IBM Corp has picked up Logica Plc’s Signalling System 7 software under its Co-operative Marketing Programme: the software, for telephone companies wanting to offer value-added services over digital telephone networks, was developed by Logica North America Inc. It runs on the System 88 version of Stratus Computer Inc’s fault-tolerant line under the OS/88 version of VOS and is described as a Bell Communications Reasearch-compliant Common Channel Signalling System 7 package based on Open Systems Interconnection layered architecture, and using packet switching concepts for message delivery over high speed lines at rates up to 64Kbps. The software supports up to 32 signalling links per System/88 processor for high volume traffic, provides C language application programming interface to enable users to develop applications interacting with the Network Layer, provides command macros to enable the user to execute node management functions from the console, provides extensive logging facilities for system monitoring and command macros to analyse logged data, and there is the provision for automatic user notification of anticipated types of failure. The signalling links are are connected to slot-in boards in the System/88 cabinet. The Physical and Data Link Control Layers of the Signalling System 7 protocol are implemented using a firmware load to input-output adaptor boards. These layers of the protocol pass signal units – message signal units of user information, link status signal units of network status data and fill in signal units of idle state transmission – to peer processes in other nodes around the network. It runs on any System 88 with 16Mb and 12Mb disk and costs $75,000 for the first four links, then $5,000 for each further four up to 32. Ready now.
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