Capacity Management Service Edge-Fiber Node Management November 2013 DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Agenda Introductions Edge-Fiber Node Capacity Management Practices and Challenges Overview of Methodology, Data Inputs being utilized, and their inherent deficiencies Description of Various development efforts Discussion around R&D effort and findings Q & A Next Steps DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

What is needed in Capacity Planning A better, faster, more efficient way to handle your HSD Capacity Engineering Get it right the first time Engineer your network faster Engineer your network more effectively More efficient utilization of existing resources DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Leverage tools and expertise MSO are utilizing tools that allow for better: Hardware Utilization – Level Load your CMTS Manpower Effectiveness – Augment once Provide reports/data for more effective planning for the HSD Network – Know what will happen when Automate the Mundane Tasks DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Edge-Fiber Node Management Challenges Basic Practices – NCP Creation is Based on Nodal Modem Counts (Auspice) – Time Consuming, tedious, often obsolete before its implemented – Fundamental flaw, node and port splits are based on Modem counts and not actual usage DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Edge-Fiber Node Management Challenges Problems With Todays Basic Practices – NCP Creation is Based on Nodal Modem Counts (Auspice) – Users/modems do not operate on the basic law of averages but rather at best case resembles a Log Normal Distribution or, most likely behave more in line with a Power Law probability distribution pattern – Time Consuming, tedious, often obsolete before its implemented – When splitting nodes there is no way to determine nodal contribution to port utilization – Prone to human error, large spreadsheets lots of room for mistakes – Fundamental flaw, node and port splits are based on Modem counts and not actual usage DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Port Utilization vs. Modem Counts DS Port # 2 (bar 3) illustrates that DS Port Utilization is not necessarily proportional to Modem Counts. Comparing DS Ports #0 (bar 1) and #1 (bar 2) illustrates that growth and the magnitude of weekly variations in DS Port Utilization are also not necessarily proportional to Modem Counts. This data is straight from the NCP and Weekly Capacity Utilization Reports. DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

What does Port Utilization Forecasting Mean DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Actual Results: CMTS Port Utilization U Tallest = 74% U Tallest = 45% Customers Initial NCP Customers Next NCP DTIs Optimization of the Customers Initial NCP using the Customers initial number of DS Ports The same amount of CMTS hardware is used in the middle and bottom charts, but the bottom NCP would last more than 5.8 times longer. DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Comparison of DS Port Loading (Top) Customers Initial NCP (Middle) Customers Next NCP (Bottom) DTIs Optimization of the Customers Initial NCP (using Customers Initial NCPs 6 DS Ports) U Tallest = 74% U Tallest = 57% Customers Initial NCP Customers Next NCP DTIs Optimization of the Customers Initial NCP using the Customers initial number of DS Ports DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

How DTI Can Help Optimize utilization across the CMTS and Edge elements Offer a service to automate the NCP Process while Packing the CMTS more efficiently Lowering access infrastructure costs per user Enhance customer satisfaction Stretch TWCs Hardware Allocation Reduce cost of ownership for CMTS product in the Network (reducing augmentation cycles) Incorporate VOD into the NCP DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

The Win Improve Customer Satisfaction Less often augmentations less down time for your customers Better balanced CMTS and edge elements results in less over-utilized ports offering better throughput to your customers Reduce Engineering/Field Cycles Turnaround of NCP Designs in 1-2 days from 3-5 days Extending the time between augmentations Targeting Hardware Utilization More efficiently engineered CMTS and edge systems. Develop NCPs that more equally distribute utilization across all ports, lowering the number of underutilized resources/ports Supports field standardization DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

Next Steps Get the Data We require weeks of data x the number of nodes on a port Limited Trial Suggest ½ man for 1 Quarter for NCP creation ~24 NCPs/Engineering Packages Measure our Success More efficiently engineered CMTS and edge systems. Develop NCPs that more equally distribute utilization across all ports, lowering the number of underutilized resources/ports Move to forecasting services next DTI Expertise for end-to-end success

A different way to look at the dynamics of DS Port Utilization over the period examined DS Port # 2 (bar 3) Utilization actually decreased slightly over time. DS Ports #0, #1 and #5 each finished the period at less than their respective period maximum 98 th Percentile Utilization. This data is straight from the NCP and Weekly Capacity Utilization Reports. DTI Expertise for end-to-end success