The increasing sophistication of the global telecommunications business is creating new, more demanding requirements for switching systems. To meet these requirements, AT&T must introduce the most up‐to‐date technologies for advanced capabilities, such as high‐bandwidth services, Personal Communication Services (PCS), and increased network intelligence in a timely, cost‐effective manner. Switching systems that are adaptable, evolvable, and able to gracefully incorporate these new capabilities and technologies are in the best position to meet market needs. Such switching systems have architectures that are both evolvable—able to incorporate new technology and new development processes within their overall structure—and maintainable—able to accommodate new features continually without rapid increases in the cost of development or equipment. This paper examines the choices for a switching system architecture by defining the functional components of a switch and examining the choices for implementing them.
Rapid technological changes in the computing and telecommunications industries are expanding customer expectations and service requirements for the public network. Meeting these needs will require several major changes in the network, notably in the areas of high‐bandwidth services, faster service‐provisioning times (i.e., improved operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning), and increased network intelligence. In this paper, we describe how AT&T Network Systems plans to use Service Net‐2000 to support these changes. The Service Net‐2000 architecture will integrate high‐capacity switching and data‐networking elements with synchronous optical network (SONET) transmission elements under a unified, customer‐oriented, common control structure. Because it is evolving directly from today's 5ESS® switch, Service Net‐2000 will incorporate all the capabilities of today's real‐world intelligent network. By using intelligent network adjuncts, service circuit nodes, and service control points within this architecture, we will be able to offer a broad range of services faster and easier than we can today. These concepts form the basis for future service offerings that will create a more responsive, service‐rich public network ready to meet the information movement needs of end users.
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