Applications

The user interfaces for the various DSC - SP2000 applications are found under Applications in the Web UI Main Menu. These applications are as follows:

• ATM Hardware (optional) - Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Hardware provides the utilities to configure the ATM interface and links. The support of the ATM interface and links is an optional feature of the Ribbon Signaling System that can be enabled by installing the Asynchronous Transfer Mode Peripheral Component Interconnect Mezzanine Card (ATM PMC) module in the AMC308, AMC348, or PCE382 card(s) and by obtaining the required license.
  
  
• MTP2 Hardware (default) - Message Transfer Part Level 2 (MTP2) Hardware provides the utilities to configure and connect the Time Division Multiplex (TDM) Channels (may be referred to as Signaling Channels).
  
  
• MTP3 (default) - MTP3 provides the utilities to configure the DSC - SP2000 Platforms internal communication, Network Appearances (NAs) supported by this platform, SS7 linksets and links and routesets and routes processed by the platform.
  
  

• SNMP (default) - Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) provides the utility to configure DSC - SP2000 features on an SNMP-managed network. SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, and SNMPv3 are supported.

  
  

• Slot Monitor (default) - Slot Monitor (Slotmon) application monitors the status of all slots and system cards installed in the slots on an DSC - SP2000. Specifically, Slotmon monitors the physical status of a card and slot, the status of the IP address or addresses of a card, and the status of individual applications on a card if any exist.
  
  

• Hardware Monitor (default) - Hardware Monitor provides an efficient hardware management interface that uses the OpenHPI API directly for all hardware discovery, sensor reading, and event handling for the DSC 8000 and SP2000.
  
  

• SCCP (optional and dependent) - Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) provides the utilities to configure MTP4 applications. SCCP is only available and visible in the UI if you purchased the GTT, PCE, or Signaling Gateway (SG) applications.
  
  
• GTT (optional) - Global Title Translation (GTT) provides the utilities to configure Global Title routing. GTT works in conjunction with SCCP.
  
  
• SG (default) - Signaling Gateway (SG) provides the utilities to configure transparent interworking of SS7 signaling between Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and IP networks. The application supports the following protocols:
  • Circuit Identification Code (CIC) User Adaptation (UA) layer for ISUP messages using CIC ranges and originator (Ribbon proprietary)
  • MTP3 User Adaptation Layer
  • Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) User Application (SUA)
  • SG works in conjunction with SCCP.
    
    

• GWS (optional) and MSU Tracing (default) - Gateway Screening (GWS) provides the utilities to control the flow of SS7 messages into and through a signaling network from the SS7 links. A DSC - SP2000 that supports this process examines the contents of incoming messages and determines whether the message is authorized and accepted or is unauthorized and rejected. If a message is accepted, it is sent to MTP, SCCP, or Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) for further processing. If a message is rejected, it is discarded.

  Message Signal Unit (MSU) Tracing allows you to trace SS7 messages throughout system processes such as MTP3, SCCP, GTT, and Signaling Gateway. MSU tracing uses the GWS tables to specify the tracking criteria.

  Traffic redirection (optional) is a GWS feature that can be used to redirect successful gateway screening traffic to local applications through an application identifier name. The message or a copy of the message is redirected to an application. If a copy of the message is redirected, the original message is routed normally.
           

• Level 4 Converter (optional) - The Level 4 Converter enables the conversion of SS7 L4 traffic such as Integrated Service Digital Network User Part (ISUP) and Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) messages and their parameters between two SS7 variants.
           

• PCE (optional) - Point Code Emulator (PCE) provides the utilities to transparently configure and manipulate SS7 nodes without disrupting or reconfiguring the public SS7 network. PCE is similar to Network Address Translation (NAT) on an IP network, whereby private network addresses are hidden from the outside world and incoming messages are rerouted to their proper destination. PCE works in conjunction with SCCP. It is not possible to run the PCE and the Level 4 Converter at the same time.
        

• IMF (optional) - Integrated Monitoring Feed (IMF) provides the utilities to configure the forwarding of messages between the DSC - SP2000 Platforms and external monitoring equipment. 

The following only apply to the DSC Platform:

• ISM (default) - Intelligent Shelf Manager (ISM) provides event notification of system state and Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) sensor states for all cards, power supplies, and fan trays on the Ribbon Signaling System. 
        

• Switch Monitor (default) - Switch Monitor (switchmon) monitors the Ethernet Switch external (physical) ports and the Sync Port cable between the two MCH cards in each chassis. If a link is down/up, the switchmon that is listening for traps on the Management CPUs propagates the link down/up SNMP notifications (traps) to the UI, logs, and possible other trap listening applications. The link up/down notifications for the internal ports (1 to 19) are not monitored by switchmon. The internal ports are monitored by slotmon (Slot Monitor).
        

• Load Balancer - The Load Balancer is an unlicensed feature comprised of two Application VMs that can be added to the DSC SWe to provide an efficient way to distribute incoming network traffic across a group of back-end servers or slots.
          

• NP Gateway (optional and dependent) - Number Portability (NP) Gateway (also referred to as NPGW) utilizes the DSC Platforms and the Ribbon Policy Server (PSX) to enable Local NP of Triggerless Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) User Part (ISUP) messages.
  
  

• INAPGW (optional) - The Intelligent Network Application Protocol (INAP) Gateway (INAPGW) provides the utilities to intercept a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Sending Routing Information for Short Message (SRI-for-SM) request and launches a corresponding INAP Initial Detection Point (Initial-DP) request to its associated external Number Portability (NP) partner. Based on the response (INAP Connect or Continue), the INAP GW routes the original SRI-for-SM request to its new destination using GTT.

• DSC (optional) - The DSC provides the utilities for Diameter protocol-based signaling in a carrier IP network. This signaling comprises the control and monitoring of this IP network, efficient routing of messages, and the feasible use of network resources.
    

• DSC DB - The DSC database (DB) allows the Ribbon DRA to look up Diameter session information to primarily determine which Policy and Charging Rule Functions (PCRF) to use and ensure that future transactions from the same session use the same PCRF.
        

• IWF (optional and dependent) - The Interworking Function (IWF) maps traffic between the SS7/MAP and LTE networks. The Ribbon Signaling System handles the SS7 routing while the Ribbon DSC handles the Diameter routing. IWF is only available and visible in the UI if you purchased the Ribbon DSC and SCCP applications. Based on the installation requirements, GTT may also be required.