© 2012 ALOE Systems

Functional specification

MVTS Pro 1.6.0

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Document type:

Release date:

Functional specification

09.07.2012

Document status:

Document version

Released

1.6.0

3Contents

Page 3

Contents

.......................................................................... 41 System overview

........................................................................................................................ 41.1 Traffic Switch (TS)

........................................................................................................................ 51.2 Traffic Manager (TMngr)

........................................................................................................................ 51.3 EMS subsystem

.......................................................................... 62 Technical data and specification

.......................................................................... 93 Hardware and software requirements

.......................................................................... 104 New features compared to 1.5.3

........................................................................................................................ 104.1 Traffic Switch

.......................................................................... 115 Glossary of terms

System overview

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System overview1

MVTS Pro integrates the functionality of a class 4 switch with the capability of a session border controller designedfor comprehensive management of IP telephony traffic flowing across the ITSP’s network.

From the design viewpoint MVTS Pro comprises two primary sets of functional nodes: Traffic Switch (TS) and TrafficManager (TMngr), and one optional set - EMS, designed for monitoring.

MVTS Pro architecture

Traffic Switch (TS)1.1

The interoperation of the TS with the TMngr enables MVTS Pro to perform the functions of a session bordercontroller and operate as a tandem VoIP softswitch, handling traffic under SIP, H.323, SIP-T/I and ITU ISUP/ISUP-R.

The TS component comprises the following interoperating software modules also referred to as nodes:

License Management node keeps all configuration data, provides centralized configuration of other functionalmodules, controls licenses and serves as a collection point for traffic statistics.

System overview

Page 5

SIP registrar/balancer and H.323 gatekeeper/balancer. These nodes handle registration requests andprovide for load balancing between the signaling nodes. When a user (calling device) tries to register to theSystem, the relevant data is forwarded to the TMngr. Depending on the response received from the TMngr theregistration request is either accepted or rejected. Load balancing is based on the current ASR of eachsignaling node.

Signaling node handlesSIP/H.323/SIP-T/SIP-I signaling protocols and ensures traffic distribution betweenmedia nodes (load balancing). A single signaling node interoperates with all media and balancer nodes.

Media node handles media flows, functions as an RTP media proxy and performs conversion of voice codecs.

Command line node is a telnet server that allows users to manage the System using any telnet client.

Syncro node ensures control over the gateway capacity. The synchro node interoperates with the signalingnodes.

SIGTRAN interoperation node (SS7 node) – interoperation with signaling gateways over M3UA, managementof media gateways over MGCP SIGTRAN/MGCP, handling of ITU ISUP/ISUP-R.

Phoenix process starts and stops functional nodes, keeps and applies configuration of an individual server,restarts nodes in case of their hanging or crashing.

Traffic Manager (TMngr)1.2

TMngr carries out authentication and authorization of VoIP endpoints, performs call routing, call analysis, validationand transformation of call numbers, traffic load balancing and interoperates with external routing servers. In addition,TMngr performs QoS control functions and generates information required for external billing systems.

TMngr comprises three constituent parts:

Scripting node – manages the execution of scripts that enable the System’s routing and its interoperation withexternal routing and accounting hosts.

Database – stores the primary system settings, information about gateways, rules of number translation, andcall detail records (CDRs).

Web interface (GUI) – provides a convenient graphical interface for administration tasks.

EMS subsystem1.3

EMS (Element Management System) is a subsystem that allows monitoring the condition of MVTS Pro and othernetwork elements through the employment of the SNMP-based networking arrangements.

EMS is not an integral part of MVTS Pro. However, it may be included in the MVTS Pro delivery bundle at thecustomer's request.

Technical data and specification

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Technical data and specification2

Carrier-to-Carrier/Carrier-to-Enterprise Connectivity:

Conversion of media codecs (G.729, G.729A, G.729B, G.729AB, G.723.1, G711A-Law, G.711μ-Law, GSM FR,Speex (see the limitations in the MVTS Pro Adminstrator's manual), iLBC, AMR NB, G.726).

Support for and conversion of H.323 and SIP dialects, as well as ITU ISUP/ISUP-R and SIP-I/T.

T.38 fax pass-through.

SIP and H.323 video pass-through using H.261, H.263, H.264 codecs.

Interoperation with SS7 signaling gateways over M3UA.

Management of SS7 media gateways via MGCP.

Support of the majority of methods for DTMF transfer, including RFC2833, SIP INFO, Inband DTMF in G.711codec (for receiving only), signaling DTMF in H.245, Q.931.

Supported protocols

SIP2.0/SDP.

H.323 v.2-v.4 (including H.245 v.7, H.225 v.4).

RTP/RTCP.

SNMP.

M3UA (as ASP and IPSP, see RFC 4666).

MGCP (management of media gateways, as per RFC 3435).

SIP-T/I.

RADIUS AAA and routing.

ENUM.

Network security and SBC functions

NAT traversal.

Concealment of the owner's network topology.

