Bulk Operations - Managing Bulk Operations
Bulk operations are a flexible, convenient tool designed to help you automate and keep tight control over every part of many common activities.
They allow you to use built-in or custom actions to automate a wide range of common activities, whether you use Adtran or SmartRG CPEs, or third party CPEs.
Certain bulk operations are limited when using third-party CPEs. Contact Customer Support if you have questions.
Bulk operations allow you to run actions against some or all of your CPEs, either passively or actively. If the action runs passively, each CPE is affected by the bulk operation as the CPE calls into the ACS during its regular inform. If the action runs actively, then, based on processing availability, the server solicits CPEs to call in for the update.
With bulk operations, you can:
- Stage complicated WAN changes
- Silently accomplish firmware updates
- Enable and disable services
- Cause browser redirection for CPEs with WiFi security issues, taking subscribers to a page with security configuration tech tips
The Bulk Operations interface uses simple drag-and-drop functionality, allowing you to quickly create customized search criteria. Search criteria can be based on CPE information, subscriber information, or a combination of both. When you run a bulk operation action, the search criteria allow the action to run on only the CPEs and subscribers that match your specific requirements.
Mandatory Filters can be configured for Bulk Operations to restrict/reduce the number of devices selected for a bulk operation to help avoid unexpected issues.
Preparing for Bulk Operations
Prior to running a bulk operation, verify that there are no other bulk operations scheduled to run at a time that interferes with this bulk operation’s schedule.
You can prevent an individual CPE from being selected for any bulk operation by going to the Customer Support tab, locating the device displaying the Device window, and unchecking the Participates In Bulk Operations check box.
Before Performing a Bulk Upgrade
- Always test your bulk firmware update process in a lab first, then run a limited test on a subset of the target population before deploying.
- Notify your subscribers that the update is coming. Tell subscribers to make sure they leave their modem on.
- Have a plan to ship spare CPEs in the rare event of a failure. Understand which users have what services when you schedule updates, as some actions reboot the CPE.
- Prepare for an update by planning ahead.
- Verify that the firmware version for your CPE type has been loaded in the Administration tab. Review network usage charts for an appropriate maintenance time window. Between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. is a suggested time window.
- Consider time zones when scheduling.
Understand the Impact of Inform Intervals
If the CPEs have an inform interval of 7 hours and a bulk firmware operation has a 5 hour window on all days of the week, all CPEs should be expected to go through the bulk update process in 2 days.
If the CPEs have an inform interval of 23 hours and a bulk firmware operation has a 2 hour window on all days of the week, all CPEs should be expected to go through the bulk update process in 23 days.
Video Tutorial
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