Troubleshooting guide

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Cisco Broadband Local Integrated Services Solution Troubleshooting Guide
OL-5169-01
Chapter 1 Solution Overview
Solution Components
Signaling System 7 (SS7) Links
The SS7 links provides an interface between the Call Agent and the SS7 network. The signaling links
carrying SS7 messages terminate on signaling interfaces in the Call Agent.
Telcordia's [GR-246-CORE] document provides the necessary requirements that the SS7 interfaces need
to perform for:
• SS7 message handling (message discrimination, message distribution, and message routing)
• Signaling Network Management, which is grouped under following three categories:
– Signaling Link Management (link activation, deactivation)
– Signaling Route Management (managing PC route status based on route received management
messages)
– Signaling Traffic Management (diversion of traffic based on unavailability, availability,
restriction of signaling link, route, and PC)
Ancillary Servers
The following servers are also components of the Cisco BLISS for Cable solution that might be located
in a headend, in the regional backbone, or in a service providers Internet Protocol Central Office (IPCO).
Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for detailed information on these servers.
• Record Keeping Server, page 1-22
• Announcement Servers, page 1-23
• CALEA Server, page 1-24
• DHCP, DNS, TFTP and TOD Servers, page 1-24
Record Keeping Server
When a call is initiated, the Record Keeping Server (RKS) receives messages from the Call Agent
representing one of two events. The first event occurs when a call is established. The second event occurs
at the termination of the call. In the case of unsuccessful calls, only a failure message is logged. The
service providers accounting gateway converts this information into Bellcore Automatic Messaging
Accounting Format (BAF) records and sends these BAF records to a mediation system using FTP.
To create appropriate BAF records, the event information produced by the Call Agent must have
appropriate information for the telephone service required. This includes, but is not limited to, the
following elements:
• phone number of the calling party (customer)
• phone number of the called party (customer)
• time call is placed
• duration of the phone call
• use of any discretionary features
Bellcore Automatic Message Accounting Format (BAF)—is the standard AMA format used by
circuit-switching systems, packet-switching systems, and other network elements to provide billing
usage measurement data. This data is needed either to permit charging the customer for use of network
services or to permit charging other carriers (including Interexchange Carriers [IECs] and other Local
Exchange Carriers [LECs]) for assistance in placing call connections.