Caller authentication by a set of parameters based on:

o data stored in the DB.

o data received from RADIUS servers.

Limitation of incoming calls by their rate (CPS).

Limitation of incoming SIP registrations by their rate (RPS).

Limitation of the number of concurrent calls.

Limitation of the number of simultaneous calls from/to a certain phone number.

Call routing

Rerouting on route unavailability.

Native routing cap abilities

Routing based on the calling/called number.

Day-of-week and time-of-day based routing.

Least busy (gateway/route) alternative routing.

Routing policies based on route health parameters (ASR, ACD, etc).

Gateway group ID-dependent routing.

Route selection based on CPC and other parameters.

Technical data and specification

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External routing

ENUM-aided routing.

RADIUS-aided routing

Statistics and network analysis

Display of CDRs meeting user-defined parameters.

Export of CDRs into a text file (including scheduled export).

Real-time monitoring of ASR, QoS, ACD, etc.

Monitoring of selected gateway/route performance statistics.

Automated log file management (archiving, file size and file rotation control).

Billing

Single CDR collection point.

Exhaustive number of fields in CDRs for detailed analysis and debugging.

Generation of interim CDRs to store accounting data on active calls.

Integration with external billing systems using RADIUS protocol with an option to configure the contents anddispatch sequence of Accounting packets.

Generation and dispatch of interim Accounting packets to the RADIUS server.

Cisco VSA.

Authorization of users in the external billing system based on the data provided by MVTS Pro.

Support of PoD.

H.323 gatekeeper feature

RAS registration of endpoints and other equipment.

Inter-networking as a gatekeeper.

SIP registrar feature

SIP registration of endpoints and other equipment.

Number translation

Flexible number translation options based on regular expressions.

Separate number translations for routing, billing, etc.

Translation of CPC and other call parameters.

Configuration management

Managing configuration via web interface supporting a flexible system of roles.

Console interface via telent.

Provisioning the DB via web API over SOAP.

Import/export of data with the help of CSV files.

Logging and debugging

System trace logs with selectable information detail level.

Call log viewing through the web-interface.

Call simulation.

Logs of user's actions in the web-interface.

Technical data and specification

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Fault tolerance and availability

The fail-safety of the TS is achieved due to its module architecture. It is possible to run a whole set of nodes of thesame type that increase the overall System performance and back-up each other.

The fail-safety of the DB is ensured by installing an additional back-up DB and configuring replication between themain and the redundant databases.

Geographically distributed configuration

Module design of the TS.

Locations intended to unite geographically close nodes that should interoperate with each other only.

Dynamic distribution of licenses.

EMS subsystem

Sup p orted data collection p rotocols

SNMP v1;

SNMP v2c;

Monitoring, statistics and analysis

Collection of data over the SNMP v1 and v2c protocols with poll interval.

Configurable data storage periods.

Capability to use derived parameters in operations with collected data.

Complex reports on all types of data.

Tabular and graphical representation of data.

Advanced data search, sorting and filtering capabilities.

Capability to monitor specific data elements depending on their values.

Dispatch of notifications to the System administrator upon violation of threshold values.

Hardware and software requirements

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Hardware and software requirements3

The System is supplied as a bundle of software applications run on the following operating systems:

Traffic Switch, Traffic Manager and EMS

Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 (Lenny) with 64-bit kernel and 32-bit operating environment.

Debian GNU/Linux 6.0 (Squeeze) with 64-bit kernel and 32-bit operating environment.

The MVTS Pro system uses the MySQL 5.0 DBMS (with Lenny) or MySQL 5.1 DBMS (with Squeeze) for the databaseserver. For the list of operating systems supported by MySQL refer to this page.

The minimum hardware requirements for RTU are as follows:

8 core CPU, e.g. 2x Intel Xeon.

RAM 8GB.

The recommended platform is:

HP Proliant 360.

Supported browsers:

Mozilla Firefox 3.x, 6.x, 7.x.

Opera 11.x.

Chrome 14.x.

IE 10.

If system redundancy is emp loyed, each server used in the redundancy scheme should have at least two networkinterf aces.

New features compared to 1.5.3

Page 10

New features compared to 1.5.34

Traffic Switch4.1

Support of G.726 codec;

The license management node is capable of dynamic redistribution of call licenses based on the current trafficload of signaling nodes.

Glossary of terms

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Glossary of terms5

ACD Average Call Duration. ACD is one of the operational parameters registered in MVTS Pro.ACD allows the evaluation of dial peer performance.

ASR (standard) Standard or conventional ASR (answer seizure ratio), calculated as:

ASR = total number of non-zero duration calls/total calls

ASR Answer Seizure Ratio. ASR is one of the operational parameters registered in MVTS Pro,allowing the evaluation of dial peer performance. In MVTS Pro ASR is calculated in twoways: using the common method (see ASR (standard) and using the intrinsic MVTS Promethod (see ASR (MVTS Pro)).

