Caching in on portability

Sevis' first product invades the IN The anticipated invasion of the intelligent network by third-party application developers begins this week as Texas-based Sevis Systems introduces an Internet-inspired caching solution for local number portability at the NetWorld + Interop conference in Atlanta.

TurboCache Smart Query is the first product introduced by the 1-year-old company (see figure). It is designed to help service providers reduce the number of costly dips into the centralized number portability database and alleviate traffic on the SS7 network by employing technology similar to Web caching for Internet providers.

TurboCache is a non-intrusive database that collects LNP queries directly from the signaling network and stores them locally to reduce the amount of queries traversing the network. Sevis believes TurboCache will expedite the convergence of the IN and IP-based technology, similar to the way the PC unleashed the power of the Internet.

"Mainframe technology was actually a barrier to the growth of the Internet," said Steve Samaniego, vice president of marketing at Sevis. "It didn't really start growing until the intelligence that was in those mainframe systems was delivered to the edge of the network by PCs. We are essentially doing the same for the signaling network."

Sevis is trying to deliver the intelligence currently locked in service control points (SCPs) or the number portability administration center (NPAC) database to the central offices and mobile switching centers. However, the IN is a tough market to crack.

"Network operators are very concerned about adding new elements into the network that may create any point of instability," said Juan Fernandez, analyst for GartnerGroup Dataquest."If this is a database that is pretty benign and wouldn't have any impact on the other functions of the network, it could be an interesting product if it is priced right."

Sevis President and CEO Lee Sutterfield previously launched two other Internet companies - WheelGroup and SecureLogix - involving network security, which will be a requirement for application developers in this space.

Sutterfield's newest company embraces the focus on security.

"Our platform has security built into the core so when we talk about convergent solutions, we do that with security in mind. It is the most stable and least-risk way to converged networks," Samaniego said.

That the system does not require an SS7 point code - point codes are in short supply - should simplify implementation. "It will not require any network re-engineering to deploy," Samaniego said.

Once deployed, the system captures and caches queries for ported numbers. Currently, any call to a number within a block of 10,000 designated as ported must dip into the LNP database to confirm the proper routing of the call. The FCC has mandated trials of thousand-block number pooling, but the number of dips still will be significant. The average cost to a service provider for each dip is about 0.003cents, according to Sevis.

"TurboCache can eliminate the need to go all the way to the centralized database stores for the intelligence information in the signaling network," Samaniego said."It could save a company like Nextel millions of dollars per year. We could enhance their quality of service and reduce their buildout costs as well. TurboCache also could improve a carrier's QOS by reducing delay, Samaniego said.

"A large portion of delay is caused by stress on the SS7 network. The volume of queries and traffic on the SS7 network are not going to decrease. It will increase with convergence and the mandated [local number] and geographic portability," he said.

As Sevis demonstrates TurboCache at N+I this week, the company will have to answer some basic questions.

"It seems that it would be relatively complex to cache a database that is being modified fairly rapidly," Fernandez said."Is there a failsafe mechanism by which, if this database fails, you can terminate the call by redirection and is it fairly efficient in this process? Unless they have some way of assuring that this is not going to happen, they might as well not even show up."

Mpower Communications expanded the availability of its high-speed voice and data services into five Midwest markets, including Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; and Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids, Mich. Mpower has more than doubled its network footprint during the past six months.

Aerie Networks launched construction of its broadband network with the initial closing of Aerie's Series C preferred stock financing of at least $100 million. Construction of the 20,000-mile network is ongoing between Chicago and St. Louis; St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.; and Dallas; and Dallas and Houston. Aerie plans to connect 194 cities via the network.