Projects Projects

Corporate Multiservice Packet Network for Utel

 Goals of the Project

• To ensure optimum utilization of Utel network in order to provide the widest spectrum of services to individual and corporate customers;
• To create a possibility for this operator to provide the entire spectrum of services with the help of a single platform:

1. integrated high-quality Internet services;
2. end-to-end communication of voice through a packet network;
3. provision of services of virtual private networks (VPN);
4. provision of services to customers of engineering traffic (technologies for data flow management). 

Solution

Multiservice packet network of the Company is built on the basis of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, which is a highly productive method of transfer of packets (frames) in the network. The idea, which lies in the basis of this technology, makes it possible for IP-routers on the network periphery to assign labels to packets; at the same time, АТМ-softswitches or routers in the network core can perform operations of searching the best route to a packet's destination point with minimum utilization of "capacity" of processors. 

There were several stages in the course of building of Utel packet network. At the first stage, five regional centers were selected, where nodes of the network core and the network management system were installed; the existing nodes of access to the Internet were also connected to these centers. At the second stage, additional "points of presence" were created in all regional centers of Ukraine. 

Subscribers may be connected to Utel multiservice network in these points of presence with the help of one of two methods. If connection is made through dial-up (switched) channels, it is possible to organize ISDN connection or analog connection from a point of presence to the subscriber's equipment through public switched telephone network. Connection through non-switched telecommunication channels is organized with the help of Ethernet E1, V.35 interfaces. Each point of presence is a universal one; it lets transfer integrated information – data, voice, and video. 

At the third stage of the Project, it was planned to create a fully connected network between all nodes of the network core, as well as to organize interaction between SS7 network and IP-network. A node for processing of signal messages was installed at this stage as well; this node makes it possible to connect the access servers (kind - Cisсo AS5350/5300), which are situated in the points of presence, to telephone softswitches of public switched telephone network with the help of SS7.

Result 

MPLS-network of Utel has created the basis for provision of new kinds of services that were not supported by traditional routing methods in IP-networks (this is an especially pressing question in conditions of severe competition between providers of services). An important advantage of Utel MPLS-network is a minimum period of time, which is required for this network in order to support new possibilities. For example, for introduction of a new service now it is only sufficient to change a managing component in order to assign a special class to a certain category of packets and then define a specially designed route for this class of packets. 

Now Utel has a possibility to model traffic and direct data flows through the less loaded nodes of MPLS-network (this is a very urgent issue due to extremely high growth of needs in network resources, as well as due to introduction of critically important IP-applications). With the help of mechanisms of traffic modeling, network administrators of MPLS-network of Utel CJSC can ensure that load upon all physical telecommunication channels, routers, and softswitches will be balanced. As a result, Utel network works in an efficient, stable, and predictable manner. MPLS technology is also an ideal one for utilization as a basis for VPN, because it makes possible for network administrators to define exact physical route for labeled packets, as well as to select other routes in accordance with any specific requirements. 

Go to site: http://www.utel.ua