ASR (MVTS Pro) ASR calculated by the MVTS Pro intrinsic method. MVTS Pro ASR (answer seizure ratio) iscalculated as:

ASR = successful calls/total calls * 100

where a successful call is either a non-zero duration call or a call with a successfuldisconnect reason code.

CDR Call detail record. Set of data fields (call ID, call start and termination time, disconnectreason, etc) used for accounting and billing.

CHAP Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol.

CPC Calling Party Category

CPS Calls Per Second or Call arrival rate expressed in calls per second.

CSV Comma Separated Values – text format used to represent data in tabular form. Each string inthe file is a row of the table. The values of each column is separated by a delimiter, forexample, a comma (,), semicolon (;) or a tab symbol. Text values are embraced in doublequotes ("); if the text value itself contains double quotes – they are represented by twodouble quotes following each other.

DB Database

DBMS DataBase Management System

DNS Domain Name System

DP Dial peer. In terms of MVTS Pro a dial peer is a potential destination for the MVTS Pro’segress traffic characterized by the equipment (gateways) that receives traffic from MVTSPro, number transformation rules and some other data important for call routing

DTMF Dual Tone Multi-Frequency

DST Destination

EMA Exponential Moving Average

ENUM TElephone NUmber Mapping. Protocol stack to link E.164 telephone numbering standard toDNS addressing system, used in Internet.

GK A gatekeeper is a hardware used for IP-telephony management. Zone controller managingcalls in a VoIP network, ensuring number translation and network access.

GUI Graphical User Interface

Glossary of terms

Page 12

GW Gateway

HTTPS HyperText Transfer Protocol, Secure

ITSP Internet Telephony Service Provider

LAN Local Area Network

MVTS Multiprotocol VoIP Tandem Softswitch

NAT Network Address Translation

Network indicator This indicator associates SS7 signaling points with different types of SS7 networks: nationalor international.

NGN Next-Generation Networks

NIC Network-Interface Card

Payload type An integer, identifying a codec or codec group. There are static payload types (withnumbers from 0 to 95 inclusive) and dynamic payload types (with numbers from 96 to 127inclusive). A static payload type is a number, which is defined in the standard and whichidentifies a codec or codec group for all calls. A dynamic payload type is a number, whichidentifies a codec for one particular call.

PDD Post Dial Delay, interval between dialling the last digit of the called number and hearing theringback tone.

MVTS Pro registers PDD as an interval between the receipt of the CONNECT packet fromthe call originator and the receipt of the ALERT, CONNECT or ProgressIndicator with value8 (ProgressInbandInformationAvailable) packets from the terminator. The calculation ofPDD is EMA-based, measured in milliseconds;

Point code A unique address of a signalling point in the SS7 network.

PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network. This abbreviation is used to designate traditionallegacy telephony and contrast it with VoIP telephony.

QoS Quality of Service. MVTS Pro calculates QoS as a ratio of packets lost to total packetstransferred, i.e. the smaller is the calculated QoS value, the better is QoS.

RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial-In User Server/Service. Protocol of user authentication,authorization and accounting according to RFC 2138.

RAS Registration, Admission, Status. Protocol for interoperation with remote devices.

RAS user Registering device.

RBT Ring-Back Tone

RTP/RTCP Real-Time Protocol / Real-Time Control Protocol.

SBC Session Border Controller. A device used in some VoIP networks to exert control over thesignaling and usually also the media streams involved in setting up, conducting, and tearingdown calls. The word Border in Session Border Controller refers to a point of demarcationbetween one part of a network and another. As a simple example, at the edge of a corporatenetwork, a firewall demarks the local network (inside the corporation) from the rest of theInternet (outside the corporation). It is the job of a Session Border Controller to assist policyadministrators in managing the flow of session data across these borders.

Glossary of terms

Page 13

SCD SETUP-CONNECT Delay. The stretch of time between the SETUP and CONNECT messageor call teardown in the absence of CONNECT.

SIP Session Initiation Protocol.

Service indicator Service indicator is used to associate signalling data, exchanged through the SS7 network,with a user subsystem. For example, the value 5 (0101 in binary notation) means that thesignaling data is intended for the ISUP user part.

Signaling data link Physical layer for transferring data (bitstream) between two SS7 signaling points. Asignaling data link is made up of two channels, transmitting signaling together in oppositedirections with the same speed. The signaling data link is controlled by the MTP1 layerprotocol.

Signaling link An SS7 signaling link is a signaling data link (as a transmission medium) plus a signalingendpoint (as a controlling device). The signaling link ensures reliable exchange of signalingmessages between two directly interconnected signaling points. The signaling link iscontrolled by the MTP2 layer protocol.

TMngr Traffic Manager

TNS Target NameSpace

TS Traffic Switch

TTL Time-To-Live, limit on the period of time or number of iterations or transmissions incomputer and computer network technology that a unit of data (e.g. a packet) can experiencebefore it should be discarded.

VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (IP)

WAN Wide Area Network