TigrisA gateway between circuit-switched and IP networks

Peter Curtin and Bert Whyte

In 1998, the Tigris family of products from ACC was named the data communication industrys Hot Product of the Year. Ericssons acquisition of ACC, which was part of its string-of-pearls strategy, positions the company to migrate existing wireline and wireless customers toward IP communications and to build complete end-to-end network solutions based on the Internet protocol. The authors describe the Tigris family, which provides a gateway between circuit-switched and IP networks. Tigris flexible architecture allows traditional circuit-switched calls to enter or exit the world of IP. Its backplane provides for two bus architectures: standards-based TDM connectivity for more than one thousand five hundred 64 kbit/s circuitswitched connections, and a high-speed Compact PCI bus that offers up to 2 Gbit/s of bandwidth for packet-switched traffic. Combined with AccessOS software from Ericsson, this simple hybrid architecture creates a carrier-class multi-service and multi-delivery access platform.

Background
In 1998, Ericsson acquired ACC as part of its plan to reshape the company to meet the communication challenges of the next millennium. ACC has had a long history in the early pioneering development of the Arpanetthe prolog to the Internet. Santa Barbara (ACCs headquarters) was the site of one of the first of four nodes to be knitted together, in 1969, to provide the worlds first packet-switched network. From this foundation, a team of engineers formed ACC and set about developing products to meet the growing requirements of the university
Figure 1 Tigris as the bridge between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and the IP packet world.
Road warrior Modem PSTN IP backbone

Home user

ISDN

Mobile user

Tigris

and defense industry during the late 1970s and early 1980s. ACC has had many networking firsts, such as advanced techniques for minimizing wide-area bandwidth costs and the introduction of a branch office router for under USD 2,000. During the past two years, ACC has reshaped itself in preparation for what it saw as confirmation that the Internet protocol (IP) would become the nextgeneration network protocol. This new direction focused on the delivery of a new technology platform that allows smooth and cost-effective migration from the traditional narrowband world of carriers into the world of IP. Ericsson realized that the acquisition of ACC would bolster its presence in the IP world and provide a production-ready, carrier-class product family that would help transition its customers into the new telecoms world. Moreover, the acquisition was part of Ericssons string-of-pearls strategy, which is designed to catapult Ericsson into the IP world. This strategy includes the formation of a US-based Data Networking and IP business unit, which brings together Ericssons breadth of data networking products and skills; gives a foundation for existing and new partnerships in the nascent IP world; and gives Ericsson the ability to build or acquire IP excellence across a range of technology solutions. In doing so, Ericsson positions itself to migrate existing wireline and wireless customers toward IP communications; and to build complete end-to-end network solutions based on the Internet protocol. Ericssons string-of-pearls strategy is considered to be more innovative than similar strategies to bolster IP competence in telecommunications companies. It provides for selective acquisitions that target key product areas, such as access, service, infrastructure and management. This strategy enables Ericsson to build a best-of-breed stable of products which in themselves are superior to competitive products and which as a whole offer an impressive solution for endto-end connectivity. The ACC acquisition supports this best-of-breed strategythe Tigris family of products was awarded the Oscar of the data communication industry, namely the 1998 Hot Product of the Year award. ACCs IP capabilities and its focus on the rapidly growing access market complement Ericssons aggressive foray into data communications and IP.
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Landscape
In the telecommunications industry, drastic change is rare. For instance, in the last thirty years we have witnessed dramatic change only twice: the move from analog to digital technology and the introduction of cellular mobile technology. Ericsson identified both opportunities and thereby took a worldwide leadership position. As we enter the twenty-first century, another significant change is taking form: the world is adapting to IP technology. The reasons for this change relate to the rapid advancements in the regulatory environment spurred on by the privatization of telecommunications monopolies around the world. Telecommunications-related competition has turned impersonal subscribers of the service into valued customers. Existing services must be offered at lower costs to meet competition, and new services are being demanded to improve business efficiency and to exploit the telecommunications network as a strategic tool of highly competitive global businesses. Service bundlingwhereby providers package together both voice and data services with common delivery and billing strategiesis another competitive tool. Advances in technology, the rapid growth of the Internet, and next-generation computing power are devouring all available bandwidth capacity, which has considerable impact on existing wide-area networks (WAN). This growing appetite for network bandwidth changes the rules of traditional network topologies and design. The old 8020 rule no longer applies as users reach out across the network for information and collaboration. Capacity is the watchword of the new generation of networks currently being designed and implemented. The Internet protocol provides the essential ingredient in the recipe of all future network designs that will change the way we work and play. The use of IP as the convergence agent for linking voice, data and video into a single communication stream is well understood in the communications industry. Moreover, there are obvious economic benefits. Notwithstanding, it is the realization of deep convergencethe ability of IP to transform and create new sets of communication applicationsthat will exploit next-generation IP-based networks and provide real value to customers. This is the race in which we are a part as we enter the next millennium. The players in this game are many, including
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the suppliers who designed and built communication networks during the last hundred years; the carriers who maintained and advanced these networks; the new breed of vendors who offer radical solutions to this new opportunity; and the new set of carriers who are charged with an entrepreneurial sense of urgency to succeed.

