33525.a PacketBand TDM 4 User Manual V2.7

PacketBand TDM-4 User Manual 33525 Rev.
PacketBand TDM-4 User Manual V2.7

© 2012 Patapsco Designs Ltd
Patapsco has recently been acquired by Communications Systems, Inc. (CSI) and is now a part of Transition
Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of CSI. The high-quality, reliable Transition Networks’ brand of products is now combined
with the world class portfolio of telecommunications and data communications products from Patapsco
Communications.
You can be assured that the same quality and support from both organizations will continue. Please contact either
Transition Networks or Patapsco Communications for sales, support and product information.
Patapsco Communications Transition Networks

The Passfield Oak, Passfield, Near Liphook, 10900 Red Circle Drive
Hampshire Minnetonka
GU30 7RL UK MN 55343 USA
Tel: +44 (0) 1428 752900 Tel: 952- 941-7600 or 1-800-526-9267
Fax: +44 (0) 1428 752901 Fax: 952-941-2322
Email: info@patapsco.co.uk Email: info@transition.com
Web Site: www.patapsco.co.uk Web Site: www.transition.com
All rights reserved. No parts of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping,
or information storage and retrieval systems - without the written permission of the publisher.
Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners. The publisher and the author make no
claim to these trademarks.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages
resulting from the use of information contained in this document or from the use of programs and source code that may accompany it. In no event shall the publisher and
the author be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this document.
Printed: August 2012 in UK
www.patapsco.co.uk Page 1 of 90
PacketBand TDM-4 User Manual 33525 Rev. A
CONTENTS
Transition Networks - Patapsco ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Navigating this Manual...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Product Overview.............................................................................................................................................................. 6
Safety ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Safety Statements......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Remove the dust covers from the SFP module and the cables. .................................................................................. 8
Approvals .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Environmental Concerns ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Getting Started ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
In the Box.................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Rack Mounting Kit....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Connections and Cabling............................................................................................................................................ 13
Cable Specs................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Installing DbManager.................................................................................................................................................. 17
Using DbManager ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Connecting via Terminal ............................................................................................................................................. 20
Connecting via IP........................................................................................................................................................ 21
Device Window................................................................................................................................................................ 23
Front Panel - LEDs ..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Rear Panel - Configuration Menus ............................................................................................................................. 24
Application Notes and Examples .................................................................................................................................... 24
Logical Links ............................................................................................................................................................... 24
Example PacketBand TDM-4 Application................................................................................................................... 25
Configuration ................................................................................................................................................................... 26
E1/T1 Ports ................................................................................................................................................................. 26
Port Type/Mode ...................................................................................................................................................... 27
CRC4 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 27
T1 Config ................................................................................................................................................................ 28
G.704/G.703 Config................................................................................................................................................ 28
Loopbacks .............................................................................................................................................................. 29
PKT Ports.................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Port Configuration................................................................................................................................................... 31
UDP Echo Server ................................................................................................................................................... 31
SFP......................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Multicast ................................................................................................................................................................. 32
Port Enabling .......................................................................................................................................................... 33
Broadcast Storm Protection ................................................................................................................................... 34
Sniffer Port.............................................................................................................................................................. 34
VLAN ...................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Priority/Rate Limiting .............................................................................................................................................. 44
Auto-neg ................................................................................................................................................................. 47
PPM Tolerance....................................................................................................................................................... 47
Underrun................................................................................................................................................................. 47
MAC Address Learning .......................................................................................................................................... 47
Periodic Report....................................................................................................................................................... 48
Standby .................................................................................................................................................................. 49
RSTP ...................................................................................................................................................................... 50
LACP ...................................................................................................................................................................... 52
UDP and TCP Port Numbers ................................................................................................................................. 53
Clock Recovery Mode/Filter ................................................................................................................................... 53
Protocol Type ......................................................................................................................................................... 54
Link Configuration................................................................................................................................................... 55
Logical Link Stats ................................................................................................................................................... 61
Utilities .................................................................................................................................................................... 65
SFP Ports.................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Terminal Port .............................................................................................................................................................. 69
Clock Sources ........................................................................................................................................................ 69
Remote Management (IP) ...................................................................................................................................... 74
Call Status .............................................................................................................................................................. 75
Device Settings....................................................................................................................................................... 75
Appendix ......................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Event Messages ......................................................................................................................................................... 81
Boot Up Procedure ..................................................................................................................................................... 82
Glossary...................................................................................................................................................................... 83
Revision History .......................................................................................................................................................... 89
FCC Affidavit............................................................................................................................................................... 89
INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................................. 90
Transition Networks - Patapsco
Patapsco PacketBand products allow the delivery of synchronous ISDN, TDM, V.11 (X.21) and V.35 data streams
across asynchronous IP networks. The product range covers both switched ISDN applications and unswitched 'nailed'
circuits. PacketBand will packetize traffic for transport across the IP network and transparently depacketize it at a
remote site. The traffic will then be played out to the data interfaces. PacketBand must be used as a two-ended
solution, and an existing system can easily be expanded with more PacketBand units to allow links to new sites and
devices.
Please contact Transition Networks or Patapsco for any additional information on the product range, or for any other
queries regarding communications solutions:
Transition Networks Patapsco Communications

10900 Red Circle Drive The Passfield Oak
Minnetonka Passfield
Minnesota Liphook
55343 Hampshire
USA GU30 7RL
UK
Telephone: +1-952-941-7600
or: +1-800-526-9267 Telephone: +44 (0)1428 752900
Fax: +1-952-941-2322 Fax: +44 (0)1428 752901
email: info@transition.com email: info@patapsco.co.uk
Web Site: www.patapsco.co.uk
techsupport@transition.com
Web Site: www.transition.com
Navigating this Manual
This manual is best viewed using the latest version of Adobe Reader, which is a free program. Click below to
download the latest version of the product from the Adobe website.
Table of Contents
The Table of CONTENTS starts on page 2. Click on a topic to navigate directly to the relevant page.
Bookmarks
Use the Bookmarks table on the left to navigate through the pages of the manual. Use the small + and - symbols to
expand and collapse the chapters of the manual.
Search
If there is a specific chapter of the manual which is required, it can be found using keywords. The keywords can then
be entered into the PDF search tool, and all occurrences of the keyword will be displayed.
Example: To find information on configuring clock sources, the keyword 'clock' can be used.
Go to Edit  Search (or press Ctrl+F) and enter Clock. Now Click Search and all the references to
the keyword will be displayed below the search field. Click on any of the search results to go to the
page immediately.
Printing
This manual can easily be printed if a hard copy is required for a presentation, or simply if a hard copy is preferred. To
print the manual, open it with Adobe Reader and go to File  Print. Configure your printer and click Print.
Notes on figures used in this manual
The following symbols will be used in this manual to highlight points of particular interest:
Info: A note about a subject which particular care should be taken with.
Example: An example scenario used to better describe an action or a situation.
Warning: A warning which must be read before taking any action. Ignoring the warning may potentially
lead to a problem.
Arrow: This symbol indicates the next step, option or menu layer which needs to be accessed.
The Arrow symbol () is used often in this manual to quickly describe how to navigate to an option within the
PacketBand TDM-4 menu system.
For example, to navigate to this location:
The following figure would be used:
PKT 1  Utilities  Ping/Trace Session  Trace Route
Other Formats
This manual can be provided in a variety of different help manual formats upon request. Please contact Patapsco for
more information.
Product Overview
PacketBand TDM is a range of highly-featured professional TDM over IP or Ethernet converter products delivering
very high quality clocked E1, T1, V.35 and X.21/V.11 services. Designed and manufactured in the UK.
Feature-rich Circuit Emulation Services (CES) or TDM over IP units delivering extremely accurate clocks suitable for
the most demanding applications such as mobile backhaul. Products include:
 Excellent management, diagnostic tools and statistics

 Easy to commission and run using intuitive GUI
 Many important features and configuration options allow the service to be "tuned" or matched to the network
type and loadings
 Multicast capabilities for broadcast and enhanced clock recovery across large networks
 LACP for higher throughput and resilience
 RSTP for network protection and resilience
 Now available with MEF8 compatibility
Datasheets are available for each PacketBand TDM-4 version, which give a wide range of information and
specifications for the device, including application notes and examples. Please visit the main page for PacketBand
TDM-4 or follow one of the links to datasheets below:
PacketBand TDM-1 E1/T1
PacketBand VX-1 X.21/V.35
Patapsco's website has a detailed FAQ section which has a wealth of information on the product
range, fault-finding and configuration.
Safety
Please take a moment to observe the safety notices for this product and its accessories.
Safety Statements
Caution: Danger of electric shock. The device may be connected to hazardous voltages. Switch
to power-off state before working on the device.
Caution: Danger of electrostatic discharge. Electronic components are sensitive to electrostatic

discharges that might damage the device. Protect the device from electrostatic discharges by
wearing an electrostatic wristband connected to a grounding terminal.
Caution: Interruption of data transmission. Data transmission will be interrupted during any work
on the transmission line and/or deactivation of the power supply. Make sure that that any work will
only be carried out on inactive lines (without data transmission) or during quiet times to reduce
interference to live systems.
Caution: Danger of damage to devices or service interruption. Access by unauthorized third

persons may cause damaged devices and/or interrupted services. Make sure that subracks are
only installed in lockable locations.
Caution: Danger of overvoltage. During faults, dangerous unprotected voltages may be present.
Ensure sufficient grounding of the housings, i.e. by connecting the grounding contact.
Safety Warnings
Safety requirements are not fulfilled unless this equipment is connected to a wall socket outlet with a protective earth
(PE) contact.
The power cord used to connect this equipment must be HAR marked and fitted with an IEC320 connector and an
ASTA approved moulded plug.
There are no user serviceable parts in this equipment. All servicing and repair tasks must be undertaken by qualified
service personnel.
Isolation from mains power is achieved by the removal of the main power cord.
Telecommunications Safety
The safety status of ports conform to EN60950.
Connections to ports must be made such that the equipment continues to comply with the standard defined by
EN60950 for SELV/TNV circuits after such connections have been made.
Any equipment which is connected to a Patapsco system should be separately approved for connection.
Port Safety Status
ISDN Network Ports - TNV
Term and LAN Ports - SELV
SFP Ports
Optical SFPs use a small laser to generate a fiber-optic signal. Keep the optical transmit and receive ports covered
whenever a cable is not connected to the ports.
Warning: Because invisible laser radiation may be emitted from the aperture of the ports when no fiber
cable is connected, avoid exposure to laser radiation and do not stare into open apertures.
Inserting an SFP Module
1. Attach an ESD preventive wrist strap to yourself and a bare metal surface.
2. Remove the SFP module from its protective packaging.
3. Ensure that any latches on the module are closed.
4. Align the SFP module in front of the slot opening on PacketBand TDM-4.
5. Insert the module into the slot until it snaps into place.
Note: Disconnect all cables from an SFP module before inserting or removing it.
Note: Do not remove and insert an SFP module more than is necessary. Doing so may shorten the
useful life of the SFP module.
Note: The orientation of the SFP module when inserting it into the device will vary depending on its
manufacturer. SFP modules include a mechanism to safeguard against incorrect insertion and removal.
Never force or twist the module when inserting it into the PacketBand TDM-4 device.
Inserting Fiber-optic Cables
Remove the dust covers from the SFP module and the cables.
1. Insert the fiber-optic cables into the module noting the polarity of the connections.
Removing an SFP Module
1. Attach an ESD preventive wrist strap to yourself and a bare metal surface.
2. Remove all cables from the SFP module.
3. Insert the dust cover into the SFP module.
4. Pull the handle down to unlock the module.
5. Gently pull the module forward out of the socket.
Mains Connection (AC)
The power requirements for PacketBand TDM-4 are: 95VAC to 240VAC at 47-63Hz.
The Mains Plug should conform to: EL-302 to Nema 5-15P class 1 applications 10/15 A @ 125V 10A minimum
>28AWG
The IEC Plug conforms to: El-701A to IEC320/C13 10A 250V rating.
The following rated mains cables must be used in the regions stated:
Region Standard Rated Current (Amps) Rated Voltage (Volts) Application

Europe CEE(7) VII 10 250 Class 1 Appliances
United Kingdom BS1363A 13 250 Class 1 Appliances
USA/Canada 5-15P 10 125 Class 1 Appliances
Australia AS 3112 10 250 Class 1 Appliances
South Africa BS546 10 250 Class 1 Appliances
International IEC 320/C13-C15 10 125/250 Class 1 Appliances
DC Connection
Unit may be fitted with a DC power inlet. The DC voltage connected should be in the range 36-70VDC. Typically
400mA @ 48VDC.
TDM Connections
TDM cables used should meet the following specifications:
24AWG 0.2mm/7 stranded bare copper 3 or 4 pairs dependent
Shielded or Non-Shielded with moulded US plug 8P8C gold plated 3U
European Deviations
S (FI, NO, SE) CLASS 1 PLUGGABLE EQUIPMENT TYPE A
Intended for connection to other equipment or a network shall, if safety relies on connection to protective earth or if
surge suppressors are connected between the network terminals and accessible parts, have a marking stating that the
equipment must be connected to an earthed mains socket-outlet.
The marking text in the applicable countries shall be as follows:

FI: "Laite on liitettää soujamaadoitus-koskettimilla varustettuun pistorasiaan"
NO: "Apparaten må tilkoples jordat stikkontakt"
SE: "Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag"
Approvals
All approvals are pending. Patapsco can provide approvals for PacketBand TDM-4 units' connection to carrier
networks on request. These approvals can cover ETSI, ANSI and Scandinavian circuit connection and isolation.
Please contact Patapsco for more information.
Safety
This product meets EN60950-1 and carries the mark.
EMC
Europe and rest of the world where applicable covered by harmonisation:
Country Standards
Europe EN 55022, EN 55024
Australia and New Zealand AS/NZ CISPR 22
USA FCC pt 15b
WARNING: This is a class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
Telecoms
Country Standards
Europe ETSI - TBR3 Basic, Primary Rate Layer 1/2/3, TBR4
Australia S016 Leased Line connectivity, S038 Primary Rate requirements over
TBR4
New Zealand News Letter 125 testing for connectivity
USA TIA-968-A
Canada CS-03
Environmental Concerns
Patapsco products comply to the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Directive which states that producers of electronic/electrical products must take responsibility for
those products at the end of their life. The user may dispose of their waste equipment by handing
it over to a designated collection point for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic
equipment, or by returning it to Patapsco. The separate collection and recycling of waste
equipment at the time of disposal will help to conserve natural resources and ensure that it is
recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment.
Please contact Patapsco for information on returning a product at the end of its life.
Getting Started
Follow these steps to connect up and install the unit, ready for configuration.
In the Box
All units are supplied with the following:
Terminal cable
This is used for configuration of the units when IP connection is not possible or where the default IP address is not
usable. Please see Connecting via IP for details on IP management.
DbManager Installation Disk

This CD allows management software to be installed onto a PC for configuration and monitoring of the device. Please
see Installing DbManager for more information.
The following accessories are optional:
TDM Cables
TDM Port cable packs can be ordered with units as required.
Packet Network Cables

Cables to connect from a Packet Network to PacketBand TDM-4 can be ordered with PacketBand units as required.
SFP Module
SFP modules may be used with PacketBand TDM-4. Finisar SFP products are recommended for use with
PacketBand TDM-4.
Rack Mounting Kit
Units can be supplied with brackets and accessories to enable the unit to be mounted in a 19" rack.
If any additional accessories are required, please contact Patapsco.
Rack Mounting Kit
All Patapsco units can be mounted in a standard 19" rack housing. To allow units to fit into a 19" rack, a Rack
Mounting Kit must be purchased for the unit(s). There are various rack mounting options depending on the size of the
unit ordered. The following guide will explain how to use the Rack Mounting Kit with Patapsco units.
2 x L-Brackets
4 x Rack Mount Washers
4 x Rack Mount Cage Nuts
4 x Rack Mount Screws
4 x Long Patapsco Case Screws
[1] Remove the four short screws near the front or rear panel on the left and right hand sides of the Patapsco unit. The
unit can be mounted with the front panel facing forward or with the ports facing forward as required.
[2] Fit one of the L-Brackets to the side of the unit. The four small fixing holes allow the unit to protrude forward or sit
further back depending on the desired position of the unit. The bracket may also face forwards or backwards
depending on the desired position of the unit.
[3] Fix the L-Bracket in place using the Long Patapsco case screws.
[4] Fix the second L-Bracket to the other side of the case in the same way.
[5] Put the Rack Mount screws through the Rack Mount washers.
[6] Offer the unit up to the rack and fix it in place using the Rack Mount Screws and Rack Mount cage nuts.
Connections and Cabling
Please connect the cables to the PacketBand TDM-4 in the order below.
TDM Connections
PacketBand TDM-4 may be fitted with up to four RJ45 presentation TDM ports. Make the connection between the
TDM access points or devices and the TDM ports on the PacketBand TDM-4 rear panel.
NOTE: Only shielded, approved cables should be used for these connections.
DbMgr Terminal Port
There are two methods of management access to Patapsco devices. The terminal port allows the unit to be managed
via a PC COM port. Connect the terminal cable between the terminal port on PacketBand TDM-4 and a spare PC
COM port.
Packet Port Connections
PacketBand TDM-4 has two Packet ports. either of these ports can be used for the connection to the Packet Switched
Network. For illustration purposes in this manual, PKT port 1 is assumed to be used. Make the connections between
the Packet Ports and the Packet Network.
SFP Ports
The SFP interfaces can be fitted with a range of modules for interfacing with different types of equipment. Please
ensure that the cables and modules used with the SFP cages are screened and of a high quality. Please see Safety
Statements for more information on the SFP connections.
Power Cables
Connect the Mains lead directly to the mains power socket. The cord must be HAR marked and fitted with an IEC320
connector and an ASTA approved moulded plug. If the unit is fitted with a DC power supply, use the screw terminals
to connect the DC source. The source should be a negative DC feed, so the 0V (positive) lead should connect to the
0V terminal on PacketBand TDM-4, while the -48V (negative) lead connects to the -48VDC terminal.
Power cords are not supplied with Patapsco equipment. Please contact Patapsco if power cords are
required.
Please contact Patapsco with any additional cable requirements.
Please note: Only PacketBand TDM-4's dual Power Supply Units are hot-swappable (can be
removed and reconnected while the unit is powered on). All other cards should not be removed until
the unit is powered off. Please seek guidance from Patapsco before removing cards from PacketBand
TDM-4.
Cable Specs
Specs for cables used with all Patapsco products are shown. The polarity of all connections is written from the point of
view of a cable connecting to the Patapsco unit.
Double-click on the cable names below to open the spec for each cable. The colour of the text corresponds to the
colour supplied by Patapsco.
Controller
Ethernet
Ethernet Crossover
TDM
TDM Crossover
RJ45 - BNC
Installing DbManager
Note: If you have an older DbManager installation on the management PC already, it is possible to
upgrade to the version of DbManager on the CD. A batch file on the CD can be used to do this
automatically provided the application is installed in the default location (C:¥Program
Files¥Patapsco¥DbMgr). Please see the Upgrade folder on the installation disk for details. Upgrading
to the latest version of DbManager is always recommended.
Please follow these steps to install DbMgr:
1. Insert the DbMgr disk into your CD drive. The installation will start. Read the license agreement and click Next >
2. Fill out the Customer Information form. If the version of DbMgr purchased is a multi-user and/or multi-device
version, there will be a serial number on the case for the DbMgr disk. Enter the serial number.
Note: If there is no serial number on the case, the DbMgr is a Lite version. Please leave the Serial
Number field blank.
3. Choose a location to install DbMgr to and continue the installation.
4. DbMgr is now installed and ready to use.
Using DbManager
This section will explain some of the principles of using DbManager with Patapsco devices.
Five Windows
DbManager is based around five windows which display information about the devices which are being monitored.
These windowed can be customized and arranged for a clear overview of events on an active system. Use the mouse
to drag and resize the windows, or use the Window menu to automatically arrange the windows in a Cascade,
Horizontal or Vertical tiles. The layout will be saved when exiting DbMgr.
Drag and resize the windows to create a custom layout, or use the Window menu
The windows are used for the following:
Map The Map window shows a 4 layered, tree-structured map of a system. Each node on the
upper layers represents a section of the network, while Nodes on the lowers layer represent
individual Patapsco devices. With the IP addresses configured for each Node and Device, a
large network of devices can be monitored. Links can be configured between the nodes to
represent the Logical Links between units. The links are then monitored for events.
Multi-layer network topology can be represented using this window.
Connected to Device This window is only visible once a management connection is started with an individual
Patapsco device from the lowest Map layer. This window shows the front and rear panels of
the unit, which are used to monitor the LED status of the device and access its configuration
settings. The LED states will change in real time.
Note: DbManager Lite only allows a single Node to be configured for use. Please contact Patapsco if
multiple Nodes are required.
Outstanding Outstanding events are events which require resolution, such as ports being disconnected.
Events These events will stay in the Outstanding Events window until they are resolved; for example
when the port is reconnected.
Event History The Event History records all events which are received from the devices.
Terminal The Terminal window shows the communications between the device and DbMgr in their raw
state. This window is sometimes used for debugging systems by Patapsco engineers and their
agents.
Configuring Devices
All device configuration is made from the Connected to Device window. Once changes have been
made, they must be uploaded to the device using the File  Upload command. The Upload command
loads changes from DbMgr to a device, while the Download command does the opposite. A download
is actioned upon connecting to a device.
Full DbManager Manual
The full user manual for DbManager explains all of the features and settings within the application. Please find the
DbManager User Manual in the Documents & Manuals folder on the DbManager installation disk, or follow this link:
Connecting via Terminal
After connecting the terminal cable between the PacketBand TDM-4 and the PC, a management connection can be
made. Please follow these steps to connect to the unit.
[1] Go to View  Properties  Terminal and select the Serial option. Set the Rate to 19200 and select the COM
port which the terminal cable is connected to. DbMgr will show an error message if it cannot gain exclusive access to
the COM port specified.
If the PC in use has any other applications running which use the PC COM ports, they may need to be
closed down. If DbMgr still cannot gain exclusive access to the COM port, it may be necessary to
reboot the PC. This is due to some applications not correctly hanging up COM port connections.
[2] Select the green Devices in World window and double click on the Device Node. At this point, the default login
timeout of 30 minutes is displayed. The login timer is a security feature to prevent multiple users from not being able to
access a unit. Change the value if required. Entering a login time of 0 will make DbMgr never automatically log out the
connection.
Double click to connect
[3] DbMgr will initialize a connection at 19200bps on the selected COM port. If the connection is successful, the
Connected to Device window will appear.
All configuration changes are made from this window. The ports displayed may vary depending on model
[4] If DbMgr does not connect, it will cycle through the available port rates and try to connect. If no connection is made,
please check that the cable is correctly connected and the COM port is accessible to DbMgr.
[5] Once the connection is established, the speed can be changed to speed up the upload and download time if
required. Click on the Terminal port on the rear panel display and select Device Settings. Change the Serial Port
Rate to the new desired speed and click OK. Now go to File  Upload to load the change to the unit.
[6] When the progress bar reaches the end, there will be no upload confirmation message, as the connection speed of
DbMgr is now different to the connection speed of the unit. Close down the Connected to Device window and
reconnect to the unit (see step [2] above). DbMgr will cycle the port rates until it finds the correct one.
Note: The upload and download time can also be increased by changing the Upload Method from Slow to
Fast in DbMgr. Go to View  Properties  General to find this option.
Connecting via IP
PacketBand TDM-4 has default IP settings which allow a DbMgr IP management connection to be made straight out
of the box. The default settings are:
IP Address: 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 0.0.0.0
Please follow these steps to configure DbMgr for connection to the PacketBand TDM-4:
1. Go to View  Properties  Terminal  TCP/IP  Device IP Addresses. If the default IP address is already
configured in the list, exit this menu. If the default IP address is not shown, click Add and enter the IP address and
an Identifier for it. Click OK to the open windows and the IP address will be added to the list.
Note: The New IP Port option changes the TCP port which DbMgr uses for management traffic. This
option should only be changed from the default setting of 3001 if using a third party terminal server for
management. Patapsco units always use TCP port 3001 for management traffic.
2. Go to the Devices in World map. Hover the mouse cursor over the Device node and right-click. Now select
Properties  IP List. Highlight the default IP address and click OK.
3. Select the green Devices in World window and double click on the Device Node. At this point, the default login
timeout of 30 minutes is displayed. The login timer is a security feature to prevent multiple users from not being able
to access a unit. Change the value if required. Entering a login time of 0 will make DbMgr never automatically log
out the connection.
Double click to connect
4. DbMgr will initialize an IP connection to the PacketBand TDM-4. If the connection is successful, the Connected to
Device window displays.
All configuration changes are made from this window. The ports displayed may vary depending on model
5. If DbMgr does not connect, please try a ping test to see if the IP address is active. Go to Start  Run... and type
'cmd'. Press Return and the Command Prompt window will appear. Enter 'ping 192.168.0.1' and press Return.
You will see replies if the IP address is active.
A ping test proves that the PC can see the PacketBand TDM-4's IP address
6. Now try disconnecting the PacketBand TDM-4 and retrying the test. If you see replies, a different device is using the
same IP address as the PacketBand TDM-4. Either connect to the unit via terminal to change the IP address or
disconnect the other device. PacketBand TDM-4 can be connected directly to a PC using a normal CAT5e cable
and run as a standalone system for debugging.
Note: All Patapsco devices respond to ICMP, but some other ethernet devices do not.
7. Once connected, the IP address of the PacketBand TDM-4 can be changed as required. Go to Terminal  Device
Settings and enter the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway as required. Click OK and go to File  Upload to
load the new IP address to the PacketBand TDM-4. Alternatively, PacketBand TDM-4 can be assigned an address
by a DHCP server. Tick the DHCP Enabled box and upload.
8. Observe the Event History window. An event message will be generated just before the PacketBand TDM-4
switches to the new IP address. Close down the Connected to Device window and go back to step [1] to enter the
new IP address for the PacketBand TDM-4.
The Event History window shows the new IP address details
Device Window
The Device window or Connected to Device window shows the front and rear panels of the unit. The front panel
shows the LED status of the unit, which are updated in real time.
The rear panel shows the Terminal port, PKT ports and TDM ports. Click on a port to access the configuration options
relevant to the port.
Front Panel - LEDs
The front panel LEDs display show the status of the ports. The table below describes the port status light indications.
Port/LED LED On Off

Layer 1 and 2 established. Ready for
TDM E1/T1 Ports Upper LED No connection established
operation
21-24
Lower LED Connections active on interface No connections active on interface
Upper LED Logical Link transmitting Logical Link not transmitting
Link Status
Lower LED Logical Link receiving Logical Link not receiving
FD LED Full Duplex Half Duplex
ACT LED Connected (flash when data sent/received) No connection detected
PKT Ports 1 and 2
100 LED 100BT network detected 10BT network detected
1G LED 1000BT network detected No 1000BT network detected
Tx LED Transmit line detected No transmit line detected
SFP Port
Rx LED Receive line detected No receive line detected
Pwr Power Supply is running No power connected
Flash once/sec - Ready for operation
Run Unit not operating
Flash fast - 4 times/sec - Ready, no config
Rear Panel - Configuration Menus
All configuration of Patapsco units is carried out from the menus which are accessed from the rear panel display.
Terminal - Use this port to access configuration options which are unique to the unit, such as the IP address and
identifier. The connection between the unit and DbMgr and the unit's clock sources can also be configured from this
menu.
PKT1/PKT2/SFP - Clicking on any of these ports opens the same group of menus. Here the connection between the
IP network and PacketBand can be configured. There are also options for configuring connections between
PacketBand units and monitoring them.
E1/T1 - The configuration of settings specific to the TDM ports are configured here.
Application Notes and Examples
This section will give example applications for using devices and describe how to use the example configuration files
provided on the DbManager installation disk.
Logical Links
PacketBand units are used to transmit and receive TDM data over a packet switched network. The data is transmitted
between the PacketBands in the system using point-to-point links. These links are sometimes referred to as Switched
Virtual Circuits (or SVCs), but in this manual and in the PacketBand configuration menus these connections are
referred to as Logical Links. Each Logical Link can support up to 32 TDM channels.
1 channel = 64kbps, so a single logical link can support a speed of up to 2048kbps (32 x 64kbps)
PacketBand TDM may be configured in G.704 mode, which allows channels on the TDM interface to be split into
groups. Multiple Logical Links may be configured so that a group of channels (or timeslots as they are sometimes
known) can be sent to one location, while another group are sent to a different PacketBand in another location.
PacketBand TDM can split timeslots into groups and send them to different units using different Logical Links
Note on the above diagram how PacketBand 1 refers to the logical Links as 101 - 103, while PacketBands 2-4 refer to
the links as 101. This allows a PacketBand which only has one Logical Link to communicate with a unit which has
many.
Logical Links can be separately configured with different identifiers, network settings, VLAN and QoS settings.
Example PacketBand TDM-4 Application
To help with quickly setting up a PacketBand system, example configuration files are provided on the DbMgr disk.
These files can be loaded to PacketBand units and used as a basis for configuration. They can then adjusted by a
user to meet their requirements. The example PacketBand TDM application looks like this:
The BSC and BTS communicate across a PacketBand system
There are some important details which we need to know about a system in order to configure PacketBands correctly
for operation. The details of the example application are:
1. The unit's IP addresses are 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2.

