Chapter 3 System Features
Interface Architecture
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255-700-447
PacketStar
®
PSAX 2300 Multiservice Media Gateway User Guide
, Issue 1
Release 9.0.0
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A connection gateway application programming interface (API) that pro-
vides an interface to the PSAX 2300 by which an external workstation
(gateway) can control the PSAX 2300 ATM switching, using non-native
ATM networking protocols
Through the use of the API, the gateway and the PSAX 2300 can combine
to perform powerful interworking among ATM, Integrated Services Digital
Network (ISDN), Signaling System 7 (SS7), channel associated signaling
(CAS), and other protocols
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Inverse multiplexing over ATM (IMA) to create virtual access lines that are
faster than E1 lines, but not as expensive as T3/E3 lines
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Live insertion and removal of modules
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An integrated local management interface (ILMI) feature that supports
bidirectional exchange of ATM interface parameters between two con-
nected ATM interface management entities (IMEs) using Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) and an ATM interface management infor-
mation base (MIB)
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An alternate rerouting feature, known as dual-homed permanent virtual
circuits (DHPVCs), that improves reliability of PVC connections and sup-
ports redundancy options to deliver near-zero downtime using circuit
emulation, terminal emulation, frame relay, Ethernet, and ATM interfaces
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A switched virtual circuit (SVC) feature that provides dynamic allocation of
connections by using Interim Interswitch Signaling Protocol (IISP) or Pri-
vate Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI) for call setup and (automatic)
rerouting
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A soft PVC (SPVC) feature, which is a semipermanent virtual connection
used for call setup and (automatic) rerouting that has attributes of both a
switched virtual connection and a permanent virtual connection
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PNNI, which computes paths through a network by defining a method for
distributing topology information between switches and clusters of
switches. PNNI also provides a method for signaling used to establish point-
to-point and point-to-multipoint connections across ATM networks
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An operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) feature that
affects the system software and input/output (I/O) module firmware asso-
ciated with generating, receiving, and interpreting F4 and F5 OAM flows.
The function types of the OAM cells include fault management, perfor-
mance management, and system management
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A keep-alive/heartbeat timer to confirm that connections are live
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Unidirectional connection and path modification
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The Firmware Release Control feature that allows upgrading both CPU
software and I/O module firmware at a user site from either a CD-ROM or
a downloaded FTP software file
Interface Architecture
The PSAX system interface architecture distinctly separates the ATM adapta-
tion functions from the switching functions of the Multiservice Media Gate-
way system. The interface architecture has four distinct processes:
