Data Storage
Essent® InSite® is capable of loading and storing all vendor OEM configuration data, both topology and parameter, into a single composite database. The relational data schema of Essent InSite for Business Intelligence models topology in the database as it appears in the real world. We include tools, namely Essent Commander and vendor-specific MML Parsers to collect and process parameter and configuration data. Essent Commander is able to connect directly to Network Elements, initiate commands that output configuration data on any device in the network, transfer that data to the Essent parsers which process that data into the relational model where it can be queried by end users and warehoused in order to store configuration history.
The InSite database natively supports processing data in multiple reporting intervals at any granularity, accurately preserving the granularity of the source data. Raw processed data is stored in the same location and is easily queried by its duration or period. The system logically organizes data by its device type, such as cell site, sector, trunk group, BSC, MSC. Essent InSite supports a multitude of granularities and reporting intervals, including but not limited to, granularities at the TRX, Sector, Cell Site, BSC, MSC, Market, Region, and National levels with native support for intervals of 15 minutes, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Additional durations can be added as needed through the "Measurement Durations” table.
The InSite Database and Data Warehouse have the ability to store all data for any granularity, for any length of time, limited only by storage space. Essent InSite includes administrator-configurable Data Retention Window per measurement type, allowing each type to be stored for any, potentially different, duration. Additionally, data can be summarized at set intervals, aggregating data for a new duration and purging the native duration. For example, RF data with a duration of 15-minutes can be aggregated into hourly data after 30 days, aggregated into daily data after 3 months, and aggregated into weekly data after 1 year. This rolling aggregating functionality allows storage space and processing time to be minimized while providing relevant data at an appropriate granularity for aged data. To provide a complete set of data lifecycle management tools, real-time services exist to automatically purge and optimally archive data outside of the Data Retention Window on a daily basis without having to take the system offline.
InSite Archival Services prepares data for archival and potential future restoration. This subsystem is completely configurable by InSite Administrators. Archiving can be an automated procedure that can execute while the system is online. Manual archiving of specific elements can be initiated by authorized Administrators as necessary; manually initiated actions require confirmation.
InSite Data Collection Services and Management Services include data collection and processing of Raw Data Files. Essent InSite Archiver automates creating backups of raw data to uniquely-named compressed archival files using the industry-standard ZIP file format. Archives are standard files recognized by every major File System and archive utility. As a result, archives can be easily manipulated and manage using methods native to the operating system housing the data and natural to the user working with the data. Archives can be made for download by authorized users, applications, and external systems via a web server, network share, or common protocols like FTP.