Tigris concept and top level

As illustrated in Figure 1, the Tigris family provides the gateway between circuitswitched and IP networks. Tigris flexible architecture allows traditional circuitswitched calls, such as voice, data and fax, to enter or exit the world of IP. The back-

BOX A, ABBREVIATIONS
ADSL ATM BGP-4 BITS CCITT Asymmetrical digital subscriber line Asynchronous transfer mode Border gateway protocol, version 4 (RFC 1771) Building integrated timing system International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (currently the ITU) Second-generation digital link interface Digital signal, level 3 (44.736 Mbit/s) Digital signal processor 2 Mbit/s digital link European telecommunications standards institute Group switch ITU-T recommendation on visual telephone systems and equipment for local area networks that provide a non-guaranteed quality of service Intelligent network Internet protocol Internetwork packet exchange Integrated services digital network Internet service provider Level 2 tunneling protocol Link access procedure for modems Media gateway control protocol Microcom networking protocol, version 5 Multiprotocol label switching Multiprotocol over ATM Mobile switching center Network access server Network equipment building system Optical carrier, 155 Mbit/s link Open shortest path first Primary rate interface Public switched telephone network Quality of service RIP RISC SDSL SIP SMDS SS7 STM-1 Routing information protocol Reduced instruction set computer Symmetrical digital subscriber line Single in-line package Switched multi-megabit data service Signaling system no. 7 Synchronous transfer module-1, 155 Mbit/s digital link T1 1.5 Mbit/s digital link TDM Time-division multiplexing V.100 ITU-T recommendation: Interconnection between public data networks (PDN) and the public switched telephone networks (PSTN) V.21 ITU-T recommendation: 300 bit/s per duplex modem standardized for use in the general switched telephone network V.34 ITU-T recommendation: A modem operating at data signaling rates of up to 33,600 bit/s for use on the general switched telephone network and on leased, point-to-point, two-wire telephone-type circuits V.42bis ITU-T recommendation: Data compression procedures for data circuit terminating equipment (DCE) using error correction procedures VoIP Voice over IP VPN Virtual private network VPSM Virtual port service manager WAN Wide area network X.25 ITU-T recommendation: Interface between data terminal equipment (DTE) and data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) for terminals operating in the packet mode and connected to public data networks by dedicated circuit xDSL Collective term for several coppercircuits-based modem technologies

