The SS7 MTP Level 3 User Adaptation Layer (M3UA) software product, defined by the SIGTRAN working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), transports signaling messages from MTP3 users (that is, ISUP, SCCP and TUP) over the IP network. Moving SS7 signaling to IP transport is the first step in a carrier’s transition from a circuit switched to a packet switched core network. IP networks are more efficient, less costly, and are needed to deploy next generation networks, like the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).

M3UA supports two primary operational modes:

  • It bridges the boundaries of the SS7 network and IP network. In this mode, M3UA transports the signaling messages from a Signaling Gateway (SG) located at the edge of the SS7 network to an IP-resident Media Gateway Controller (MGC) and vice versa.
  • It supports the traditional SS7 call signaling protocols (that is, ISUP, SCCP and TUP) to communicate within an IP network. For example, M3UA transports SCCP signaling messages from a Radio Network Controller (RNC) to a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) in 3G wireless networks.

Trillium M3UA protocol software enables telecom equipment manufacturers of soft switches, signaling gateways, signal transfer points, service control points, media gateway controllers or other products to:

  • Accelerate time to market
  • Reduce development costs
  • Reduce project risk of internally developed M3UA applications

Product deliverables consist of C source software, documentation, training, a warranty and technical support.

FEATURES + BENEFITS

Trillium M3UA protocol software provides the following features and benefits:

  • Interworking Function (IWF) between Trillium M3UA and Trillium MTP3 for rapid signaling gateway development.
  • Provides connection establishment by using the SCTP associations to send and receive signaling datagrams.
  • Supports address translation functionality, which translates the SS7 style addresses (i.e. MTP3 routing label) to the IP addresses.
  • Performs congestion control and maintains multiple levels of congestion queues as specified for the MTP3 national networks.
  • Supports rolling upgrade, which allows the user to upgrade to a new version of the software without taking the system offline. The upgrade may include a new software release, application of patches, or the enabling/disabling of features by re-coupling the software (Note: this is provided for only when Trillium M3UA is operating in a Fault-Tolerant or Distributed Fault-Tolerant mode).
  • Provides a management interface for configuration and control operations and status and statistics retrieval. The management interface also provides protocol state and alarm information.
  • Provides extensive run-time error checking support.
  • Provides extensive debugging support to ease system integration and testing.
  • Supports function call traces and tracing of incoming and outgoing PDUs. Trace information is provided at the management interface and can be used to support remote logging and analysis operations.
  • Conforms to Trillium Advanced Portability Architecture (TAPA)
  • Benefits of licensing Trillium software from Continuous Computing

The M3UA protocol software provides the following features at a Signaling Gateway (SG):

  • Single instance of M3UA layer can represent multiple SGPs.
  • Transfers all the MTP3 user part (ISUP, SCCP, and TUP) messages received from MTP3 (via IWF) to the Application Servers (ASs), consisting of redundant or load-sharing Application Server Processes (ASPs).
  • Manages the SCTP associations and the traffic between one or more SGs and one or more ASPs or IP-resident databases.
  • ISUP traffic routing to the MGCs based on the DPC/OPC/SLS/ range parameters. All of these parameters, or a subset of them, are allowed for routing.
  • SCCP traffic routing to the ASs based on the DPC/OPC/SLS parameters. All of these parameters, or a subset of them, are allowed for routing.
  • If SCCP carries the TCAP messages, then the TCAP transaction ID range can also be considered in the routing decision making.
  • The protocol software provides for the ASP and IP-resident database redundancy.
  • Provides for load-sharing algorithms (such as round-robin, SLS mapping, and user defined) as well as a sequence control mechanism to ensure no mis-sequencing for traffic diversion.
  • Provides Interworking with Trillium MTP3 for seamless SS7 and IP network management.
  • Supports dynamic registration of routing keys at the SG.
  • Manages ASPI-ids in the network and provides the information about the ASP-ids to other ASPs for failure.
  • Supports local users such as ISUP or SCCP at the SG.

The M3UA protocol software provides the following features at an ASP:

  • Single instance of the Trillium M3UA layer can represent multiple ASPs.
  • The equivalent set of primitives to its upper layers (ISUP/SCCP), as provided by the MTP3 to its local users.
  • Routing Label information (OPC/DPC/SIO) at the ASP, as expected by the MTP3 user protocol layer.
  • Management of the SCTP associations and the traffic between the ASP and SG.
  • Enables SGP load-sharing. Round-robin, SLS based, and user defined load sharing approaches are allowed.
  • Transfers of MTP3-user part (ISUP, SCCP, TUP) messages to the peer ASPs.
  • Supports dynamic registration of the routing keys at the ASP.
  • Provides ASP-ID support, which can be used by the Stack Manager to effectively make switchover decisions in the case of system failures.

The M3UA protocol software provides the following features at an IP-Server Process (IPSP):

  • Single instance of Trillium M3UA can represent multiple IPSPs
  • Provides both single-ended and double-ended behavior (as specified in M3UA IETF RFC 4666) of the IPSP.
  • Provides the equivalent set of primitives to its upper layers (ISUP/SCCP), as provided by MTP3 to its local users.
  • Manages the SCTP associations and the traffic between IPSPs.
  • Transfers the MTP3 user part (ISUP, SCCP, and TUP) messages to the peer IPSPs.
  • Supports dynamic registration of routing keys at the IPSP.
  • ISUP traffic routing to the ASs based on the DPC/OPC/SLS range parameters. All of these parameters, or a subset of them, are allowed for routing.
  • SCCP traffic routing to the ASs based on the DPC/OPC/SLS parameters. All of these parameters, or a subset of them, are allowed for routing. If SCCP carries the TCAP messages, then the TCAP transaction ID range can also be considered in the routing decision making.
  • Provides ASP-ID support, which can be used by the Stack Manager to effectively make switchover decisions on system failures.
  • Provides for redundancy of the IP-resident database.
  • Provides for load-sharing algorithms (such as round-robin and SLS mapping) as well as sequence control mechanisms to ensure no mis-sequencing for traffic diversion.

PRODUCT INTERWORKING

The M3UA software interworks with the following next generation network Trillium protocol software:

  • Trillium Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)
  • Trillium Message Transfer Part – Level 3 (MTP3)
  • Trillium ISDN User Part (ISUP)
  • Trillium Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)
  • Trillium ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2)
  • Trillium Protocol Specific Function (PSF) – M3UA (Fault-Tolerant software add-on)
  • Trillium Load Distribution Function (LDF) – M3UA (Distribution software add-on)
  • Trillium Telephone User Part (TUP)

CONFORMANCE

Trillium next generation network M3UA protocol software conforms to the following global standards:

  • SS7 MTP Level 3 User Adaptation Layer, RFC 4666, IETF (obsoletes RFC 3332)
  • ETSI TS 102 142 v1.1.1 M3UA
  • ETSI TS 102 381 v1.1.1. M3UA Test Specification

Refer to the Trillium MTP Level 3 User Adaptation Layer (M3UA) Functional Specification for detailed product functionality information.