Intermodule connection of distributed processing service control nodes in an advanced intelligent network

This paper considers an advanced intelligent network (IN) service control node, which combines function distribution and load distribution, where processing performance can be expanded by adding processor modules when the load is increased. A highly reliable configuration for the connection mechanism, in which a large number of processor modules are connected by ATM, a control scheme that improves the communication processing performance of each processor module, and a performance evaluation procedure are presented. As to the ATM connection mechanism, a configuration is presented in which the reliability is not much reduced even if a large-scale system is constructed. In the proposed configuration, the function of connecting processor modules, the function of multiplex/demulitplexing signals, and the function of cell routing are realized by separate hardware, and double redundancy is applied to each function. For improvement of the communication processing performance of the processor module, a control scheme is considered in which the messages are grouped and processed for each time unit. The relation between the response time and the throughput is analyzed. A performance evaluation program is presented, which examines the time required for sending/receiving messages between the constructed processor modules. (C) 1999 Scripta Technica.