DL2 DS3 DSP E1 ETSI GS H.323

IN IP IPX ISDN ISP L2TP LAPM MGCP MNP5 MPLS MPOA MSC NAS NEBS OC3 OSPF PRI PSTN QoS

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plane provides for two bus architectures, a standards-based time-division multiplexing (TDM) connectivity for more than one thousand five hundred 64 kbit/s circuitswitched connections, and a high-speed Compact PCI bus that offers up to 2 Gbit/s of bandwidth for packet-switched traffic. This simple hybrid architecture, combined with AccessOS software from Ericsson, creates a carrier-class multi-service and multidelivery access platform via a range of highdensity interface cards (Figure 1).
Multi-service

By multi-service is meant the ability to offer different applications on a single platform architecture. In a world that is rapidly converging, this means the ability to support voice, data and video layered over IP. The result is the capability to offer any type of service over IP, including voice, fax, highspeed data, modem data, cellular data, and video. The industry greatly abuses the claim of being able to provide multi-service. In reality, very few products offer this capability. Apart from truly supporting multiple services, the real uniqueness of the Tigris platform is that it does so on the fly as demanded by users connecting into it. For example, at one instant the call on a port may require traditional circuit-modem traffic to be converted into the Internet protocol, whereas in the next moment this same port may be asked to convert a circuit-switched voice call into IP. This on-the-fly adaptability, termed Call by call, offers extraordinary flexibility to service providers who use the Tigris platform. In competitive offerings, ports must be statically allocated to certain functions, and in many applications these ports require dedicated hardware. Architectures of this kind force network designers to overprovision configurations to cover off-peak load conditions. This results in increased capital, space and operating costs. Moreover, fixed configurations do not allow for easy changes in service demands. Call by call removes these restrictions and enables the flexible usage and configuration of resources: the port supports whatever service is required. The Call by call capability, which is driven by the number dialed, the initiator of the call, the transport indicator, or the domain name of the caller, is tied into an intelligent network (IN) application called the virtual port service manager (VPSM). This network application interrogates each call before the call is answered, to determine
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which application the connected port should supply; and whether or not the call should be connected to the destination network (service authentication and confirmation that capacity is available for the requested service type). This flexibility is coupled with the ability to start offering users different classes of service across the Internet protocol. These dynamic configuration options become key elements for service providers who provision virtual private networks (VPN). The combination of Call by call and the VPSM creates a powerful tool that extends beyond a single Tigris to a network of Tigris. From a lone IN server (redundancy is optional), the service provider can instantaneously alter the profile of select customers. For example, if a customer requests additional ports for a remote-access application, the network operator can immediately increase the port allocation. The VPSM can also be configured to automatically reallocate ports to different applications based on time of day; or to offer premium port connectivity. The VPSM is a service tool designed to maximize revenues by ensuring maximum port utilization, providing service differentiation and simplifying management and operational functions.
Multi-delivery

By multi-delivery is meant the ability to offer different network interfaces to match the network models in use by service providers. The classical concentrator task has been to support only dial-in traffic, usually through a T1 (1.5 Mbit/s) or E1 (2 Mbit/s) primary rate interface (PRI) connected to the public exchange or central office using integrated services digital network (ISDN) signaling or a form of common channel, such as T1 robbed bit or E1 R1/R2 signaling. Tigris supports these modes and has the added capability of supporting leased linesfrom 56 kbit/s up to digital signal level 3 (DS3, 44.736 Mbit/s); frame relay; X.25; switched multi-megabit data service (SMDS); and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) up to OC3/STM-1. Work is also currently underway to integrate xDSL (including ADSL and SDSL) connection capability into Tigris. From a service providers perspective, the
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benefits of multi-delivery are obvious: a single platform that supports multiple access services enables providers to deploy Tigris in a variety of configurations supporting lowdensity applications that require T1/E1 connectivity and high-density applications that require ATM connectivity. The service provider can insert a variety of interfaces to offer dial-up, high-speed, leased-line, and ATM access simultaneously from the same platform.
Integrated

One of the key attributes of Tigris is that it contains every element necessary for delivering connections from the circuit-switched world directly into the IP world. The term POP in a Box, which is widely used in North America, refers to products that facilitate, in a single platform, access, routing, and WAN connectivity. Architectures of this kind appeal not only to small providers who are concerned with capital costs but also to large providers who are concerned with performance, space and operational issues. In this context, integrated means that the Tigris is capable of many different access technologies, such as modem, ISDN, cellular data, voice-over-IP (VoIP) and fax. Further, integrated means that Tigris supports a variety of routing protocolsincluding the routing information protocol (RIP), open shortest path first (OSPF), and the border gateway protocol (BGP-4)which allow for direct connection to the Internet.

