Methods and systems for providing converged network management functionality in a gateway routing node

• US 20080075115A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tekelec, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tekelec
• Inventors: Keller, Joseph, Khadri, Seetharaman, Brendes, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling

Abstract

Disclosed is a communications network element that is capable of routing signaling messages and also performing inter-network management functions in a converged telephony-data network environment. A signaling gateway routing node is adapted to facilitate signaling communication between nodes in a signaling system 7 network and nodes in an Internet protocol (IP) type network. In addition to basic message routing functionality, the signaling gateway routing node is adapted to notify nodes in the IP network when a node in the SS7 network becomes congested or unavailable. In certain cases, the signaling gateway selectively notifies only IP nodes that are concerned with the status of the troubled SS7 node, while in other cases, notification messages are broadcast to all relevant IP nodes. The signaling gateway also serves to filter redundant congestion status queries or polling type messages that are conveyed from IP nodes through to the distressed SS7 node.

Claims

1. A method for use at a gateway node in a converged telephony/data network for managing status information requests associated with a node in a signaling system 7 (SS7) network of the converged network that are made by nodes in a data network of the converged network, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, from a first node in the data network, a first status audit message for requesting operating status of a first node in the SS7 network;

(b) receiving, from a second node in the data network a second status audit message requesting the operating status of the first node in the SS7 network;

(c) determining whether the second status audit message is received within a predetermined time period following receipt of the first status audit message; and

(d) in response to determining that the second status audit message is received within the predetermined time period, discarding the second status audit message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a first status audit message from a first node in the data network includes receiving a status audit message from an Internet protocol (IP) network node in an IP network.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a first status audit message from an IP node in an IP network includes receiving a transport adaptor layer interface (TALI)-formatted congestion audit message.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a first status audit message from an IP node in an IP network includes receiving a transport adaptor layer interface (TALI)-formatted point code audit message.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a first status audit message from an IP node in an IP network includes receiving a transport adaptor layer interface (TALI)-formatted cluster audit message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the second message is received within a predetermined time period includes determining whether the second message is received within 500 milliseconds of the first message.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a first status audit message from an IP node in the IP network includes receiving a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP)-formatted point code audit message.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a first status audit message from an IP node in the IP network includes receiving a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP)-formatted cluster audit message.

9. A signaling gateway comprising:

(a) a first communications module for receiving, from a first IP node having a first SS7 point code, a first congestion audit message for requesting congestion status of an SS7 node and for receiving, from a second IP node having the first SS7 point code, a second congestion audit message requesting congestion status of the SS7 node; and

(b) a congestion abatement process for determining whether the second message is received within a predetermined time period of receiving the first message and, in response to determining that the second message is received within the predetermined time period, discarding the second message.