OAA000003 NGN Protocol

Overview
ISSUE 2.0

Fixed
Fixed Network
Network Curriculum
Curriculum
Development
Development Section
Section

Objective

After this session, you will learn:

Concepts of SoftSwitch interfaces

and protocols

Classification of SoftSwitch protocols

Roles of SoftSwitch protocols and

signaling

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Security Level: Internal

About this Session

Interfaces and Protocols

SoftSwitch Signaling System
SoftSwitch Signaling Classification
SoftSwitch Signaling Bearing

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Interface and Protocol

An interface is the connection point

between two adjacent network entities,
and a protocol specifies the principles
to be followed for information
interchanging over such connection
points (interfaces) Different protocols
are usually used on different interfaces
and maybe on the same interface as
well.

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SoftSwitch Interfaces and Protocols

MRS

FTP/FTAM

SIP/INAP

APP Server

SCP
PARL AY

NMS

SIP

MGCP

INAP

MML/SNMP

BC

SIP

H.323

H.323

SIP

SS7

SoftSwitch

SoftSwitch

SG

H.248

MGCP / H.248

SIGTRAN

MGCP / H.248

PSTN

TMG

MGCP/SIP/H.323

EPhone

AMG

IAD

Security Level: Internal

Corresponding Relations between SoftSwitch

Interfaces and Protocols
Interface

Application

Signaling Transmission Protocols

Protocols
SoftSwitch-SG (Signalling Gateway)

SIGTRAN

M3UA/M2UA/SCTP/IP

SoftSwitch-TMG (Trunk media Gateway)

H.248

UDP/IP
SCTP/IP
TCP/IP

SoftSwitch-AMG (Access Media Gateway)

MGCP
H.248

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-IAD (Integrated access device)

MGCP
H.248

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-MRS (Media Resource Server)

MGCP

UDP/IP

MGCP

UDP/IP

SIP

UDP/IP

H.323

UDP/IP
TCP/IP

SoftSwitch-SoftSwitch

SIP

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-PSTN/ISDN (Public Old

Telephone Network) Integated services data
network)

SS7

MTP

SoftSwitch-SIP (Sesion Initiation Protocol)

SIP

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-H.323

H.323

UDP/IP
TCP/IP

SoftSwitch-Terminal

SoftSwitch-NMS (Network Management Syst) MML or SNMP

SoftSwitch-BC (Billing Center)

TCP/IP

FTP or FTAM

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SoftSwitch Protocol System

SS7
I
S
U
P

INAP

H.248

MGCP

SIP

H.323

H.248

MGCP

SIP

H.323

TCAP

OSI
layer
7

SCCP
5
MTP3

M3UA
M2UA

MTP2

TCP

UDP

SCTP

UDP

TCP

UDP

IP

IP

IP

IP

MAC

MAC

MAC

MAC

SCTP
IP

MTP1

UDP

MAC

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About this Session

Interfaces and Protocols

SoftSwitch Signaling System
SoftSwitch Signaling Classification
SoftSwitch Signaling Bearing

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SS7 Signaling
T
U
P

I
S
U
P

INAP
TCAP
SCCP

MTP3

MTP2
MTP1

User part
MTP

M3UA
M2UA

SCTP
IP

MAC
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SIP Protocol

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is an

application-layer control protocol that
can establish, modify and terminate
multimedia sessions or calls. It is the
core protocol of IETF multimedia data
and control architecture. It can be easily
expanded, conveniently achieved, and
suitable to implement Internet-based
multimedia conference systems.
The
NGN
Soft-Switch
system
interconnects with other Soft-Switch
systems and SIP domain devices via SIP
signaling, achieving the call control
functions between them.

SIP
User Part
MTP

UDP
IP
MAC

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Security Level: Internal

H.323 Protocol

H.323 is a communication control protocol put

forward by ITU. It provides multimedia
communications services over Packet Based
Networks (PBNs). Call control is one of the
major parts of H.323 and can be used to
establish point-to-point media conference and
multipoint media conference.

H.323
Q.931

H.323 defines entities such as H.323 Gateways,

Gatekeepers, Multipoint Controllers, Multipoint
Processors and Multipoint Control Units. H.323
Gateways are between Switched Circuit
Network (SCN) and packet switched network.
Gatekeepers provide access control and
address
translation
services.
Multipoint
Controllers (MCs) provide the multipoint control
function for the multiparty conference.
Multipoint Processors (MPs) enables mixing of
multipoint media streams.
H.323 itself is a protocol set, including such
protocols as RAS, Q.931 and H.245. RAS is
transmitted on UDP, Q.931 is transmitted on
TCP and H.245 is transmitted on UDP.