Integrated also means minimum latency as traffic passes from the circuit-switched world into the packet-switched world or the other way round. It might interest the reader to know that Tigris supports complete IP and internetwork packet exchange (IPX) routing, which constitutes over 99% of the wide-area routing used in service-provider and enterprise environments. You might expect other products to have similar integrated features, but the truth is, many of todays networks rely on multiple products to deliver the same capability integrated into Tigris. In many instances, Tigris replaces up to three products needed to deliver equivalent service capability. Understanding VPNs and the need to offer quality of service (QoS) across a network is a significant pillar in Ericssons overall network-wide VPN architecture. As part of this architecture, the integration of Tigris also means a single point of control and management that facilitates the implementation of service strategies.
Family of products, scalability and carrier-class service

As with most things in life, one size does not fit every networking business need. Consequently, a primary requirement of the Tigris design was to produce a family of products. Four basic models were designed, offering different capacities and features: a three-slot, six-slot, seven-slot and elevenslot Tigris (Figure 2).

Desktop

Rackmount

Chassis

Non-redundant control

Redundant control

3-slot 6-slot 7-slot 11-slot

Figure 2 The Tigris family of products, and the various uses of the three-, six-, seven-, and eleven-slot Tigris.

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Tigris is uniquely able to sit in a serviceprovider environment and still function as an enterprise access device (Figure 3). As service providers roll out their VPN offerings, consistency must be maintained at both edges of the network. Moreover, in providing this consistency, service providers must not only support VPN functionality but also multi-service delivery, class of service, and customer and service-provider management control. Interestingly, the differentiation between enterprises and service providers is becoming more and more diffuse. For example, in many respects a large corporation with the task of providing service to a group of telecommuters or road warriors may actually function as a service provider. That is, although the newly formed Internet service provider (ISP) may have started out as a corporate enterprise that offered dial-up services, the business proposition may have drawn them into operating like a service provider.

The requirements for enterprise and core network edge products have traditionally been different. The Tigris architecture and physical packaging was nevertheless designed to sit comfortably on each access edge. The three- and six-slot configurations target the enterprise environment for the desktop or for mounting in racks, whereas the seven- and eleven-slot configurations are designed for mounting in racks in a service provider environment. The three- and seven-slot configurations do not support control card redundancy; the six- and eleven-slot configurations do. This flexibility enables network designers to select the chassis that best fits applications and cost constraints. Any interface card can be utilized in any chassis configuration, offering maximum flexibility, growth options, minimum spare-part requirements and minimum capital investment. Each product has undergone network equipment building system (NEBS) level-3

Figure 3 Tigris at both edges of the access network.

Geographically far 11-slot Tigris

Internet access Remote sites are tunneled Remote users are tunneled VoIP calls are terminated

Internet PBX Server farm 3-slot Tigris

Home user Service provider

Remote sites on channelized T1/E1 or ISDN. Remote users on analog or ISDN.

