Monitoring and analysis for Sigtran networks

Agilent Technologies' has announced forthcoming products for monitoring and troubleshooting new complex Sigtran networks. The newly enhanced QoS Analyser and Session Trace applications simplify the process of managing converged networks (SS7 over IP or circuit-switched). Network quality is ensured through rapid identification and analysis of potential issues, and in-depth troubleshooting for early problem resolution.

Deploying Sigtran is a key step in managing surging SS7 traffic and enabling new services such as voice over IP which deliver higher network efficiencies and significant operating expenditure reductions.

As telecommunications service providers deploy these Sigtran networks, they look for familiar ways to manage the converged networks.

As this takes place, the network is extremely susceptible to configuration, traffic load and interworking issues.

Agilent's QoS Analyser prioritises the most critical service and network problems for rapid diagnosis.

The system enables wireless and wireline operators to track a new extensive set of key performance indicators, to manage Sigtran networks, and to deliver an acceptable service experience.

Agilent's Session Trace has evolved to provide important new capabilities to help operators troubleshoot Sigtran networks.

Customer, service and network problems are detailed from session down to packet decode of signaling and service messages.

Combined, these solutions provide rapid problem resolution in three clicks: notification, context and troubleshooting.

Both solutions are integrated into the workflow of operations and engineering, enabling the easy transfer and sharing of information, and problem diagnosis across departments.

'Agilent has the longest history of monitoring signaling networks in the industry and leads the market in this area', says Tom Walls, Agilent Vice President And General Manager, Assurance Solutions Division.

'We've leveraged that experience and technology to provide two new applications for Sigtran: QoS Analyser and Session Trace for Sigtran, which simplify the management of converged networks and greatly accelerate real-time deployments'.

The benefits of Agilent's QoS Analyser for Sigtran include: ensuring network and service problems are not ignored with easily configured key performance indicators and thresholds; rapidly detecting and resolving protocol interworking problems as messages traverse from circuit-switched to IP stacks through new nodes to maintain expected network quality; assuring that routing algorithms have been set up correctly to balance the load across the network and that bottlenecks are not occurring; and spotting real-time, logical link-load failures or misconfigurations to significantly reduce outage times.

The benefits of Agilent's Session Trace for Sigtran include: rapid resolution of Sigtran problems with a simple, intuitive sequence diagram depicting a complex session; fastest Sigtran fault-time-to-fix with one-line error messages to help determine problem cause; and business-friendly solution that easily integrates into the workflow of operations and engineering.

The Session Trace is now available and the QoS Analyser is expected to be available by the third calendar quarter of 200