Data Connection Limited Extends DC-MetaSwitch Product to Support SS7-over-ATM

Strategic Insights -

Data Connection Limited announced the extension of its DC-MetaSwitch multiprotocol multiservice software product to support SS7-over-ATM, providing a highly scalable and fault-tolerant solution for network equipment suppliers building converged voice/data switching equipment. This feature is aimed at carriers under pressure to migrate PSTN voice traffic over their existing ATM data backbone networks. The SS7-over-ATM support is in line with the Q.765 and VTOA standards developed within ITU-T SG11 and the ATM Forum, specifying mechanisms for carriage of SS7 signalling and PSTN voice traffic over ATM backbone networks.

Key Takeaways:

  • DC-MetaSwitch provides support for SS7-over-ATM, enabling carriers to migrate PSTN voice traffic over their existing ATM data backbone networks.
  • The SS7-over-ATM feature is based on the Q.765 and VTOA standards developed within ITU-T SG11 and the ATM Forum, ensuring interoperability and cost-effectiveness.
  • The solution is designed to preserve end-to-end SS7 semantics, allowing for the deployment of value-added features such as 1-800, Local Number Portability (LNP), and advanced supplementary services.
  • DC-MetaSwitch is an integrated multiprotocol multiservice platform providing interworking and media control for DCL's SS7 and ATM product suites, as well as VoIP products.
  • The solution supports interworking between SS7 signalling and SS7-over-ATM signalling, with full management of media terminations for both TDM trunks and ATM virtual circuits.
  • The DC-MetaSwitch SS7-over-ATM feature is available in Q2 2000.
  • DC-SS7 is a product family including the narrow and broadband Message Transfer Parts (MTP3, MTP2, SAAL), ISDN User Part (ISUP), Signalling Connection Control Part (SCCP) and Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP).
  • Support is provided for a wide range of national and international variants, including those defined by the ITU, ANSI, ETSI, and ATM Forum.
  • DC-ATM provides the industry-leading implementation of the ATM standards, including UNI signalling, PNNI routing, Call Control, ILMI, SoftPVCs, and client and servers for LAN Emulation (LAN-E) and Multiprotocol-over-ATM (MPOA).
  • DC-ATM is used in many leading devices, ranging from high-end, distributed, fault-tolerant terabit switches to DSLAMs and embedded devices.
  • The N-BASE portable, non-blocking, message passing execution environment facilitates flexible distribution of protocol components across a wide range of hardware configurations.
  • DCL's converged network products have been ported to various operating systems, including VxWorks, pSOS, Chorus, Nucleus, Solaris, HP-UX, Windows NT, and proprietary operating systems.
  • They have also been used on various processors, including i960, Motorola 860, PowerPC, Sparc, IDT, and MIPS.

Statistics:

  • 90% of DCL's sales are outside the UK, mostly in the US.
  • The company has exceeded $30M in sales in the past year.
  • Profits have exceeded 20% of revenue for each of the past 18 years.
  • The company has received two Queen's Awards for outstanding export performance.

Sources:

  • Business Wire, "Data Connection Limited Extends DC-MetaSwitch Product to Support SS7-over-ATM" (1999)
  • Data Connection Limited, "DC-MetaSwitch, DC-SS7, and DC-ATM" (1999)
  • Data Connection Limited, "About Data Connection Limited" (1999)