Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[burakkucat]

I read this thread over at the ThinkBroadband forum, earlier today --

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/technical/f/4177156-exchange-visit.html

It seems that Beattie's security is somewhat lacking. 

[Black Sheep]

That's the problem with un-manned Exchanges. Add to the mix the plethora of Contractors entering our buildings (Well, Montterays buildings), the very poor building maintenance, and staff running around like headless chickens trying to keep productivity up ........ and mistakes will happen.

Contrary to that forums number posted up ........... 0800 321999 is BT's security line, for any event, (Cable thieves, Bomb threats, Exchange security etc etc).

[kitz]

Oops someone has been a bit lapse 


-----------

In answer to the questions he asked

Is this a DSLAM?

The photo is actually of Fujitsu line cards.  IS-LCSS would indicate a relatively old type DSLAM. 
iirc BT started using the newer IV-LCSS (4th gen) line cards at around the time of maxdsl  (2006 ish) although some of the older ones are still in place in some exchanges, they definitely wont be able to sustain a 21CN line.
Bit surprised they were able to be photographed so easily, they are usually in a unit with a front cover on.


What is a LDU?

Loop Diagnistic Unit. Provides local loop line test facilities, such as the Quiet Line Test etc.


what are these?

No idea, some sort of card on the POTS (System x/System Y)?

>> this I believe is the "local loop frame",

Its the MDF (Main Distribution Frame).  Looks like a very small exchange.

-------

More info on most of the above can be seen on the page Inside the BT exchange.
Although Ive cropped off the LDU's on the photo for the site, they were under the DACs monitor unit, and you can just see the tops of them.

[burakkucat]

It is the Sanday exchange (NSSDY), on the Island of Sanday, in the Orkney Isles. Total number of lines served ~250.

The door to the exchange is probably left unlocked so that Hamish McHaggis, the Island's only postman, can 'pop in' to make a brew and use the 'facilities' (i.e. necessarium). The locals probably haven't bothered to recognise the split between the Postal and Telecommunication services that occurred with the creation of Beattie in the early 1980s! Also, on an island of that size, they do not suffer from pikeys or chavs roaming around 'on the rob'. 

[Black Sheep]

"Bit surprised they were able to be photographed so easily, they are usually in a unit with a front cover on".

The ones I see in my various Exchanges don't have any covers on at all, Kitz. Are you thinking of the actual Sys X and Y equipment racks, which all have front covers on them ??

[burakkucat]

More info on most of the above can be seen on the page Inside the BT exchange.
Although Ive cropped off the LDU's on the photo for the site, they were under the DACs monitor unit, and you can just see the tops of them.

Ah, yes. Now that you have mentioned it, I can see the tops of the lettering.

[Black Sheep]

The LDU's are part of the EVOTAM (Evolutionary Test Access Matrix) build, for testing lines on our 21CN network. It allows the linking-up and testing of LLU's circuits via their MSANS, to our Terradyne test heads.

For example, if the EU is on an MPF, then the only way OR (or the SP/ISP) can initiate a test, is by wiring the circuit through the TAM. If the EU is on an SMPF, then at least one aspect of the SMPF (either the dial tone, or the DSL) will directly be linked through the Terradyne test heads, thus not requiring wiring through the TAM.

This is how I understand TAM's to work, but am no expert on the science behind it.

[kitz]

>>>  Are you thinking of the actual Sys X and Y equipment racks, which all have front covers on them ??

Nope.  In the exchanges I visited they were either in a separate part of the building.. or even on another floor.

>>>  my various Exchanges don't have any covers on at all,

Wonder if its just around here then?  Because the ones I were shown all had some sort of cover on them.

In one exchange they had to be opened by the BTw guy.   BT had 'allocated' several staff for my visit, specifically a BT Wholesale guy, a field engineer and a frames engineer.  The field engineer accompanied my 'tour' by BTw guy and he specifically mentioned that he was seeing stuff he wouldnt normally get to see.

In many of my photo's you can see where the front panels had either been removed, or doors opened.

eg

You can see the panel door swung to the right on this Fujitsu FDX DSLAM.  Bottom right you can see the grill mesh cutout on the door.


