[Asterisk-Dev] signal gateway access

[Kevin P. Fleming]

Mike M wrote:

> What do you think about an external signal gateway
> that delivers signal packets to Asterisk over IP?

Isn't this what SIGTRAN is for?

> UDP would work on a back-to-back connection.  TCP/TALI
> might work but it's esoteric.  SCTP/M3UA would be 
> a good general solution.  I've been following the LKSCTP 
> project for a while now and sense that it might be ready to use.

There is also AudioCodes' proprietary (?) implementation of SS7-over-IP.

> What do you think about the signal gateway converting between ISUP
> and Q.SIG/Q.931?  The idea comes from knowing that Asterisk
> has a PRI interface that could become the base for an IMT
> control interface.  With conversion, the Asterisk changes
> would be minimized.  

True, but you would lose access to any features beyond what Q.931 allows 
(which you already alluded to... CNAM, LNP, etc).

> Separating the SS7 functions from the Asterisk platform offers
> some advantages.  SS7 network providers are intolerant of links
> going in and out of service so having a dedicated and redundant
> platforms ensures stable operation of SS7 links.  An external 
> signal gateway is also capable of serving several (maybe even 
> many) Asterisk boxes.

I also have thought that keeping the "raw" SS7 away from Asterisk would 
make a lot of sense, and would make adoption (at least the US) an easier 
process.