Subject: [Sigtran] M3UA Loadsharing over 2 multi-homed links to 2 SG

From: mosbah abdelkader <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 23:48:19 +0100

Hi,

I am using:
     - 1 ASP: SMSC.
     - 1 ASP: MSC.
     - 2 SGP: STP.

In the following schema:

          ASP1
          /    \
         /      \
        /        \
 SGP1       SGP2
        \        /
         \      /
          \    /
          ASP2

My ASP, ASP1, is connected to SGP1 by 4 IP @ and to SGP2 by 4 IP @. ASP1 has
2 associations with each SGP (multi-homed with 2 IP @).

I am going to setup loadsharing of traffic between ASP1 and ASP2 over the
SGP: SGP1 and SGP2 by:

      - Load-share the whole M3UA traffic between SGP1 and SGP2: this is the
first level of load-sharing.

      - Load-share traffic to SGP1 between the 2 associations between ASP1
and SGP1: this is the seconf level of load-sharing.

      - Load-share traffic to SGP2 between the 2 associations between ASP1
and SGP2: this is the third level of load-sharing.

Is that scenario possible with the actual M3UA specification? If not, please
provide an alternative? Any other suggestion? Is that carrier grade
configuration? What about HA: what to do to support that feature in M3UA?

Please help.

Thanking you in advance.

---

From: "Brian F. G. Bidulock" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 16:17:19 -0700

mosbah,

mosbah abdelkader wrote:                       (Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:48:19)
>    Is that scenario possible with the actual M3UA specification? If not,
>    please provide an alternative? Any other suggestion? Is that carrier
>    grade configuration? What about HA: what to do to support that feature
>    in M3UA?

The M3UA specification supports load sharing at all the levels you describe.

HA is a characteristic of a node, not a network protocol; however, the M3UA
and SCTP specifications provide for the automatic redirection of traffic in
the event that any of those network interfaces, associations, or SG nodes
should fail.  Of course, when they all fail, M3UA can do nothing.

Carrier grade configurations have more to do with hardware than network
protocols.  All systems must be designed with no SPOF and 5 9s.  Most HA
systems are only "commercial grade".

--brian

-- 
Brian F. G. Bidulock
[email-masked]
http://www.openss7.org/

---

From: mosbah abdelkader <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:27:05 +0100

Ok thank you.