2. The bandwidth allocated to the PacketBand system is 2.2Mbps.
3. The expected amount of jitter on the network is up to +-25ms.
4. The IP network supports layer 3 IP.
5. The IP network interface is fixed to Full Duplex 100Mbps for each PacketBand.
6. The BSC and BTS are G.704 devices, and both require 31 timeslots.
7. The clocking for the system will come from the BSC.
Based on this information, the config files for the PacketBand units have been built. They can be loaded to the units by
following these steps:
1. Connect to the first unit using DbMgr (see Chapter 3 for details).
2. Go to File  Load File on the toolbar and navigate to the folder Example Configuration Files¥PacketBand
TDM-4 on the DbMgr installation disk.
3. Select the file PacketBand 1.dbc and click Open.
4. Go to File  Upload to load the changes to the unit.
Now repeat these steps for the second unit using the file PacketBand 2.dbc.
Warning: Please ensure that the correct configuration files are used for the PacketBand type in use.
PacketBand configuration files are not compatible with other PacketBand platforms.
Configuration
This section covers the settings which are accessed by clicking the ports of PacketBand TDM-4 shown in DbManager.
Clicking on each port opens a drop-down list of menu items. Click on one of the items to open a window showing the
settings relating to it.
Notes on configuring PacketBand TDM-4
Uploading
Changes to config can be made on each window and saved using the OK key when exiting each window. When
happy with the configuration, it must be uploaded to PacketBand TDM-4 for the new settings to come into effect.
To upload, go to File  Upload.
Saving Files
Configuration files can be saved in order to backup settings or copy settings across to another unit. Once
configuration has been uploaded, go to File  Save File and choose a location to save the file to.
Loading Files
Once connected to a unit, an existing configuration file can be loaded to the device. Go to File  Open File and
navigate to the saved file. Click Open. Now the file must be uploaded to PacketBand TDM-4. Go to File  Upload
and wait until the progress bar completes.
Warning: When loading existing configuration files to a unit, please ensure that the correct configuration
files are used for the unit type in use. PacketBand TDM-4 configuration files are not compatible with other
Patapsco platforms.
Settings missing?
If any of the windows or settings shown in this manual are missing, it is most likely because DbMgr is running in
Starter mode rather than Expert. Starter does not show some of the more advanced options, as it is intended to show
a scaled down version of the configuration options, while Expert shows all options.
There is a prompt on whether to run in Starter or Expert mode when DbMgr is started. The mode can be changed at
any time by going to View  Properties  Device Configuring.
E1/T1 Ports
PacketBand TDM has up to 4 TDM ports which can be individually configured to run in E1 or T1 port types.
The ports run in NT (Network Termination) mode, and so expect a TE (Terminal Equipment) device to be
connected. If the device which is to be connected to the port is also NT, the polarity can be changed
around using a crossover cable or by using a balun and crossing the coaxial cables. Please see Cable
Spec for specifications on Patapsco cables.
Port Type/Mode
Changing the port type and mode affects the number of channels which are available on the port:
Port Type Port Mode Channels/equivalent channels Data Rate (kbps)

E1 G.704 31 1984
E1 G.703 32 2048
T1 G.704 24 1544
T1 G.703 24 1544
The third column has the title Channels/equivalent Channels because of the differences between G.703 and G.704.
The G.703 standard is not actually channelized as such, and the 32 channels cannot be separated. A PacketBand
running in G.703 mode will always send a 2048kbps data pipe in E1 mode or a 1544kbps in T1 mode. Note how the
Channel Enable option disappears when switching to G.703 mode, as the number of channels is not changeable.
G.704 is comprised of 64kbps channels which can be separated out from each other. PacketBand TDM can send
between 1 and 32 channels on a single Logical Link, so it is possible to separate the channels individually or into
groups, and send them to different PacketBand sites using multiple Logical Links.
There are advantages to using G.704 protocol over G.703:
1. If a device uses a fractional E1 or T1 connection which needs to be sent across a PacketBand system (15
channels for example), bandwidth can be saved by having PacketBand only send the required amount of
channels.
2. In G.703 mode, timeslot 0 (framing channel) is sent across the IP network, while in G.704 mode timeslot 0 is
reconstituted locally. If packet loss should occur on the network, timeslot 0 will be affected in G.703 mode, so
the end devices will lose framing and have to reset their connections. This will cause data loss and
termination of transmissions. Using G.704 means that the framing will not be affected this way in the event of
packet loss.
Note: Patapsco recommends using G.704 mode wherever possible. Only use G.703 operation if timeslot
0 must be passed across the Logical Link.
CRC4
CRC-4 (Cyclic Redundancy Checking 4) is a form of cyclic redundancy checking which is used to check for for errors
in transmitted data. CRC4 can be enabled or disabled on PacketBand TDM-4 depending on whether the connected
CPE uses CRC4 or not.
Note: If PacketBand TDM-4 is being used in G.703 mode, CRC4 is not handled by PacketBand
TDM-4 and therefore the option will disappear. Any CRC in the datastream will be passed on
transparently by PacketBand TDM-4
Note: If G.703 mode is used and then the unit is switched back to G.704 mode, CRC4 will be set to
Disabled by default
T1 Config
PacketBand supports two types of T1 Framing standard and Line Code. These cover the requirements most T1
equipment. Please contact Patapsco with any additional requirements. Select the Framing and Line Code using the
radio buttons.
Framing
ESF - Extended Superframe - Sometimes referred to as D5, this is the successor to Superframe and includes CRC
checking.
D4 - Basic TDM framing standard.
Line Code
B8ZS - Bipolar with 8 Zeros Substitution - Point-to-point T-carrier line coding.
AMI - Alternate Mark Inversion - Basic bipolar encoding.
G.704/G.703 Config
G.704 Config
Enabling the Shutdown Connections on G.704 Failure option means that Logical Link connections will be
terminated if the G.704 TDM port connection is lost. Otherwise, the Logical Link connections will be made regardless
of whether an end device is connected or not.
G.703 Config
Extra functions are available in G.703 mode. These can affect the clocking and Frames per Packet settings on Logical
Links. Please check these settings after making changes to the G.703 port.
Shutdown Connections on G.703 Failure
Enabling the Shutdown Connections of G.703 Failure option means that Logical Link connections will be terminated
if the G.703 TDM port connection is lost. Otherwise, the Logical Link connections will be made regardless of whether
an end device is connected or not.
G.703 Alarms
When G.703 Alarms are enabled, PacketBand will drop connections on the E1/T1 port when all 1s are received on the
port. Disabling this option means that PacketBand will ignore the all 1s state.
G.703 Asymmetric
Allows Logical Links to be configured with Byte Count rates for Tx and Rx rather than Frames per Packet sizes. This
is useful in some applications where a different Tx rate and Rx rate are used. PacketBand TDM-4 must first be set to
Alternative Clocking Mode. Please see Alternative Clocking Architectures for information.
Shutdown All Connections Now

Pressing this button terminates all TDM channels immediately. The connection is then reattempted a few seconds
later.
Loopbacks
Loopbacks can be made on the TDM ports for testing.
Remember to disable the loop when testing is complete
A Remote Loop will loop back data as it egresses the TDM port, so that it egresses the port and loops back to the
originator of the data.
A Local Loop will loop back data received on the TDM port, so that it is processed by PacketBand and sent out of the
port.
Please see the diagrams below.
Note how both a Local and Remote loop can be set, severing the end-to-end traffic
Enabling a Local Loopback and a Remote Loopback at the same time will sever the connection from end to end.
Setting a Loopback on the TDM port has a similar effect to setting a Loopback on the Logical Link, except that by
using a Logical Link Loopback, only data on that particular Logical Link is looped. When setting a Loopback on an
TDM port, all data is looped.
Please be sure to turn off any Loopbacks when they are not required.
PKT Ports
The PKT port menu contains configuration windows for the PKT and SFP ports, and is used to configure
PacketBand TDM-4 to interface with the IP network. The IP link between this PacketBand TDM-4 and any
other units in a system will be configured using this menu. There are also options for IP statistics
monitoring and debugging. Clicking on either PKT port or the SFP port will open the same menu. Settings
changed in this menu will have effect globally to the PacketBand TDM-4.
Port Configuration
The Port Configuration window can be used to configure PacketBand for connection to an IP network, and also allows
configuration of each PKT port individually. The settings on this window have global effect on the PacketBand.
All PacketBand IP network configuration is shown on this window
UDP Echo Server
PacketBand can be configured to respond to UDP requests and echo them back to the originator. This function is
sometimes used by network monitoring/analysis devices. Set the UDP port which is used by the third party device and
add a VLAN tag if necessary.
SFP
Click the SFP button to access the status window for the SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable).
From this window the SFP port may can be configured to 100BT or 1000BT operation. This setting must be changed if
the module in use does not support 1000BT operation. The rest of the window shows the operating mode of the SFP
module which is inserted as well as the part number and manufacturer of the device. Please see Safety Statements
for precautions to take when using the SFP port.
Multicast
Multicast systems allow for one-way transmissions between devices which can be sent from a single device to many.
Multicast traffic can then be prioritized through the devices in the system. This option is used primarily for sending a
clock signal from a master clock unit to all other PacketBands in a system. This clock signal is made top priority
through the system devices, so that the clocking is independent of the data and extremely accurate.
The Multicast Clock Link must be set on Logical Link 101. The other Logical Links may then be used for data
To enable Multicast, the PacketBand which has the master clock source connected to it (or is generating the master
clock source internally) should be set to Tx Only on the Logical Link 101 settings. The Destination Address for traffic
must then be set to within the Multicast range, which is 239.0.0.0 - 239.0.0.255.
The slave PacketBands must then have Logical Link 101 set to Rx Only and the address of the master clock
PacketBand should be entered as the Destination Address. Note that a secondary Destination Address is
configurable on this screen. This is so that a secondary backup master clock PacketBand can be used. If the primary
master unit should fail, the secondary unit will automatically take over, providing the master clock for the system.
Join Multicast Group

To join a multicast group on a different network, tick the Enable Multicast Groups box in the Port Configuration
window and enter the IP address of the group (239.0.0.x). Add a VLAN tag for the group if necessary. The IP address
of the master clock PacketBand (Tx) should be entered in the Logical Link Destination Address. Please see the Link
Configuration topic for more information on configuring Logical Links.
Port Enabling
The PKT and SFP ports of PacketBand can be enabled and disabled if required. The status of each port can also be
monitored using the Status button for each port.
The Status window gives information on the port and how it is currently operating. The data is detailed below:
1) Link Status A device is connected to the port.

2) Auto-Neg Status Whether autonegotiation has been successfully carried out.
3) MDI Status PacketBand will auto-sense MDI/MDI-X. Shows current state.
4) Link Partner 10BT Half Duplex Whether port is capable of 10BT Half Duplex operation.
5) Link Partner 10BT Full Duplex Whether port is capable of 10BT Full Duplex operation.
8) Link Partner Flow Control Whether the connected device is capable of Flow Control.
Ethernet Switch Loop
The other option available from the port status window sets a loop on the selected ethernet port. When this loop is
enabled, the ethernet port will loop any packets received on the port back to the sender. The packets will not be
processed by PacketBand.
Broadcast Storm Protection
The Broadcast Storm Protection feature is used by PacketBand to protect against loops in poorly configured networks
and attacks on a PacketBand system from outside sources. PacketBand has Broadcast Storm Protection enabled by
default, but it can be disabled from the Port Configuration window.
Note: It is necessary to disable broadcast storm protection when using the Multicast feature. Please
see Multicast for more information on using the Multicast feature.
Sniffer Port
PacketBand can be configured to mirror the activity of one packet port to another port. This port can be connected to a
PC or monitoring device running third party packet monitoring software. This option can be very useful when
debugging a system. Clicking on the Sniffer button opens the sniffer port menu.
Configuring a sniffer port helps with debugging
Sniffer Port
One or more of the Packet ports may be selected as a Sniffer port. The Ingress (Rx) and Egress (Tx) traffic may be
sniffed using separate ports if required.
Use the drop-down menus to select a sniffer port for Ingress and/or Egress traffic.
Sniff Tx and Rx Settings
Use the tick boxes to select the traffic which will be monitored by the sniffer port.
VLAN
PacketBand can tag its output packets with 802.1p VLAN tags, prioritize packets through the ethernet switch based on
the VLAN tag, and direct traffic to particular ports based on the VLAN tag. The VLAN menu options are explained
below.
Click on a port's VLAN Config button to see the options relating to that port. The internal port can be thought of as
PacketBand's interface with the PKT ports (see diagram in Prioritization section above).
After selecting a port, the VLAN options are displayed. Please see the description of each setting below.
Port Based VLAN Membership
Select the required ports for this VLAN membership. Port 1 is only allowed to communicate with the selected ports (in
this case all ports are selected). Broadcast packets will be limited to the selected ports only.
Default VLAN ID
The default VLAN ID is issued to received packets which do not already have a VLAN ID. Also, packets which have a
VLAN Priority, but no VLAN ID will be issued with the default ID.
Discard Settings
Frames can be discarded on ingress depending on whether they are tagged or untagged. Use the check boxes to
dictate the way in which packets are discarded.
802.1Q Mode
This setting dictates how VLAN tags are added, removed and handled on ingress and egress. The settings are fully
explained in the next topic.
Default Egress Mode
When a frame is to egress the selected port, the 802.1Q Mode or Global VLAN Tag Table may dictate whether the
frame egresses Unmodified, Untagged or Tagged. Otherwise, the Default Egress Mode of the egress port dictates
how the frame is egressed.
802.1Q Ingress Modes

Each PKT port on PacketBand TDM-4 can be individually configured with an 802.1Q (VLAN) Mode. The configured
VLAN Mode affects how the port handles traffic, and the effects of the VLAN Mode are different for Ingress and
Egress frames (packets). Note that the Global VLAN Tag Table also affects the ports' behavior.
Ingress Modes
Ingress: Disabled
Received frames are associated with the configured Default VLAN ID before an Egress port is found for the frame
(see Find Egress Ports). Provided the Egress port(s) are members of the Port Based VLAN, the frame is forwarded to
the Egress port(s). If the Egress port(s) are not part of the Port Based VLAN, the frame is discarded.
Ingress: Fallback
Received frames are associated with the configured Default VLAN ID as in Disabled mode, but only if the received
frame is not tagged. If it is tagged, the tag is left intact. Egress port(s) are then found for the frame. The frame is then
checked to see if its VLAN ID is in the Global VLAN Tag Table. If it is, the destination port(s) are checked to see if they
are members of the table entry for the frames VLAN ID. This check is skipped if the frame’s VLAN ID is not in the
Global VLAN Tag Table. If the port check is successful, the frame goes to the next check. If not, the frame is
discarded.
The final check is whether the Egress port(s) are members of the Port Based VLAN. If so, the frame is forwarded to
the Egress port(s). If not, the frame is discarded.
Ingress: Check
Check is identical to Fallback mode, except that if the result of the check to see if the egress port(s) are members of
the table entry for the frames VLAN ID is negative, the frame is discarded.
Ingress: Secure
Secure mode is the same as Check, except that there is an additional check of the ingress port to see if the port is a
member of the table entry for the frames VLAN ID. If the result is negative, the frame is discarded.
Find Egress Ports
In all of the Ingress Modes described above, there is a Find Egress Ports process. This process is the same in all
cases.
If frames are Unicast, MAC Address Learning is enabled and the frame’s destination address is in PacketBand
TDM-4’s MAC Learning Table, the frame will be forwarded to a single port.
If the frame is Multicast or Broadcast, MAC Address Learning is not enabled or PacketBand TDM-4 does not have the
MAC address in its learning table, the frame will be forwarded to all ports excluding the ingress port.
802.1Q Egress Modes
The rules for each VLAN mode have a different affect on Egress.
Egress: Disabled
A forwarded frame will egress Unmodified, Tagged or Untagged according to the Default Egress Mode set on the port.
 Unmodified: The frame will egress Tagged if it was forwarded with a tag, Untagged if it was not.
 Tagged: The frame will egress Tagged whether it was forwarded with a tag or not (default VLAN Tag is used for
untagged frames).
 Untagged: The frame will egress Untagged whether it was forwarded with a tag or not.
Egress: Fallback
A forwarded frame will egress Unmodified, Tagged or Untagged according to the frame’s entry in the Global VLAN
Tag Table. If the frame does not have an entry in the table, the configured Default Egress Mode of the port is used.
The frame will then egress Unmodified, Tagged or Untagged as explained above.
Egress: Check
Check is identical to Fallback, except that there is an additional first check. This checks whether the egress port is a
member of the Global VLAN Tag Table entry for the frames VLAN ID. If it is not, the frame is discarded.
Egress: Secure
Secure mode is identical to Check.
Egress Notes:
1. If a frame’s ingress and egress ports are both set to Disabled, the frame will be treated as Untagged. If this frame
already has a VLAN tag and it egresses as Tagged, a second VLAN tag will be added.
2. Any VLAN tag added will have the VLAN ID which was associated with the frame on ingress.
Management VLAN Tagging

