SYMBIOSIS CENTRE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Soft Switch Architecture

Assignment 1

T Swati PRN# 10030241089 DIV-B

Introduction
A soft switch is a central device in a telecommunications network which connects telephone calls from one phone line to another, typically via the internet, entirely by means of software running on a general-purpose computer system. Term soft switch technically refers to any such device; it is more conventionally applied to a device that handles IP-to-IP phone (A VoIP phone uses voice over IP (VoIP) technologies allowing telephone calls to be made over an IP network such as the Internet instead of the ordinary PSTN system) calls. At a practical level, a Skype-to-Skype phone call is entirely IP (internet) based, and so uses a softswitch somewhere in the middle connecting the calling party with the called party. A softswitch is typically used to control connections at the junction point between circuit-switched and packet-switched networks. A single device containing both the switching logic and the switching fabric can be used for this purpose; however, modern technology has led to a preference for decomposing this device into a Call Agent and a Media Gateway. The Call Agent takes care of functions such as billing, call routing, signaling, call services and the like, supplying the functional logic to accomplish these telephony meta-tasks. A call agent may control several different media gateways in geographically dispersed areas via a TCP/IP link. The Media Gateway connects different types of digital media stream together to create an end-to-end path for the media (voice and data) in the call. It may have interfaces to connect to traditional PSTN networks, such as DS1 or DS3 ports (E1 or STM1 in the case of non-US networks). It may also have interfaces to connect to ATM and IP networks, and the most modern systems will have Ethernet interfaces to connect VoIP calls. The call agent will instruct the media gateway to connect media streams between these interfaces to connect the call - all transparently to the end-users. Towards the end users from the switch, the Media Gateway may be connected to several access devices. These access devices can range from small Analog Telephone Adaptors (ATA) which provide just one RJ11 telephone jack to an Integrated Access Device (IAD) or PBX(private branch exchange) which may provide several hundred telephone connections. 1. VoIP Softswitches are subdivided into two classes. Class 4 softswitches and Class 5 softswitches. Softswitches used for transit VoIP traffic between carriers are usually called class 4 softswitches. The main function of the class 4 softswitch is the routing of large volumes of long distance VoIP calls. The most important characteristics of class 4 softswitch are protocol support and conversion, transcoding, calls per second rate, average time of one call routing, number of concurrent calls. Class 5 softswitches are intended for work with end-users. These softswitches are both for local and long distance telephony services. Class 5 softswitches are characterized by additional services for end-users and corporate clients such as IP PBX features, call center services, calling card platform, types of authorization, and other features similar to other Class 5 telephone switches.

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Architectural Considerations:

Fig 1. Abstract view of Architecture

The key architectural consideration should include: Interoperability with Telecom equipment and carriers Services and protocols integration Bandwidth and external connectivity required Sizing requirements Equipment required Network operations interface(s) required Operations management requirements Scale as you grow criteria for services and volume Service availability requirements

Fig 2. Architecture of softswitch organization.

Functional Planes
The architecture of the softswitch can be seen to be divided into the following software planes. They represent the separation between the functional entities in a Voice over IP (VoIP) network. There are four distinct functional planes employed by the soft switch to describe the functioning of an end-to-end VoIP network: Transport Call Control & Signaling Service & Application Management

Transport Plane
The basic functionality served by the transport plane is to handle and transport call signaling, call and media setup messages across the VOIP network. Now the transport mechanism used could be based on any technology conforming to the standards e.g. SS7 ANSI or ITU. This plane to the external world is like an access form where they can enter to use the services of call control. So often if we look at the implementations the Transport Plane devices and functions are controlled by functions in the Call Control & Signaling Plane. The transport plane gets sub-divided broadly into three domains:
IP Transport Domain Interworking Domain Non-IP Access Domain. IP Transport Domain The IP Transport Domain comprises of The transport backbone and routing/switching fabric Devices like routers and switches domain. Devices that provide Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms and policies for the transport also belong to this domain. Interworking Domain This domain comprises of: The devices those are primarily responsible for the transformation of signaling or media received from external networks into a form that can be sent among the various entities in the VoIP network and vice versa. It consists of devices like Signaling Gateways (signaling transport conversion between different transport layers), Media Gateways (media conversion between different transport networks and/or different media), and Interworking Gateways (signaling Interworking on the same transport layer but with different protocols). Non-IP Access Domain The Non-IP Access Domain applies primarily to Non-IP terminals and wireless radio networks that access the VoIP network. Consists of Access Gateways or Residential Gateways for non-IP terminals or phones, ISDN terminals, Integrated Access Devices (IADs) for DSL networks, Cable Modem/Multimedia Terminal Adaptors (MTAs) for HFC networks, and Media Gateways for a GSM/3G mobile radio access network (RAN).

