Next-Generation Processing for Packet Networks By Keith Byerly, Senior Market Development Manager September 2004 white paper
Abstract Within the last ten years, the IT world has experienced a revolution in the way applications are created and delivered. Vertically integrated, singlevendor solutions are rapidly being replaced by standards-based Web applications running on a distributed IP architecture. In the telecom world, next generation network architectures are evolving in the same direction. Carriers and service providers seek lower capital and operational costs, transparent migration of legacy services, and most importantly, new kinds of enhanced services that can attract and retain highmargin customers. An open, protocoldriven service delivery architecture based on the three-tier Web model that separates presentation, business logic and database functions allows them to leverage the technology, tools and infrastructure of the IT world to speed delivery of these enhanced services for their wireline, wireless and broadband networks. Within this next-generation architecture, s provide the specialized media processing resources needed to perform transcoding, DTMF detection, conferencing, and other computation-intensive media processing tasks. This white paper will examine how these s fit within the web-based service delivery architecture, and describe how s, advances in softwareonly media processing, and a growing ecosystem of application providers will help deliver a new generation of enhanced services for packet networks. Introduction In an increasingly competitive environment, carriers and service providers delivering enhanced services over wireline, wireless or broadband networks must adapt to rapidly evolving business and technical challenges. In an effort to control spending, they must focus their limited development resources on core competencies, outsourcing critical components needed to deliver a complete solution. At the same time, they must continue to enhance their legacy services to protect their current revenue streams. And, most importantly, they must quickly create and deploy unique new services, rich in media content to attract and retain valuable subscribers. Next-generation networks (NGNs) make this possible. Their open, protocol-driven service delivery architecture allows service providers to select best-of-breed components from an active ecosystem of third party vendors. By separating access from applications, NGNs allow services for wireline, wireless and broadband subscribers to be deployed costeffectively on shared network elements. Finally, NGNs based on the three-tier Web model with separate presentation, business logic and database elements leverage the technology, tools and infrastructure of the IT world to speed the creation and deployment of innovative new enhanced services. Elements of the Next Generation Network Next-generation packet networks extend the PSTN concept of a service node, traditionally a vertically integrated solution based on proprietary APIs, to a collection of modular components within a standards-based, distributed packet architecture. As shown in Figure 1 below, these new networks define specialized system elements linked by standardized IP protocols and media, supporting highly flexible system implementations based on best-of-breed open systems components. Brooktrout Technology 2
Figure 1: Next-Generation Packet Architecture (IPCC Reference Architecture Rel 2) IP Phones and Devices Basic Services Enhanced Services Softswitch lication H.323 / / MGCP H.323 / MGCP / Megaco MGCP / Megaco,, VoiceXML MGCP / Megaco,, VoiceXML Traditional Phones, VoIP Gateway (PSTN, wireless, xdsl, cable) In this model, basic access services are provided by application-independent network infrastructure, including softswitches and gateways. However, enhanced services are being implemented as applications running on application servers or softswitches, sharing valuable media server resources with other applications. Because network access is managed independently of the applications, innovative new services can be transparently delivered to new and existing wireline, wireless and broadband subscribers (see Figure 2), supporting a cost-effective cap-and-grow strategy for deploying IP-based services on existing infrastructure. Figure 2: Access Transparency 2/2.5G Wireless PSTN 3G Wireless MG MG MGC MGC lication Network 3G WBS Access Network Cable Cable Head - End IAD DSL DSLAM Phone Next-Generation Processing for Packet Networks 3
These new services are increasingly implemented as /VXML running on Web-based lication s. is ideal for this purpose, having gained rapid industry adoption due to its unique combination of simplicity and flexibility. VoiceXML, already in widespread use within the speech community, complements with its powerful script-driven capabilities. lications obviously represent a high-value, highly differentiated component of the overall service, and industry-leading vendors offer a comprehensive range of advanced applications and service creation tools to help boost all-important service velocity. This open, protocol-driven service creation and delivery architecture based on the three-tier Web model that separates access (presentation), applications (business logic) and database functions leverages the technology, tools and infrastructure of the Web to help speed deployment of innovative new services for wireline, wireless and broadband networks. The Next-Generation Within the NGN, enhanced services rely upon s to perform computation-intensive media processing tasks such as playing announcements, recording messages, conferencing and transcoding. resources are shared among all applications, so service providers can scale multiple services independently and maximize utilization of media server resources (see Figure 3). More importantly, service providers can deploy best-of-breed applications from a variety of third-party vendors on a common media server, simplifying the business case, development, delivery and maintenance of new services. Figure 3: Next-Generation Announcements Auto Attendant Pre-Paid MUD Games Call Center IP Centrex Video Ringback Conferencing Video Mail/UM Network Gaming MSCML VoiceXML Wireless IP MSC FTP HTTP Web Content Win MP3 Cable IP GW NFS Text PSTN (s) Network Storage Thanks to the flexibility inherent in these distributed packet architectures, industry standards organizations have defined reference architectures that use different types of protocols to link the media and application servers. Device control protocols such as MGCP and Megaco/H.248 represent a traditional master/slave relationship between application and resources; the stimulus+markup approach, typically utilizing and VXML, represents a more flexible client/server model in which the client requests services from stateless servers. This flexibility allows s to integrate within networks that are based on device control protocols, such as the current 3GPP implementation (see Figure 4). Brooktrout Technology 4
Figure 4: and 3GPP NGN Architecture 3GPP Implementation Control SS7 Signaling Gateway lication MGCP Call Control lication Control MGCP H.248 MGCP H.248 PSTN Gateway Processing These highly specialized media servers traditionally required proprietary DSP hardware. However, continued advances in processor performance now make software-only media processing practical. Next-generation media servers utilize low-cost, high-performance COTS servers/blades and tools; DSP-based hardware acceleration is only needed for enhanced conferencing or low bit rate transcoding. IT friendly hardware and management tools improve OPEX, while standards-based hardware drives down CAPEX costs and leverages ongoing innovation in the overall server market to provide flexible deployment options and cost-effective scalability (see Figure 5). Figure 5: COTS Hardware for s Conclusion Next-generation packet networks, based on an open, protocol-driven service delivery architecture, provide an ideal platform for the creation and deployment of advanced, IP-based enhanced services. Distributed IP architectures decouple network access from applications, and signaling from media, so innovative new services for wireline, wireless and broadband subscribers can be deployed more quickly and cost-effectively. Standards provide the foundation. From the hardware perspective, software only media servers can utilize COTS servers and tools to minimize cost and maximize scalability. On the protocol side, next-generation media servers leverage the simplicity and flexibility of and VoiceXML, allowing service providers to select from best-of-breed applications offered by a growing ecosystem of third-party vendors. lications provide the value. server vendors who invest in developing a comprehensive portfolio of application partners will join their partners and customers in reaping the substantial benefits of next-generation packet architectures. Next-Generation Processing for Packet Networks 5
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