Having a separate tag for management traffic allows for appropriate prioritization of the management traffic within a
system. Often management traffic will be set a lower priority than the data traffic, as management is deemed less
important and not as timing-sensitive as the data itself.
Enter the IP address of the PC running DbMgr and use the VLAN Tag window to set a tag for management traffic.
Priority/Rate Limiting
PacketBand's Ethernet switch can be configured to prioritize packet traffic based on Diff Serv Priority or 802.1p
(VLAN) Priority. When Prioritization is in use, PacketBand will split the traffic into four queues numbered from 0 to 3, 3
being the highest priority and 0 the lowest. Packet traffic can also be rate limited on a per-port basis.
Select the port which will be used for prioritization/rate limiting. By selecting the internal port, all traffic from
PacketBand out to the IP network will be affected. The internal port can be thought of as PacketBand's interface with
the PKT ports.
After selecting a port, the prioritization and rate limiting options displays.
Each option will be explained below.
Priority Section
PacketBand can use The IPv4 Diffserv field or top 6 bits of the IPv6 Traffic Class field to prioritize frames through the
ethernet switch. It can also use the 802.1p value configured in the VLAN tag of a frame to set a priority. Either or both
of these methods can be used to prioritize the traffic. The behavior in each case is as follows:
Use IP: The IPv4 Diffserv field or top 6 bits of the IPv6 Traffic Class field are used to prioritise the frame using the
configured IP priority mapping table.
Use 802.1p: The 802.1p priority value is retrieved from the VLAN tag and used to prioritise the frame using the
configured 802.1p priority mapping table.
Both: If both the above cases apply, then the Preferred configuration determines which one to use.
None: If none of the above options are enabled, the Default 802.1p Priority for the ingress port is used. This is then
prioritised using the configured 802.1p priority mapping table.
Default Priority
This option can be used to assign an 802.1p priority value to any ingress packets which do not already have an
802.1p priority value assigned to them.
Rate Limiting
The speed at which packets egress and ingress PacketBand's PKT ports can be limited. This limitation can be
controlled on a per port basis using the Rate Limiting option. The resolutions which must be used to configure Rate
Limiting are:
64kbps steps between 64kbps and 1Mbps
1Mbps steps between 1Mbps and 100Mbps
10Mbps steps between 100Mbps and 1Gbps
Global Priority Classification
This table can be used to prioritize the Diffserv Codepoints and VLAN IDs of received packets.
Use the fields from 00-63 to select a priority value (0-3) for each Diff Serv value. 3 is the highest priority while 0 is the
lowest. Use the fields from 0-7 to enter a priority value (0-3) for each 802.1p VLAN ID value. 3 is the highest priority
while 0 is the lowest.
PacketBand TDM-4 will handle traffic in the order defined in this table. Packets which have Diffserv Codepoints and/or
802.1p Priority values which are assigned to priority 3 in the table will always be handled as highest priority. If more
than one stream of packets has priority 3 assigned, all of the priority 3 traffic will be handled as highest priority on a
"first come, first served" basis.
Note: Having multiple packet streams set to use the same priority value is not ideal as PacketBand
TDM-4 then has no way of prioritising between these streams. Where possible, streams should all be
set to different values (0, 1, 2, 3) using the table.
Auto-neg
Auto-negotiation is a system used by ethernet devices to automatically calculate the best data rate and duplex mode
for a connection between devices. PacketBand defaults to having autonegotiation disabled, but it can easily be
enabled from this menu. When autonegotiation is disabled, PacketBand's Ports can be forced into 10M or 100M.
Note: To operate at 1000BT (gigabit ethernet) autonegotiation must be enabled.
Note: The maximum cable length for 1000BT operation is 50 Metres.
Note: PacketBand may not be set to half duplex mode, as a PacketBand system will not function
without error in half duplex mode.
PPM Tolerance
The PPM tolerance option can be used to offset the frequency of PacketBand's onboard oscillator. This can be used
for fine tuning clock recovery within a system. This is an advanced feature, and should not be adjusted without a full
understanding of the consequences. Please contact Patapsco if fine clocking adjustments are required.
Underrun
Underrun is what happens when a packet is lost over the IP network or if a packet is received too early or too late for
the Jitter Buffer to use. This underrun will cause a loss of communication between the devices at each end of the
PacketBand system, and an interruption in service. The gap where the missing packet was has to be filled when the
data is sent on to the end device, so PacketBand can be configured to repeat the last byte of data which was sent, or
send a user-defined data byte instead. The data byte will be repeated until normal service is resumed.
Note: If using a Fixed Byte, enter the required byte as a hexadecimal number (e.g., 1F, FF etc.).
MAC Address Learning

MAC Address Learning is a system used by Ethernet devices to keep a list of which port on devices are connected to
in order that communications can be sent to them more quickly, rather than having to broadcast communications to all
ports. This helps to minimise the amount of traffic in a system.
If traffic is to be routed based on a criteria other than the MAC Address, for example the VLAN Tag or QoS Tag, MAC
Address Learning can be disabled. The benefit of this is that it prevents the learnt MAC Address tables from being
filled up when a large number of devices are connected, which causes the device to broadcast communications to all
connected devices.
Periodic Report
This option can be used to report statistics relating to the Logical Links. Two variables are recorded and reported back
to DbManager if they exceed a configurable threshold over a configurable amount of time. The two variables are
Underrun and DCO.
Underrun - an underrun occurs when a packet is received too early or too late to enter the Jitter Buffer which
PacketBand uses to queue IP packets. Also packets which are lost within the packet switched network count as
underruns. Underruns can also be monitored from the Logical Link Stats menu. Please see the Logical Link Stats
topic for more information.
DCO - Derived Clock Offset. This value is reported in PPB (Parts Per Billion), and tells us how far away the recovered
clock from a Logical Link is from the master clock source. Generally speaking, the DCO stability is more important
than the actual value. The DCO can be measured from the Clock Stats window and recorded using the Stability Clock
Capture option.
Use the fields to select how often the statistics are to be reported to DbManager and set the thresholds which must be
exceeded within the time intervals in order for a report to be generated. PacketBand will not report for the first hour
after the Logical Links start up. This time is reserved for the clocking to acquire and the links to stabilize. After this
hour, the configured settings will come into action and PacketBand will start logging and reporting.
The report will be shown as a Warning message in DbManager's Event History window
Standby
The Standby feature is similar to LACP and RSTP in that it allows redundant backup links to be placed into a system
without creating Ethernet loops, which can cause problems. Unlike LACP and RSTP, Standby does not require any of
the other devices within the system to be configured to support multiple redundant links.
Configuration
Set the Standby tickbox on the Port Configuration window which enables the Standby tickboxes next to each PKT
port. Tick the boxes for any ports which are to be included in the bundle.
Usage
The Priorities menu shows the configuration options for Standby:
Each PKT port may be assigned a priority between 0 and 240. The port with the lowest priority number is assigned as
the highest priority.
Fallback
The highest priority port will be used to transmit all traffic. Any lower priority ports will not be used. In the event of a
failure on the highest priority port, the second highest priority port will be used. If this link should fail, the next highest
priority port will be used. Any time a change in port is required due to a failure, the priority list will be checked and the
highest priority port available will be used.
Recovery
PacketBand TDM-4 is not capable of automatically switching back to using a port when it recovers after a failure event.
The user can manually initiate the switch back by clicking on the Force Back button. PacketBand TDM-4 will
immediately switch back to using the highest priority port available.
Note: Systems which require automatic switch-back after port recovery should be configured to use
LACP or RSTP instead of Standby.
Note: Switching between ports may take up to 1 second.
RSTP
Spanning Tree Protocol is used to create a number of links between a device and the rest of a network. The devices
in the network are all aware of STP and form a single path for traffic through the network, leaving the rest of the uplink
paths as redundant (spare) routes. Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol is an expansion of this standard which is able to
adapt to link failures within the network very quickly.
Configuration
Setting RSTP on the Port Configuration window enables the RSTP menu button:
The RSTP menu shows all of the configuration options for RSTP:
PacketBand TDM-4 supports both RSTP and the original STP protocol. Choose STP Compatibility if the system
which PacketBand TDM-4 is to be used with runs on legacy STP.
Global RSTP Bridge Settings

These settings control PacketBand TDM-4's behavior within the spanning tree.
Priority
Devices within a spanning tree are defined by their priority. The highest priority device (or Bridge) is defined as the
Root Bridge. Use this option to define PacketBand TDM-4's priority. Lower values in this field make PacketBand
TDM-4 higher in priority.
Hello Time
RSTP works by sending information messages called BPDUs (Bridge Protocol Data Units) to all of the devices within
the system. the Hello Time sets the frequency that BPDUs are sent.
Max Age
If PacketBand TDM-4 is the Root Bridge within the system, the Max Age sets the maximum age of any BPDUs which
are transmitted.
Forward Delay
Sets the STP delay to transition root and designated ports to forwarding.
RSTP Port Settings

These settings are individually configurable for each PKT port and control that port's behavior.
Port Priority
If the Port Path Costs are equal between two possible routes, the Port Priority is used to select which port is used.
Port Path Cost
The "cost" this link contributes on the path from the root bridge. RSTP calculates a spanning tree so that all bridges
are reachable, there are no loops, and the path cost from the root to each bridge is minimal. Using zero here will
cause the bridge to assign the port path cost automatically based on the link speed (higher speed has lower cost).
Edge Port
If a port is connected only to end stations and not other Ethernet bridges, that port can be designated as an edge port.
Packet forwarding on an edge ports is enabled immediately without needing to wait for the spanning tree calculation.
Auto Edge Port
If enabled then will automatically mark the port as an edge port if no RSTP BPDUs are received.
Point to point MAC
Whether the link is point to point, ie. at most one other system attached to the LAN, allows the protocol to optimize
some timings if this is the case.
Auto - Determine automatically, will be set to true if the link is full duplex, false otherwise.
Force Yes - Set to true.
Force No - Set to false.
Migration Check
Tests whether there are any STP bridges on the attached LAN. Used to put the port back into RSTP mode if possible.
LACP
Link Aggregation is a method of bundling together multiple Ethernet ports to expand their capacity beyond that of a
single port, and also add redundancy in case of a port or cable failure within a system. Link Aggregation Control
Protocol (LACP) is used to automatically control the aggregation and redundancy of a bundle of ports running Link
Aggregation.
Configuration
LACP is handled automatically by PacketBand TDM-4, and so the only information required from the user is to switch
on/off LACP and enable LACP on the PKT ports which are to be bundled together. Set the LACP tickbox on the Port
Configuration window which enables the LACP tickboxes next to each PKT port. Tick the boxes for any ports which
are to be included in the bundle.
Usage
LACP will automatically balance the traffic between the PKT ports in the bundle, and fall back to using other link(s) if
one of the ports should fail. If the port recovers, it will automatically be built back into the aggregated bundle.
Warning: Multiple Ethernet cables should not be connected between PacketBand TDM-4 and another
device before LACP is enabled on both devices. Otherwise, a loop could cause problems in the system.
Note: LACP is only possible with PKT ports which are running at the same speed (10/100/1000BT). Use
the Auto-neg window to fix ports to a set speed if necessary
Note: LACP depends upon the partnered device also running LACP.
Note: LACP on PacketBand TDM-4 runs only in Active mode.
UDP and TCP Port Numbers
PacketBands use UDP and TCP ports to send data to each other. Each Logical Link uses a dedicated port number to
send the data. The UDP and TCP Base Port Address is used as the port number for the first Logical Link (Logical Link
101). All other Logical Links will use the next sequential port number after this base port. The UDP and TCP port
numbers can be configured anywhere in the range 0 to 65472.
Example: If the Base Port is set to 49171, Logical Link 101 will send data on that port, while Logical Link
102 uses port 49172. Logical Link 118 would use port number 49188.
Clock Recovery Mode/Filter
Clock Recovery Mode

PacketBand has three modes which can be used. The clock recovery modes have different characteristics, and are
each suited to specific types of IP network. Please read through the information below to make sure that the correct
Clock Recovery Mode is selected for the IP network in use. Using the correct Clock Recovery Mode will optimize clock
recovery performance for a system.
Mode 1
This mode is known as Adaptive. It is best suited to fairly heavily loaded, busy networks. This mode will quickly adapt
to network conditions and adjust the Derived Clock Offset (DCO) regularly to adapt to network conditions. This mode
can be thought of as the least fastidious and easiest to get up and running quickly. For this reason, it is set as the
default Clock Recovery Mode for PacketBand
Mode 2
Mode 2 is known as Enhanced Adaptive mode. It is suited to high quality, low user networks. If prioritization via QoS
or VLAN is in use as well, this mode will particularly excel at clock recovery. The DCO is adjusted much less
frequently when using this protocol in comparison to Mode 1. This makes the clocking more stable, and clock changes
are less drastic. There are some precautions to take when using mode 2:
1. During extensive profiling and testing using Mode 2 it has been proved that this clock system provides
exceptional performance on the majority of "real” networks. However, it has also been discovered that network
simulators and network simulation packages do not provide a true representation of the network and do not
generate the specific packet profile required by Mode 2. Users of simulator and simulation packages should
be aware that Clock Mode 2 may not be suitable.
2. It is recommended that the Frames per Packet value on each Logical Link be set to a value of less than 40
when using mode 2 to ensure optimum clock recovery performance.
Mode 3
This mode is known as Adaptive Frequency. It is suited to low quality networks, and networks where changes to the
clock recovery offset have a greater impact on the system devices. The DCO value is changed very infrequently.
Please consult the below table for information on how long PacketBand takes to go into each clock recovery state
using the different modes available.
Clock Recovery Time to go to Time to go to

Mode Acquiring state (s) Acquired state (s)
1 20 50
2 200 800
3 - 1300
All times shown are approximate, and can be affected by the Clock Recovery Filter, Jitter Buffer, Frames per Packet
and Network conditions on a system.
Clock Recovery Filter

