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Appendix A
Glossary
- API
- Application Programming Interface; a library of function calls that allow an application developer to access functionality in a uniform and consistent way.
- ASCII
- American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a standard used for numeric representation of alphanumeric characters.
- backup board
- In a redundant configuration, the board in a mated pair that maintains state information so that it can take over operation from the primary board when needed. See also mated pair, primary board, redundancy.
- CHANGEOVER
- An SS7 traffic management procedure for the orderly recovery and retransmission (on alternative links) of messages that might otherwise have been lost due to the failure of a link.
- combined signaling link set
- Two or more link sets terminated at one end on an end signaling point (SSP) and at the other end on a mated pair of STPs containing equivalent routing capability. Since, under normal conditions, each STP in the pair has the same routing capability, traffic to any particular destination from the originating signaling point is load shared across both STPs via the combined link set. See also SSP, STP.
- Communications Processor
- See CP.
- component
- Used in TCAP, a particular request (for example, translating an 800 number) or a response (for example, providing a translated number). Several components may be contained in the same TCAP message. See also TCAP.
- CP
- Communication Processor; a separate processing engine that offloads processing from the main CPU of a system to another CPU that is specialized for a certian task. For TX hardware environments, the CP allows the system to offload Communications/Protocol processing onto the TX board.
- cpcon
- A host-based utility that provides a user interface to the KERNEL. This utility presents a line-oriented operator console to any CP. See also CP, KERNEL.
- cplot
- Utility program which downloads the executable code and configuration data onto the TX board.
- CT Access
- Natural MicroSystems' development environment for telephony applications.
- device driver
- Software which translates the application commands into the code required by the device.
- DLL
- Dynamic Link Library; a library of software object modules that can be loaded and accessed on demand.
- Entity ID
- A unique value that identifies an application running on a host computer. Each application must select a unique Entity ID between 0x20 to 0x3F.
- Ethernet
- A local area network hardware, communication, and cabling standard. Ethernet is synonymous with 10Base-T.
- failover
- See switchover.
- Fast Ethernet
- An Ethernet specification that enables data transmission rates of 100 Mbit/s. Synonymous with 100Base-T.
- Global Title
- An alternative to or addition to the point code/subsystem address. Only used by SCCP and TCAP. A Global Title is an ASCII string, along with other optional parameters. A Global Title can be a phone number, or a mobile ID number, etc. Other nodes in the SS7 network can translate a Global Title to a point code/subsystem address. See also point code, SCCP, subsystem, TCAP.
- host
- The PC on which an application runs. Also used to designate a computer with full two-way access to a network such as local area network or the Internet.
- IBC link
- See inter-board communication (IBC) link.
- Instance ID
- For TX series environments, a combination of the Entity ID and a unique ID which defines the processor that is handling the call. Applications running on a host always have an Instance ID of zero.
- inter-board communication (IBC) link
- A dedicated Ethernet link that connects a mated pair of boards. The IBC link allows the boards to exchange signaling messages and state information. See also Ethernet, mated pair, signaling.
- International Telecommunications Union
- See ITU.
- IP
- Internet Protocol; part of the TCP/IP family of protocols, it describes software that tracks the Internet address of nodes, routes outgoing messages, and recognizes incoming messages.
- IP address
- Internet Protocol address; a unique 32-bit number that identifies a specific TCP/IP host on the Internet, normally expressed as four bytes in decimal format (for example, 128.122.40.227). Every machine that is on the Internet has an IP address.
- ISDN
- Integrated Services Data Network; a standard for providing voice and data telephone service with all digital transmission and message-based signaling.
- ISUP
- ISDN User Part; the SS7 protocol layer which allows for the establishment, supervision, and clearing of circuit-switched connections between two SS7 signaling points, such as central office switches. Despite its name, the ISUP layer is not unique to ISDN connections - it is used to manage all types of circuit-switched connections.
- ITU
- International Telecommunications Union; an international standards body for telecommunications.
- KERNEL
- The operating system loaded onto a Communications Processor on a TX board.
- MAPI
- Management API; an API that enables an application to perform management operations on an SS7 task. A MAPI generally allows status, statistics, and control operations.
- mated pair
- A pair of signaling boards deployed in a redundant signaling configuration. See also signaling.
- MTP
- Message Transfer Part; the SS7 protocol layers responsible for the reliable, in-sequence delivery of packets between two SS7 signaling points. The MTP's functions include message routing, signaling link management, signaling route management, and congestion control.
- network service access point (NSAP)
- The service access point that defines the SS7 user parts or applications which are users of the MTP service. See also SAP, MTP.