Leased-line PSTN/ISDN

Enterprise

Mobile user

56/64 kbit/s Local office

Home user Geographically near

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or ETSI-equivalent testing. They are thus acceptable in harsh service-provider environments. Although not a typical enterprise requirement, the carrier-class service features of the Tigris family provide a reliability factor not traditionally found in enterprise equipment. This becomes more important as deep service convergence becomes a reality. The carrier-class characteristics also mandate that the product can be seamlessly integrated into a carrier environment. Tigris was designed to fit comfortably into Ericssons BYB equipment practice. Other features that take the Tigris platforms beyond NEBS and provide a product that is atypical of most data communication suppliers are 48 volt power distribution; on-card power conversion; low-power design; cooling design; clocking options (including the building integrated timing system, BITS); and alarming ability. Knowing that the ultimate goal of providers is to furnish customers with massive connectivity, a major design objective was to provide the ability to support high port densities. Simply put, we can configure more ports per Tigris than any other comparable product in its class. However, we have not forgotten that Tigris needs to be a family of products that supports small and large installations alike. To this end, Tigris supports systems that scale from 24 to over 2,000 ports. Service providers and enterprises can install the appropriately sized Tigris with the assurance that their investment will be maintained as the network grows. This is an important consideration in todays fastpaced networking environment, where change and uncertainty are the norm.

duced instruction-set computer (RISC) processors to process codecs and to handle various modems, compression, and packetbus transfers.
Virtual private networks via Access Partitions

Tigris was specifically designed to support dial-in and dedicated access to virtual private networks, which are used by service providers and corporations. On Tigris, VPN functionality is implemented through a combination of features collectively described as access partitioning. The VPNbased services that can be offered by service providers include wholesale Internet access; and outsourced corporate remote access. Corporate benefits of the VPN include guaranteed dial-in access (for important employees or user groups); and dial-in users routed to specific internal corporate VPNs based on user name or called number.
Service profiles

Tigris in technical detail

Tigris was designed using open standards to provide a highly scalable, carrier-class, multi-service delivery platform. The architectural approach uses a multi-processor design that distributes the various processing functions among general- and specificpurpose processing elements. This architecture ensures linear performance as the system scales from very small configurations to maximum capacity. For example, the digital signal processor (DSP) card, which is the heart of Tigris, contains both DSPs and reEricsson Review No. 2, 1999

Access partitioning relies on service profiles and associated access partitions to define the users dial-in service. A group of called numbers is mapped into a service profile. Currently, three service types can be configured for a service profile: multiprotocol bridged routing; called number routing; and level 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) tunneling. Dial-in calls that have been configured for multiprotocol bridged routing are generally forwarded in accordance with the destination address of the incoming dial-in packets. Service profiles provisioned for called number routing cause dial-in traffic to be forwarded directly to the next-hop IP address configured for the associated access partition; or from the IP address returned in a RADIUS access-reply message. Service profiles provisioned for L2TP cause the dial-in traffic to be tunneled to the IP address that was configured for the associated access partition; or from the address that is returned in a RADIUS access-reply message. Service profiles can be configured to provide calling number screening, modem pools, and access partitions. A service profile can be configured so that a group of calling numbers is screened. Call75

ing number screening allows individual or groups of calling numbers to be blocked or enabled. The screening action is performed before a call is accepted.
Modem pools

A modem pool defines a set of characteristics that can be configured on a digital modem at the time of connection. A modem pool can be associated with an access partition and allows the following characteristics to be defined: Modulationautodetect, v.21 v.34bis. Maximum data rate33.6 kbit/s, 28.8 kbit/s, and so on. Compressionautodetect, v.42bis, MNP5, none. Link access procedure for modems (LAPM) stateenabled/disabled. Carrier detect/disconnect times. This flexibility allows for differentiated service based on maximum data rates or fastconnect times, depending on customer requirements.
Access partition profiles

from one ISP or corporation are also prevented from being inadvertently forwarded to another ISP or corporation or to a user in another domain. Routes in one domain are not advertised to other domains. Thus, two end stations connected to the same Tigris and belonging to the same routing domain cannot communicate directly. This prevents end stations from bypassing filters that may be established at the ISP or corporations point of presence.
Virtual port service manager