The Clock Recovery Filter is used to set the size of the window which PacketBand uses to look for clocking
information received from the master PacketBand. Using Filter 2 narrows the search window, so that clocking
information can be found more quickly and the unit will enter the Acquired state faster. The downside to using Filter 2
is that an increase in jitter or network latency will have a greater effect on PacketBand. It is recommended that Filter 2
is only used on high quality IP networks with very low Jitter and a latency of 10ms or less.
Protocol Type
Different IP networks will often support different operating protocol. PacketBand can be configured to operate with four
different network types. Please consult a Network Administrator if you are unsure about the protocol of an IP network.
In some situations, the default setting on PacketBand will interface with a different network type and not require
alteration. The four different options are:
Protocol Description
Pseudo-wire over IP Standard layer 3 Internet Protocol
Pseudo-wire over IP including IP + UDP + RTP for UDP port number mapping
UDP/RTP
Pseudo-wire over MPLS MPLS for multi-protocol packet switched networks
Pseudo-wire over Ethernet Standard layer 2 Ethernet Protocol
Some protocol types will make new options available elsewhere in the PacketBand configuration menus. These will all
be explained later on in this manual.
Note: PacketBand requires a reboot after changing the Protocol Type.
SSRC Checking
The SSRC Checking option becomes available when PacketBand TDM-4 is set to Pseudo-wire over IP including
UDP/RTP mode. The SSRC is a 32-bit numeric identifier carried in the RTP header of Ethernet packets. This header
identifies a single stream of data from a single device. Multiple streams from a single device must each have their own
SSRC. Disabling SSRC Checking will cause PacketBand TDM-4 to disregard the SSRC check and accept traffic
based on the network address and UDP port number. SSRC checking should normally be enabled; the disabling of
SSRC checking is intended to aid interoperability with other equipment vendors.
Link Configuration
Logical Links are the connections between PacketBand TDM-4 units which are made across a Packet Switched
Network. These Logical Links are sometimes referred to as Switched Virtual Circuits. Please see Logical Links for a
detailed description of Logical Links. To configure Logical Links, please follow the steps below.
A PacketBand TDM-4 may have up to 64 Logical Links
The Logical Link Configuration window shows all of the available Logical Links. Some PacketBand TDM-4 units may
have different numbers of configurable Logical Links to others.
Links which are enabled are shown in green, while links which are disabled are shown in red. Clicking on a Logical
Link button opens the configuration window for the link. Each setting is detailed below.
Name
The default name for a Logical Link is 'Logical Link 1xx'. This name can be changed to something more meaningful if
necessary. The Logical Link can be monitored by DbManager, so that graphic displays can show the status of the link.
Enter the name of the link, avoiding the following characters: > < ~ #
To configure a link between two nodes (representing PacketBand TDM-4s) on DbMgr, hover the mouse over a node
then hold Ctrl and right-click  Add Link. Select the PacketBand TDM-4 which the Logical Link will connect to from
the list. DbMgr will draw a line between the two nodes which represents the Logical Link.
The link between the two nodes will change colour as events are reported from the PacketBand TDM-4 to DbMgr.
Please see Event Messages for more information on event reporting.
UDP/TCP Port
PacketBand communicates with other PacketBand devices using UDP and TCP traffic. Each Logical Link uses a
different UDP and TCP port to send and receive data. Please see UDP and TCP Port Numbers for more information
on the data ports.
Bit Rate
PacketBand TDM-4 requires differing amounts of bandwidth depending on the following factors:
1. Amount of channels
PacketBand TDM can run in G.704 mode, which uses up to 31 x 64k channels. PacketBand TDM in G.703 mode
always uses 32 x 64k 'channels' (the 2048kbps data is not actually channelized, but can be thought of in that way for
ease of understanding).
2. Number of Frames per Packet
PacketBand TDM-4 can be configured to use a particular amount of TDM frames in each IP packet which is sent. The
amount of TDM frames used in a packet affects the clocking, bandwidth requirement and latency imposed into a
system by using PacketBand TDM-4. Generally speaking, the tradeoff works like this:
More frames per packet = less overhead = less bandwidth requirement + poorer clocking + more latency
Less frames per packet = more overhead = more bandwidth requirement + better clocking + less latency
Note: It is highly recommended that you consult the latest PacketBand TDM-4 Overhead Calculator
spreadsheet to calculate PacketBand TDM-4's required bandwidth allocation. This spreadsheet will help
greatly with optimizing settings on PacketBand TDM-4 for a system. Click the symbol below to access the
calculator, or the spreadsheet can be found on the DbManager installation disk.
Double Click to access the PacketBand TDM-4 Overhead Calculator
Configure the Frames per Packet value for the Logical Link. Note that this value must be the same on each
PacketBand TDM-4 in order to work correctly.
The Both option makes the Logical Link a standard Rx and Tx PacketBand data Link. Setting the Link to Rx Only or
Tx Only sets the link up as a Multicast slave link or Multicast Master link respectively.
Packet Addresses
Set the IP address of the remote PacketBand TDM-4 to which the Logical Link will connect.
Jitter/PDV
Jitter or PDV (Packet Delay Variation) is the variation in latency or delay present on an IP network. Latency is
generally predictable, and so can usually be dealt with easily, but if the latency varies it becomes increasingly difficult
to manage. Jitter is normally caused by network loading, and has the effect of changing the transit time of individual
packets across a network. In extreme cases this can mean that the packets sent across the network arrive at the
destination out of sequence. PacketBand TDM-4 has to reorganise the packets which it receives in order to output
them to the synchronous TDM port. It accomplishes this using a Jitter Buffer. As packets are placed into the Jitter
Buffer, they are reorganised and queued in the correct order to be outputted to the TDM port.
The Jitter Buffer size can be configured in ms (milliseconds) to account for Jitter on a network. It is important to
calculate the Jitter present on a network in order to be able to optimise the Jitter Buffer setting for maximum
performance. Please consult a network administrator and ask about the amount of Jitter present on the network in use.
A Jitter Buffer which is configured with insufficient buffering may miss packets which transit the network particularly
quickly or particularly slow, while a Jitter Buffer which is too large will add extra latency to the system unnecessarily.
The average latency from one PacketBand TDM-4 site to another is also useful information. This can be determined
using a ping test, but it must be remembered that ping tests are not truly representative as they are a single, normally
small packet, which will not have much or any effect on the loadings. The PacketBand TDM-4 Logical Link window
displays the extra latency which the chosen Jitter Buffer size will impose into the system. Click Check/Update to
refresh the statistics after changing the Jitter Buffer size.
The Jitter settings also show the latency imposed by the Jitter Buffer size
The Jitter Buffer has to deal with fast and slow packets, and ideally a normal-speed packet will arrive in the Average
End to End latency time expected.
For example, if the Jitter Buffer is set to 50ms, and the average latency across the network is 100ms,
an average packet would take 100ms to cross the network. However, packets are rarely average and
may take 125ms, or perhaps 75ms depending on network conditions/loadings etc. In this example the
actual jitter experienced is +/- 25msecs which will be handled by the Jitter Buffer set to 50msecs. The
size of the Jitter Buffer is also displayed in Packets, which is useful for considering the queue lengths
inside the buffer.
Nudge
The Nudge option allows a user to instantly reduce or extend the size of the queue of packets in the Jitter Buffer. This
is useful if the Jitter Buffer is skewed to one side. The Jitter Buffer has a variable fill-point, which is set by the first
packet received in to the Jitter Buffer. This packet is placed in the centre of the Jitter buffer and used as a waypoint to
judge where the next received packets need to be placed in the queue, based on their sequence number.
The first packet is placed in the middle, and subsequent packets are placed either side of it in the queue
In the example above, the first packet received was number 8, and the Jitter Buffer is set to be 10 packets long .
Hopefully packets will take a similar amount of time to cross the network, and will arrive in the centre of the buffer as
time progresses. If packets arrive later or earlier, they will be placed at the correct point in the queue.
In this case, 24 was too early to be allocated a slot in the Jitter Buffer, while 10 took so long to cross the network that it
missed its slot
Packets which have a jitter or PDV value that is within the configured Jitter Buffer size are still used, as their places in
the queue are reserved. However, if a packet takes a lot less or a lot more time to cross the network, they fall outside
the range of the buffer. These packets cannot be used and are counted as Underruns. Underruns cause data loss as
the packet of data cannot be forwarded to the attached TDM equipment.
If the first received packet happens to be particularly fast or slow, it can set the fill point too close to the start or end of
the Jitter Buffer. This can cause packets to be lost due to there not being enough buffer at one end, and can add extra
latency to the system.
The fill point is skewed because of the first packet taking an unusually small time to traverse the network
The first received packet happened to transit the network very quickly, whereas the rest of the packets take more time
to cross the network, and so arrive at the playout end of the buffer. Any packets which are a little fast will be caught in
the start of the buffer, but any packets which are even slightly too slow will arrive too late to be allocated a slot in the
buffer. The same effect will also happen for fast packets if the first packet received was particularly slow, except that
the fill point will be skewed towards the start of the buffer.
To counteract this effect, the fill-point can be 'nudged' up and down the Jitter Buffer, packet by packet. Each
Reduction Nudge deletes a packet from the buffer, so that the fill point moves down the buffer (towards the playout),
while each Extension Nudge adds a dummy packet at the start of the buffer, so the fill point moves up the buffer
(towards the start).
To find out if the Jitter Buffer is skewed, the Logical Link Stats must be checked. If the Jitter Buffer is working correctly,
the average queue length should be around the centre of the Jitter Buffer, so if the Jitter Buffer is configured for 50ms,
the Average Queue Length should be around 25ms. If the Average Queue Length is close to one end of the buffer
(near 1ms or near 50ms), the Jitter Buffer is skewed and requires attention. A skewed Jitter Buffer will usually result in
a large amount of either early or late packets. The fill point can be extended or reduced from the Logical Link Stats
window using the Nudge feature.
Please see the Logical Link Stats topic for a full description of the stats window.
Please see the Logical Link Stats topic for a full description of the stats window.
Jitter Adjustment
The Jitter Buffer can be dynamically adjusted according to network conditions using this feature. PacketBand TDM-4
will monitor the length of the packet queue in the buffer and extend or reduce it periodically. A schedule for the
adjustment can be configured, so as not to interfere with a live system.
Note: PacketBand TDM-4 will never extend the Jitter Buffer to a value larger than the configured Jitter
Buffer Length.
Note: An adjustment of the Jitter Buffer while a PacketBand TDM-4 system is running will cause a small
amount of packet loss. Please be sure of the consequences to users of the system before adjusting the
Jitter Buffer.
QoS (Quality of Service)
PacketBand traffic can be configured with DiffServ Code Points (DSCP) or Type of Service (ToS) markers to enable
network devices to prioritize traffic. Correct prioritization of PacketBand traffic can greatly improve performance across
a packet switched network. A network administrator will be able to advise the correct settings to use for QoS.
VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)
A Logical Link can be VLAN tagged and have a priority level associated with it. Please see VLAN for more information
on VLAN tags.
Remote Link No.
A logical Link on one PacketBand unit does not have to connect to the same Logical Link number on a remote
PacketBand unit.
For example, Logical Link 101 on PacketBand 1 could connect to Logical Link 104 on PacketBand 2.
To make this happen, PacketBand must be made aware of the Logical Link number at the remote site.
Enter this in the Remote Link Number field.
Note: This must be set on both PacketBands at either end of a Logical Link.
Channel Selection
This option is used to assign channels from the TDM ports to the selected Logical Link.
Configure which TDM channels (or Timeslots) the Logical Link will use by ticking the channel boxes. A single G.703
tickbox will appear if the port is set to G.703 mode. This tickbox represents a single 2.048mbps G.703 connection
(equivalent to 32 channels).
Loopbacks
Loopbacks can be made on each Logical Link for testing.
Remember to disable the loop when testing is complete
A Remote Loop will loop back data as it egresses the PacketBand TDM-4, so that it egresses the port and loops back
to the originator of the data
A Local Loop will loop back data received from the TDM port, so that it is processed by PacketBand TDM-4 and sent
out of the port.
Please see the diagrams below.
Note how both a Local and Remote loop can be set, severing the end-to-end traffic
Enabling a Local Loopback and a Remote Loopback at the same time will sever the connection from end to end.
Setting a Loopback on the Logical Link port has a similar effect to setting a Loopback on the TDM port, except that by
using a Logical Link Loopback, only data on that particular Logical Link is looped. When setting a Loopback on an
TDM port, all data is looped.
Please be sure to turn off any Loopbacks when they are not required.
Logical Link Stats
The Logical Link Stats window is very useful for monitoring the behavior of Logical Link across a packet switched
network. The first window shows an overview of all active Logical Links on PacketBand TDM-4:
This window shows all active Logical Links
To look at a Logical Link in more detail, click on (View) to see detailed statistics for the desired Logical Link.
Each item on the window is explained below:
Logical Link Number

Number of the Logical Link (101-164).
Active
If the box is ticked, this indicates that the link is enabled and is transmitting and receiving.
No. of Channels
The number of TDM channels connected via this Logical Link. The channels are configurable via the Logical Link
Channel Enable screen.
Minimum Queue Length

As PacketBand TDM-4 loads the received packets into the Jitter Buffer, they will be queued up and reorganized
before being depacketized and played out to the TDM port. This item shows the maximum number of packets which
have been queued up in the buffer since the Logical Link started receiving. It also shows the time which PacketBand
TDM-4 takes to process that number of packets.
Maximum Queue Length

The maximum length the queue inside the Jitter Buffer has been since the link started receiving.
Average Queue Len

The average length the queue inside the Jitter Buffer has been since the link started receiving. PacketBand TDM-4
inserts the first received packet into the middle of the Jitter Buffer. The first packet is supposed to be a packet which
had an average transit time across the packet switched network. If the Jitter Buffer is working correctly, the average
queue length should be close to half of the Jitter Buffer size.
For example, an ideal average queue length when using a Jitter Buffer size of 50ms would be 25ms.
Early Packets
The first packet that arrives is placed in the centre of the Jitter Buffer. Subsequent packets are placed in the correct
position in the Jitter Buffer depending on their IP header sequence number. If a packet with a higher sequence
number arrives early and falls outside of the configured Jitter Buffer range, the Packet is registered as early and the
early count is incremented.
Late Packets
As above, but the packet arrives later than the configured Jitter Buffer range.
Lost Packets
A packet is said to be lost if the sequence number is missing from the stream of IP packets. If a packet is lost this
count will increment. Lost packets are usually caused by poorly configured networks and half-duplex devices being
present in the system. An extremely busy network will also cause packet loss. Busy switched networks usually have a
calculated amount of packet loss. Please consult a network administrator for the details pertaining to a network.
Approx Jitter (ms)

An approximation of the amount of jitter the Logical Link is experiencing on the packet network. This is an
approximation of the Jitter present which is made by subtracting the minimum queue length time from the Maximum
Queue Length time.
Frames per Packet

The configured number of TDM frames in each IP packet.
No. of Packets (Rxd)

The total number of received packets.
No. of Packets (Txd)

