TCP to X.25 SMS Message Router Software

Overview

The FarSync TCP to X.25 SMS Router extends the functionality of TCP based SMEs (Short Message Entities) such as SMS Gateways so that they can connect to SMSCs (Short Message Service Centres) that require X.25 as the network connection protocol. Examples of SMSCs requiring X.25 connectivity are the UK Vodafone network and the French Orange network. SMS messages normally sent and received over TCP are packetized and routed over X.25 connections.

The SMS Router is symmetric in operation - the SMS Router can interface between an SMSC on the TCP/IP network and SMEs on the X.25 network as well as vice versa.

The FarSync X.25 SMS Router can be installed on the same PC as an SMS Gateway. The product can also be used in a remote location, for example in a Data Centre, to reduce the length an X.25 leased line to an SMSC and hence ongoing line rental costs.

The FarSync X.25 SMS Router, which operates as a Windows service on Windows XP, 2000 or NT is designed for non-stop operation: in the field it will run for months at a time and more without any manual intervention whatsoever . Changes to the configuration are applied dynamically, removing the need for reloading. The configuration application allows the router to support a large variety of TCP/IP and X.25 network configurations. Two or more SMS Routers can be used in a load balanced, resilient configuration that has no single point of failure. Terminal Services can be utilised to remotely manage the SMS Router and tunnelling protocols such as PPTP and L2TP used to provide a secure TCP/IP connection between the SME and the SMS router.

The SMS Router supports a wide variety of SMS message protocols including Sema OIS GPI XIT and XHT, Sema OIS Direct Access, Nokia CIMD, Logica (SMS Forum) SMPP and CMG EMI/UCP. The very flexible generic design of the Router allows it to operate with all Gateways that send and receive SMS messages over TCP.

The FarSync SMS X.25 Router can optionally be supplied pre installed, configured and tested in a Tower or Rack Mounted PC.

Key Features, Performance and Expandability

The FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router easily handles very high transaction loads. Support for large numbers of X.25 lines and multiple SMS Routers provides enormous scalable expansion capability and resiliency. The main performance and expansion capabilities of the SMS Router are:

• Support for Sema OIS, Nokia CIMD, Logica SMPP, CMG EMI/UCP
• Very high performance - up to 1,500 SMS messages per second
• From 1 to 16 X.25 lines per SMS router
• X.25 line speeds from 2,400 baud to 8 Mbits/s
• Up to 100 SMEs split over 100 SMSCs per SMS Router
• Multiple resilient load balanced SMS Routers, up to 32 sharing a single IP address
• Operates on PCs using Windows XP, 2000 or NT

Example Applications

The FarSync SMS X.25 Router can be used in a variety of ways, examples include:

To enhance TCP/IP only SMS Gateways to support connections to SMSCs that require X.25 without the need to make any changes to the Gateway. For all types of SMS Gateway the SMS Router can operate in its own PC, for PC based SMS Gateways running on Windows XP, 2000 or NT the SMS router can optionally be co-resident. 

Reduce X.25 leased line rental costs by installing the SMS Router close to the SMSC and using TCP/IP to connect to the SMS Gateway. Connections between the Gateway and the SMS Router can be made secure by using a tunnelling protocol, ie PPTP or L2TP with Terminal Services providing the remote management.

The SMS Router can be used 'reversed', allowing SMEs using X.25 to connect to an SMSC requiring TCP/IP.

SMS Protocol Compatibility
 

Multiple Tariff SME Connections

As well as supporting multiple SMSCs, the SMS Router can support connections between a single SMSC and multiple SMEs. Multiple SMEs per SMSC are typically used for variable tariffing arrangements - up to 100 different SMEs (and thus tariffs) can be supported. Connections can be initiated either by the SME or the SMSC, and the SMS Router can handle these concurrently (i.e. two connections can co-exist at the same time between an SME and an SMSC).

Configuration
 

The FarSync SMS X.25 Router configuration application allows the TCP interface, X.25 connections, SME connections, SMS message protocol and the event log levels to be set. Almost all changes to the configuration are made dynamically so continuous operation of the router can be maintained. See  sample screen 1 and sample screen 2. The very flexible configuration support allows the Router to support a large variety of TCP/IP and X.25 network configurations.

Resilient Operation Overview

There are a number of ways to deploy the FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router to achieve resilient operation. The level of resilience required will depend on the value of the data traffic and the acceptable level of user intervention required to rectify any problem. The aim with resilience is to avoid single points of failure. Resilient configurations using more than one SMS Router also allow improved performance by sharing the traffic load between several machines.

Network Line Redundancy

To achieve network line redundancy, a single FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router may operate with two or more X.25 lines. It can route data over any active line connected to the Router so that if one line goes out of operation then the second line continues to be used automatically. Your network provider may also support a number of additional resilient offerings. Examples include diverse routing of cabling into your premises or even connection of network lines to geographically dispersed network nodes.

Communications Equipment Redundancy

To further improve on Network Line Redundancy, multiple FarSync X.25 cards may be used in a single SMS Router machine. This will allow the Router to continue operation even if there were a hardware or software fault within one of the communications adapters that prevented it handling calls.

Gateway Redundancy and Load Balancing

For fully resilient operation, two or more FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Routers may be deployed. This can be either with simple failover from a primary to a backup machine or in a load balancing configuration.

The FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router operates in conjunction with Windows Network Load Balancing (NLB), an integral feature of Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Advanced Server. NLB provides failover support for IP-based applications and services that require high scalability and/or availability and is ideally suited to improving the availability of the FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router. Load balancing these services ensures there is no single point of failure and that there is no performance bottleneck. Up to 32 machines can co-operate in this way.

FarSync Gateway Supervisor

The FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router utilises the FarSync Gateway Supervisor application to integrate tightly with NLB to extend its basic LAN resilience to also cover the service level as well as the LAN access level. The Gateway Supervisor checks the state of the X.25 network lines and, if these become unavailable, then selectively removes the machine from the NLB pool for the FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router service, thus preventing further requests being sent to that particular SMS Router machine. Once a network line becomes active again, the Gateway Supervisor reactivates NLB so that traffic can once again be routed to the SMS Router on that machine. Key events such as the loss of an X.25 line are recorded on the Windows event log.

X.25 cards

The FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router is used in conjunction with the FarSync X25 T-Series cards to provide the X.25 connection. One or more of these high performance PCI cards are required to connect to the physical X.25 line/s that connect to the Host's X.25 network. Alternatively, the SMS Router can be used with the FarSync X25 M-Series PCMCIA card.  See information on the FarSync X.25 T-Series cards and FarSync X.25 M-Series cards for further details.

Maintenance

FarSite recognises that this product is often used as a key component in SMS message systems and as such a guaranteed response to unexpected problems is required. A product maintenance contract is available for the FarSync TCP-X25 SMS Router and FarSync X.25 cards for priority service and rapid problem resolution.