Access partitions define the characteristics of VPN-based service types, such as called number routing and L2TP. The following characteristics can be defined per access partition: Port limitthe total number of simultaneously active ports authorized for a partition. The port limit is checked before a call is accepted for a partition. Primary IP addressthe called number routing function uses the primary IP address as the next-hop IP address when forwarding traffic. L2TP uses it as the destination IP address for tunneling traffic. Secondary IP addresssame as above. The secondary IP address is used when the primary IP address cannot be reached. RADIUS proxy serverthis identifies the RADIUS proxy server to be used for RADIUS authentication or accounting for this partition (typically located at the customer or ISP site). IP address poolthis pool of IP addresses is used for dynamic assignment of IP addresses to dial-in users of a specific partition.
Access partition security

The virtual port service manager is a Javabased server software product designed specifically for network service providers, enabling them to offer efficient, differentiated dial-in VPN services. The VPSM functions much like a carrier-based intelligent network application but in the IP domain. It gives network service providers the ability to manage dial-in services from one central point in the network. It also interacts with a network of remote access concentrators (that is, Tigris) using standard RADIUS messaging during call setup and authentication, to dynamically manage the allocation of dial-in resources and to deliver access partitioning or VPN services.
Call management services

All registered network access servers (NAS) must query the VPSM with a called number or domain name to determine whether or not a connection can proceed. Upon receiving a resolution request from the NAS, the VPSM attempts to resolve the called number or domain name to an access partition. If the partition can accept a call, a positive acknowledgment is returned to the NAS along with the access partition configuration. Otherwise, a negative (disconnect) message is sent.
Resource management services

Access partitioning ensures that adequate separation is maintained between individual routing domains. This prevents two end stations connected to the same Tigris from communicating directly. Packets received
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The VPSM is responsible for managing dialin access resources in each access partition as well as within the network. Dial-in VPNs defined by a user name (xxx@biz.com) or by called numbers are configured for a network-wide quota limit that restricts for each VPNthe total number of active, simultaneous ports. The operator has the option of refusing calls that exceed the quota; or of accepting calls that exceed the quota in this case, the operator can use RADIUS to flag and charge a premium for each oversubscribed call.
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The total number of dial-in ports available and currently in use per VPN are tracked and reported. The VPSM also manages other advanced services, such as priority connection and guaranteed ports.
RADIUS management services

Customers may want to control and manage their own RADIUS servers so that they can maintain control over access to their networks even when they have outsourced this access. Proxy RADIUS is a function that allows the VPSM to act as a proxy to a RADIUS authentication and accounting server. This function allows the VPSM to be introduced confidently into networks in which RADIUS servers are already in place at the customers site. When a user from corporation A dials into the carrier site, the VPSM forwards authentication and accounting requests to the respective RADIUS authentication or accounting server located on corporation As network. In another VPN application, the VPSM can act as a proxy server for a centralized authentication and accounting server at the carrier network. Carriers and ISPs that offer VPN services to corporations can use the VPSM and a central authentication and accounting server to maintain a central database with tables for each corporation. This eliminates the need for separate authentication and accounting servers at corporate sites. Instead, user authentication and accounting is handled through the VPSM and RADIUS server at the carrier side.
DSP resource management

over IP (VoIP) is no exception with its proprietary solutions, H.323, the media gateway control protocol (MGCP) and the single in-line package (SIP). The Tigris VoIP architecture utilizes a distributed approach to standards, separating call control from the call-connection process. The architecture is based on open standards utilizing the Sun Solaris operating system as the basic platform. However, it allows for other platforms, such as AXE/MSC or the Tigris itself, to support certain components. The architecture is made up of three basic components: the signaling system no. 7 (SS7) gateway; the media controller; and the media gateway as well as specific servers designed for voice- or dataapplication functions. The SS7 gateway provides the interface from the SS7 network into the IP infrastructure. Depending on the size of the network, this function can be provided by AXE/MSC, a NEBS-compliant Sun, or the Tigris.

