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Cisco ONS 15454 Reference Manual, R7.0
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Chapter 8 Cisco Transport Controller Operation
8.2 8.1.2 CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation

8.1.2 CTC Software Installed on the PC or UNIX Workstation

CTC software is downloaded from the TCC2/TCC2P cards and installed on your computer automatically
after you connect to the ONS 15454 with a new software release for the first time. Downloading the CTC
software files automatically ensures that your computer is running the same CTC software version as the
TCC2/TCC2P cards you are accessing. The CTC files are stored in the temporary directory designated
by your computer operating system. You can use the Delete CTC Cache button to remove files stored in
the temporary directory. If the files are deleted, they download the next time you connect to an ONS
15454. Downloading the Java archive (JAR) files for CTC takes several minutes depending on the
bandwidth of the connection between your workstation and the ONS 15454. For example, JAR files
downloaded from a modem or a data communications channel (DCC) network link require more time
than JAR files downloaded over a LAN connection.
During network topology discovery, CTC polls each node in the network to determine which one
contains the most recent version of the CTC software. If CTC discovers a node in the network that has
a more recent version of the CTC software than the version you are currently running, CTC generates a
message stating that a later version of the CTC has been found in the network and offers to install the
CTC software upgrade JAR files. If you have network discovery disabled, CTC will not seek more recent
versions of the software. Unreachable nodes are not included in the upgrade discovery.
Note Upgrading the CTC software will overwrite your existing software. You must restart CTC after the
upgrade is complete.
8.2 CTC Installation Overview
To connect to an ONS 15454 using CTC, you enter the ONS 15454 IP address in the URL field of
Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. After connecting to an ONS 15454, the following
occurs automatically:
1. A CTC launcher applet is downloaded from the TCC2/TCC2P card to your computer.
2. The launcher determines whether your computer has a CTC release matching the release on the
ONS 15454 TCC2/TCC2P card.
3. If the computer does not have CTC installed, or if the installed release is older than the
TCC2/TCC2P card’s version, the launcher downloads the CTC program files from the TCC2/TCC2P
card.
4. The launcher starts CTC. The CTC session is separate from the web browser session, so the web
browser is no longer needed. Always log into nodes having the latest software release. If you log
into an ONS 15454 that is connected to ONS 15454s with older versions of CTC, or to
Cisco ONS 15327s or Cisco ONS 15600s, CTC files are downloaded automatically to enable you to
interact with those nodes. The CTC file download occurs only when necessary, such as during your
first login. You cannot interact with nodes on the network that have a software version later than the
node that you used to launch CTC.
Each ONS 15454 can handle up to five concurrent CTC sessions. CTC performance can vary, depending
on the volume of activity in each session, network bandwidth, and TCC2/TCC2P card load.
Note You can also use TL1 commands to communicate with the Cisco ONS 15454 through VT100 terminals
and VT100 emulation software, or you can telnet to an ONS 15454 using TL1 port 3083. Refer to the
Cisco ONS SONET TL1 Command Guide for a comprehensive list of TL1 commands.