A Flexible Gateway Architecture Enabling Scalable Realization of UMTS Networks

Abstract

Telecom operators' proliferation, caused by the liberation in the provision of communication services in the European domain, has led in the emergence of demand for small, cost effective core network elements capable of performing both access communication, as well as, traffic routing towards various technology backbones. Bulky equipment is no longer attracting operators' interest, for a number of reasons, summarized in downsize ability (monolithic support of millions of users on a single box is not the case anymore for start up operators), scalability and flexibility to seamlessly integrate advanced services. Especially in the case of UMTS, IP communications are realized over a mixture of heterogeneous transportation technologies often resulting to replication of redundant functions, which limits network performance, complicates its maintenance, reduces scalability and increases operational costs. This paper presents a flexible gateway architecture, which can be accommodated on the access interfaces of UMTS networks to enable realization of generic communication interfaces towards core network databases, supporting user access and traffic routing functions, for improved IP communications performance, enhances UMTS network scalability and reduces maintenance costs. Architectural modularity is achieved by integrating the various database technologies within a common network architecture utilising Storage Area Networks technology.