The total number of transmitted packets.
No. of Underruns
An Underrun is a packet which the Jitter Buffer was not configured large enough to catch, or a packet which was lost
in the network. An Underrun will result in a loss of data being played out to the TDM port, which will cause an error.
Last Packet
Sequence number of the last packet received.
Manual Nudge
The Nudge function should be used to Reduce or Extend the fill point in the Jitter Buffer. Please see Jitter for details
on using the Nudge feature.
Jitter Adjustment Packets Reduced

When using the dynamic Jitter Adjustment feature (see Jitter Adjustment in Configuring Logical Links) this field
displays the number of times the Jitter Buffer has reduced itself to cater for network latency since the Logical Link Has
been established. The Jitter Buffer can also be manually reduced by using the Reduce button.
Jitter Adjustment Packets Extended
When using the dynamic Jitter Adjustment feature (see Jitter Adjustment in Configuring Logical Links) this field
displays the number of times the Jitter Buffer has increased itself to cater for network latency since the Logical Link
Has been established. The Jitter Buffer can also be manually extended by using the Extend button.
Logical Link Num

The Logical Link number of the remote PacketBand TDM-4 unit.
IP Address
The IP address of the remote PacketBand TDM-4 unit.
IP Port
The TCP and UDP port number which the Logical Link is using.
Resolved Mac Address
This is the MAC Address of the remote PacketBand TDM-4 which the Logical Link connects to.
Captured Lines
The Statistics screen will update every 10 seconds, and on each update, statistical information on the amount of jitter
and the queue length in the jitter buffer will be captured. Use the Save and Exit button to save this information to disk
in the format of a .csv file.
Utilities
The Utilities menu accesses advanced testing, logging and debugging tools which can be used by PacketBand
TDM-4.
Ping/Traceroute
PacketBand TDM-4 can send Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Ping and Traceroute messages to IP
networks. These tools help to identify latency present on a network and the route taken via switches and routers to
reach the destination device. Ping and Traceroute functions can be carried out from most PCs and workstations, but
using the PacketBand TDM-4's internal Ping and Traceroute is a good way of looking at the exact route between the
PacketBand TDM-4 a destination device in detail.
Choose to send a Ping or Traceroute message and enter the IP address to check. The additional settings can be used
to further configure the ICMP message:
Payload Size: The ICMP message's data payload can be of any size between 0 and 1458 bytes. The destination
device should reply using the same size packet.
Time to Live: Time to Live is a byte within the packet header which is decremented each time the packet is passed
through a router. When this value reaches zero, the packet is discarded. This value can be set in the range of 1 to
255.
QoS: ICMP traffic can be configured with DiffServ Code Points (DSCP) or Type of Service (ToS) markers to enable
network devices to prioritize traffic. Correct prioritization of PacketBand traffic can greatly improve performance across
a packet switched network. A network administrator will be able to advise the correct settings to use for QoS.
VLAN: An ICMP message can be VLAN tagged and have a priority level associated with it. Please see VLAN for more
information on VLAN tags.
Use the Ping Activate and Ping End buttons to start and stop the test. the ICMP messages will continue to be sent
until the Ping End button is pressed. Press the Show Results button to show the following window:
A Ping will run until the Ping End button is pressed, while
a Traceroute will be sent once to determine the route between the devices
A Ping shows the time taken for the destination device to respond, and the Time to Live value which was used for the
response. The length of the response times show the latency across the network, while the differences in the
response times are a good indication of the Jitter present between the two devices.
The Traceroute results show the time taken for replies, the TTL values of the responses, Hop Numbers and Router IP
Addresses.
PacketBand TDM-4 first sends an ICMP message with a TTL value of 1. This is received by the first router (10.1.1.254
in the example) and the packet is discarded, as the TTL value has then expired. The router then reports back to
PacketBand TDM-4 that it has discarded the packet. PacketBand TDM-4 then generates the first reply message on
the results screen (Hop 1). Next, PacketBand TDM-4 sends an ICMP message with a TTL value of 2. This is routed
through the first router and decremented by 1, and the second router (213.246.145.232) then discards the packet and
reports back to the PacketBand TDM-4.
This process repeats with the TTL value being incremented each time, and the ICMP message gets further and further
towards the destination with each Hop. Note how the TTL value of the responses is decremented by each router on
the return path to the PacketBand TDM-4. The final reply is from the destination device. No IP address or Hop
Number is displayed from the destination, as there is no 'Hop' as such, and the target address is already known. The
Traceroute is complete after the final response is received.
Note: in the example the last response was sent with a TTL value of 128 rather than 255 like the other
devices. The recommended minimum TTL value is 64, but different devices may use different default TTL
values.
Ping and Traceroute can also be carried out using the Command Prompt within Windows operating systems. The
information is displayed in a similar format:
Using Ping and Traceroute within Windows also displays DNS information about the devices where possible
Note: Some ethernet devices do not respond to ICMP messages.
View Captures
This option can be used to display statistical information collected from PacketBand TDM-4 in graph format. Please
see Logical Link Stats and DCO Capture below for information on collecting statistics from PacketBand TDM-4.
PacketBand statistics are saved in the comma separated value (csv) format
To view a trace file, open the View Captures window and click Select File. Choose a saved .csv statistics file and click
Open, then View.
A graph showing the collected statistics will be displayed. The View Capture function can be used for DCO capture
stats and Logical Link stats.
Note: the .csv files can also be opened in Microsoft Excel to look at the figures.
Stability Clock Capture (DCO)
To take a DCO Capture, a Logical Link must be running between two PacketBand TDM-4s. One or both of the units
can then be put into capture mode to record the DCO information.
Captures can be taken from Logical Links 101-104
First click the Browse button and find a location to store the capture. Enter a filename for the data. Then select which
Logical Link the capture is to be taken from. Click Start Capture to begin and End Capture to stop the capture. The
results will be saved in the selected file. Please see the View Captures section above to view the results in graph
format.
SFP Ports
The SFP Port menu accessible from the rear panel display accesses the same menus as the PKT ports.
Please see Safety Statements for precautions to take when using the SFP ports and SFP for instructions
on how to monitor/configure the ports.
Terminal Port
Two options are available from the Terminal port menu. Select Clock Sources to configure the way
the unit will use clocking (sometimes referred to as timing or synchronization). Select Device Settings
to configure unit-specific settings such as the Identifier and IP address. Details about the unit such
as the serial number can also be found here.
Clock Sources
The correct configuration of clock sources is essential to any PacketBand TDM-4 system. PacketBand TDM-4 passes
synchronous TDM data across an asynchronous IP network. In order for the PacketBand TDM-4s within a system to
correctly pass the data on to the end devices, the clocking must be passed across the IP network by PacketBand
TDM-4. This means that in most applications, one PacketBand TDM-4 will be set to generate clock internally or take
clock from its TDM port, while the other unit(s) in the system will be set to recover clock from their IP connection (or
Logical Link) to the first unit.
PacketBand TDM-4 has an extremely accurate onboard oscillator. It is worth considering using PacketBand TDM-4's
onboard oscillator to generate clock for a system instead of using the oscillator of a connected device. The standard
oscillator is accurate to 150 PPB (parts per billion) within a temperature range of -20 to +70°C, and has a Drift value
as low as 40 PPB over 24 hours. Please note that PacketBand TDM-4's clock recovery system offers much better
clocking for a system than that specified for the oscillator. The quality of the oscillator does however improve clocking
performance, as a high quality 'master' clock source will be easier for a 'slave' PacketBand TDM-4 to lock to using
clock recovery.
Even more accurate oscillators can be fitted to PacketBand TDM-4 for applications where clocking is especially critical,
or outside factors such as temperature change are present. Please contact Patapsco for details.
Clock Hierarchy
The Clock Sources window works as a hierarchy system for PacketBand TDM-4. By configuring different priorities for
each clock source, PacketBand TDM-4 can switch between sources as they become available.
The Clock Source window works as a hierarchy system
0 represents the highest priority, while 19 represents the lowest priority. If no clock sources are configured, or if no
clock sources are available, PacketBand TDM-4 will clock from its internal oscillator. With the above configuration,
PacketBand TDM-4 would always clock from its internal oscillator. If a TDM Port or a Logical Link is set to priority 0,
the PacketBand TDM-4 will always clock from that source as long as it is available. By setting alternative clock
sources to higher values, PacketBand TDM-4 can fall back to using them when higher priority sources are
unavailable.
Example: This Clock Sources configuration allows PacketBand TDM-4 to fall back to lower priorities when
the higher priorities are unavailable.
PacketBand TDM-4 will clock from Logical Link 101. If Logical Link 101 is unavailable, it will clock from Logical Link
102. If both of those Logical Links are unavailable, PacketBand TDM-4 will clock from TDM 1. If all of these ports are
unavailable, PacketBand TDM-4 will clock from its internal source.
Clocking Methods
This section will explain the different methods of distributing clock around a PacketBand TDM-4 system and show
some examples of each method.
Clock Recovery
This is the most common clocking method used in PacketBand TDM-4 systems. Clock comes from a device
connected to PacketBand TDM-4's TDM port or from PacketBand TDM-4's internal source. The clock is passed
across the Logical Link between the two units and recovered at the slave unit, which does not have its own local clock.
The slave unit locks to the recovered clock and uses it for all data.
If the Master site has a clock present which is to be used for the system, the Master should be set to take clock from
its TDM port. If there is no clock source present, it should be configured to use its Internal clock.
Example: The Master unit takes clock from its TDM port and passes it across to the Slave unit.
Loop Timing
Clock is not passed across the Patapsco system; each system device will see its clock passed back to it. This can be
useful for systems where the same clock is already present at both ends of a link. To use Loop Timing, each
PacketBand TDM-4 should be set to clock from its TDM port.
Example: This system has a locked clock source at either side. The clocking is not recovered across the
Packet Switched Network.
Plesiosynchronous (PacketBand TDM 'E' versions only. Please contact Patapsco for details)
Handles clocking separately for each port and Logical Link. Clock is passed both ways through each port on the
device, so that the end devices see a different RX clock to their TX. Depends upon the system devices being PDH
compatible, and links may only run in G.703 mode.
To Configure PacketBand TDM-E for Plesiosynchronous mode, it must first be set to Alternative clocking mode. This
setting can be found in Terminal  Device Settings  Clocking Architectures. Set the device to Alternate, Upload
and reboot. The Clock Sources menu item will now be called Clock Mode, and will now display an option to use
Plesiosynchronous or Loop Timing. The Loop Timing option is identical to the Loop Timing explanation above.
Example: Each Logical Link has a separate clock which is passed across the system. This is the only
clocking method which allows each port to have its own individual clock.
Note: Every time PacketBand TDM-4 is switched between Normal and Alternate mode, the unit must
be rebooted before use.
Clock Stats
The Clock Stats button opens a window which allows monitoring of the Logical Link clock recovery. This window is
intended for use on a PacketBand TDM-4 which is recovering clock from a Logical Link. The option can be used on a
unit which is set to internal clock or clocking from a port, but the results will not be relevant as clock recovery is not in
operation.
PacketBand TDM-4 closely monitors the clock which it recovers from the Logical Link, and over time it will track the
received clock and lock onto it. There are four states which PacketBand TDM-4 enters when recovering clock from a
Logical Link:
[1] Freerun PacketBand TDM-4 is not recovering clock from the Logical Link
[2] Holdover PacketBand TDM-4 is not recovering clock from the Logical Link, but is using the last good
recovered clock it saw from the link
[3] Acquiring PacketBand TDM-4 is recovering clock from the Logical Link and trying to lock to it
[4] Acquired PacketBand TDM-4 is recovering clock from the Logical Link and is locked to it
The Clock Stats window shows where the PacketBand TDM-4 is sourcing clock from, the state of the Logical Link, and
the DCO (Derived Clock Offset) value of each link. The DCO value is a measure in PPB (Parts Per Billion) of how far
away the recovered clock which PacketBand TDM-4 receives is from its onboard oscillator. Generally speaking, the
DCO value itself (i.e. how far away the recovered clock is from the onboard clock) is not as significant as how much
variation there is in the DCO value. A high but stable DCO value would indicate better clock recovery performance
than an unstable but low DCO value.
Use the Clock Stats window to monitor the DCO. Please see Stability Clock Capture (DCO) for information on taking a
DCO trace.
Remote Management (IP)
PacketBand TDM-4 can be managed over IP networks supporting TCP and over the internet. Please see Connecting
via IP for information on how to enter IP addresses into DbManager. The only additional requirement when managing
remotely over a routed IP network is that DbManager's TCP management port is port-forwarded correctly at the
remote site. Here is a typical remote IP management scenario:
DbManager uses TCP port 3001 for all management connections. The router at the Remote site must be configured
to port forward all connections on TCP port 3001 to the private IP address of the Remote unit. The settings will differ
from router to router, but the configuration screen might look something like this:
TCP Port 3001 is routed through to 192.168.2.12 - The IP address of the Remote unit
Call Status
The Call Status option opens a window showing the calls which are currently in progress.
The Call Status window is a snapshot of the calls active at the time. To refresh the window, it should be closed and
re-opened.
Device Settings
The Device Settings menu is used for configuring unit-specific settings and the way the unit reports to DbMgr. Each
option is explained below.
Settings Tab
The main tab of Device Settings shows information about the firmware version and MAC address of the unit, which
are not alterable (please contact Patapsco if a different MAC address or firmware updates are required). The other
settings shown are user configurable.
Identifier
The Identifier is a unique name for a Patapsco unit. This name is used by DbMgr for reporting events. Having a unique
identifier also makes for easier system debugging when looking at event logs and traces.
Enter any alphanumeric combination of up to 30 characters. Please do not use the following characters: > < ~ #
Firmware Version
Shows the current firmware version which the unit is operating.
Date/Time
If a change to the date and/or time setting is required, enter the new details in the format DD Mon YYYY HH:MM:SS.
Use the Set Now button to restart the timer at the new time setting.
Reset Device
Press this button to reboot. A reboot has the same effect as power-cycling the unit. Some of the settings require a
reboot after uploading to come into effect. These settings will display a notification to this effect when they are
changed. Please be sure to save or upload any configuration changes before resetting a unit.
Change Password
Patapsco products can have a password set for the management connection. Once set, a management connection
will be impossible without the password. Patapsco units do not have a password set by default.
To configure a password, click the Change Password button.
If the password is being set for the first time, leave the Current Password field empty
Enter the new password in the New Password and Confirm New Password fields. Enter Any alphanumeric
combination of up to 20 characters. Please do not use the following characters: > < ~ #. Click Set Now to set the
password.
Warning: Be sure to keep passwords configured for Patapsco units safe. If a password for a unit is lost,
there is no way to recover it, and there is no 'back-door' access method for Patapsco units, as they are used
for security-sensitive applications. If the password for a Patapsco unit cannot be recovered, the unit must be
returned to Patapsco to have the password removed.
Note: Please see Front Panel Configuration for instructions on entering the password from the front
panel.
After disconnecting from the unit, the password will need to be configured in DbMgr in order to reconnect to the unit.
To do this, hover the mouse over the device's node, right-click, select Properties  Password and enter the
password. Now DbMgr will use the password when connecting to the device.
Serial Port Rate
The serial or Terminal port rate is the speed of the connection between the PC in use and the Patapsco unit when
using a Terminal connection via the PC's COM port. The default speed is 19200bps, but this can be increased up to a
maximum of 115200bps if required.
To make the change, select the required speed from the dropdown menu, press OK and upload the change. There
will be no confirmation at the end of the upload, as the speed has now changed. Close down the Connected to Device
window and go to View  Properties  Terminal  Serial and set the Rate to the new setting.
MAC Address
The MAC address is a unique hardware identity for each Patapsco unit. The MAC address does not need to be
changed to use a Patapsco device. Please contact Patapsco if a change to the MAC address is required.
IP
The IP address of the device must be unique within the scope of the local network, and is used as an identifier for a
unit. Management traffic will be directed to and from this IP address by switches, routers and other Patapsco devices
within a system. Patapsco devices can be configured with a private local area network (LAN) address or a public wide
area network (WAN) address depending on the configuration of a location's IP network connections. If in any doubt as
to which IP address to use on a unit, please consult a network administrator.
Enter the IP address using number keys. The full-stop . key can be used as a separator for each octet.
Mask
The Subnet Mask is used to break up a network consisting of many devices into smaller networks. Each device will be
part of a Subnet, and the Subnet Mask is used to determine how many devices may be part of that smaller network. If
in any doubt as to which Subnet Mask to use on a unit, please consult a network administrator.
Enter the Subnet Mask using number keys. The full-stop . key can be used as a separator for each octet.
Gateway
A Gateway is a device which is equipped to interface different networks, which would not otherwise be able to
interface with each other. This device is commonly a router. By entering a Gateway address, the Patapsco unit knows
where to send information in the local network in order for that information to be carried to another network. If a
system does not have a local router, the Gateway setting should be left set to 0.0.0.0. If in any doubt as to which IP
address to use on a unit, please consult a network administrator.
Enter the Gateway using number keys. The full-stop . key can be used as a separator for each octet.
DHCP
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a system used by routers and servers for dynamically assigning IP
address, Mask and Gateway settings to devices. The DHCP server (which is usually part of a router) has control over
which devices on a system use which addresses, and can assign or remove IP addresses from a unit, and redistribute
those addresses to other devices.
Tick the DHCP Enable box to have PacketBand's IP, Mask and Gateway configured by a DHCP server.
Disable Remote Management
This option will disable IP management on PacketBand TDM-4. It will only be possible to manage the device via a
Terminal cable connected to a PC COM port once this option is enabled.
Tick the Disable Remote Management box to disable IP management.
Warning: It is recommended that the Terminal connection is tested and a management connection made
to the device before making this change.
Configuration Number Tab

