6. Next Generation Networks 6.1. Transition to NGN 6.2. Key drivers of NGN development 6.3. Evolution of networks

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6. Next Generation Networks6.1. Transition to
NGN6.2. Key drivers of NGN development 6.3.
Evolution of networks architecture to NGN 6.4.
NGN architecture 6.5. Main NGN protocols and
building blocks
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6.1. Transition to NGN First wave

• Growth of Internet and other IP-based networks
  with their
• requirements for bandwidth and capacity has
  driven rapid
• innovation in telecommunication access and
  transport networks
• Examples
• leveraging copper wire last-mile networks
  through digital subscriber line (DSL)
  technologies
• re-architecturing of cable networks to support
  IP services
• advances in optical networking technologies
  (e.g. PON)

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Convergence of Telephony World and Internet World
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Transition to NGN Second wave

• Ongoing trend towards integration
  interoperability of IP-
• based and PSTN network services and applications
• Emergence of differentiated Quality of Service
  IP-based services
• Managed end-to-end performance needed for new
  applications
• requiring real-time traffic (e.g., video, voice)
• New network management, QoS, traffic
  engineering, pricing
• accounting models

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Transition to NGN Third wave

• Evolution of current PSTN, mobile, wireless and
• IP-based networks to unified Next Generation
  Networks
• providing both Internet and carrier-grade
  telecommunications
• networks and services offerings with QoS
• Transition to Third wave
• Ubiquitous Pervasive Networks
• anybody, anytime, anywhere
• Global Information Infrastructure (GII) ITU,
  1995
• EII ETSI Project (1995)
• ETSI 3GPP (1998)
• 3GPP activity (FMC and IMS development)
• TISPAN Project (ETSI, 2003)
• TISPAN - Telecoms Internet converged
  Services Protocols for Advanced Networks
• ITU NGN 2004 Project
• Y.1xx ITU-T SG 13 NGN Architecture,
  Evolution and Convergence

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One unified network for everything
Transition to NGN Third wave
Today
Tomorrow
Internet
Telephone network
IP-Network
Mobile radio network

• Multimedia Access - Advantages
• easy to handle
• reliable
• mobile

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The Unified NetworkThe Vision
Situation Today
Target Solution
Voice Fix and Mobile
The Unified Multi Service Network
FR
IP
...
ATM
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The Unified NetworkThe Data Migration
Voice
The Unified Multi Service Network
FR
IP
...
ATM
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The Unified NetworkThe Voice Migration
Voice
The Unified Multi Service Network
FR
IP
...
A new network concept supporting voice in a
packetized environment is required The Next
Generation Network
ATM
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ITU-T definition of NGN (Y.2001, Feb 2004)

• A Next Generation Network (NGN) is a
  packet-based network
• able to provide services including
  Telecommunications Services
• and able to make use of multiple broadband,
  QoS-enabled
• transport technologies and in which
  service-related functions
• are independent from underlying transport-related
  technologies.
• It offers unrestricted access by users to
  different service
• providers. It supports generalized mobility which
  will allow
• consistent and ubiquitous provision of services
  to users.
• One of the primary goals of NGN is to provide a
  common, unified,
• and flexible service architecture that can
  support multiple types of
• services over multiple types of transport
  networks.

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NGN is the public packet-based network with the
following main features

• Layered architecture
• Open interfaces between the layers and all other
  networks
• Seamless control of multiple transport
  technologies
• Centralized intelligence

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NGN Characteristics

• The NGN is characterized by the following
  fundamental aspects
• Packet-based transfer in the core NGN network
• Support for a wide range of services,
  applications and mechanisms
• (including real time/ streaming/ non-real time
  services and multi-media)
• Independence of service-related functions from
  underlying transport
• technologies
• Separation of control functions among bearer
  capabilities, call/session, and
• applications/services
• Broadband capabilities with required end-to-end
  QoS
• Interworking with legacy networks via open
  interfaces
• Generalized mobility
• Unrestricted access by users to different service
  providers
• Services convergence between Fixed/Mobile
• Compliance with all Regulatory requirements, for
  example concerning emergency communications,
  security/privacy, etc.

