SS7/IP networks probe alternatives: integrated system increases overall reliability. (Testing and Diagnostics).

With technology advances and network expansions, telecom munications solution providers are tested to effectively monitor signaling system 7 (SS7) and Internet telephony (IP) networks. In general, monitoring systems are complicated to plan, install and configure, due to the complexity of the hardware configuration and sizing of servers; the number of cables necessary to support a system; labor-intensive moves and rearrangements; and cumbersome software upgrades.

In addition, operators confront configuration mismatches between their networks and monitoring systems. These mismatches occur as operators modify their networks by adding and removing links and nodes. The result is a monitoring system that is not doing what it was intended to do--monitor the entire network. Further, as traditional monitoring systems increasingly are used to host business-intelligence applications, reliability of the probed architecture comes into question.

A need has emerged for converged equipment with smaller footprints, for products that provide multiple functions. The fewer vendors, products and interfaces staff has to maintain, the better. In addition, network operations personnel need reliable, easy-to-use tools to help them troubleshoot problems and resolve issues fast.

A new premise supposes that a probeless architecture can be used to capture data in SS7 and IP networks for use in monitoring and business applications. In the new architecture, probes are eliminated, and functions are integrated onto other network platforms. By physically removing the probes and retaining the monitoring platform, the functions remain intact.

The new premise removes all cabling and auxiliary equipment for timing, muxing and other tasks, which typically are associated with a probe-based architecture. Physical tapping on an external link is no longer necessary, as existing network platforms are enhanced to provide the message-capture function and pass the data off for processing.

With an integrated system, the ability to monitor the network is possible even from the initial deployment of the network. Data is passed internally from the network equipment to the monitoring system, thus removing the need to externally tap onto the links.

Furthermore, the probeless architecture eliminates the extra administration required for probe-based solutions, because integrated platforms allow data to be passed between systems and enable configuration information sharing between platforms. A private path exists between the network equipment and the monitoring system to pass message data and configuration details. As the network is expanded or modified, the changes are incorporated into the network equipment and propagated automatically to the monitoring component. The operator no longer has separate systems to configure or a monitoring system that is out of sync with the actual network.

Finally, in the new scenario, the platform used for network equipment is the same equipment that provides the data for the monitoring system, making the critical data needed for business-intelligence applications more readily available.

Currently ill the SS7 network, call data is retrieved from actual switches, a process with a number of flaws. First, that data cannot be retrieved in real time. Additionally, there is no centralized collection point. Because the data are switch-based, they can only provide data based on the switch's function. Also, modifying the data requires the software on the switch to also be modified.

Operators have been changing their focus to the use of monitoring systems as a means of accessing this data, which are then used to feed business-intelligence applications, such as fraud detection, billing, billing verification and quality of service. The associated revenue tied to these applications means that the typical single-threaded monitoring platform is no longer acceptable. Instead, availability of data becomes critical.

With an integrated system, the reliability of the overall system drastically increases. Because the network equipment is responsible for handing off the data, the same platforms that route traffic can be trusted to perform the copy function, as well.

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Parker is product manager at Tekelec, Morrisville, NC, www.tekelec.com