The Serial Number, Configuration Number and firmware checksums can be found in this tab.
Serial Number
This number identifies the hardware inside the unit. This information is also printed on a label on the underside of the
unit.
Version
Shows the current firmware version which the unit is operating.
Config No.
This code enables and disables features on the unit. New Configuration Numbers will be issued by Patapsco when
additional features are purchased.
Checksums
Patapsco devices have two banks for storing operating firmware. These banks are independent of one another, and
can be switched between using the Switch Banks button. When Patapsco send out firmware updates, the new
firmware is loaded to the spare bank, so that if there is any problem with the new firmware on a system, the previous
firmware can be switched back. The checksums display a CRC identifier for the firmware in each bank.
Reset Device
Press this button to reboot the unit. A reboot has the same effect as power-cycling the unit. Some of the settings
require a reboot after uploading to come into effect. These settings will display a notification to this effect when they
are changed. Please be sure to save or upload any configuration changes before resetting a unit.
Event Reporting Tab
Events are reported to DbMgr as they occur. Events are then displayed by DbMgr in the Outstanding Events window,
Event History window and on the Devices in World map. There are different levels for event messages, based on the
seriousness of each system event. Each level of event has a name and associated colour, which are detailed below.
Name Level Description

Alarms 1 A substantial change or failure has occurred. Action or a configuration change will be
required.
Warnings 2 The status of a device has changed. Action may be required.
Events 3 Standard, day to day events. No action required.
Messages 4 Notification. No action required.
Please see Event Messages for a full description of events.
Patapsco devices can be configured to only report events of a particular level or higher. This option can be used if a
device is persistently reporting events which do not require notification.
Set the required event reporting level using the radio buttons
Clocking Architectures Tab
This tab is only available for TDM-E products. PacketBand TDM-4 has two distinctly different methods for clocking
data in a system. Normal mode uses a single clock from a single source to clock all of the data being sent from the
device. Alternative mode separates each port's clock signal, allowing for a PDH environment to be configured. Please
see Alternative Clocking Architectures for more information on using this feature.
Tech Support Tab
The Tech Support Tab has settings which are used to enable debugging on Patapsco units.
Debug
PacketBand TDM-4 can generate detailed messages about the status of its TDM ports. These messages are recorded
automatically in the csv files in DbManager's Events folder (C:¥Program Files¥Patapsco¥DbMgr¥Events), and also
logged on the blue Terminal window in DbManager.
Click to start and stop debug mode
Two ports and one Logical Link can be debugged at the same time. Enter the port number of the ports which are to be
debugged:
For the TDM port, enter 21

For a Logical Link, enter the link number (e.g. 101)
Then select the level of debug which is required. Layer 2 logs information relating to the status of the port itself, while
Layer 3 logs information about the status of calls active on the interface.
Enter the number of the Logical Link which is to be debugged in the Specific Link box and tick Link Debug, or use
the Global Link Debug settings to look at all Logical Links. ARP will log the Address Resolution Protocol messages
sent and received, while Link will log transmissions on all active Logical Links.
Click Start Debug to enable logging of the ports and links specified. Debug mode is enabled immediately, with no
need to upload the settings.
Debug logs can be saved by selecting the blue Terminal window and choosing Save Terminal Data from the File
menu. Once a debug log has been created, Debug mode should be disabled to conserve system resources.
Reset to Factory Defaults
This option can be used to clear all configuration data and return to default. This option will cause PacketBand TDM-4
to reboot, so please be sure that any config files in use are saved before using the Reset to Default option. Please see
Configuration for details on saving config files. DbManager will generate a warning confirmation message when using
this option.
Appendix
This section contains additional information on PacketBand TDM-4 features.
Event Messages
The tables below explain the event messages which are reported by PacketBand TDM-4 to DbManager
Level 1 - Alarms
Alarms are Shown in Red.
Event Message Explanation
Reboot The system has been rebooted
G704 Running G704 port has layer 1 and 2 connectivity
G704 Failed G704 port has lost layer 1 and 2 connectivity
G703 Running G703 port has layer 1 and 2 connectivity
G703 failed G703 port has lost layer 1 and 2 connectivity
SFP Transciever Disconnected The SFP module has been removed or is not fitted
Ethernet port running Ethernet port has 10/100/1000Mbps Full/Half Duplex connectivity
Ethernet port failed Ethernet port has lost 10/100/1000Mbps Full/Half Duplex connectivity
Logical Link Unresolved and PacketBand TDM-4 cannot communicate with nearest gateway and has no
Inactive channels active
Event Log Cleared The Event Log has been downloaded to the GUI and the memory cleared
Serial Number Failure The unit ID number has been entered incorrectly
PSU Fitted Power Supply is operational
PSU Failed Power Supply has failed
New Static IP Address PacketBand TDM-4 has a Static Address which is now operating
PacketBand TDM-4 has been assigned a DHCP address by a DHCP server. The IP
New Dynamic IP Address
Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway will be displayed
PacketBand TDM-4 is configured to get an IP address from a DHCP server, but no
Failed to Get Dynamic IP
address has been assigned. PacketBand TDM-4 will use it's static address until it is
Address
given a DHCP address
New Static IP Address A Static IP address has been configured and is now active
LEVEL 2 - Warnings
Warnings are shown in Blue.
Configuration Change A new configuration has been uploaded to the system
Logical Link Resolved and PacketBand TDM-4 can communicate with nearest gateway and has no channels
Active active
No data received from remote Logical Link is transmitting but not receiving
Logical Link Communicating Logical Link is sending and receiving data
LEVEL 3 - Events
Events are shown in Black.
Call Connect A call is connected
Call Ended A call is disconnected
Incoming call - No dest An incoming call has been detected but there is no valid Routing Profile for it
LEVEL 4 - Messages
Messages (MSG) are shown in Grey.
Auto Logout timer expiry The connection timer has expired and the user has been disconnected from the device
Clock Source Changed The PacketBand TDM-4 is clocking from a different location. This can change
dynamically as calls connect and disconnect
Boot Up Procedure
PacketBand TDM-4 goes through a series of system checks when booting up. It is possible to monitor these checks to
confirm that each component is initialized correctly. Patapsco engineers may require this information when
fault-finding a system. The boot up log can only be seen when a Connect to Device window is open, and the
connection must be monitored using the Terminal port rather than a LAN port.
DbManager must be in this state in order to see the boot log
The boot log shows the individual parts of the PacketBand TDM-4 system initializing. A description of each device
initializing follows.
Number Message Description