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6.2. Key drivers of NGN development

• Short Term objective Create new revenue
  possibilities
• Removal of boundaries between voice and data
  opens the way to new kind of services
• Can be realized relatively quickly with limited
  investments
• Long Term objective Realize cost savings
• Simpler network
• More efficient network
• Cheaper network components
• Full benefit only realized when all separate
  networks have fully migrated towards to the
  target solution

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Key drivers technologies and services
Next Generation Network
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NGN key drivers From IP Technology to User and
Application Centric

• User demands
• easiness to use and personalization of services
• seamless service regardless of the access
  technology
• a beautiful garden offering valuable services
  with security
• openness to the entire Community
• Operator challenges need to be addressed
• need to manage complexity to deliver simplicity
• platform for convergence of services and
  technologies
• support of different device and access
  technologies
• revenue opportunities by mobility and nomadicity,
  worldwide use
• support migration from existing technologies

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NGN services
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NGN Services

• Voice Telephony NGN will likely need to support
  various existing voice telephony
• services (e.g., Call Waiting, Call Forwarding,
  3-Way Calling, various IN features,
• various Centrex features and etc.).
• Data Services Allows for the real-time
  establishment of connectivity between
• endpoints, along with various value-added
  features
• Multimedia Services Allows multiple parties
  to interact using voice, video, and/or
• data.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) Voice VPNs
  improve the interlocation networking
• capabilities of businesses by allowing large,
  geographically dispersed organizations to
• combine their existing private networks with
  portions of the PSTN, thus providing
• subscribers with uniform dialing capabilities.
• .

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NGN Services

• Public Network Computing (PNC) Provides public
• network-based computing services for businesses
  and
• consumers.
• Unified Messaging Supports the delivery of
  voice mail, email,
• fax mail, and pages through common interfaces.
• Information Brokering Involves advertising,
  finding, and
• providing information to match consumers with
  providers.
• E-Commerce Allows consumers to purchase goods
  and
• services electronically over the network. Home
  banking and
• home shopping fall into this category of
  services. This also
• includes business-to-business applications

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NGN Services

• Call Center/Web Contact Services A subscriber
  could place a call to a call/Web contact center
  agent by clicking on a Web page.
• Interactive gaming Offers consumers a way to
  meet online and establish interactive gaming
  sessions (e.g., video games).
• Distributed Virtual Reality Refers to
  technologically generated representations of real
  world events, people, places, experiences, etc.,
• Home Manager With the advent of in-home
  networking and intelligent appliances, these
  services could monitor and control home security
  systems, energy systems, home entertainment
  systems, and other home appliances.

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Applications

• VoIP
• Web Browsing
• Chat
• Instant Messaging
• WAP Browsing
• Multimedia Messaging
• VoD Movies/Gaming/News/Sports/Training
• Video Telephony
• Video Broadcasting
• Video Conferencing
• Video Collaboration
• IP PBX/Centrex
• Email

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NGN Today Facing the Multi-Application/Multi-Acc
ess Challenge
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6.3. Evolution of networks architecture to NGN

• The unified network will use packet-based
  technology as the common transport mechanism
• Data is the fastest growing segment due to
• Success of Internet
• Growing use of E-mail
• Growing data traffic between business users
• Data should be handled in the most efficient way
• Packet technology is the best way to transport
  data
• Packet technology is only technology that allows
  simultaneous delivery of different information
  streams towards one and the same end-point on one
  single connection

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• Evolution of network architecture
• Traditional telephony - Circuit switch based PSTN

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Evolution of network architecture
Circuit Switched PSTN Packet Switched IP
network (VoIP Gateway) SG Signaling
gateway MGC Media gateway controller MG Media
gateway
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Evolution of network architecture

• Completely IP-oriented network

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Convergence of network technologies and media
Nx64 kbps
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6.4. NGN architecture
Management
System Management Servers
Application Servers
Applications
Softswitches Signaling gateways
Control
Packet Network
Core
MediaGateway
Mobile
PSTN
MediaGateway
Edge
Broadband
UTRAN
Access
CO
DSL
WLL
Cable
Mobile Users
Remote Office/SOHO
Enterprise Customers
ResidentialUsers
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NGN architecture - NGN functional model
Application/Management Part
Application Servers Management Servers
Open Services Interfaces/API

Session Part (Call control)
Softswitches
Media Gateway Control

Transport Layer
Media Gateways
API - Application Programming Interface
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NGN architecture
Services
Transport
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ITU-T NGN architecture (Y.1001) and corresponding
protocols
IP Network
IW Functions
PSTN/ISDN

