GB2315637A

GB2315637A - Testing of telecommunications services

Info

Publication number: GB2315637A
Application number: GB9615152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: L M Ericss Telefonaktiebolaget; Bart Jellema; Rene Peeren; Louise Croughan; Freek Aben
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Current assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date: 1996-07-19
Filing date: 1996-07-19
Publication date: 1998-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-19
Also published as: GB2315637B; GB9615152D0

Abstract

An Intelligent Network has a service switching point (SSP) 1 which sends queries to a service control point (SCP) 2 in which are installed an operational version of a service logic program 6 and a non-operational version of the service logic program 8. The non-operational version 8 may be the same as the operational version 6 or may be a modified version of the program which is still undergoing testing. In order to test and verify the new or modified program 8 without disturbing the operation of the existing program 6 in any way, the control point 2 is connected to a test point 10 which can also send queries to the control point 2. Queries from the test point 10 each include a test indicator. A query without a test indicator is directed to the operational program 6, whereas a query with a test indicator is directed to the non-operational program 8 and a reply is sent to the test point 10, thereby providing a means of testing the new version 8 without requiring changes in user access procedures, such as required dialling sequences. If the testing indicates that the new version 8 is ready for commercial operation, a command may be sent to the control point 2 such that the version 8 becomes the operational version.

Description

TESTING MECHANISM This invention relates to a mechanism which allows testing of telecommunications services in a network architecture. In particular, the mechanism allows the testing of new versions of telecommunications services, in an Intelligent Networks architecture, without interfering with the operation of existing services.

An Intelligent Networks architecture includes a Service Control Point (SCP), to which are connected a large number of Service Switching Points (SSP). Each SSP is a switching system that can intercept telephone calls, and query the SCP. The SCP contains service specific logic and data, that allows it to return instructions to the SSP on how to deal with the intercepted call.

When the services provided at a SCP are to be upgraded, it would be desirable if the new version of the program could be installed and verified in the SCP, without needing to take the existing program out of operation, or disturbing the operation of the existing program in any way.

However, the existing Intelligent Network specification, ETS 300 374-1, provides no means of supporting an operational version and a test version of a program in the same SCP, without disturbing operation of the existing service. Under the existing specification, it is possible to install a new version of a program, and to run the new version in parallel with the existing version, for testing purposes.

However, this requires both versions of the program to be addressed during the overlap period, which means that the user has to learn new dialling sequences to access the services, which is clearly undesirable from the point of view of easy operation. Alternatively, it is possible to block access to a service temporarily, while the software is being replaced. Again this has obvious disadvantages from the point of view of the user.

In accordance with the present invention, the SCP always stores two copies of each program, and the associated data. Queries from SSPs are automatically directed to an operational version, which has been fully tested, while a recently installed version may be deemed non-operational, and test queries can be directed to that version.

This has the advantage that a new version of the control program can be tested in the SCP, without interrupting the user's ability to use the services.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an architecture in accordance with the present invention.

In the architecture shown in Figure 1, a Service Control Point (SCP) 2 is connected to a Service Switching Point (SSP) 4. As is conventional, the SSP intercepts telephone calls, and directs queries to the SCP 2, which returns instructions as to how the SSP 4 should deal with the call. In particular, queries are handled within the SCP 2 by a first operational servive logic program 6 which has access to the required data.

In accordance with the invention, the SCP 2 also stores a second non-operational version of the service logic program 8, and the associated data. This nonoperational version of the program 8 may be the same as the first program 6, or it may be a recently installed modified version of the program, which is still undergoing testing.

The network also includes a test point 10, which may be somewhat similar to a SSP, in that it is able to act as an access point and direct queries to the SCP 2.

Query messages sent from the test point 10 to the SCP 2, may use the same query data as messages from the SSP 4, such as the dialled number in a telephone call which is being handled. However, the query messages also include a test indicator.

The test point may be a protocol test tool, connected on the SCP-SSP interface, or may be an ordinary SSP which has lines designated for test calls.

When the SSP recognises that an incoming call is on such a line, the test indicator may be inserted automatically in the SCP query.

When the SCP 2 receives a message which includes a test indicator, i.e. a message from the test point 10, the query is directed to the non-operational version of the program 8, and a reply is returned to the test point 10. This provides a means of testing the nonoperational version of the program. After testing, when it is determined that the newly installed version of the program is ready for commercial operation, a command may be sent to the SCP 2, such that the second version 8 of the program becomes the operational version. From that point on, queries sent from the SSP 4 are directed to the second version 8 of the service logic program. At the same time, the first version of the program 6, which was formerly operational, may be replaced by a copy of the newly installed version 8, and this first version of the program can then serve as the non-operational version of the program. When a further modified version of the program is to be installed and tested, this first program, or parts of it, can be replaced by new code, and test queries are then directed to this version of the program, until such time as this version of the program is considered ready to become the operational version. Meanwhile, queries from SSPs are directed to the currently operational version.

There is thus disclosed a system which allows testing of new software, without requiring changes in user access procedures, such as required dialling sequences.

Claims

1. A control point, for a network architecture comprising at least one control point and a plurality of access points, the control point comprising means for storing first and second versions of a program, and means for determining whether a query should be directed to the first or second version of the program.

2. A control point as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for determining whether the query contains an indication that the query should be directed to one version of the program, and directing the query appropriately.

3. A control point as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising means for replacing one stored version of the program by a copy of the other stored version of the program.

4. A control point as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the program is a service logic program.

5. A network architecture, comprising a control point, a switching point, and a test point, wherein the switching point comprises means for sending queries to the control point; wherein the test point comprises means for sending queries with a test indicator to the control point; and wherein the control point comprises means for storing first and second versions of a service logic program, means for recognizing whether a query includes a test indicator, and means for directing the query to either the first or second version of the program depending on whether or not the query includes the test indicator.