Session aware networking - Product Spot - Product Announcement

Telecommunications, June, 2002

Acme Packet

www.acmepacket.com

Until now, attaining all-IP nirvana has been hindered by peering methods requiring IP-to-TDM conversion across multiple network hops, resulting in degraded Qos. Woburn, Mass.-based Acme Packet's Net-Net product will interconnect these so-called IP network islands by incorporating a Session Aware Networking architecture that integrates session admission control and routing with media control. The core of session aware networking is composed of four components: routing policy and real-time network constraints; session routing and signaling; media directing and control; and accounting and Qos control.

The solution consists of three 1U network appliances-Net-Net. Session Router, Net-Net Media Manager and Net-Net Session Director. SIP-based Net-Net Session Router routes interactive communications and perform admission control in which it conducts 2000 sessions per second and 100,000 con-current sessions. With policy and network constraint-based routing and admission control, carriers can meet Qos requirements for softswitch, gateway or application server load along with service provider preference, source/destination and URL/telephone number. Session Router incorporates dynamic routing policy exchange among. Acme Packet and third-party routers via TRIP (telephony routing over IP protocol).

Supporting SIP, MGCP and H.323-based networks, Net-Net media manager migrates media flows over the best route and features SLA assurance, revenue protection and CALEA comphance. SLAs are assured by session admission control and Layer 2 and 3 Qos markings, including VLAN, DiffServ and MPLS Session Director, which combines the capabilities of the SR and MM, delivers 250 sessions per second and 5-Gbps packet filtering to support 32,000 concurrent sessions. Currently in beta trials, the product will be generally available in Q3.