• Softswitch includes MGC, SG
• Media Gateway is protocol converter
• Media Gateway Controller is master
• controller of a media gateway
• Intelligent Database - Network directory,
• Billing, Call records

Intelligent Database (ID)
.
.
ID/SG
ID/MGC
API
.
.
Signaling Gateway (SG)
H.323/SIP/SIP-T/ SIGTRAN
.
CC7/SS7 ISUP
SG/MGC
MG Controller (MGC)
.
MGC/MGC
.
MGC/MG
MGCP/Megaco(H.248)
.
.
Media Gateway (MG)
RTP Packet Flow (Voice/Data/MM)
TDM Flow (Voice)
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6.5. Main NGN protocols and building blocks
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Main control protocols

• Call Control (Session Control)
• The ability of a network element to establish new
  calls.
• A call in the next generation network can be
  viewed as
• a session in which the session establishes either
  a voice
• conversation or, ultimately, a multimedia (audio
  plus video)
• stream.
• There are two primary call control protocols
  unique to
• packet-based networks
• H.323
• SIP

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H.323, ITU-T

• H.323 - first call control standard for
  multimedia networks.
• Was adopted for VoIP by the ITU in 1996
• H.323 is actually a set of recommendations that
  define how
• voice, data and video are transmitted over
  IP-based networks
• The H.323 recommendation is made up of multiple
  call control
• protocols. The audio streams are transacted
  using the RTP/RTCP
• In general, H.323 was too broad standard without
  sufficient
• efficiency. It also does not guarantee
  business voice quality

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SIP - Session Initiation Protocol, IETF (Internet
Engineering Task Force)

• SIP - standard protocol for initiating an
  interactive user session that involves multimedia
  elements such as video, voice, chat, gaming, and
  virtual reality. Protocol claims to deliver
  faster call-establishment times.
• SIP works in the Session layer of IETF/OSI model.
  SIP can establish multimedia sessions or Internet
  telephony calls. SIP can also invite participants
  to unicast or multicast sessions.
• SIP supports name mapping and redirection
  services. It makes it possible for users to
  initiate and receive communications and services
  from any location, and for networks to identify
  the users wherever they are.

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SIP - Session Initiation Protocol, IETF

• SIP client-server protocol, Rq from clients, Rs
  from servers. Participants are identified by SIP
  URLs. Requests can be sent through any transport
  protocol, such as UDP, or TCP.
• SIP defines the end system to be used for the
  session, the communication media and media
  parameters, and the called party's desire to
  participate in the communication.
• Once these are assured, SIP establishes call
  parameters at either end of the communication,
  and handles call transfer and termination.
• The Session Initiation Protocol is specified in
  IETF Request for Comments (RFC) 2543.

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IN Control

• Feature servers provide IN control with legacy
  central
• offices and Softswitches.
• INAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) - a
  member
• of the family of SS7 application protocols.
• Additional IN protocols have also been developed
• for mobile networks (e.g. GSM-CAMEL).

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Gateway control

• The target of the Gateway control - to enable a
  simple
• media gateway implementation with intelligence
• centralized on a media gateway controller (which
  is also
• called a call agent or a Softswitch)
• Two gateway control protocols
• Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) as the de
• facto standard
• H.248/Megaco as the ITU and IETF approved
  standard.

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MGCP/Megaco/H.248

• MGCP - Media Gateway Control Protocol, IETF
  Telcordia (formerly Bellcore)/Level 3/Cisco
• MGCP control protocol that specifically
  addresses the control of media gateways
• Megaco/H.248 (IETF, ITU) - standard that combines
  elements of the MGCP and the H.323, ITU (H.248)
• The main features of Megaco - scaling (H.323) and
  multimedia conferencing (MGCP)

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Media Control

• Media control is a form of device control used
  for network
• elements that are specialized for advanced media
  processing.
• Media control includes instructions to play and
  record voice
• files, collect and generate tones (including DTMF
  touch-tones),
• establish N-way conferences, perform fax
  conversions, generate
• text-to-speech, and perform speech recognition.