BOX B, TURKU TELEPHONE LTD. LEADS THE WAY

Turku Telephone Ltd., a Finnish operator and member of the Finnet group, was the first customer to acquire the DL2-based Tigris solution. In 1978, they hosted the first commercial installation of digital AXE. The installation consists of three identical seven-slot Tigris connected to an AXE local exchange running the Finnish market application system of the Local 5 Product Line (AXE software). The Tigris are equipped with highdensity modem cards, which give the complex a maximum traffic handling capacity of approximately 1,320 Erlang (0.1% internal congestion). The Tigris are installed in a 2,200 mm BYB 501 cabinet using AXE power supply. The Internet service provider administers user authentication and provides the Internet connection. For redundancy, the Etheric (simplified ISUP protocol over TCP/IP) signaling connections between AXE and Tigris are distributed over two signaling-terminal-for-open-communication (STOC) subracks. Redundancy is increased further by connecting the Tigris to one another by means of serial interfaces. This configuration gives AXE secure access to each Tigris. Ordinarily, traffic is evenly distributed to each Tigris using random routing with mutual overflow. During maintenance, however, traffic may be drained from one Tigris using standard AXE routing features.

The DSP resource interface is the heart of the Tigris architecture. It is the gateway between the circuit-switched and packet-switched worlds where all modem, ISDN, V.100 fax, and voice processing occurs. The design of the card and the selection of DSPs was predicated on providing maximum density with the least power and cooling requirements, which considerations are critical in carrier environments. Each DSP is dynamically connected to a circuit and configured at call setup to support the incoming calls protocol. This flexibility gives operators the ability to support multiple call types without requiring them to deploy the product with dedicated hardware, fixed configurations, or both, to support expected traffic levels.
VoIP architecture

Many young technologies are accompanied by multiple, emerging standards. Voice

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SS7 gateway

Media controller

IN services
VoIP Gatekeeper SIP server VPSM AAA/CDR

PSTN

IP
RAS/VoIP gateway

T1/E1

PSTN

Figure 4 Tigris VoIP architecture

RAS/VoIP gateway with MGC

The media controller, which processes the call-control functions, provides support for H.323, MGCP and SIP. It will also provide the interface for data calls to the VPSM. When an incoming call is presented to the media controller, it determines the medium of the call (data, voice, fax) and initiates the appropriate process. The media controller can handle one or more media gateways (Tigris), communicating with them by means of MGCP. This architecture ensures scalability and a fault-tolerant approach to signaling, control, and call connectivity. Figure 4 shows the Tigris VoIP architecture when external SS7 gateways and media controllers are used.
Capacities

The Tigris can support the following capacities: up to two thousand and one hundred sixty simultaneous connections; up to one thousand eighty ISDN B-channels; or up to one thousand and one hundred sixteen 64 K leased lines.

Tigris in the narrowband world

The most common application for the Tigris family is as a narrowband gateway into a
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broadband IP network. As such, its primary function is to convert modem, fax, ISDN data or voice into IP packets. In its simplest configuration, Tigris is connected via T1 or E1 circuits from the public exchange or central office and routes incoming traffic through the TDM backplane to DSPs and converts it into packets and IP signals (Figure 5). This common application is the domain of similar products and provides a standards-based mechanism for connecting to any type of public exchange equipment. However, although this provides an easy connection mechanism for the service provider, it does have inherent weaknesses. The most important weakness being the unusual traffic load that is created for the public exchanges whose calling models are tuned for high call rates but short call-holding times. The IP world is characterized by low call rates and long call-holding times. Unfortunately, this new traffic phenomenon is typically outside of service providers control, since in many cases, IP service is provided by an independent ISP and not the service provider who operates the public exchange network. The consequences of this relationship vary throughout the world, depending on domestic regulating and tariffing policies, but in general it
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Mobile user's modem

Customer 1

PSTN/ISDN Mobile user's cellular

Home office modem/ISDN Switch

Customer n

IP network

Small branch office, Leased-line frame relay VPSM

Central office Voice

Figure 5 Tigris with traditional ISDN PRI network connections.

