1460 and 310 Range - Architecture
Network Architecture
The 1460 and 310 products can be deployed in two different modes:
- Integrated - As a single node (Session Border Controller), containing both Signalling processing (Border Controller) and Media Processing (Border Gateway).
- Distributed - As physically separated nodes, each handling just signalling or media, linked using H.248.
Single Node - Session Border Controller - Deployment
Border Controller and Gateway - Distributed Architecture
Flexible Architecture
The physical separation of signalling and media functions brings with it the benefit of complete flexibility in the relationship between the two parts. So for example, in a centralised deployment one 1460 Border Controller could be used to control one 1460 Border Gateway, alternatively the network architecture may require a single, centralised 1460 Border Controller controlling a number of remote 310 Border Gateways. The relationship between Controllers and Gateways can be one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-one.
This deployment flexibility creates a number of significant benefits for the operator:
Ultimate scale: starting from an entry level system supporting 1,000 concurrent calls; Service Providers can enhance their system as their needs grow up to 100,000 concurrent calls. In the case of distributed architectures, the 1460 Border Controller can scale to over 195,000 sessions in peering applications.
Optimised Capacity: The Newport 1460s employ Universal Card Slots allowing interchanging of cards and independent scaling of processor and interface resource. This allows the platform to be optimised whether in a processor intensive access application or a bandwidth hungry peering application.
Third party Control: The use of a standard H.248 interface between Border Controller and Border Gateways provides the choice of controlling the Gateways from a 3rd party Softswitch as shown in the following diagram.
Border Gateway under Third-Party Control
Distributed Deployments: The physical separation of media and signalling allows operators to centralise signalling control and distribute media control to the edge of the network. This deployment scenario tends to optimise cost structures especially for larger carriers.
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Carrier IP Telephony Report, Joe McGarvey, Current Analysis
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With the introduction of a distributed configuration, in which existing components can be deployed as separate signaling and media proxies, the 1460 SBC offers investment protection to service providers that adopt the technology today and later migrate to an IMS-based infrastructure.
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IMS and Convergence ready: Again the separation of signalling and media is fundamental to the products ability to seamlessly move to IMS and TISPAN compliant elements. The 1460 Border Controller provides the Interconnect Border Control Function. The 1460 and 310 Border Gateways provide Access-to-Core and Interconnect Border Gateway functions. The diagram below shows the 1460s and 310s in this context:
Product Architecture
1460
The 1460 shelf is based on standard 19-inch wide rack format chassis with integrated subsystem housings and a 14 slot card cage. It offers 1+1 resilience of all system modules, including power distribution units, fans and disks.
The power distribution is segregated into 6 power zones each servicing one part of the 1460. LCD Indicators on the front panel display the health of each power zone.
The 1460 can be configured for 1+1 Hot sparing on application feature processes. In addition configuring Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs) allows for port resiliency.
Management access is such that back up can be obtained from independent networks should a network be unreachable.
These features make the 1460 configurable so there is no single point of failure.
310
The 310 chassis is a 4U high, 19-inch wide rack mountable unit. The chassis has built in power distribution, fans and disk units. It offers the option of 1+1 resilience of all processing functions. In addition configuring Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs) allows for port resiliency.
There are two independent management ports and one maintenance port.
Load Balancing
As the 1460 and 310 are based on a multi-processor architecture, applications can make use of sharing load across the pool of available resources. This applies to both links in a Link Aggregation Group and to Signalling or media processing resource.
System Cards
The 1460 supports four types of cards:
Switch Management Card - these have the internal interconnecting switch fabric and contain the central management intelligence for the system. Each of these cards has an associated hard disk for software and CDR storage. Each card is equipped with two 10/100 Ethernet management ports for enhanced resilience
Line Interface cards - available in 8 port 10/100 and dual port GigE variants. Link aggregation (802.3-2002) is used to provide resilient connection to the network. Physical ports (either 10/100 Ethernet of Gigabit Ethernet) are logically grouped into Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs). If one link in the LAG fails, the others continue to offer connectivity.
Application Processing Card - the Processing card is used to process Signalling and perform QoS, CDR, performance management functions and maintain control of the media proxy.
The 310 has integrated Switch and Management functions and support one or two 8 port 10/100 Ethernet cards or one dual Port GigE and one 8 port 10/100 Ethernet card.
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Architecture
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