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Application Program Interface

• API - routing, billing, call control, and media
  control on
• the feature server and application server.
• The goal of the APIs is to enable
• 1. Service logic that is independent of network
  protocols,
• network deployment architecture, and reference
  element
• architecture to meet the service provider
  requirement for
• service ubiquity
• 2. Services that scale from an entry level
  integrated
• solution to a distributed network deployment
  without
• modifications, meeting the service provider
  requirement
• for low cost infrastructure

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Main transport protocols

• Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time
  Control Protocol (RTCP)
• RTP - for end-to-end network transport of
  communications services requiring
• real-time data (i.e., audio and/or video).
• Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) for data
  transport monitoring
• RTP and RTCP are designed to be independent of
  the underlying network layers (e.g.,
• UDP/IP, MPLS, or ATM).
• RTP does not address resource reservation nor
  does it guarantee quality-of-service
• (QoS).
• Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP)
• Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
• RTP routing over MPLS sessions

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NGN architecture possible NGN configuration
Network Manager
Application Server
SNMP
RADIUS
API (Parlay, LDAP)
Softswitch
SIP/SIP-T H.323/BICC
SG
SIGTRAN
SG
SS7 ISUP
SIGTRAN
ISUP
Softswitch
SIP
MGC
MGCP/Megaco/H.248
Gatekeeper/ Proxy Server
Media Gateway
Media Gateway
Core IP Network (QoS)
?.323/ IP Network
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B. NGN building blocks

• Media Gateway - protocol converter
• Media Gateway Controller - master controller of a
  media gateway
• Softswitch MGC SG
• Signaling Gateway
• Application Server Information Database (ID) -
  Network directory, Billing, Call records,
  Authentication, authorization, and accounting
  (AAA)
• Network Manager Operation, Administration,
  Management (OAM) provides network elements
  management from a centralized web interface

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Media Gateway (IETF RFC 3015)

• Media gateway (MG) protocol converter between
  different types
• of networks (Example MG between
  circuit-switched voice
• network - TDM flows, and the IP network - RTP
  packet flows.)
• MG processes incoming calls via requests to the
  Application
• Server using HTTP.
• The media gateway (MG) terminates IP and
  circuit-switched
• traffic. MGs relay voice, fax, modem and ISDN
  data traffic over the
• IP network using Quality of Service enabled IP
  technology.

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Media Gateway (IETF RFC 3015)

• All types of traffic (voice, data, video)
• Control (from Media Gateway Controller) MGCP,
  Megaco/H.248
• Interfaces STM-1to transport network, E1 to
  PSTN Eth-Fast/Gb to
• IP network
• Voice Packetization/Compression (Codecs ITU-T
  G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729A
• Echo cancellation ITU-T G.165, G.168
• QoS via DiffServ and ToS bits marking
• Mapping addresses E.164 IP address

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Softswitch

• Signaling Gateway
• Signaling Gateway (SG) offers a consolidated
  signaling
• interface - SS7 signaling point for the NGN
  platform.
• Also, SG supports a SIGTRAN interface (IETF SS7
  telephony
• signaling over IP) as well as IP Proxy functions
  (SIP).
• Media Gateway Controller
• MGC acts as the master controller of a media
  gateway
• Supervises terminals attached to a network
• Provides a registration of new terminals
• Manages E.164 addresses among terminals

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Signaling Gateway Function

• Several millions BHCA
• Several hundreds controlled trunk ports
• Control MGCP, MEGACO, SIP
• Signaling ISUP, H.323, SIP, SIP-T, INAP, SIGTRAN
• Mgmt SNMP

IP Signaling
SS7 Signaling
SIGTRAN
ISUP
IP Network
PSTN
Signaling Gateway
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Application Server

• Application server provides the applications
  (i.e., service logic) for new and
• innovative services such as unified messaging,
  conferencing, speech dial tone,
• and multimedia messaging services. Application
  servers are typically based on
• advanced Java tool environments that provide
  multi-modal integration of voice
• and data.
• Application Server generates application
  documents (VoiceXML pages) in
• response to requests from the Media Gateway via
  the internal Ethernet
• network.
• The application server leverages a web
  application infrastructure to interface
• with data stores (messages stores, user profile
  databases, content servers)
• to generate documents (e.g., VoiceXML pages).
• AS provide interoperability between applications
  like WAP, HTML, and voice
• allowing the end user to simultaneously input
  voice command and receive
• presentation via WAP or HTML.