- NMS
- Natural MicroSystems Corporation.
- node
- A point of connection into a network.
- NSAP
- See network service access point (NSAP).
- NTT
- Nippon Telephone and Telegraph; The major Japanese local and long-distance telephone company.
- parameter
- A variable that dictates the behavior of functions.
- parameter structures
- Multiple parameters that are grouped together in C language structures.
- point code
- A unique address assigned to each signaling point in an SS7 network. The ITU-T variant of MTP uses a 14-bit point code. The ANSI variant of MTP uses a 24-bit point code.
- primary board
- In a redundant configuration, the board in a mated pair that handles all live signaling traffic. See also backup board, mated pair, signaling, redundancy.
- redundancy
- The provisioning of extra or spare signaling links, boards, or nodes which can take over the responsibilities of similar components in the case of a failure or maintenance outage. The redundant components may be deployed in an active load-sharing arrangement (such as signaling links) or in a spare, or standby, arrangement. See also SS7, signaling link set, signaling.
- route
- A path that specifies the destination signaling points that are accessible from the target node. See also signaling, node.
- routing mask
- A bit mask that specifies a subset of a destination point code to be matched against the routing table when seeking a route for either an inbound or outbound message.
- SAP
- Service Access Point; a user interface by which an application can access an SS7 service. A SAP exists for every application using the SS7 service.
- SCCP
- Signaling Connection Control Part; an SS7 protocol that provides both connection-oriented and connectionless data transfer over an SS7 network. It extends the service provided by the SS7 MTP layers by adding extended addressing capabilities and multiple classes of service. The SCCP addressing capabilities allow a message to be addressed to an individual application or database within a signaling point. See also SS7.
- signaling
- Information relayed between parties that is related to the process of a call (e.g., the status of the line, call progress and control information, etc.) rather than the content of the call (e.g., data or voice information).
- signaling link set
- A group of parallel signaling links carrying SS7 traffic and terminating on the same pair of signaling points. Typically all traffic between two signaling points is load-shared between all available links in a link set.
- signaling point
- A node in the SS7 network uniquely identified by a point code. See also point code.
- socket
- A unique identifier (for a destination) at the network layer that combines a port and an IP address. See also IP address.
- SS7
- Signaling System 7; an out-of-band signaling system that provides fast call setup (using circuit-switched connections) and transaction capabilities for remote database interactions.
- ss7load
- A sample SS7 script which downloads the SS7 software and configuration files to the TX board(s).
- SSP
- Service Switching Point; an SS7 signaling point which originates and terminates signaling messages and provides some circuit switching capability. A central office switch is an example of an SSP.
- standalone
- In the health management environment, a non-redundant single board configuration.
- STP
- Signal Transfer Point; an SS7 router or packet switch whose main function is to relay messages between service switching points and databases in an SS7 network. STPs are frequently deployed as mated pairs, sharing all traffic between their adjacent signaling points during normal operation but each serving as a backup to the other in the case of a failure.
- subsystem
- A sub-identifier for a signaling point, supported by the SCCP protocol. An application using the SCCP service can register to receive messages sent only to a particular SCCP subsystem at their point code. Several applications can make simultaneous use of the SCCP data "pipe."
- switchover
- In a redundancy environment, the act of reversing the roles of the boards in a mated pair. Also referred to as a failover. See also backup board, mated pair, primary board, redundancy.
- task
- A software operation taking place on a board rather than on the PC host.
- TCAP
- Transaction Capabilities Application Part; an SS7 protocol that provides applications with transaction support over the SS7 network. It enables the exchange of non-circuit related data, such as database queries/responses and remote feature invocation requests, between SS7 signaling points. The TCAP layer relies on both the MTP and SCCP layers for message addressing and delivery.
- Telephone User Part (TUP)
- Like the ISDN user part, the telephone user part is an SS7 protocol that allows for the establishment, supervision, and clearing of circuit-switched connections between two SS7 signaling points, such as central office switches. It is used primarily in parts of Asia, South America, and Latin America. Use of TUP is decreasing as it is replaced by ISUP for circuit switching in most parts of the world.
- transaction
- Used in TCAP, provides a context identifier for related messages. A transaction can consist of several separate TCAP messages, so the transaction identifier enables each message to be related to a unique transaction. Many different transactions can be handled simultaneously. See also TCAP.
- TX
- Natural MicroSystems' product line of telephony and signaling hardware/software.
- txalarm
- A utility that collects and displays alarm messages from all tasks on a TX board.
- txmon
- A utility that coordinates with the Health Management Interface (HMI) to support all features of the Health Management functionality.
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