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- Components of an SS7 Network
- Darkcyde Communications 1999.
- digiphreq@webcrunchers.com
- written 3.29.99 released a long time afterwards....
-
- This paper is intended as a brief overview of the components that make up a
- SS7 network. What they do, how they relate to other components and so on.
- This file won't be very complicated, but more of a small tutorial which just
- scrapes the surface of SS7 as a whole. This will focus more on networking
- than anything else.
-
- I. STP
- II. SP
- III. Datalinks
- A. Access Links
- B. Bridge Links
- C. Cross Links
- D. Diagonal Links
- E. Extended Links
- F. Fully Associated Links
- IV. A Good Fuck You, I'm Out
-
- I. STP:
- The STP or Signaling Transfer Point is basically the "switch" of the
- SS7 network. It's rather similar to the switch in the PSTN. While there is a
- difference in that a switch of the PSTN routes voice calls/connections, the
- STP routes digital traffic in the SS7 network. It basically routes to the
- outside world. The pairing or networking of these is pretty simple yet quite
- complex. They work on a simple ladder, tree, or more sophisticated a
- hierarchical basis. You basically have some STPs that provide access and
- routing for a node or local network. Next you have the STPs which
- connectother network's STPs together through Access Links (discussed later).
- Next you have STPs which completely run the show. They work on a much larger
- scale and route everything from a selectided Wide Area Network of WAN.
- Graphically it looks kind of like this.
-
- Local to Local
- Local to Regional
- Regional to Regional
- Regional to International
- International to International
- Regional to International
- Regional to Regional
- Local to Regional
- Local to Local
-
- II. SP:
- The SP of Singaling Point is a lot like a telephone number on the
- PSTN. In the case of SS7 they are called SPC or Signal Point Codes. Thus
- making a service with such a code a Signaling Point. At the same time SP is
- also considered a suffix to much larger grouping acronyms. You have the SSP,
- SCP, AND THE MSC.
-
- SSP- This is basically a branch of the SS7 network which
- offers voice connections. Which is part of a SS7 Telephone
- Network (SS7TN).
-
- SCP- This brach offers database services. Not really part of
- the whole scheme of things.
-
- MSC- This branch is in control of the mobile units which
- provide voice connections.
-
- III. Data Links:
- In the SS7 network you must send data of numerous types to other SPs
- and this is done through links. Basically they don't concern themselves with
- how they transmit the data, but more on what they are actually transmitting.
- Which then breaks this down further so you have several types of links.
- Which categorize each data type.
-
- (A) Access Links
- (B) Bridge Links
- (C) Cross Links
- (D) Diagonal Links
- (E) Extended Links
- (F) Fully Associated Links
-
- Access Links- These provide the link between the basic node and STP
- pairs. They are what opens the connection between the STP and keeps
- it up and running.
-
- Bridge Links- These are what more or less connect STPs on local to
- local networks. The more of these Bridge Links you have the more
- flexibility in routing the services through STPs you will have. Four
- of these links are required to connect all the linked STPs of one
- area to the STPs of another area.
-
- Cross Links- In the whole scheme of making sure one of the STPs of a
- pair doesn't get screwed up they don't have a way to provide service,
- you have Cross Links which connect two paired STPs together as so
- they are more able to communicate. In most cases the pair is doing
- the same task and this can also cause the pair to speed the overall
- performance.
-
- Diagonal Links- These are exactly like Bridge Links only that they
- connect the smaller network of local networks and STPs to a Regional
- STP which might have several of these smaller networks hooked to it.
- Just remember they are Bridge Links on steriods which connect Local
- to Regional.
-
- Extended Links- These again are nothing more than really large Bridge
- Links. Instead of hooking a STP pair to a regional to then another
- local STP pair these link them directly. Kind of like this.
-
- ______________Regional STP__________________
- / \
- / \
- STP Pair 1----------Extended Link---------------STP Pair 2
-
- Fully Associated Links- These occur when a company owns two or more
- nodes and wishes to connect them internatlly while avoiding a STP.
- This is only done when a company owns the two nodes and at no other
- time. Thus making the nodes assocciated through the same company
- which is why these links are called Associated Links...
-
- Ok, well that's it. If it thoroughly confused you, read it again. If you
- allready knew this crap good for you smart ass. Why don't you go learn
- something new now. I hope to put a more detailed article on Components of an
- SS7 Network up soon.
-
-
-