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Appendix A Parlay

• Parlay is an evolving set of specifications
  for industry-standard application programming
  interfaces (APIs) for managing network "edge"
  services
• call control
• messaging
• content-based charging.
• Parlay specifications are being developed by
  the Parlay Group, a consortium of member
  companies that include ATT, BT, Cisco, IBM,
  Lucent, Microsoft, Nortel Networks, and others.
• Use of the Parlay specifications is expected
  to make it easier to add new cross-platform
  network applications so that users need not
  depend solely on the proprietary offerings of
  carriers.
• The Parlay Group is not a standards group
  itself, but sees itself as a facilitator of
  needed interfaces. Application program interfaces
  are or will be defined for

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Parlay

• Authentication
• Integrity management
• Operations, administration, and maintenance
  (OAM)
• Discovery (of the closest provider of a service)
• Network control
• Mobility
• Performance management
• Audit capabilities
• Generic charging and billing
• Policy management
• Mobile M-commerce/E-commerce
• Subscriber data/user profile/virtual home
  environment (VHE)
• The Parlay APIs are said to complement and
  encourage use of the Advanced Intelligent Network
  (AIN) protocols.

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Appendix B Application level protocols

• A. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)
• LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a
  software protocol for enabling anyone to locate
  organizations, individuals, and other resources
  such as files and devices in a network, whether
  on the public Internet or on a corporate
  Intranet.
• LDAP is a "lightweight" (smaller amount of code)
  version of Directory Access Protocol (DAP), which
  is part of X.500, a standard for directory
  services in a network. LDAP is lighter because in
  its initial version it did not include security
  features.
• LDAP originated at the University of Michigan and
  has been endorsed by at least 40 companies.
  Netscape includes it in its latest Communicator
  suite of products. Microsoft includes it as part
  of what it calls Active Directory in a number of
  products including Outlook Express. Novell's
  NetWare Directory Services interoperates with
  LDAP. Cisco also supports it in its networking
  products.

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B. LDAP

• In a network, a directory tells you where in the
  network something is located. On TCP/IP networks
  (including the Internet), the domain name system
  (DNS) is the directory system used to relate the
  domain name to a specific network address (a
  unique location on the network). However, you may
  not know the domain name. LDAP allows you to
  search for an individual without knowing where
  they're located (although additional information
  will help with the search).
• An LDAP directory is organized in a simple "tree"
  hierarchy consisting
• of the following levels
• The root directory (the starting place or the
  source of the tree), which branches out to
• Countries, each of which branches out to
• Organizations, which branch out to
• Organizational units (divisions, departments,
  and so forth), which branches out to (includes an
  entry for) Individuals (which includes people,
  files, and shared resources such as printers)
• An LDAP directory can be distributed among many
  servers. Each server can have a replicated
  version of the total directory that is
  synchronized periodically. An LDAP server is
  called a Directory System Agent (DSA). An LDAP
  server that receives a request from a user takes
  responsibility for the request, passing it to
  other DSAs as necessary, but ensuring a single
  coordinated response for the user.

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B. Authentication, Authorization, Accounting
(AAA)

• Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA)
  is a term for a framework for intelligently
  controlling access to computer resources,
  enforcing policies, auditing usage, and providing
  the information necessary to bill for services.
  These combined processes are considered important
  for effective network management and security.
• As the first process, authentication provides a
  way of identifying a user, typically by having
  the user enter a valid user name and valid
  password before access is granted. The process of
  authentication is based on each user having a
  unique set of criteria for gaining access. The
  AAA server compares a user's authentication
  credentials with other user credentials stored in
  a database. If the credentials match, the user is
  granted access to the network. If the credentials
  are at variance, authentication fails and network
  access is denied.
• Following authentication, a user must gain
  authorization for doing certain tasks. After
  logging into a system, for instance, the user may
  try to issue commands. The authorization process
  determines whether the user has the authority to
  issue such commands. Simply put, authorization is
  the process of enforcing policies determining
  what types or qualities of activities, resources,
  or services a user is permitted. Usually,
  authorization occurs within the context of
  authentication. Once you have authenticated a
  user, they may be authorized for different types
  of access or activity.

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B. Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA)

• The final term in the AAA framework is
  accounting, which measures the resources a user
  consumes during access. This can include the
  amount of system time or the amount of data a
  user has sent and/or received during a session.
  Accounting is carried out by logging of session
  statistics and usage information and is used for
  authorization control, billing, trend analysis,
  resource utilization, and capacity planning
  activities.
• Authentication, authorization, and accounting
  services are often provided by a dedicated AAA
  server, a program that performs these functions.
  A current standard by which network access
  servers interface with the AAA server is the
  Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
  (RADIUS).

