“WILCO (SONET ring) is finally fixed thanks to Grid Observer®. We found two major issues that could have caused a complete outage!”
— from large US electric utility operations manager
Introducing GridObserver® from CONXX — the most comprehensive Smart Grid network monitoring platform in the market – unmatched in its functionality and breath of observable data. GridObserver® becomes your single pane of glass to monitor your entire smart grid network with its multiple nodes simultaneously in complete security.
It can simplify network administration and reduce cost while lowering network unscheduled downtime with the Grid Observer® Leading Indicator Technology™ module. It also provides metrics from concise executive-level KPIs, to detailed metrics required by engineering and operations teams for next-level tracking and predictive event correlation.
GridObserver’s genesis began two years before the internet’s commercial operation. With no viable options other than to build its own, CONXX built the first Network Monitoring System to monitor the first countywide network.
Each sequential Conxx network was more complex as the technology improved. In correlation, the network monitoring requirements became more sophisticated and ultimately evolved into the GridObserver platform.
At the core is our Leading Indicator Technology™ (LIT) Management Module for the GridObserver® — a new patent-pending technology that improves network availability through predictive error detection.
Unlike traditional network monitoring systems that only provide lagging indicators after the error or the outage event, GridObserver’s LIT provides you the ability to be proactive before the damage is done.
LIT analyzes the network elements and tracks the information while the network elements are reporting small, seemingly unimportant, network changes. The LIT algorithm correlates these changes, often too small to be called “events”, and correlates them to profile a clearer picture of expected future events. The GridObserver® LIT module delivers a scheduled or on-demand report with upcoming issues, allowing for proactive intervention and resolution.
GridObserver® is a full-service network management framework that works by looking widely (across many vendors WiMAX, Microwave, Switches, Routers, etc.) and deeply (into MPLS/ATM/SONET/Routing/DWDM) layers of the network. This Manager of Managers (MOM) performs advanced level tracking and predictive event correlation.
GridObserver® is fully web-enabled for monitoring anytime, anywhere. It has intelligent auto-notification for real-time escalation. It provides management, operations, and engineering “Quick Glance” summary for all network elements. GridObserver® utilizes trending alarms and prioritization. Its geocoding provides a topologic view to perform path analysis and to detect path loss.
Unique to the industry, CONXX has developed the ability to detect and map virtual connections with GridObserver®. By monitoring both physical and virtual devices at all levels of the network, the missing gaps can now be seen. Perhaps more important is the ability to see if devices are connected to something else. This “Man-in-the-Middle” detection is incredibly essential for security and situational awareness to know if someone has hijacked a device on the smart grid. This innovation can defend the smart grid from attacks and protect the company’s irreplaceable assets.
With the traditional network monitoring approach, optimization and error remediation begins after error or outage events, commonly known as lagging indicators.
While remediation after the network outage is critical to ongoing network availability and has always been the standard network process, CONXX believes there is a better solution.
At the core of GridObserver® is an extensible network modeling architecture, which models network objects and events at an atomic level. This concept of atomic platform architecture makes correlations with network objects naturally interrelated. Defining these interrelationships is easily accomplished within GridObserver® and the advanced network introspection occurs automatically.
Because GridObserver® geocodes both the physical/virtual objects and events in real-time, both fault isolation and performance analysis is Geocoded. All of this can be viewed in geographic area reports.
Reporting in GridObserver® is unrivaled with the network modeling features of the platform. GridObserver® provides the ultimate in network reporting with a real-time geocoded model of your network environment. Key metrics can be generated on any element or element inter-relationship in the geospatial environment. Executives, engineering or operations can readily generate key metrics for a defined geospatial area.
The strength of GridObserver’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tells executives where to invest in the network to get the most benefit from dollars spent. Metrics are then tracked to assure the investment has indeed paid off. Yes, GridObserve®r can tell you where to improve your poorest performing network segments, and how many customers will benefit from the improvement.
With GridObserver®, network device upgrades do not take place prematurely. Dollars can be allocated based on need, not guesses. GridObserver® allows our customers to maximize their investment in their network. The precision of GridObserver® reporting allows for monitored hardware to be used to its maximum life and still be replaced before it fails.
Have you ever been asked a question like, “How much in terms of network investment is going to video security?” GridObserver® can answer this and many more questions because it tracks the individual virtual service metrics on the networks, so operators, engineers, and executives know how much of their network monetary expenditures are supporting which network application. GridObserver reporting ties real dollar figures to the bits and bytes traveling across the network.
Configuration Assurance and Compliance can be accomplished because GridObserver® looks deeply at the equipment. Standard and Adhoc reports can verify configurations were implemented and had the desired results across the environment.
CONXX GridObserver® is your complete network monitoring platform for today and the future.
Global Grid Router
The patent-pending CONXX Global Grid Router™ provides industry-leading IP/MPLS communications capabilities over a common carrier LTE network in a DIN rail-mountable compact form factor with temperature, electromagnetic, shock and vibration hardening.
The Global Grid Router™ is ideally suited for deployments in harsh and cramped environments where multiple methods of connecting are desired, like WiMAX with LTE backup, or multiple LTE carriers.
- 10 Year Globally Connected
- Ruggedized for vibration, shock, dust, splash & humidity
- Certified 3G/4G/LTE enterprise-grade external modem
- Software-defined radio supports multiple carriers (Gobi)
- Built-in transient and reverse polarity voltage protection
- Out of Band modem and router management
- 9–36 DC voltage input range
- Integrated temperature sensors
- Active GPS support
GGR Technical Specifications
-40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F) sustained with a minimum airflow rate of 0.5 m/s, -40°C to +65°C (-40°F to 149°F) in a still air environment
±20 V DC to 36 V DC
Weight: 2.54 kg (5.6 lb)
IP40 Packaging
Fanless, passively cooled
IEC 61850-3
EN 50155
Two RS- 232 (async) ports
(out-of-band management of an external device requires a null modem adapter/cable)