IMS Monitoring

IMS – the Key to New Service Management

Wireline and wireless operators around the world are embracing the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystems) architecture. It is clear that this new functional framework is the ultimate means to significantly reducing operating expenses while gaining the flexibility needed to smoothly introduce new customized subscriber-centric services.

In this early stage of IMS deployments and trials, we find noticeable variations in vendor implementations, in terms of interfaces, core IMS blocks, and possible deviations from the standards. Some common applications include:

• PSTN emulation
• Residential VoIP over an IMS core
• Managed/hosted VoIP over an IMS core
• Fixed-Mobile-Convergence over an IMS core

From a network operations perspective, deploying, setting up trials, or even just experimenting with IMS constitutes a huge leap in complexity. The operator therefore finds that deploying a monitoring solution for IMS is indispensable.

The ability to craft each and every message event into a comprehensive end-to-end session object, through a real-time, online correlation engine, is just one of the many unique features that Omni-Q brings to IMS monitoring. The network elements themselves, across multiple vendors, are unable to perform this service. Ad hoc correlation on pre-selected sessions or offline post-processing no longer meet operators’ demanding requirements.

Omni-Q’s Unique Capabilities

RADCOM’s Omni-Q service monitoring solution has been enhanced to provide operators with real value in an IMS environment:

Troubleshooting  End-to-end, session-based signaling analysis that is integrated into the database of eDRs (extended call detail records).

Online Correlation  Using a sophisticated high performance and scalable online run-time correlation engine that concatenates eDRs by subjecting them to parallel processing of multiple correlation algorithms, the solution enables complete end-to-end session analysis of calls encompassing multiple IMS, VoIP, SS7 and RTP protocols.

Flow Type Classification and Detection  The solution can detect and classify the different flow types within the operator’s IMS service offering. This allows the customer to obtain clear visibility of meaningful service and network performance statistics, rather than just leg-based quality indicators.

Integrated Active Testing The solution generates active test calls and provideS point-to-point path quality measurements. Active test call capabilities are fully integrated in the Omni-Q, with the test call also monitored by the non-intrusive probe, to provide a unified, correlated view of the entire call as it progresses through the network.

Performance  IMS monitoring is enabled through RADCOM’s next-generation R70 probe, combining the best of in-house developed ASIC-based hardware processing - the GearSet™ –  and multi-processor capabilities, to deliver a leading form factor deployment monitoring point.