Ulticom Signalware Gateway is an enabling component that provides the capabilities to develop a first step packet migration product offering reliable and deterministic signaling gateway between the legacy Switched Circuit Network (SCN) and the packet-switched NexGen Network (NGN). Products utilizing the signaling gateway component can provide a portal between the SCN and NGN, allowing co-existence and interoperability for call set up and enhanced value added services between monolithic switching platforms and the modular components in the NGN. With the signaling gateway, it is possible to incrementally interweave the NGN into the SCN. This allows leveraging the openness and flexibility of NGN for advanced SCN services. Services can be developed within open flexible service creation environments and deployed with access toward the SCN.

Essentially acting as a Message Signaling Unit (MSU) bridge, the SIGTRAN Gateway transfers MSUs between classic SS7 and SIGTRAN networks.  The gateway moves untranslated messages over a bridging application to an IP counterpart. The counterpart may be based on MTP3 or SCCP level traffic. For MTP, the counterpart is accessed over IP by the MTP3 User Adaptation layer (M3UA). For SCCP, the counterpart is accessed over the SCCP User Adaptation layer (SUA). The process also works moving messages from M3UA or SUA to MTP3 or SCCP. The gateway connects to a variety of peers such as application server processes (ASPs) and Service Control Points (SCPs) allowing for services to be fully deployed on both sides of the network. The gateway can act as an intermediary router between signaling elements in a fashion similar to an STP in the SCN.

 

The ability to reliably transport these messages allows traditional SCN operators to increase margins by utilizing lower IP-transport costs while maintaining all the reliability of the traditional SS7 network. It also opens new revenue opportunities for NexGen networks by permitting them full participation on the SCN without adding costly infrastructure or reinventing similar services in the packet domain. Both networks also benefit with greater reliability as Ulticom's Signalware SIGTRAN Gateway avoids message translation by simply moving signaling messages from the SS7 interfaces over to the IP transport, and vice-versa.

Signalware and the SIGTRAN Gateway
Ulticom's Signalware Gateway is composed of the following Signalware elements; an SS7 logical node based on Signalware, the SIGTRAN framework and protocol elements within the logical node, the Signaling Gateway Interworking Function (SGIF), and optional local signaling applications. Typical signaling flows from the SCN to the SS7 logical node (MTP1, MTP2, MTP3 and SCCP levels) through the local application (ISUP or TCAP) or into the SGIF and down the IP logical node (SUA, M3UA, SCTP) to the IP Network.

 

Within the gateway the M3UA protocol has two purposes. The first purpose is to provide a mechanism for the transport of SS7 MTP3 user signaling (ISUP, SCCP) over IP using SCTP. The second purpose is to enable seamless operation between MTP3 user peers in the SS7 and IP space.

 

SUA has a similar role for transporting SS7 SUA user signaling over IP using SCTP and enabling seamless operation between SCCP user peers in the IP transaction service space. SUA eliminates traditional SS7 routing required at the MTP3 layer, by eliminating MTP3 and leveraging the native flexibility in the IP transport mechanisms.

 

In either scenario, SCTP is used to provide the determinism, reliability and sequencing inherent in HDLC synchronous transport used in traditional SS7 MTP2 signaling links. SCTP allows for reliable transport between peer SCTP users such as M3UA. SCTP is connection oriented in nature and provides a means for SCTP endpoints to provide the other with a list of transport addresses through which an endpoint can be reached and from which it will originate messages. Both solutions (M3UA and SUA) lift the restrictions on message size (272 octet) and bandwidth (56k or 64k bits per second links) allowing signaling points to exceed the restrictions imposed by the limitations of SS7 network 16 link linkset consisting of 64kpbs transport. M3UA allows for full IP bandwidth utilization on a single association, SUA eliminates the linkset concept completely. Signaling end points, such as Home Location Registers and Service Control Points, can finally utilize the full processing capacity of modern computing platforms and be freed from the restrictions of the SS7 architecture.