causes network congestion and an increase in network growth with little or no offsetting revenues. Other areas of concern with this model are the cost of the T1/E1 ISDN circuits; the impact of these circuits on the public exchange control logic; the impact of unproven SS7 gateways to the CCITT no. 7 network; and maintenance and operational aspects of new equipment. To this end, Ericsson decided that many of these problems could be resolved if Tigris was tightly integrated into the AXE/MSC architecture (Figure 6). To achieve this capability, a special development project was undertaken to design a high-density digital link (DL2) interface for Tigris that directly connects into the AXE/MSC switching fabricthe group switch (GS). This approach is unique in the industry, and combined with Tigriss ability to fit seamlessly into Ericssons BYB equipment practice, it offers an elegant and extremely cost-effective solution for service providers who employ AXE/MSC switches or for those who want to offer proven SS7 gateway capabilities (Box B). The multi-DL2 interface card is capable of connecting to 16 DL2 interfaces (each DL2 is the equivalent of one E1). For the sake of redundancy, the card connects to
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Figure 6 Tigris integration into AXE/MSC.

AXE SS7 signaling network 16 DL2 links

IP network PSTN network

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PSTN network

Data and voice calls ATM network

ATM group switch

ATM VPNs

Figure 7 Tigris in a broadband application.

planes A and B of the group switch via separate cables. One AXE/MSC can support up to 32 Tigris. Integration into AXE/MSC can yield savings of 30% compared with traditional network connection implementations. Add to this further savings in floor space, improved operational management, and simple integration into the CCITT no. 7 signaling network, and service providers gain a very powerful solution.

Tigris in a broadband world

Tigris is a natural element for broadband networks. Because it is equipped with ATM capability, Tigris can be connected directly into a packet-based ATM network. There are essentially two ways of doing this: Using the multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) standard, Tigris connects directly into an equivalent MPLS ATM switch. In this operation, the ATM switch effectively functions as a router within the net80

work, just as if another router had been connected to Tigris. Using the multiprotocol over ATM (MPOA) standard, Tigris effectively provides a virtual connection in an MPOAbased ATM switch. A centralized router server provides routing commands to Tigris. Just as Tigris can be integrated into AXE/MSC, it can also be connected into Ericssons next-generation core network, which is based on the AXD 3011 (Figure 7). Taken together with the narrowband architecture, this becomes an extremely powerful solution for service providers and a relatively simple migration from legacy networks toward a packet-based IP network.

Tigris in a pure IP world

The last application with merits for new service providers entering the market is a pure IP/transmission network (Figure 8). As with present-day router networks, this system ofEricsson Review No. 2, 1999

SS7 gateway Media controller Incumbent network

High-speed IP router network

Figure 8 Tigris in an IP router network.

fers certain benefits. It is, however, a pure router play that relies on high-speed links and higher performance. In this context, Tigris functions as an access router connecting into massive routing engines, such as the AXI 520. In this model, the network operates like an enterprise network, which requires a different form of management for incumbent service providers while attracting interest from new service providers entering the market.

Conclusion
The network remains a crucial element. In an IP world, the ability to offer policy management and quality of service across a network is the essence of the new service delivEricsson Review No. 2, 1999

ery model for service providers. Tigris fulfills this role admirably and supports the transformation from the circuit-switched world to IP. As a carrier-class product, Tigris has already been recognized as the worlds first carrier-class product. Further, old and new service providers recognize Tigris as an essential element in the development of nextgeneration networks. Many future developments are underway with respect to Ericssons IP access solutions. Several of these will be based on the solid foundation of the Tigris architecture. We believe that in the ever-changing world of communications, stability of the access platforms is an essential cornerstone for enterprise and service providers.

REFERENCES
1 Blau, S. and Rooth, J.: AXD 301A new generation ATM switching system. Ericsson Review Vol. 75(1998):1, pp. 1017.

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