RAS/H.245

UP
MTP

TCP UDP
IP
MAC

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MGCP and H.248

Media Gateway Control Protocol is a master/slave equipment control

protocol that provides signaling and call control for Media Gateways and
Voice over IP (VoIP) terminal devices (the Media Gateway Controller
controlling the Media Gateway). The protocol is a combination of simple
gateway control protocols and IP equipment control specifications.

H.248/Megaco is a successor to MGCP and will finally replace it, while

their protocol concepts are thoroughly different. With the development of
NGN, the media control protocols between the MGC and the MG will be
unified to H.248 gradually.

SoftSwitch Soft-Switch System acts as a MGC in the distributed gateway

model and controls various Media Gateways (such as Access Gateways,
Trunking Gateways, Residential Gateways, Media Resource Servers, etc.)
via MGCP/H.248.

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MGCP and H.248

MGCP

H.248
UP
MTP

UDP

SCTP/TCP
IP
MAC

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About this Session

Interfaces and Protocols

SoftSwitch Signaling System
SoftSwitch Signaling Classification
SoftSwitch Signaling Bearing

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SoftSwitch Signaling Classification

Signaling transport protocol Signaling transport layer protocol

provides

SoftSwitch

with

signaling

transport

services.

One

application protocol of SoftSwitch can usually use multiple transport

protocols. For example, H.248 can use SCTP/TCP/UDP.

Bearer control protocol is a kind of master/slave protocol used for

Media Gateway Controller (MGC) to control Media Gateways (MGs),
such as Access Gateways, Trunk Gateways and Residential Gateways
from external call elements like a Call Agent (SoftSwitch).

Call control protocol A protocol used to control call setup,

connection and termination. The call control protocols used in
SoftSwitch are ISUP of SS7, SIP and H.323. In a VoIP domain, SIP and
H.323 serve for call control in multimedia conference. ISUP is the call
control protocol used for the switched circuit network.

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Signaling Transmission Protocols

IP, TCP, UDP.

SCTP: Stream control transport protocol

M2UA - - User adaptation layer protocol of SS7 MTP2.

M3UA - - User adaptation layer protocol of SS7 MTP3.

MTP (Message Transport Protocol) - - SS7 network

protocol of TDM.

SCCP - -Providing INAP with signaling transmission

service

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Bearer Control Protocols

Bearer control protocol is used to control media

gateways.

MGCP and H.248 protocols

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Call Control Protocols

ISUP and INAP -- Switched circuit network control

protocols.

H.323 and SIP - -Call control protocols in packet

switched network

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Attention

Bearer control protocols are non-peer-to-peer protocols,

used between MGC and MG only, while call control
protocols are peer-to-peer protocols, used between
MGC and MGC, that is, namely, inter-office signaling.

MGCP and H.248 protocols accomplish the bearer

control functions in the communication between TMG
and MGC, and the call control protocol above them is
ISUP. In communication between AG and MGC, ISUP
has the call control functions (for example, identification
of hanging on, hanging off, etc.) in addition to the bearer
control functions.
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Security Level: Internal

About this Session

Interfaces and Protocols

SoftSwitch Signaling System
SoftSwitch Signaling Classification
SoftSwitch Signaling Bearing

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Question/issue

What protocols does SoftSwitch adopt?

In what occasions are these protocols
used?

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Answer
Interface

Application Protocols

Signaling Transport
Protocols

SoftSwitch-SG

SIGTRAN

M2UA/SCTP/IP

SoftSwitch-TMG

H.248

UDP/IPSCTP/IPTCP/IP

SoftSwitch-AMG

MGCPH.248

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-IAD

MGCPH.248

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-MRS

MGCP

UDP/IP

MGCP

UDP/IP

SIP

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-SoftSwitch

SIP

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-PSTN/ISDN

SS7

MTP

SoftSwitch-SIP entity

SIP

UDP/IP

SoftSwitch-NMS

MML or SNMP

SoftSwitch-BC

FTP or FTAM

SoftSwitch-Ephone

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Summary

SoftSwitch uses the following protocols: SIGTRAN,

MGCP, H.248, H.323, SIP and ISUP.

SIGTRAN protocol group is used when SoftSwitch is

interconnected with PSTN, over which the ISUP protocol
is borne. MGCP and H.248 protocols are used for
interconnection with various MGs. H.323 and SIP
protocols

are

used

for

interconnection

among

SoftSwitch devices, and meanwhile, H.323 can also be

used for interworking with H.323 media terminal, while
SIP can be used for interworking with SIP terminal.

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