textfiles/phreak/SWITCHES/mremsw.txt

A bit about modern Remote Switching.  With new remote technology, when a T1
een the CO and the remote gets fried, the remote can go into an
emergency mode and keep going.  A fitting analogy would be between a PC and
a mainframe.  When hooked up with the mainframe (the CO), the PC(the remote)
emulates the mainframe, but when the link is broken, (ie: the T1 gets
blasted) it can operate independantly and intelligently.  Well, the remotes
today are bringing about a more fully distribted network, and some even have
trunking capabilites.  Another plus with remotes is that they cut down the
length of the subscriber loop and are more cost-effective in urban areas.
Some speculate the the increased use of remotes will change the way the
network
is designed.

    Another use of remotes is apparent in providing digital service to
sparsely
populated areas.  Alcatel's E10-FIVE advanced digital CO can now be made
availlable through Alcatel's RSU (remote Switching Units) and RLU (Remote
Line Unit.  The E10-FIVE is already a fully distributed, microproscessor
controlled architectur CO, including the RSU and RLU capabilities.
It consists of three major systems, each with computer and memory resources.

   The PORT SUBSYSTEM, with line, trunk, and service circuits, and remote
   interfacese.  The Port Subsystem assists in call processing by performing
   real-time functions such as digit reception, signaling, and line
   supervision.

   The CENTRAL MATRIX SUBSYSTEM consists of four independent non-blocking
   planes.  It provides the inter-connectivity for all elements of the
   Port Subsystem and communication channels between the Port Subsystem
   and Control Subsystem.

   The CONTROL SUBSYSTEM is at the heart of the E10-FIVE.  It consists of
   TCUs(Telephony Control Units) and PCUs(Periphreal Control Units),
   Central Matrix Controllers withen the Central Matrix and with termingal
   unit microprocessors in the Port Subsystem.
   The PCUs provide the system interface to peripheral maintenance and
   administrative hardware such as Input/Output man-maching terminals,
   hard disk drives, tape units, alarm panels, etc.
   The TCUs are typically used for call processing, administration, or
   spare provessors.  Each TCU loaded with call processing software
   serves its own group of line, trunk, and service circuits via the
   Central Matrix and is referred to as a Supergroup.  In essence, each
   Supergroup is a Central Office with itself, and the PCUs act as their
   network maintenance and administration center.


