J. Baloun, Ing., post-graduate student; V. Lojík, Ing. , CSc., supervisor (CTU, Prague)

ANALYSIS of SIGNALING GATEWAY in MULTIPROTOCOL LABEL SWITCHING INTEGRATION with WIMAX TECHNOLOGY

Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) is a new technology that has been starting to use in core networks, including converged data and voice networks. MPLS [1,2] does not replace Internet Protocol (IP) routing, but work alongside existing and future routing technologies to provide very high speed data forwarding between label-switched routers (LSRs) together with the reservaton of bandwidth for traffic flows with differing quality of service (QoS) requirements. MPLS enhances the services that can be provided by IP networks, offering scope for traffic engineering, guaranteed QoS, and virtual private networks (VPNs).

The IEEE 802.16 standard is known as Wimax technology[3,4]. The technology is designed from the ground up to provide wireless last-mile broadband access in the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). In January 2003, the IEEE approved the 802.16a standard which covers frequency bands between 2 GHz and 11 GHz. The 802.16a specification also includes robust security features and the Quality of Service needed to support services that require low latency, such as voice (TDM or VoIP) and video.

Integration of the MPLS and the Wimax technology extends advantages of both technologies. MPLS is determined for core networks and Wimax is determined for wireless access network. Crucial for the technology integration is signaling issue, video and voice applications support (eg. Voice over MPLS, video conferencing, etc). For IP over MPLS, there are existing signaling protocols (such as CR-LDP and RSVP-TE). Among others, this contribution will concern with signaling in MPLS and Wimax for voice application, and the signaling protocols cooperation in the signaling gateway.

Literature

1. Minoli D. Voice over MPLS – Planning and Designing Networks // McGraw-Hill Companies. 2002. Pp. 253-301.

2. Rosen E., Viswanathan A. Request for Comments 3031. Multiprotocol Label Switching Architecture // The Internet Engineering Task Force. January 2001. Pp. 47-53.

3. Sweeney D. Wimax – operator`s manual // 2004.

4. IEEE 802.16a // The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. April 2003. Pp. 6 - 90.