Call Control & Signaling Plane

The Call Control & Signaling Plane is like the centralized arbitrator exercising control over the major elements of the VoIP network, especially in the Transport Plane. This is the heart of the system and performs the basic call processing and signaling. When call processing is mentioned and signaling it essentially means handles the subscriber requests for setting up and tearing down the voice circuit, carries out call control based in signaling messages received, controls components in Transport Plane, ensures digit translation and routing based on directory numbers, maintains trigger detection points to access the intelligent database, keeps the finite state necessary for maintaining the call context etc. Summarizing it controls what essentially is switch has to do for setting up and releasing a call.

The Call Control & Signaling Plane consists of Devices like the Media Gateway Controller (a.k.a. Call Agent or Call Controller), Gatekeepers and LDAP servers.

Service & Application Plane

The Service & Application Plane provides the controls the logic and execution of feature servers and other applications like intelligent networks which are mean to provide various services to the subscriber. The devices in this plane control the flow of a call based on the service execution logic. They achieve this by communication with devices in the Call Control & Signaling Plane. The Service & Application Plane consists of devices like Application Servers and Feature Servers. The Service & Application Plane can also perform the control of specialized bearer components, such as Media Servers, that perform functions like conferencing, IVR, tone processing etc.

Management Plane
The Management Plane is responsible for providing functions such as subscriber and service provisioning, operational support, billing and other network management tasks. It can interact with any or all of the other three planes through industry standard (e.g. SNMP) or proprietary protocols and APIs. That is to say it forms the operation and maintenance zone. The functional entities are the logical entities of a VoIP network. This plane caters to the on the fly needs of the switch in expansion and modification of networks and entities.

MAJOR COMPONENTS
Major Components of a Softswitch: A Softswitch can consist of one or more of these components. These functions can reside in one system or span across several systems. The Gateway Controller is one of the key functional units of the Softswitch. The Gateway Controller holds the call processing rules, but uses the Media Gateway and Signaling Gateway to perform the job. There are many types of protocol media managers that need to be controlled those that access the softswitch through Transport plane. It is the responsibility of the Signaling Gateway to perform call set-up and teardown and media gateway basically controls and coordinates the operations (Fig 1.). An example could be sending data related to call set up to signaling media manager and receiving finite state messages in response. The gateway controller here is like an arbitrator for the signaling interface and the corresponding stack utilizing its service. In addition, it interfaces to the OSS and BSS systems. Often this unit is referred as Call Agent or Media Gateway Controller interchangeably. Sometimes the Call Agent by itself is referred as a Softswitch. This component communicates within other parts of the Softswitch and also the external networks using different protocols.

1.

2. The Signaling Gateway serves as the gateway between the SS7 Signaling network and the nodes managed by the Softswitch in the IP network. A Signaling Gateway requires physical connectivity to the SS7 network and must be aware of the required protocol suites. There is a standardized implementation of SS7 signaling protocol both ANSI and ITUT which is managed by the gateway. The services of the stack are given to external world via the gateway which takes care of API formation and retrieval for incoming and outgoing messages and presenting the extracted data to the external world which may not need to worry of the
stack PI 3. The Media Gateway handles the voice media data payload (the digitized samples of speech during conversation). In the future, video data will also need to be supported. In the current model, the Media Gateway must support connectivity to a TDM bus carrying voice media data to the Telco switch side. Applicable voice data encoding, decoding and compression are also performed by the Media Gateway. It also supports legacy telephony (PSTN) interfaces and protocols such as CAS and ISDN.

4.

The Media Server performs peripheral functions, to enrich the Softswitch with media capabilities. If required, it supports digital signal processing (DSP) resources. If IVR functionality is needed (eg: to prompt voice responses), those tasks would be performed by the Media Server. A Media Server when applicable would also serve video Media.

