Specifications

3-14
Cisco Cable Modem Termination System Feature Guide
0L-1467-02
Chapter 3 Spectrum Management for the Cisco Cable Modem Termination System
Feature Overview
Advanced Hardware-Based Spectrum Management
The Cisco uBR-MC16S cable interface line card is a card with a DOCSIS-based cable interface that
supports one downstream and six upstreams. It incorporates a daughter board with hardware-based
spectrum management features that provide enhancements to the basic features supported by the other
Cisco cable interface line cards.
Note The Cisco uBR10012 universal broadband router using Cisco IOS Release 12.2(8)BC2 and the
Cisco uBR-LCP2-MC16S cable interface line card supports a subset of these features. See the
“Cisco uBR10012 Router and Cisco IOS Release 12.2(8)BC2 Support” section on page 3-19 for more
details.
Intelligent Spectrum Management Enhancements
Initial Intelligent spectrum management enhancements to the Cisco uBR-MC16S line card were
introduced in the Cisco IOS Release 12.1 EC train. Initial support for the Cisco uBR-MC16S card also
appeared in Cisco IOS Releases 12.0(7)XR3, 12.1(1a)T1, 12.1(2)EC, 12.2(8)BC2, and included the
following features:
• Integrates a DOCSIS cable interface line card with an onboard spectrum analyzer that continuously
analyzes the upstream spectrum quality in the DOCSIS frequency range of 5 to 42 MHz.
• Includes hardware-assisted frequency hopping, providing for more intelligent and faster frequency
selection than software-only solutions.
• Reduces the response time to ingress noise that could cause modems to drop offline.
• Eliminates blind frequency hopping by initiating frequency hops to known clean channels.
• Improves frequency agility to help eliminate dropped packets and thereby maintain full upstream
data rates.
• Supports frequency agility in dense-mode combining environments across a shared spectrum.
• Restricts frequency hopping to a set of discrete fixed frequencies or to a range of frequencies, as
desired.
• Allows frequency hop conditions to be customized for specific plant environments and
requirements.
• Optionally schedules frequency hops to take advantage of known usage patterns or plant conditions.
• Optionally dynamically reduces channel width to allow cable modems to remain online, even in
noisy upstream conditions.
• The Cisco uBR-MC16S cable interface line card can be installed in existing deployments of the
Cisco uBR7223, Cisco uBR7246, and Cisco uBR7246 VXR universal broadband routers. The
Cisco uBR-LCP2-MC16S line card can be installed in Cisco uBR10012 universal broadband routers
running Cisco IOS Release 12.2(8)BC2 or later software releases.
• As is the case with the other cable interface line cards, the Cisco uBR-MC16S line card supports
online insertion and removal (OIR), allowing for hot-swappable upgrades and maintenance.