Tell us about your company
Netview has over 50 years’ combined experience working in both satcoms and web industries. Our technology base ranges from small web based single devices to full network management systems involving the integration of hundreds of devices using a broad range of communications protocols.
Netview focuses on an adaptable software defined, web-based, element manager (a “black box” solution) with north and southbound network ports all running on Linux OS. Common core software runs web server, UI, SNMP & Serial drivers and a simple but extensive configuration facility. Our initial project is a specialised interface to control 300+ LEO constellation gateway terminals.
The system is browser and configuration based and uses technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, HTML and CSS to display an intuitive UI for the control of devices and configuration of schedules, drivers, etc. Being run from a web server, devices on the same network can connect, view and interact with the UI and have the functionality to respond to requests for information from other devices or systems. All data can be pushed northbound and is stored in a configurable MySQL database containing reporting tools to present information in an informative manner.
What industry challenges are having the biggest influence on your work at the moment?
The industry challenge that keeps us awake is to ensure that a LEO constellation causes no RFI to any other network or to the spectrum used.
For us, the processing of contact plans for the individual ground terminals to track, handover and monitor within a LEO constellation network with regard to both spectrum management and eradicating RFI.
What innovative solutions are you working on to address the issue?
In the LEO case, the system communicates with the antenna control system and any other ancillary equipment within the individual terminal package, gathering information pertaining to those devices and log all actions and responses. This connection receives contact plans and allows processing of the terminal’s schedule and the necessary commands to carry out the terminal’s actions. It is the management of those contact plans where Netview has the capability to adjust that process, log any incidents and learn from errors or incidents encountered. This may lead to us looking at machine learning and AI in the future to ultimately process this data and auto-learn.
What are your thoughts on spectrum management?
Critical! If you want to be in the communications industry and – in particular, space –spectrum must have the same priority as Space Situational Awareness and be managed properly and globally for everything to work. Space traffic management, in our view, is crucial to this requirement. Our products are fully based on this philosophy from the ground-up.
I think Netview wants to see more open discussions regarding LEO and the possible RFI scenarios that can be avoided. Questions, such as, do we know what actual RFI problems are likely?
With regard to 5G, although, at this time, Netview is not involved in any 5G linked projects, we are certainly looking at what our product could manage with regards to mitigating or, better, avoiding problems with 5G.
Do you think creating innovative solutions for cyber security is a priority for the satcoms industry?
Absolutely! The current range of Netview products must adhere to tough, standardised, cyber security rules and processes. At a defence level, it is all about protecting the space asset and not just the ground infrastructure we are interfaced to, although that is also critical.
Do you have any interesting plans for the next couple of months?
Netview has been asked to present at the National Astronomy Meeting, The University of Warwick, July 11th – 15th, 2022.
This year, the Netview team is attending IBC (9th – 12th September). We see this conference as a must and our clients will be there.
Netview has has also been accepted to present a paper at the Paris IAC event. Currently the session is scheduled for 13:50, 21st September in the IP Area. Again, this presentation will be specifically looking at LEO ground infrastructure.
In the meantime, we are planning a series of online, interactive sessions to discuss control and management of ground infrastructure for LEO constellations, as well as the monitoring of spectrum use, where we will be looking at possible RFI scenarios that may or, more importantly, may not exist in LEO.
We also attended the SIG Workshop back in Jacksonville back in March which was a great opportunity to discuss the latest challenges within satcom with other industry professionals.
Why do you feel it is important to be a member of SIG?
I think for a venture such as Netview, it is critical to be a part of a globally aware and respected engineering group such as SIG and, as a company, we are totally engaged in protecting and managing spectrum. Our involvement with LEO makes this critical to Netview to ensure that we are grounded with sound engineering advice and support as we venture into new territory of monitoring and controlling LEO Constellation ground infrastructure.
Has your business been impacted by Covid19 and what steps have you taken to mitigate this?
Not at all other than running more “virtual” connections to our clients and colleagues. But Netview is a “home-office” based company from the start, with purpose-built office accommodation to suit its engineering and software needs to build products such as ours. Historically, Netview’s background for 30+ years has been based on this working environment, which certainly paid off during Covid19.