5. The Feature Server provides all the revenue generating features and services such as billing, multi-party conferencing, etc. The Feature Server uses the resources and related services located on other components of the Softswitch. It may also support certain services to meet certain implementation necessity e.g.: Gatekeeper

Fig 3. E.g. for Call Control

Fig 4 As Feature Server

Features of soft switch

Highly Flexible Architecture A soft-switch-based system provides network design engineers with highly flexible, fully distributed, open standards-based network architecture. A well-architected softswitch separates call-control intelligence and services software from media hardware with open, standards-based interfaces between the different layers. Typically, call-control and signaling intelligence resides within the softswitch, while services intelligence is distributed among the softswitch and application servers that reside at an upper layer. The interface between the softswitch and different types of media hardware is provided by open protocols, such as Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), H.248/Megaco and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The interfaces between the softswitch and application servers are also open and standards-based, and use protocols such as SIP and H.323, and tools like Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Java in advanced intelligent networks. This gives network designers the flexibility to choose best-of-breed components from multiple vendors for their media hardware and software needs. The fully distributed architecture allows network topologies with media devices located throughout the network, while the softswitch provides centralized call control and services. Such a network can be quickly scaled without the need to deploy expensive circuit switches in each new market. Furthermore, by enabling voice transport and services over packet-switched networks while seamlessly inter-working with the public-switched telephone network (PSTN), softswitches play a critical role in enabling the design of a common packet network for converged voice and data services. Qualities Imparted are: Loose Coupling Better Extensibility Higher Changeability Ability to Interoperate with COTS

 Better Scalability Open architecture The most important characteristic of the next-generation network is an open architecture. A softswitch utilizing an open architecture provides best-of breed vendor selection, a platform for third party development of new services and service provider empowerment. Service providers are able to select best-of-breed products that allow them to harness innovation regardless of vendor. The softswitch is the engine powering the next generation network, controlling edge devices such as media gateways and broadband Integrated Access Devices (IADs) and interfacing to third party feature servers and back office systems, including billing. Rapid deployment of converged services will be made possible by open softswitch architecture. Third party software companies will revolutionize data and voice communications. By using standards-based protocols and open APIs such as SIP, JAIN, XML or even H.323, service providers will be able to harness converged services from third party vendors within a fraction of the time and cost compared with today's PSTN. Qualities Imparted: Changeability Extensibility Interoperability Portability

Distributed architecture The next-generation architecture requires a transition from a mainframe-type telephony system to a distributed system, which will drive modular systems, and provide cost-effectiveness. The switch is decomposed into three layers i.e. layered architecture. The softswitch will be the strategic component in service providers' networks because it has the potential to function as the network operating system of the new public network. The softswitch gives the service provider the freedom and flexibility to add ports where it needs to by simply adding to an existing media gateway or by rapidly bringing a new media gateway online. In addition to the quick turn-up time, service providers can also penetrate new markets without the multi-million dollar class switch investment. Service providers can add a media gateway with a low port count to a new market. As business grows, more ports or additional media gateways can be added. The softswitch controls the media gateway via a media gateway protocol such as the Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP). To reduce operational training and back office complexity, functionality can be located remotely, controlling media gateways across an entire region. The call control elements can be collocated with the media gateways or distributed across service providers' backbones. Qualities imparted: Ease of creation Ease of Maintenance Localization of changes Layered Architecture Simplified Design

Fault-tolerant architecture The softswitch architecture is fully modular and has the ability to distribute modules in the network any way the service provider wants. It is a fully distributed, highly scalable and fault-tolerant architecture. Faults are easy to locate, and their impact is localized. The fixes do not have any global significance and maintenance becomes easier. Qualities imparted: y Reliability y Modularity y High Availability y Maintainability

USAGE OF A SOFTSWITCH Softswitches can support a wide variety of services. It is important to understand the business focus of the switching applications in order to select the most appropriate suite of services for the environment. This allows the business to maximize its return on investment in Softswitch technologies. In the telephone industry, there are many services that can be given but require better switching facilities. Many popular enhanced services include call forwarding, call hold, call transfer, call waiting, caller ID, three-way and multi-party conferencing. The advent of Internet usage over telephone system has resulted in new services such as click-to-dial and Internet call waiting. Several companies currently offer these features. The integration of the telephone network with wireless networks and cable networks presents major opportunities to offer value-add services. These types of services are best supported by the Softswitch approach. Most Softswitch services are usually related to revenue, in which billing becomes an important function. There are many variations in call plans, group plans, and business arrangements with external service providers, applicable rates and the type of connection circuits. It is required to work with the existing Operations Support System (OSS) that handle many types of operational details, as well as the Business Support System (BSS) which also performs the actual billing. The flexibility of Softswitch technology allows a provider to support a wide variety of billing options. Softswitches can support traditional features offered to telephone systems customers such as consultation hold, call forwarding, conferencing, etc., as described in the local telephone directory. Other services that can be given by the Softswitch are: Emergency calling (911) Toll-free 800 calls Calling cards and pre-paid calling cards Virtual call center IP Centrex

Bibliography
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