. All three forms of DVB-S2 (CCM, VCM and
ACM) have been adopted by the DVB-RCS standard. DVB-S2 terminals are thus fully interoperable.
VCM allows optimization of the transmission parameters used for each terminal, so that the link budget —
and hence the achievable bandwidth efficiency — is no longer driven by the worst case terminal in the
system. Differences that can warrant such optimization include dish size, location in satellite beam and
prevailing local rain statistics. Depending on system characteristics, a VCM system can achieve a gain in
bandwidth efficiency of close to 50% over a DVB-S system.
ACM takes this optimization further and allows variation in time of the modulation and coding used for each
terminal. The adjustments are based on feedback reports of the terminal’s received signal quality. This
ability to respond in real-time eliminates the need for fixed system margins for e.g. rain fade and
interference. The margin savings can be converted to increased bandwidth efficiency. Depending on
system characteristics, the gain over DVB-S systems can reach 100% or more.
The S5300 is available with a VPN/IPSec option which is capable of operation in various modes. The
modes supported are DES, 3DES and AES-256.

4.2 Ease of Installation of Advantech DVB-RCS/S2 terminals
All terminals come with an easy-to-use web-based interface, accessible from any computer with a network
or Internet connection to the IDU. The web interface enables you to...
• Manage how the terminal queues and transfers data over the satellite network
• Configure passwords and security settings on the terminal
• Configure the terminal to access the satellite network
• Test and troubleshoot satellite links
• Set installation parameters, and much more
The IDU PEP function comprises software to perform TCP and HTTP acceleration. The solution will not
be artificially limited in terms of throughput, being limited only by terminal hardware memory and
processing limitations. In terms of the number of TCP connections supported per terminal a limit will be
enforced but this will be strictly derived from the available hardware (in particular memory) and is therefore
not an artificial limit. The configuration of IDU PEP will be simple and limited in nature to those operations
absolutely necessary. Configuration of the IDU PEP will be available through the web interface and via
SNMP.
4.3 Certifications
Advantech Satellite Networks is committed to providing its customers with
quality products, on time delivery, and support. Advantech has achieved
compliance with the ISO 9001:2000 standard several years ago and has
kept its ISO 9001 certification ever since.
In addition, Advantech Satellite Networks’ hub and terminal products are CE certified.

Advantech Satellite Networks received SatLabs DVB-RCS interoperability Certification in October 2005.
5. CONTACT INFORMATION
This paper has presented Advantech’s DVB-RCS VSAT networking and equipment solutions to implement
Government and enterprise-based networks and to meet their application needs. For more information,
please use the following contact:
Michael Pollack
Vice President, Government Sales
Advantech Satellite Networks
301-315-8229 (office)
240-606-6204 (mobile)
Michael.Pollack@advantechamt.com

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DVB-RCS/S2 System Technical Description

Advantech Satellite Networks’

Last Updated April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary

2. THE DVB-RCS VSAT SYSTEM ........................................................................................................ 6

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Figure 1: System Architecture of a hub-spoke DVB-RCS System .............................................................. 6

Last Updated: January, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 3

• Most bandwidth efficient (bits/Hz) system on the VSAT market today

Last Updated April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary

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2. THE DVB-RCS VSAT SYSTEM

FIGURE 1: SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE OF A HUB-SPOKE DVB-RCS SYSTEM

Last Update: April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 6

FIGURE 2: DVB-RCS MESH TOPOLOGY ARCHITECTURE

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2.2 Measuring System Performance

• Bandwidth and Power Efficiency

• Multiple Access vs. SCPC

• Network Scale Efficiency

• MAC Layer Efficiency

Last Update: April, 2007 Advantech Satellite Networks Proprietary Page 8

Advantech’s implementation of DVB-RCS incorporates both short-preamble MF-TDMA and a high-

2.3 Key SatCom Benefits

Some common applications supported include the following:

Solutions implemented with our product line allow the following:

2.4 System Features

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• Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation

2.5 Accelerating the TCP traffic with PEP

2.6 Adaptive Rain Fade Countermeasures

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2.7 DVB-RCS Bandwidth Allocation

Advantech’s implementation of DVB-RCS incorporates both a short-preamble MF-TDMA and CF-DAMA.

2.7.1 Traffic Shaping

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• Reserve or limit bandwidth usage of applications

The benefits of the Advantech QoS solution can be summarized as follows:

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VoIP over Satellite

FIGURE 3: VOIP OVER SATELLITE

2.9 Data Broadcasting & Multicasting

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Figure 4 below depicts for a typical configuration.

FIGURE 4: BASELINE DVB-RCS MULTICAST SUPPORT WITH HUB

2.10 Interactive Distance Learning (IDL)

2.12 Shared Service Provider Platform

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3. ADVANTECH DVB-RCS HUB EQUIPMENT

There are four varieties of Hub offerings from Advantech:

1. SatNet “Max” - a full hub with no real upper bound

3.1 Advantech Hub Network Model

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FIGURE 5: SATNET DVB-RCS HUB BLOCK DIAGRAM (GENERIC)

TABLE 1: TYPICAL HUB EQUIPMENT LIST

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Signal Frequency Level (dBm) Connector Type

3.2 Return Link Subsystem

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The RLSS can support usage of up to five satellites.

3.2.1 Advanced Multi-Carrier Demodulator (MCD)

TABLE 3: ADVANCED MCD (MCD 2.0) PERFORMANCE

Item Parameter Performance