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C. RADIUS

• Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
  (RADIUS) is a client/server protocol and software
  that enables remote access servers to communicate
  with a central server to authenticate dial-in
  users and authorize their access to the requested
  system or service. RADIUS allows a company to
  maintain user profiles in a central database that
  all remote servers can share. It provides better
  security, allowing a company to set up a policy
  that can be applied at a single administered
  network point. Having a central service also
  means that it's easier to track usage for billing
  and for keeping network statistics. Created by
  Livingston (now owned by Lucent), RADIUS is a de
  facto industry standard used by a number of
  network product companies and is a proposed IETF
  standard.

56
Appendix C. Additional NGN signaling protocols

• SIP-T
• SIGTRAN
• BICC

57
A. SIP-T

• SIP-T (SIP for telephones) is a mechanism that
  uses SIP to facilitate the interconnection of the
  PSTN with IP. SIP-T defines SIP functions that
  map to ISUP interconnection requirements.
• This is intended to allow traditional IN-type
  services to be seamlessly handled in the Internet
  environment. It is essential that SS7 information
  be available at the points of PSTN
  interconnection to ensure transparency of
  features not otherwise supported in SIP. SS7
  information should be available in its entirety
  and without any loss to the SIP network across
  the PSTN-IP interface.

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B. SIGTRAN

• SIGTRAN (for Signaling Transport) is the standard
  Telephony Protocol used to transport Signaling
  System 7 signals over the Internet. SS7 signals
  consist of special commands for handling a
  telephone call.
• The IETF Signaling Transport working group has
  developed SIGTRAN to address the transport of
  packet-based PSTN signaling over IP Networks,
  taking into account functional and performance
  requirements of the PSTN signaling. For
  interworking with PSTN, IP networks will need to
  transport signaling such as Q.931 or SS7 ISUP
  messages between IP nodes such as a Signaling
  Gateway and Media Gateway Controller or Media
  Gateway. Applications of SIGTRAN include Internet
  dial-up remote access and IP telephony
  interworking with PSTN.

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B. SIGTRAN

• A telephone company switch transmits SS7 signals
  to a SG. The gateway,
• in turn, converts the signals into SIGTRAN
  packets for transmission over IP
• to either the next signaling gateway.
• The SIGTRAN protocol is actually made up of
  several components (this is
• what is sometimes referred to as a protocol
  stack)
• standard IP
• common signaling transport protocol (used to
  ensure that the data required for signaling is
  delivered properly), such as the Streaming
  Control Transport Protocol (SCTP)
• adaptation protocol that supports "primitives"
  that are required by another protocols.

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C. Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC)

• Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC) is a
  signaling protocol based on N-ISUP that is used
  to support NB-ISDN service over a BB backbone
  network without interfering with interfaces to
  the existing network and end-to-end services.
  Specified by the ITU-T in recommendation Q.1901,
  BICC was designed to be fully compatible with
  existing networks and any system capable of
  carrying voice messages. BICC supports narrowband
  ISDN services independently of bearer and
  signaling message transport technology.

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C. Bearer Independent Call Control (Cntd.)

• ISUP messages carry both call control and
  bearer control information, identifying the
  physical bearer circuit by a Circuit
  Identification Code (CIC). However, CIC is
  specific to time-division multiplexed TDM
  networks. BICC was developed to be interoperable
  with any type of bearer, such as those based on
  asynchronous transfer mode ATM and IP
  technologies, as well as TDM.
• BICC separates call control and bearer
  connection control, transporting BICC signaling
  independently of bearer control signaling. The
  actual bearer transport used is transparent to
  the BICC signaling protocol - BICC has no
  knowledge of the specific bearer technology.

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C. Bearer Independent Call Control (Cntd.)

• The ITU announced the completion of the second
  set of BICC protocols (BICC Capability Set 2, or
  CS 2) in July 2001 these are expected to help
  move networks from the current model - which is
  based on public-switching systems - to a
  server-based model. The BICC deployment
  architecture comprises a proxy server and a media
  gateway to support the current services over
  networks based on circuit-switched, ATM, and IP
  technologies, including third-generation
  wireless.
• The completion of the BICC protocols is an real
  and important ITU step toward broadband
  multimedia networks, because it will enable the
  seamless of circuit-switched TDM networks to
  high-capacity broadband multimedia networks. The
  3GPP has included BICC CS 2 in the UMTS release
  4. Among the future ITU-T plans for BICC are the
  inclusion of more advanced service support and
  more utilization of proxies, such as the SIP
  proxy.