Simplify and expedite testing of monitored equipment
that employs a D-connectorized TBOS interface!
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
One of the benefits TBOS Tester strives to deliver is completeness, that is, a package that provides everything needed (other than the computer itself) to test and monitor TBOS serial telemetry systems. Although this objective is met in most cases, the lack of a standard for the 4-wire serial telemetry physical interface presents a challenge.
The 4-wire cable historically furnished with TBOS Tester is designed for use with network elements that employ a wire-wrap pin physical interface. This standard cable works very well for a majority of applications. However, the increasing use of D-connectors by equipment manufacturers to provide a serial telemetry interface has complicated matters. The TBOS signals are far less accessible, and pin assignments vary between manufacturers (and even between equipment models from the same manufacturer).
Gathering the components necessary to use TBOS Tester effectively in these cases is potentially a time-consuming task. To address this situation TSA has developed a D-connector cable set for use with TBOS Tester. It enables the user to interface with equipment using DB9 or DB25 connectors regardless of gender, to perform monitor mode or active tests, and to adapt quickly, easily and accurately to differing pin assignments.
D-connector cable set elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
As shown in Figure One , the cable set consists of these components:
Select the 9-pin or 25-pin monitor cable based on the type of D-connector the equipment under test uses for its serial telemetry interface. For monitor mode tests, break the existing connection between the monitored equipment and the alarm remote and insert the monitor cable in line, using the pair of pass-through connectors closely spaced at one end of the monitor cable. The remaining connector on the monitor cable provides access to the TBOS telemetry.
For active tests (Display, Command and Respond Modes) only one of the pass-through connectors is used. If the NE under test uses a DB25F connector the monitor cable can be dispensed with, as the D-connector cable or patch block (discussed later) can be plugged directly into the NE.
9/25 Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
When the 9-pin monitor cable is employed a 9-to-25 pin adapter is needed to interface with the TBOS Tester D-connector cable or patch block (discussed next), which are 25 pin devices. Place the 9-to-25 pin adapter on the monitor connector (the free end) of the 9-pin monitor cable.
D-connector cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This is a four-conductor cable with discrete pins on one end for connection to the TBOS Tester converter, and a DB25M connector on the other. Standard pin assignments have been adopted for TBOS Tester that are appropriate for a number of popular NEs. If the NE's TBOS signal in Table One is mapped to corresponding DB25 or DB9 pin number, simply connect the D-connector cable to the TBOS Tester converter following the color code shown. If the pin assignments differ from those in Table One, a patch block will also be needed. (Example: if Tx+ from the NE appears on pin 3 of its DB25 connector, and so forth for the other three signals, connect the white lead to TBOS Tester converter Ch2+ terminal, etc.)
Table One:
TBOS Tester D-connector pin, color code and signal
assignments
|
TBOS
Tester Channel |
TBOS
Tester Signal |
Cable
Lead Color |
DB25
Pin No. |
DB9
Pin No. |
NE
TBOS Signal |
| Ch1+ | Tx+ | Red |
8
|
1
|
Rx+ |
| Ch1- | Tx- | Blk |
6
|
6
|
Rx- |
| Ch2- | Rx- | Grn |
4
|
7
|
Tx- |
| Ch2+ | Rx+ | Wht |
3
|
2
|
Tx+ |
Patch blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Because there is no standard for the TBOS physical interface the pins used and their signals will differ among manufacturers and models of equipment. To compensate for this condition a patch block can be used in line between the TBOS Tester monitor cable and D-connector cable. This is a simple four-wire cross-connect adapter that remaps the telemetry leads for a particular make and model of monitored equipment to the standard arrangement adopted for TBOS Tester.
A DB25 break-out box would provide a universal solution but requires manual configuration. A more reliable solution is to build a set of patch blocks that adapt each piece of equipment the user will be testing. This removes the guess-work from setting up the cable connections (once the appropriate cabling has been determined the first time). TSA is developing an ever-growing selection of preconfigured patch blocks (Table Two) and will provide the appropriate ones on request.
Table Two: Preconfigured patch blocks
| Network Element | Patch Block |
| AT&T FT-2000 |
A4101
|
| Nortel OC12/OC48 Port 1 |
A4102
|
| Nortel OC12 Port 2/OC48 Port 3 |
A4103
|
| Nortel OC48 Port 2 |
A4104
|
| Nortel OC48 Port 4 |
A4105
|
| Nortel DFMS 70-25 |
A4106
|
| AI switch |
A4107
|
| AI switch-monitored NE |
A4108
|
User configurable patch block (A-4100) . . . . . . . . . . .
In addition, each D-connector cable set includes one "user configurable patch block". This is a standard RS-232 test box (also available from Radio Shack, etc.) easily adapted to a particular pin arrangement by soldering four jumper wires to an internal pc board. The label contains space for the pin assignments and NE type to be noted.
Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
If you need a different patch block, have questions, comments or suggestions about the TBOS Tester D-connector set or any other aspect of TBOS Tester operation please contact Telephony Software Associates, Inc.
Table Three: D-Connector Pin Cross-reference
| DB25 | DB15 | DB9 | DB25 | DB15 | DB9 | DB25 | DB15 | DB9 |
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
5
|
17
|
12
|
x
|
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
8
|
1
|
18
|
13
|
x
|
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
9~13
|
x
|
x
|
19
|
14
|
x
|
|
4
|
4
|
7
|
14
|
9
|
x
|
20
|
15
|
4
|
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
15
|
10
|
x
|
21
|
x
|
x
|
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
16
|
11
|
x
|
22~25
|
x
|
x
|
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