Features

This page contains an overview of the features of the STINGA SS7 Monitor product. You can also download the product brochure for a detailed overview of the product features.

Real-Time Monitoring

It is possible to monitor two E1/T1/J1 interfaces with one notebook, and up to eight E1/T1/J1 interfaces with the PCI based desktop/rack solutions. Up to five timeslots can be monitored simultaneously for each line interface. More E1/T1/J1 interfaces can be monitored with the notebook solution by using a 3rd-party E1/T1/J1 concentrator.

Real-Time Decoding

Comprehensive real-time decoding of MTP, ISUP, TUP, SCCP, TCAP, INAP, MAP, CAMEL, CCBS and MWI is provided. Customer configured one-line decoding, detailed decoding and hex information are displayed. Physical link status is displayed with indicators in the status bar and layer 1 alarms are printed in the one-line decoding window.

Top-Down QoS and Network Performance Analysis

A monitored signalling sequence can be stored to file (manually or automatically) for later analysis. These files can be used to generate statistical CDR reports for QoS and Network Performance analysis. “Individual CDRs” report, “B-number” report and different “OPC/DPC” reports are available. These reports contain parameters like the ones defined by ITU-T E.422, in addition to answered calls (ASR), subscriber busy (SSB), circuit group congestion (BGC), response time (rt), wait time (wt), hold time (ht) and others. These statistical reports makes the basis for top-down network analysis. In the sample B-number report to the right, you can see that a large percent of the calls are reported as Call Failure (CFL). Something might be wrong related to these numbers series and further protocol analysis might be necessary.

This is an example of a B-number report presenting the statistics for all captured data grouped on the first three digits in the B-number. The number of digits to group on is specified by the user. Example of a B-number report.

Point Code Editor

A Point Code Editor is included to let the user add descriptions to point codes. Descriptions for a large amount of international point codes are included – descriptions for national point codes must be added by the user. Both hex and ITU formats are supported. It is possible to specify point codes for ITU, ANSI, TTC and Chinese ITU.

Point Code Editor The Point Code Editor.

Real-Time and File Statistics

  • MTP including user parts
  • ISUP messages and cause values
  • TCAP messages and problems
  • CAP operations and errors
  • MAP operations and errors
  • IN operations and errors TUP, SCCP, SMH and SNM

The statistics counters are presented separately for each monitored direction and for each view. The statistics can be saved to a file later analysis.

Search

It is possible to search for information in all captured messages, and it is also possible to specify which columns in One-Line Decoding to search.

Filter Mechanisms

Different filter mechanisms, from general filters to advanced user specified filters, are supported. The general filters covers User Part, Point Code, SCCP Subsystem number, CRC, PCR, FISU and LSSU filtering. A Call Trace filter where it is possible to specify a number of Calling/Called Party/IMSI numbers is also available. Specific ISUP and TUP messages can be filtered by the Message filter. A CIC filter where it is possible to specify a range of CICs are also included in the Message filter. Finally there is a filter mechanism where the user can specify advanced pass/stop filters. These filters can filter on a specific byte string in a specific message in a specific user part. The advanced filters can also be combined with the scheduler.

General filters like User Part, Point Codes, SCCP Subsystem Number, CRC, PCR, FISU and LSSU are available in the SS7 Monitor. Call Trace and Message filters are also included in addition to an advanced user specified filter mechanism. The Filter dialog.

Audio Monitoring

It is possible to listen to a specific user channel. With the PCMCIA solutions, the audio is played through the PCspeakers using the built-in sound card. With the PCI solutions, an on-board codec is used to play the audio in a connected head set.

Decode Single Message

With the Decode Single Message feature, it is possible to import protocol information on hex format to get it detailed decoded. This protocol information could be some messages captured by a 3rd-party analyzer that you for example have received by e-mail.

CDR Search and Filtering Engine

An advanced search and filtering engine is combined with the CDR Statistics Report feature. With this functionality, it is possible to create a filter specification where a number of filters based on a field, an operation and a value are combined with logical AND/OR operations. These filters are easily generated by selecting fields and operations from drop-down lists. Advanced users may write the filters directly in the expression fields.

This Filter Specification sample is demonstrating how you can filter on specific fields using the different operations available. A number of filters can be combined with logical AND/OR operators. The CDR Statistics Report dialog.

Scheduler

The time to start/stop monitoring can be scheduled from within the monitor application. Each schedule can be connected to a number of pre-defined filters so that only desired messages are captured. Different messages can be stored to different files (e.g. IAMs to one file and RLC to another file).