1 Com driver started The Serial port is active
2 Event Handler started Monitoring system events to be reported to DbManager
3 Test DSP Init Digital Signal Processor is active
4 Remote access started Unit is ready to accept a management call (ISDN only)
5 Trace buffer started Debug trace memory allocated
6 NVRAM started Non-Volatile Random Access Memory active
7 Packet processor started TDMoIP processor active
8 XPoint started Crosspoint channel switch is active
9 Interfaces started TDM Ports active
10 Ethernet switches started Ethernet switches active
11 Config started Configuration loaded from memory
Glossary
The companding algorithm used for voice communications used mostly in North America and
µ-Law
Japan
1000BT An Ethernet standard that transmits at 1000 Mbps
802.1p An IEEE standard for providing quality of service (QoS) in 802-based networks
The companding algorithm used for voice communications used in most of the world except North
A-Law
America and Japan
AMI A T1 Line Code standard. Alternate Mark Inversion - Basic bipolar encoding.
ANSI The American National Standards Institute, who with the ITU-T standardized ISDN in the USA
A system whereby two Ethernet devices automatically configure their duplex modes and link
Auto-Negotiation
speeds
B8ZS A T1 Line Code standard. Bipolar with 8 Zeros Substitution - Point-to-point T-carrier line coding.
B-channel A single 64kbps channel, part of a PRI or BRI connection.
Barring A profile which can be used to block a particular DDI, CLI, MSN or Subaddress from being routed
Bit Rate The Tx and/or Rx rate of a link. Can be determined by Byte Count or Frames per Packet
BRI Basic Rate Interface. A 2 x 64kbps channel (2b + d) ISDN interface
Broadcast A packet sent to all devices on a network
The same as the Frames per Packet setting, but configurable with the granularity of bytes rather
Byte Count
than frames, and also configurable with asymmetrical Tx and Rx rates.
Channel A single 64kbps Channel or Timeslot on a data connection
A code used for checking the integrity of data. Where Patapsco devices are concerned, a
Checksum
Checksum is used to check the integrity of the firmware file used by devices
CLI Calling Line Identifier. The number of the calling party in a telephone call
Calling Line Identifier Restricted. A function which must be supported by the ISDN carrier, which is
CLIR
used to hide the CLI of a caller.
The pulse used to keep data equipment synchronized. This comes from one ‘Master’ source, apart
Clock
from in PDH environments
A method by which the clock pulse is sent across an asynchronous IP link and used to
Clock Recovery
synchronize a remote device with the local one.
A hexadecimal value in the range 00-63 (or 0-3F in hexadecimal) used for Diffserv tagging on
Codepoint
some Patapsco products
Formed from the words compressing and expanding, it refers to the process in which a signal is
Companding
compressed (the range of the signal is reduced) and then expanded (the signal returns to a form
similar to form before he was compressed).
A type of Call Routing Profile used to add, edit or remove DDI, CLI or Subaddress numbers. Can
Conversion
also be used to activate the CLIR function.
CRC-4 (Cyclic Redundancy Checking 4) is a form of cyclic redundancy checking which is used to
CRC4
check for for errors in transmitted data.
Used in ISDN communications to carry signaling information, consisting of 16kbps on a BRI
D-channel
interface and 64kbps on a PRI interface.
Derived Clock Offset. The difference (in parts-per-billion) between a source clock signal and a
DCO
clock signal passed across a Packet Switched Network and recovered by a slave unit.
Direct Dial-In. One of a group of numbers which are usually assigned to users on a PRI circuit.
The single network connection can have a large group of numbers associated with it, usually with
DDI
one DDI for each user. Callers can dial the DDI of the user they want to call instead of the ‘main’
number of the line.
Patapsco devices can be set to Debug mode, which outputs detailed information about the status
Debug of the device and any connections active on the blue Terminal window. This information can then
be saved, which is useful for fault-finding.
The local IP address of the device which carries packets onto a different network segment.
Default Gateway
Typically a Router.
A device which takes a single input line and splits tit between many separate devices, allowing one
De-Multiplexer
large, centralised resource to be shared between multiple single users. See also Multiplexer.
The port or group of ports where a call will exit the Patapsco device. Can also be a Logical Link
Destination
number for some products.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Allows a DHCP server (usually a router) to assign IP
DHCP
Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and DNS settings to an Ethernet device.
DID Direct Inward Dialing. The same as DDI.
Diff Serv Code
a field in the header of IP packets for packet classification purposes.
Point
Dual TEI A method of using a different TEI for each B-channel on an
DSCP See Diff Serv Code Point
A Logical Link which does not have a configured Destination IP Address. Usage of the Logical Link
Dynamic Logical
is defined by IPMT profiles, and the Patapsco device will pick the Logical Link for use as it is
Link
required.
2048kbps (up to 32 x 64kbps timeslots) HDB3 based protocol. Common in most of the world apart
E1
from North America and Japan.
Early Packets Packets which arrived before the Jitter Buffer had enough free space to collect them.
Egress The port on which traffic leaves a product – packet traffic exiting the device.
When telephony calls are made by dialing all of the numbers at the same time (as opposed to
En-Bloc
Overlap, where single digits are dialed one after the other).
Ethernet A networking standard for packet-based traffic.
European Telecommunications Standards Institute. A body which standardises
ETSI
telecommunications protocols in Europe.
The operating system of a Patapsco device. All Patapsco devices can hold two separate versions
Firmware
of Firmware, which can be switched between. Both are Flash Re-writable.
A single unit of data for transmission. Data is organized into frames which are checked in by the
Frames
receiving communication device.
How many frames of TDM or ISDN data a Patapsco device loads into each IP packet. The size of
Frames per
the packets has an effect on the required bandwidth in the system and the quality of the clock
Packet
recovery.
When a connection is able to transmit and receive at the same time. Essential for Patapsco
Full-Duplex
IP-based products.
A device which changes the media of communications and carries data onto another type of
Gateway
network. See also Default Gateway.
Group Ports on a Patapsco device can be bound together in a Group for routing purposes.
When a connection is not able to transmit and receive at the same time. Patapsco IP-based
Half-Duplex
products cannot function with this type of connection. A Full-Duplex connection must be made.
Hop A hop is the term for when a packet is routed through a gateway or router. The number of Hops in
a system can impact the performance of an application, and packets can be configured with a TTL
value, which prevents the packet from being re-routed
Internet Control Message Protocol. Used to send diagnostic messages such as Ping and Trace
ICMP
Route to Ethernet devices.
Information Element. The pieces of data which make up the protocol used in an ISDN call. These
IE
elements can be manipulated by Patapsco devices in various ways.
Internet Group Management Protocol. Used in Multicast communications to transmit to multiple
IGMP
devices.
Ingress The port on which traffic enters a product – packet traffic entering the device.
IP Internet Protocol. A protocol for communicating across a Packet Switched Network.
Internet Protocol Mapping Table. A way of adding an IP Address and Identifier for each Patapsco
IPMT
device in a system. Should be used with Dynamic Logical Links.
Integrated Services Digital Network. A communications standard for carrying voice and data
ISDN
communications across the PSTN.
Jitter See PDV.
Jitter Buffer Patapsco’s method of counteracting the effects of Jitter (or PDV).
Link Aggregation Control Protocol. Allows Ethernet devices to have more than one physical
LACP connection to a network. Communications can be shared between the connections, and used as a
fallback.
Local Area Network. A small IP/Ethernet network, typically based in one building or establishment
LAN
and consisting of only one segment (i.e. not a network consisting of many routed segments).
Packets which arrived after the rest of the queue of packets in the Jitter Buffer had already been
Late Packets sent on out of the buffer to the TDM/ISDN ports. i.e. its sequence number was too far behind the
current queue of packets to be inserted and used.
Latency The time it takes for a packet to cross a Packet Switched Network. Also known as Delay.
Line Code A method of encoding T1 data. Patapsco products support AMI and B8ZS encoding.
Local Pertaining to the unit under scrutiny - the unit currently being monitored.
A connection made over a Packet Switched Network between two Patapsco devices. May contain
Logical Link
up to 32 x 64kbps TDM/ISDN timeslots/b-channels.
A software configured data loop made on a port or Logical Link for testing purposes. Both Local
LoopBacks
(loop back to local device) and Remote (loop back to remote device) LoopBacks are available
IP packets which do not reach their destination. Patapsco IP devices are aware of the gap in the
Lost Packets
queue of packets, and will log the number of missing packets.
MAC Media Access Control. A unique hardware identifier for an Ethernet device.
Mask See Subnet Mask.
Medium Dependent Interface. The standard interface type for Ethernet terminal devices. Connects
MDI
to switches and hubs which have MDI-X interfaces.
Medium Dependent Interface X-over (crossover). The standard interface type for switches and
MDI-X
hubs. Connects to Ethernet terminal devices which have MDI interfaces.
In terms of packet tracing, a mirror can be set on an Ethernet port so that a second Ethernet port
Mirror (with a PC connected running packet tracing software) can ‘sniff’ the traffic for debugging
purposes.
Multi-Protocol Label Switching. An Ethernet based protocol which directs traffic based entirely on a
MPLS
label tagged onto packets.
MSN Multiple Subscriber Number. The same as DDI and DID.
Multicast A packet sent from one source to many destinations. Used for delivering a separate, reliable and
prioritisable clock source by Patapsco devices.
A device which takes input signals from many separate devices and places them onto a single
Multiplexer output line, allowing multiple single users to share one large, centralised resource. See also
De-multiplexer.
MUX See Multiplexer.
‘Always on’. A way of describing a TDM connection where timeslots are always active between a
Nailed source and destination, as opposed to a dynamic ISDN connection, where timeslots (b-channels)
are connected and disconnected as required.
Network Address Translation. A method of changing the destination IP address of IP packets.
NAT Used in routed network environments to access private (hidden) IP device addresses from public
IP networks.
Node In terms of DbManager, an icon representing a single Patapsco device.
Network Terminal. The interface type of a synchronous network connection. Devices which
NT
connect to the network must do so using TE interfaces (see TE).
In terms of the Jitter Buffer – adding (extend) or deleting (reduce) a packet into/from the Jitter
Nudge
Buffer in order to centre the fill-point within the buffer.
When telephony calls are made by dialing single digits one after the other (as opposed to En-bloc,
Overlap
where all of the numbers are dialed at the same time).
Packet Switched An Ethernet based network. PSN’s may support many different Ethernet-based packet protocols
Network built on top of Ethernet standards.
A formatted capsule containing user data, headers and protocol descriptors. Used for IP/Ethernet
Packets
communications.
Plesiochronous/Plesiosynchronous Digital Hierarchy. A method of connecting together two
synchronous networks which use a different clock source to each other. Clocks are passed
PDH
bi-directionally across the system. This method of clocking requires the devices used to be
compatible with PDH operation.
Potential Delay Variation. The difference in transmit and receive delay (latency) which packets
have when sent over a Packet Switched Network. This is usually caused by poor quality, heavily
PDV
loaded networks. Patapsco products use a configurable Jitter Buffer to counteract the effects of
PDV.
Permanent Link An advanced setting used on ISDN BRI ports to keep layer 1 and 2 running at all times.
Liberator S can provide Phantom Power on its ISDN BRI ports to power ISDN devices which do
Phantom Power
not have their own power sources. Power Feed runs at -40VDC.
An ICMP packet which is sent to a device to check its presence on a network. The device which
receives the Ping will reply, and the reply will be timestamped so that the latency between the two
Ping
devices can be calculated. Sometimes a device may reply to a Ping on another device’s behalf,
which can confuse diagnostics taken simply using Ping messages.
Plesiochronous/
Plesiosynchrono See PDH.
us
An interface for connection to another device. In terms of UDP packets, a port number is the virtual
Port port which a packet will use when it arrives at its destination. Port numbers are assigned so that
virtual ports can be opened and closed on firewalls.
Plain Old Telephone Service. The public telephone network. Connections are analogue, and
POTS
therefore not supported by Patapsco equipment.
Power Feed The same as Phantom Power.
Primary Rate Interface. HDB3 based multi-channel ISDN interface. T1 PRI (US, Japan) supports
PRI up to 23 channels (1472kbps), while E1 (Europe, rest of world) supports up to 30 channels
(1920kbps).
Pseudo-Wire An emulation of a synchronous connection over a Packet Switched Network.
Public Switched Telephone Network. The world’s telephone network, including analogue and
PSTN
digital connections, plus mobile telephony.
QoS Quality of Service. A method of prioritising Ethernet/IP traffic.
Remote A unit connected to a system, but not Local to the user.
Passing a call or communication from a Source to a Destination, usually using a Call Routing
Routing
Profile on Patapsco devices.
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol. A protocol designed for using physical backup connections in an
RSTP
IP/Ethernet system without causing loops.
Real-time Transport Protocol. An IP based protocol used for real-time streaming applications,
RTP
usually audio and video.
Rx Receive.
With Patapsco devices, certain functions can be set to happen only at certain times, for example
Schedule
Call Routing Profiles can be set to only be active at certain times of day.
Small Form-factor Pluggable. A compact, hot-pluggable transceiver which can be used to interface
SFP
with different media such as optical fibre and copper ethernet.
Session Initiation Protocol. A communications protocol used by Patapsco ISDNoIP products to set
SIP up calls. Call Routing configuration can also be centralized by using a SIP server to handle all
traffic.
Simple Network Management Protocol. Used to configure and monitor devices in a system.
SNMP
Patapsco devices currently support SNMP event reporting in the form of Traps and Alarms.
The port or group of ports where a call will enter the Patapsco device. Can also be a Logical Link
Source
number for some products.
Service Profile Identifier. A code used by North American ISDN BRI (ANSI) connections to initiate
SPID
communications between devices.
An extra set of numbering used in ISDN calls to denote extra information and activate additional
Subaddress
routing.
Subnetting is used to split an IP/Ethernet network used by many devices into smaller sections to
Subnet Mask reduce the amount of delay, routing/processing time and also packet collisions for devices in the
network. A Subnet Mask is configured on a device to define which section the device is part of.
T1 switches use slightly different Switch Types. Each one causes a routed call to have its Number
Switch Type
Type and Number Plan defaulted to a certain value.
1472kbps (up to 23 x 64kbps timeslots) HDB3 based protocol. Common in North America and
T1
Japan.
Transmission Control Protocol. A point-to-point tunneling IP-based protocol. Guarantees high
TCP
integrity communications rather than lossy, high-speed communications.
Time Division Multiplexing. The system of splitting a data connection into separate timeslots for
TDM different data streams. The streams are multiplexed together to use a single communication link,
and can be demuxed at their destination.
Terminal Equipment. The interface type of a synchronous network connection. If the device is to
TE
connect to a network or another device, that network/device must have an NT interface (see NT).
Terminal End-point Identifier. An identifier given to each call processed on an ISDN interface. The
TEI
TEI is used so that multiple calls cannot be mixed-up when being processed.
A limit set on a packet for how many times it should be routed through a device towards its
Time to Live
destination before being discarded.
Timeslot A single 64kbps division of a larger E1 or T1 trunk.
Timing Another word for Clocking. See Clock.
An audible frequency presented to a user in ISDN telephony. Different frequencies of tone are
Tone
used to indicate different call states, e.g. Dial Tone, Ringing Tone, Busy Tone.
Type of Service. A bit (code point) which can be set in IP packets which can be used to prioritise
ToS
traffic.
Patapsco devices have a number of different Trace tools. These allow statistics about the
Trace
operation of the device.
A tool used to monitor how many times an IP/Ethernet packet is routed (Hops) between two
Trace Route
endpoints.
TTL See Time to Live.
Tx Transmit.
User Datagram Protocol. A common packet protocol used in communications over Packet
UDP
Switched Networks. Better suited to time-sensitive applications.
Unicast A packet sent from one device to another single device.
Virtual Local Area Network. A LAN which can be created spanning different network segments,
VLAN
used to prioritise traffic and speed up communications.
Wide Area Network. A large network composed of many smaller segments, covering a large
WAN
amount of devices and users. The Public Internet is a good example of a WAN.
Used in Patapsco Call Routing Profiles. Wildcards are used to activate special features within
Wildcard
profiles, such as denoting a single digit of any value (the ? Wildcard).
Revision History
Rev Date Description
A 08/24/12 Initial release.
FCC Affidavit
This Affidavit may be printed, signed and sent to a carrier or service provider on request. This document details all
information regarding the ports on this product and its connection to a network interface.
INDEX
AC power......................................................................9 LL number.................................................................. 59
Acrobat Reader ............................................................4 LL status .................................................................... 61
Acrobat, downloading...................................................4 loop protection ........................................................... 34
application examples..................................................25 Loopback tests.....................................................29, 60
Autonegotiation ..........................................................47 Management connection ........................................... 20
Back panel..................................................................24 MC application ........................................................... 32
bit rates.......................................................................56 Menu, utilitiess ........................................................... 65
Cable specs................................................................14 Operating protocols.................................................... 54
Cables, Fiber optic .......................................................8 packet IP address ...................................................... 56
Channel selection.......................................................60 PDV............................................................................ 57
Channels ..........................................................4, 21, 59 Ping ............................................................................ 65
Clock sources.............................................................69 Port numbers, UDP and TCP .................................... 53
Clock statistics............................................................73 Port type..................................................................... 27
Collecting statistics.....................................................67 Port, sniffer................................................................. 34
Config, G.703/706 ......................................................28 Port, TCP/UDP........................................................... 56
Config, Links...............................................................55 Ports, enabling ........................................................... 33
Config, port.................................................................31 Ports, SFP.................................................................. 69
Config, T1...................................................................28 Ports, Terminal........................................................... 69
Configuring .................................................................26 PPM ........................................................................... 47
Connection, TDM .......................................................10 Product description ...................................................... 6
Connections ...............................................................13 rack mount kit............................................................. 12
DbMgr, Installing ........................................................17 Recovery, Clock......................................................... 53
DbMgr, using ..............................................................18 Regulatory approvals ................................................. 10
DC power .....................................................................9 Safety..................................................................... 7, 10
DCO ...........................................................................68 sample applications ................................................... 24
Device Settings ..........................................................75 SFPs ...................................................................... 8, 32
Device Window...........................................................23 Ship Kit Contents ....................................................... 11
Event messages.........................................................81 SVCs.......................................................................... 24
FCC affidavit...............................................................89 UDP port config.......................................................... 31
Install ..........................................................................11 underruns................................................................... 47
LEDs...........................................................................23 VLANs..................................................................35, 59
Limiting, priority ..........................................................44 Warningr ...................................................................... 5
LL name .....................................................................55 WEEE ........................................................................ 11

33525.a PacketBand TDM 4 User Manual V2.7

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PacketBand TDM-4 User Manual 33525 Rev.

PacketBand TDM-4 User Manual V2.7

Patapsco Communications Transition Networks

Printed: August 2012 in UK

Transition Networks - Patapsco ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Transition Networks - Patapsco

Transition Networks Patapsco Communications

Navigating this Manual

Notes on figures used in this manual

Example: An example scenario used to better describe an action or a situation.

For example, to navigate to this location:

The following figure would be used:

PKT 1  Utilities  Ping/Trace Session  Trace Route

 Excellent management, diagnostic tools and statistics

PacketBand TDM-1 E1/T1

PacketBand TDM-4 E1/T1

PacketBand TDM-32 E1/T1

PacketBand VX-1 X.21/V.35

Caution: Danger of electrostatic discharge. Electronic components are sensitive to electrostatic

Caution: Danger of damage to devices or service interruption. Access by unauthorized third

The safety status of ports conform to EN60950.

ISDN Network Ports - TNV

Term and LAN Ports - SELV

Inserting an SFP Module

Inserting Fiber-optic Cables

Removing an SFP Module

Mains Connection (AC)

Region Standard Rated Current (Amps) Rated Voltage (Volts) Application

TDM cables used should meet the following specifications:

24AWG 0.2mm/7 stranded bare copper 3 or 4 pairs dependent

Shielded or Non-Shielded with moulded US plug 8P8C gold plated 3U

S (FI, NO, SE) CLASS 1 PLUGGABLE EQUIPMENT TYPE A

The marking text in the applicable countries shall be as follows:

This product meets EN60950-1 and carries the mark.

All units are supplied with the following:

DbManager Installation Disk

The following accessories are optional:

TDM Port cable packs can be ordered with units as required.

Packet Network Cables

If any additional accessories are required, please contact Patapsco.

Rack Mounting Kit

Connections and Cabling

DbMgr Terminal Port

Packet Port Connections

Please contact Patapsco with any additional cable requirements.

Please follow these steps to install DbMgr:

3. Choose a location to install DbMgr to and continue the installation.

4. DbMgr is now installed and ready to use.

The windows are used for the following:

Full DbManager Manual

Double click to connect

Double click to connect

The Event History window shows the new IP address details

Front Panel - LEDs

Port/LED LED On Off

Rear Panel - Configuration Menus

Application Notes and Examples

Example PacketBand TDM-4 Application

The BSC and BTS communicate across a PacketBand system

1. The unit's IP addresses are 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2.

Notes on configuring PacketBand TDM-4

To upload, go to File  Upload.

Port Type Port Mode Channels/equivalent channels Data Rate (kbps)

There are advantages to using G.704 protocol over G.703: