Retrospective of the construction process of the existing communication network can be seen that during the process of developing new business on the basis of circuit switching network, domestic operators basically take the way of hosting a certain type of business with a specific service network. According to this way, on the one hand, the construction cost of the network is basically similar, there is no significant advantage, and different networks have used different management systems, and therefore, when providing integrated business for large customers, there is often an additional additional business. Management coordination and network interoperability costs. Therefore, the industry has always desired to provide all business on a unified network.
So what is the benefit of network integration to bring customers and operators? Wei Leping, China Telecom Group, believes that for operators, the integration of networks can achieve unified network architecture, agreement and interface, simplifying network level, quick expansion business, driving business to development, reducing construction, operation and maintenance And business marketing services, simplify customer relationships; for customers, the fused network can enable users to enjoy unified services and products, the same across solid network / wireless / Internet single access, single bill, and access technology Non-consistent customer experience, fast supply and simplified customer relationship.
In the 1980s, the telecommunications network provided an opportunity for the integration of the network. But the same is based on "0" and "1", different coding systems, and network protocols make the telecommunications network have basically missed such an opportunity. With the rapid development of the Internet, IP grouping technology provides a second opportunity for the integration of the network, as IP is not only applying online, but also the basis of core networks. Among them, in the core, IP-based soft exchange technology can make operators integrate different networks such as voice, data into a comprehensive solution, that is, telecom operators can architecture a unified IP network from terminal to access to the core network. Provide different business. The important point is that mobile communication is also evolved in the direction of the full IP network, which also lays a solid foundation for IP-based network integration.
There are four main drives for network fusion. One is the grouping of business. The packetization trend of business is the maximum driving force for network evolution and fusion. The second is the advancement of technology. The new technological is endless, and there are many new technologies in all levels of the network. The third is that the needs of users have changed. Users want to use any terminal to enjoy a colorful business anywhere. The fourth is the need for operation. In order to support a variety of telecommunications services, telecom operators operate in multiple telecommunications networks, which will greatly increase the operator's operating cost, increase the complexity of commercial operation of telecom operators. The ideal telecommunications network mode is that the telecommunications network composition is as simple as possible, it is best to run a telecom infrastructure, all the telecommunications services are supported and controlled by this network, thereby achieving the comprehensive service of telecommunications online business.
In recent years, the industry has also launched in-depth research on how to achieve integration of the network. At present, the next generation of telecommunications networks are generally considered to have a large-scale, complex system, which integrates different performances in different levels, which require attention is the metro network. , Access network, intelligent optical network, wireless access, and fusion of fixed and mobile core networks.
On the metropolitan area, the integration is mainly reflected in the integration between different business, including the convergence of multi-service platform based on SDH, ATM, IP and WDM, respectively; the convergence of circuit exchange and packet exchange; The integration of management, that is, unified network management and circuitry; physical fusion, the same rack different slots and operators' organizational structure.
In the access network level, the fusion manifestation is to construct an IP-based public bearer platform to achieve a fusion and integrated access of a wide narrowband service, and support wired wireless fusion, voice, data, and multimedia fusion, network management fusion. And unified certification and billing and physical integration.
In the intelligent optical network level, the integration including the operation layer and the conveying layer, the fusion of the IP router and the optical node, the fusion of the selection / signaling, the fusion of the control surface, the fusion of the management surface, and the abstract fusion of the management object.
In terms of wireless access technologies, fusion represents partial fusion and end of the terminal, fusion of terminals, CDMA and WCDMA, GSM / WCDMA, and GSM / CDMA terminal fusion, mobile access and fixed wireless access. Fusion, Bluetooth and WLANs can connect mobile terminals to the wireless broadband network. It is also worth paying attention to the fusion of movement and fixation, specifically manifested at the core transfer layer, the control layer, and the application layer.
The fusion of the core delivery layer is a unified IP / MPLS-based core network will become a multi-service fusion network, which can support all wired and wireless, mobile, and fixed and voice, data, and multimedia services; more than a dozen different business networks; Get into a single unified IP / MPLS service network platform; the integration of IP / MPLS will minimize the construction, operation and management cost of the core network. Of course, the IP / MPLS core network is also facing QoS and manageability challenges.
At the control level, the demand for the fusion manifestation is small, the need for the NGN and the fixed NGN can be used, which can be used to collect soft switches; mobile local soft switches and fixed demand differences, mobile soft exchange must process mobility management functions and switching Function; in the business control layer, the fusion can be performed step by step, the first step can be used to separate the soft switch, which is separated from the local softswitch, but can be directly interoperable, and require the same interface to the application layer; second step Implement the convergence of local soft switches. Some occasions can also be in place.
At the application level, since the service control layer provides a standard interface, the application layer can be used in the same technique, and the two networks can be fully integrated; in fact, the implementation of the integrated business is the ultimate goal of the two network fusion, Among them, the business type can have simple interoperable business or tariff portfolios, but also deeply fused services, such as fused VPN, one card multiple, fused video services. Establishing flexible, scalable public business platforms is based. In addition, in terms of terminal, the fusion of the same terminal should be able to support wired wireless access and voice, data, and multimedia access.
For network fusion, the Wuxing worker once proposed: a unified integration network value will be much higher than a number of independent networks, so the network should have a huge economic significance of the connection business, the telecommunications network. Fusion and no selection and diversification, often generate new derivatives during complex fusion. Similarly, the integration of the network will also develop a large number of new business and applications in business and application layers. Voice, data, and videos will not simply fuse in a conventional terminal, but more organically fused to derive diversity more distinctive and personalized terminals will be a long development process.