Panel door opens to the right on this Fujitsu GeoStream Access Gateway 


Different exchange (my own) - a Fujitsu GeoStream.  The weird ghost hand is actually a reflection of the engineers hand who was holding the door back so that I could take the photograph.


A BTw Marconi MSAN showing door swung open on the left.



1st Generation Westell DSLAMs with front covers.


Westell DSLAM without front cover.

[Black Sheep]

Due to the severe heat generated in the Exchanges, most of the lids are deliberately left off the rack equipment to allow dissipation. I'm not saying this is how they were designed to be installed, but is how they are generally presented in our local Exchanges.

[kitz]

>>> Total number of lines served ~250.

Ahhh that explains the small MDF

>>> they do not suffer from pikeys or chavs roaming around 'on the rob'.

Hmmm  wonder if BT put covers on all their DSLAM/MSANs prior to my visit in case I walked off with one  (jk)


>>> Now that you have mentioned it, I can see the tops of the lettering.

I'll attach the uncropped photo so you can see them a wee bit better.


>>> The LDU's are part of the EVOTAM (Evolutionary Test Access Matrix)


Thanks for that additional info.     I must admit I cant recall everything I was told now about the TAMs and LDUs as I had my head full of stuff about the MSANs and LLU handover frames.

The LDU's were definitely in the exchanges prior to 21CN.  The attached photo showing the LDU was taken in 2008, that exchange didnt go 21CN until 2or3 years later.   I could be entirely wrong but I thought the TAMs were for dsl tests and the LDU for telephony service tests.
 
Although Ive known of TAMs since dsl was introduced, I cant recall mention of "EVOTAM".  Since you mention 21CN then you are probably more up to date on that info, and its possible that the 2 separate LDU and TAM units were used for 20CN?    Need to do some digging at some point.  I honestly dont know.

>>> but is how they are generally presented in our local Exchanges.

Adds further credence that they were all put in place prior to my visits (see above) 

[kitz]

After a bit of googling, I think we are both right.

This page says  "Loop Diagnosis Units, which provide the 17070 line test facility".  I cant find an exact date, but it was prior to 2005 - ie 20CN.


Then I come across several references to "EvoTAM or LLUTAM at CIDT enabled exchanges. CIDT will be rolled out to most exchanges by June 2012".
EvoTAM would indeed appear to be the newer 21CN/LLU variant. Since MSANs combine both voice and dsl, I suppose it makes sense to do a combined test matrix for LLU.  I do have a vague recollection of certain tests at one point not being available for LLU lines.


hmmmmmmmmmm...  look what I just found when googling evotam

[burakkucat]

I suspect that the Sanday exchange is still using 20CN equipment and providing an 'up to 8 Mbps' DS broadband service.

hmmmmmmmmmm...  look what I just found when googling evotam

Oooh, some pictures with kitz.co.uk in the bottom right-hand corner! 

[kitz]

Bit naughty a commercial site using my images..  even quoting that my photo of the TAMs were LLU TAMs - which they most certainly were not.

Arent Quinns the teleco company doing a lot of the contracted out FTTC installations in the North West.

[burakkucat]

Bit naughty a commercial site using my images..  even quoting that my photo of the TAMs were LLU TAMs - which they most certainly were not.

Arent Quinns the teleco company doing a lot of the contracted out FTTC installations in the North West.

Very naughty, in my book. Yes, Quinns are contractors up in your part of England -- Black Sheep, I believe, is familiar with their 'exploits'.

[kitz]

btw..  ive just read the rest of the thread on TBB and theres some further info now (It was only on page 1 when I last looked)...  but interestingly it looks like he's now removed his photos.

I apologised to him and offered to remove the photographs from my website

.

I guess I was lucky in that my visit was sanctioned by Ben Verwayeen and was able to photograph most things, iirc the only restrictions were not allowed to photograph the LLU MSANs and not allowed to use Flash in certain parts of the exchange.. which is why some of the photos are a bit dark... such as near the LLU handover frames.