SIGTRAN Protocol Testing and Emulation Suite

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom test and measurement solutions, addressed the press regarding their SIGTRAN Protocol Test Suite. From small-scale deployments to large and complex networks, our SIGTRAN Protocol Test Solutions scales seamlessly, offering consistent performance across varied scenarios.

[For illustation, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/sigtran-test-suite-overview-architecture.jpg]

“SIGTRAN protocols are an extension of the SS7 protocol family but carried over IP. A Signaling Gateway (SG) translates the SS7 TDM layers to SIGTRAN IP format. It supports the same application and call management functions as SS7 but uses two protocol layers on top of Internet Protocol (IP): Stream Control Transport Protocol (SCTP) and M3UA MTP3 User Adaptation Layer. M3UA enables SS7 protocol’s User Parts (e.g., ISUP, SCCP and TUP) to run over IP instead of TDM lines,” said Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications.

GL’s SIGTRAN Protocol Test Suite includes:

• SIGTRAN ISUP Protocol Emulation
• SIGTRAN ISDN Protocol Emulation
• BICC Protocol over IP Emulation
• MAP Protocol Emulation over IP
• INAP Protocol Emulation over IP
• Camel Protocol Emulation over IP
• SIGTRAN Monitoring

SIGTRAN ISUP Protocol Emulation

GL’s multi-protocol emulation test suite Message Automation and Protocol Simulation (MAPS™) SIGTRAN is an advanced protocol emulator designed for emulating SS7 over IP Networks. It can replicate the ISUP signaling specifications as defined by ITU-T standards. The application supports a range of testing scenarios such as network element testing, error tracking, regression testing, load testing/call generation, and the generation of high volumes of ISUP traffic.

MAPS™ SIGTRAN functionality encompasses both ITU and ANSI variants of ISUP, over M3UA, M2UA and M2PA transports. It can execute pre-defined test scenarios against ISUP test objects in a controlled and deterministic manner. Combining MAPS™ SIGTRAN Emulator and MAPS™ SS7 Emulator creates a unified entity capable of emulating a complete Signaling Gateway.

[For more details, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/maps-sigtran-web-architecture.jpg]

SIGTRAN ISDN Protocol Emulation

MAPS™ SIGTRAN ISDN over IP is an advanced protocol emulator designed for emulating ISDN signaling over IP. This tester can emulate a comprehensive ISDN connection between SG and MGC, following the ISDN signaling specifications outlined by ITU-T Q.921/Q.931 standards. It serves as a robust tool for detailed testing of ISDN protocol messages over IP, providing a comprehensive solution for testing, troubleshooting, and maintaining devices and networks implementing PRI ISDN.

[For more details, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/maps-isdn-sigtran-over-ip.jpg]

BICC Protocol over IP Emulation

The Bearer Independent Call Control protocol (BICC) is a call control protocol based on ISUP and is employed between serving nodes to facilitate ISDN services irrespective of bearer and signaling transport technology. The MAPS™ BICC IP Emulator emulates all BICC interfaces over IP. It is specifically designed to emulate BICC call control signaling, as defined by ITU-T standards, between Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and Gateway MSC (GMSC) server nodes.

[For more details, refer https://www.gl.com/images/bicc-protocol-emulation-using-maps-web-network.jpg]

MAP Protocol Emulation over IP

The Mobile Application Part (MAP) is a GSM protocol which provides application layer services to the various nodes in GSM and UMTS networks. MAP can be transported using ‘traditional’ SS7 protocols carried by Message Transfer Protocol (MTP) by M2PA, M3UA, and M2UA User Adaption layer in IP using SIGTRAN.

MAPS™ MAP emulator can be configured as MSC/VLR, RNC, HLR, EIR, SMSC, SGSN, GMLC and GGSN entities to emulate C, D, E, F interfaces in the GSM network and Gc, Gd, Gf, and Gr in the UMTS network. It has a user-friendly GUI for configuring the MAP signaling links over IP and TDM. Access to all M2PA, M2UA, MTP3, M3UA, SCCP, and MAP R4 protocol fields such as TMSI, IMSI, MCC, MNC, MSIN, CCBS and more.

[For more details, refer https://www.gl.com/images/map-protocol-emulation-over-ip.jpg]

INAP Protocol Emulation over IP

MAPS™ INAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) over IP services support testing network elements such as gsmSCF and gsmSSF, error tracking, regression testing, conformance testing, and load testing/call generation. It can run pre-defined test scenarios against INAP test objects in a controlled and deterministic manner.

[For more details, refer https://www.gl.com/images/inap-protocol-emulation-over-ip.jpg]

CAMEL Protocol Emulation over IP

MAPS™ CAMEL IP Emulator emulates CAP supplementary services like unified messaging, prepaid, and toll-free (Freephone) in GSM, GPRS, and UMTS over IP networks. CAP information flow is defined between functional entities such as Service Control Function (SCF) and Service Switching Function (SSF) distributed across the network to execute services. MAPS™ CAMEL IP Emulator can be configured as SCF and SSF entities in GSM, GPRS, and UMTS networks to emulate CAMEL services.

[For more details, refer https://www.gl.com/images/camel-protocol-emulation-over-ip.jpg]

SIGTRAN Monitoring

SIGTRAN Analyzer is available as an optional module within PacketScan™- All IP Protocol Analyzer. With this added license, PacketScan™ enables real-time analysis, call tracing, capture, and filtering of ISUP and ISDN signaling messages over IP. The Analyzer supports a wide array of protocols, including SCTP, M2UA, M3UA, M2PA, SUA, IUA, BICC, INAP, CAMEL, ICMP, MAP, TUP, TCAP, SCCP, and many others.

NetSurveyorWeb™ is a web-based dashboard with back-end database that connects to a SIGTRAN protocol analyzer probe, enabling the monitoring of the entire SIGTRAN network. Utilizing a web server, it facilitates the display of call data records, protocol frames, and KPIs. This system allows for the deployment of multiple SIGTRAN analyzer probes at strategic network locations. These probes transmit and collect voice, data, protocol statistics, and performance information, relaying this data to a central or distributed network management system.

About GL Communications Inc.,
GL Communications is a global provider of telecom test and measurement solutions. GL’s solutions are used to verify the quality and reliability of Wireless (5G, 4G, 3G, 2G), SONET/SDH, Ethernet/IP, TDM, and PSTN networks.

Warm Regards,
Vikram Kulkarni, PhD
Phone: 301-670-4784 x114
Email: info@gl.com