How we bring OTDR to work in customer environment. Integration issues.

We have already passed a long way of integrating different OTDRs to customer environment. As our experience grew, we adopted different approaches to this problem. And now it's time to note some important milestones in this history.

In the beginning:

(It was long time ago… we've just started)

We had not got any defined and documented OTDR data exchange protocol by the time when the first customer asked about non-GUI OTDR for his system. Since it was urgent requirement we had to describe OTDR protocol in the following way:

Send Byte 0x77
Receive Byte 0x08
Send Byte 0x90 0x54 0x62
Receive 15 Bytes : 0xX1 0xX2 .... where 0xX1 is the number of data points...

And so on, with intricate explanation of how to process raw binary data and several samples on C programming language.

Problem with this approach arises if OTDR data needs some additional processing on client's side. In another cases this way may be just good anough.

Next approach:

(several month later)

At that moment we had completed OTDR interface specification and had built several DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries). They acted as upper level OTDR drivers and customers were able to incorporate OTDRs into their their own systems using DLLs' exported functionality (MeasSetup(), MeasStart(), MeasData(), etc). There were several requirements to use these DLLs, such as using particular programming language (C++) and using defined common data types and structures (GR-196, SOR, Standard OTDR Record class library). Our solution was built with C++ programming language and was cross-platform, so it was the same for Windows and Linux environment.

And the next one:

The next project was RFTS (Remote Fiber Test System) development, in which RTU (Remote Test Unit) is controlled via Ethernet. One of requirements was to use standardized remote interface to RTU, so we decided to specify our RTU TL1 protocol.

Actually, pure TL1 is not 100%-suitable for OTDR-like devices, but with some improvements we have created protocol, that has met requirement completely and now RTU could be controlled remotely via TL1.

I'd like to mention that this is also a cross-platform solution (on both client and server sides). We used it successfully for Linux and Windows based applications.

Still another approach:

LabVIEW.

First, a simple idea to use our USB osciloscope (with LabVIEW driver) as OTDR for lab purpose arised. Then automation requirements have forced us to learn LabVIEW environment deeper.
So now there is just one more way of OTDR integration. First of all, it is suitable for using different instruments simultaneously via lab applications.

To be continued (about COM, .NET and web-services)...

15 minutes of effective communication

Does your company staff consist of young enthusiasts? Do they spend much of their free time learning new technologies? Are their professional passions interesting for their colleagues? Would you like to improve the exchange of useful experience and knowledge inside your company?
It’s the same for us. And probably our solution will fit your situation too. What is the point?

From time to time our united team gathers for approximately a quarter of an hour. Someone gives a brief lecture about something new, which will probably be interesting and useful for the others. What for?

First, it allows others to easily pass entry phase when learning new technology. How often do you read about something new and cannot get the point, because you don’t see the whole thing? But the man, who has already spent his time learning new technology and who already has clear idea about it, can briefly describe the main point and why to use the innovation. This will allow others to boost their startup when learning this technology in the future.

Also, such lectures broadens personnel’s mind. It may be useful for average developer when finding a non-typical solution, or for system architect when designing a new architecture.

It is also useful for the speaker. He learns how to speak clearly and gets the public speeches experience. It will have its meaning when communicating inside your company or with customers.

And even more – it’s the way of effective break. Because break is just the change of activity area, isn’t it? And such meetings will not only get an employee out of his everyday job, but will also let him to return to his work with clear mind and probably new ideas.

At last, it’s just another way of communication. There are not so many things that are more important, than communication in team.

So, we have five advantages.
What does it cost? Approximately 15 minutes of your working time per week. It’s not so much, isn’t it?

E.g., yesterday I had a lecture for colleagues; it was about using RAII design pattern in C++ development. If you don’t work at Optixsoft yet and missed a lecture, but if you are a developer and if your language, happily, has destructors, then I would strongly recommend you to learn this pattern. It will make your using of resources significantly easier. This pattern is clearly described in works of such C++ gurus as Stroustrup, Meyers, Sutter and Alexandrescu and is considered as important part of good coding style. You can read about this pattern, for example, in «Effective С++. 3rd Edition» by Scott Meyers or in Wikipedia.

By the way, my name is Alex Korotkin. This is my first post on our company blog. I’m responsible for development at Optixsoft, so my posts will refer to development, more or less. I will be glad to answer your questions. I’m sure that such communications will be useful for all of us.