The modules of this project to be replaced are located in the TDCN backbone of the network operator and have reached the end of their life cycle (end-of-life) or will no longer be supported by the manufacturer from May 2019 onwards. The exchange affects the entire installed base in Germany.

For Suconi, this end-of-life change project meant: Implementation at 330 locations in the southern part of Germany in the period from April 2018 to March 2019. Suconi takes over the sub-project management for 50% of the locations for material supply, scheduling and route planning plus the access management. The field service technicians carried out the entire migration in the technology sites on site.

The TDCN Backbone is an IP / MPLS network consisting of Juniper MX240 routers. The MX240 are modular chassis that can be equipped with a variety of Routing Engines (RE), Switch Control Boards (SCB) and Modular Port Concentrators (MPCs).

According to the design, 5-8 modules were replaced per location (two Modular Interface Cards (MICs) exchanged, two MX Switch and Control Boards and the associated routing engines including SSD and Compact Flash cards).

Stations (workflow) in the exchange project:

  1. Create Last Minute Risk Assessment (LMRA) protocol and contact Network Operation Center (NOC)
  2. After securing the configuration of the installed module and enabling, turn off the router
  3. Exchange of 5 to 8 assemblies and the filter mat with labeling
  4. Turn on the router and monitor the boot process
  5. Import the basic configuration via notebook on site
  6. Inform NOC and perform software upgrade via USB stick
  7. Documentation of the dismantled hardware (serial number and barcode of the DEBASAFE bag)
  8. Wait for NOC release of the network element
  9. Pack removed assemblies and store temporarily for scrapping
  10. Transport the removed SSD and the CompactFlash cards in the DEBASAFE bag in the DEBASAFE container.