 

Signalware Gateway Benefits
Ulticom's Signalware Gateway is an intelligently designed and progressive software component for developing network convergence solutions. Not only does it allow the SCN and the NGN to communicate with one another allowing service deployment across both domains, but also keeps technology current without the expensive cost of building a new network. Aside from the obvious advantage of being able to stretch services between both the NGN and the SCN, the SIGTRAN Gateway also provides open standards, fault-resiliency, and scalability.

 

The gateway provides the following advantages & benefits:

• Gracefully migrates from legacy SS7
• Leads to efficient packet networking
• Strategically positions operators for future all-IP network
• Frees link capacity while maintaining reliability & stability
• Deploys collocated IP-based IN applications and services
• Reduces core network operating costs
• Increases revenues / additional value-added services

Combined with Signalware's open architecture, high link capacity, and its ability to scale across general computing platform families, the gateway is an enabling component from which Signalware developers can create and deploy applications that address the following scenarios:

• Signaling gateway architecture element
• Signaling gateway border element
• SUA gateway

Signaling Gateway Architecture Element
The following diagram illustrates the gateway's ability to act as a distinct network element. In this scenario, the gateway is a bridge between the SCN and the NGN. The gateway performs routing between the SCN and NGN and acts like an STP for the elements within the NGN. The architecture allows the NGN to evolve gracefully and independently from the SCN without losing connectivity between them. It provides a clear delineation between the SS7 network, and the all packet network. NGN network elements can be deployed more cost effectively, without the need for specialized signaling hardware while utilizing a common core packet transport. Within the NGN, the gateway provides increased, centralizing routing management to a central point, allowing the NGN to adapt and change with minimal impact to existing elements.

 

 

The advantages of this scenario are:

• SS7 interconnection centralized in NGN network
• Gateway acts as STP for point code in the packet network
• Gateway is unique element in network with own MTP3 point code
• IP network elements can be either:
  • SS7 point code elements (with M2PA, M2UA, or M3UA)
  • SS7 elements without point codes (SUA, SIP)

Signaling Gateway Border Element
The following diagram illustrates the gateway's ability to act as a boarder element. In this scenario, the gateway is a demarcation point between SCN and the NGN. The gateway servers as a single ingress / egress point between different networks. It simplifies interconnection between both similar and dissimilar networks.

 

 

The advantages of this scenario are:

• Circuit and packet network elements bridged
• Gateway screening / packet filtering
• More control is allowed than legacy SS7 screening
• Accounting and authorization
• Protocol mapping (SIP<>ISUP / SIP<>TCAP)
• Platform for value added signaling services

Signalware Gateway provides a platform for developing and deploying network applications based on the previously described use cases.

Open Standards
Signalware Gateway uses protocols defined by IETF, including SCTP, M2PA, and M3UA. Unlike proprietary solutions, Signalware Gateway is based on open standards so it can be deployed on most hardware platforms and operating systems. Using open standards enables a service provider the option to move from one system to another if necessary without redeploying SIGTRAN Gateway since it will operate on either system. Customers are not tied to a proprietary solution and can change their technology as it changes making Signalware Gateway cost efficient for the long-term.

 

Fault Resiliency
Signalware products work on a distributed architecture ensuring redundant processing, thus, fault-resiliency. It meets the needs of carrier grade deployments, since individual component failure will not cause the unit to become unavailable on the network and more importantly, no lost revenue due to down times.

 

Scalability
Ulticom's Signalware Gateway is engineered to run in a cluster environment so capacity can be greatly scaled. Within each CE, additional processors can be added to increase processing capacity with guaranteed Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP). Accordingly, they ensure that each processor is handling an equal load, improving the lifetime and speed of the processor. Investment in additional infrastructure will be limited and tailored to the exact demand of your customer base (greater or smaller).

 

For more information, please contact sales@ulticom.com.