    Back to RSUs and RLUs, The Alcatel E10-FIVE RSU contains modules that are
identical to the host CO, are extensions of the host Supergroup.  The RSU
is really a CO capable of handling up to 1600 subscribers.  Its is connected
to the host CO by two to eight T1 lings.  On the T1 Lings, there are two
clear 64 kilobit channels that use X.75 protocol for control, maitenance,
administration data, etc.  Each RSU also has two TCUs, and dual
plane non-blocking Central Matrix, tone generator, and MF/DTMF service
circuits and digital trunks.  The RSU is capable of handling trunks to an
exchange other that the host, which takes care of back hauling traffic
through the main CO.  It (the RSU) processes calls locally and
maintains the same level of diagnostics and maintenance as the host system.
As new software is implemented into the host CO, they are automatically
downloaded to the RSU, this saves the cost of multiple updates to the
CO generics.
   When all lings between the E10-FIVE and the RSU are down, RSU subscribes
retain all calling servieces except three-way calling and call forwarding.
The traffic which normally be sen to the host CO through the T1 links
would be lost.  However, local intra-RSU traffic is maintained.  This means
that if contact is lost with the host CO, the RSU can still handle calls
between subscribers that it sevices.
    Memory is allocated in the TCU for storing alarm, traffic and other
relevant data for a period time after the ling failures.
    The Remote Line Unit(RSU) is a scaled down version of the RSU (to
put it simply).  It is a remote subscriber concentrator and can serve
up to 400 lines.  It contains software (not wares you idiot!) identical
to the E10-FIVE main unit and RSU, both of which can act as a host to an
RLU.  It is connected to the host through two to four T1 links.
Like the RSU, the number of links between the RLU and the host is based
on traffic requirements.  Unlike the RSU, the RLU requires two voice
channels for each intra-RLU call.  Two clear 64-kilobit channels are also
utilized on these links for control, maintenance, and administration data.
   Basically the E-10FIVE is a perfect example of the importance of
how remotes can modernize the network.  I'd also like to take a look at
other manufacturers of computerized "distributed" architecture.(you'll
have to wait just a little while longer for the 'k-k00l' stuff)
    One vendor, Stromberg-Carlson, has past history of serviceing rural areas.
S-C has an impressive lineup of remote switching equpment.  Starting with the
90-line Remote Line Group, moving through the 1,080-line Remote Line Switch
and topping off with the 8,000 line Remote Network Switch.  Stromberg's
remotes supply all of the host system DCO (Digital Central Office) features.
Strombergis putting the finishing touches on its DCO product line.  The
Remote Line Switch(RLS) was introduced in 1982, and the Remote Line Group
(RLG), in early 1986.  The top of the line Remote Network Switch(RNS), is
only now becoming available.
   In the area of survability, the RNS maintains all features of the host,
even if the link is severed.  The RLS, will lose most features except
POTS, coin DTMF, and mult-line hunt features.  The RLG loses all
features as it has no switching capability of its own, and is just a
line concentrator. 
   The RNS can switch calls directly to the public network without
sending traffic through the host switch.  The call handling capacity
of the host is conserved, and is an important step toward a truly
distributed network.  In the S-C DCO environment, each switch acts
as a "host" for each of the smaller switches.  For instance, a 1000-line
RLS, can be connected to the RNS and another 80-line RLG can then be
dropped offf the RLS.  In these instances, the capacity of the host is
diminished.  ie: The RNS may only handle 8,000 lines, whether the
lines are direct subscriber or served from smaller remote switches
or line groups.
   All the S-C remotes support T1 interfacing.  In addition, the Remote
Line Switch will support an interface to fiber-optic trunking.
The Stromberg remotes all support remote diganostic, outside plant testing,
and AMA/traffic data collection.  Stromberg has three main reasons why
its DCO central offices along with the remotes are good purchases for
telecos:  They cut costs by making the switch more efficient, increase
the flexability of the network, and help reduce the length of the
subscriber loop in preparation for ISDN and other adavanced services.
    Northern Telecom's remotes extend full capability of the Dynamic Network
Architecture beyond the immediate area of the host switch with a family
of five remotes: the Remote Switching Center(RSC), the Extended Remote
RSC), the Remote Line Concentrating Module(RLCM), the Outside Plant
Module(OPN), and the new Large Business Remote(LBR).
    The Remote Line Concentrating Module is connected to a host Line Group
Controller(LGC), or to a Remote Switching Center(RSC), through mazimum of
sic DS-1 links.  It can terminate up to 640 lines, ie: 10 line drawers of
64 lines each.  Maximum traffic capacity at six host links is approximately
4,700 CCS.  The unit may be placed up to 100 miles away from the host office
at 0db loss.
    The Outside Plant Module is an RLCM repackaged into an environmentally
controlled cabinet.  The cabinet includes environmental controls, cross-
connect field, power, and battery backup.
    The Remote Switching Center consists of up to 9 LCMs that are located at
a remote site and controlled by a Remote Cluster Controller (RCC), which
is an LGC based DMS-100 peripheral.  The RCC connected back to its host
DMS-100 through 2 to 16 DS-1 links.
  The total max. capacity is 5,760 lines (9 x 640).  Traffic capacity
of the RSC is approximately 15,000 CCS, ie: 5,000 lines at 3 CCS/line or
2,000 lines 7.5 CCS/line.(you following me so far?)
    All line features of the host LCM and the RLCM are supported by the RSC,
including POTS and IBN stations, attendant consoles, IBN business sets,
Datapath, etc.
    The Extended Remote Switching Center is a form of the RSC to provide
a remote larger that a single RSC.  Junctors will interconnect the control
sides (C-sides) of the RSCs, where 16 24-channel C-side ports are
available on each RSC for the junctors and/or host links.  This will result
in a single large traffic group that provides trunking efficiencies between
the host and remote.
   There are many benefits to the XRSC including, larger RSC configurations,
periperal ports, etc, etc, etc...

Ok, There are also Siemens, GTE, AT&T, etc remotes, but I just realised
it would take me another 80 sectors to cover them all, so I for now I will
stop.  The remaining specs will be released in a suplemment...

The Benefits of playing with remotes:

Well, if your area is serviced by a remote, you actually have an unguarded,
mini-switching station to play with.  Usually they will be locked up, so it
will require some bashing, but it's well worth it.  I recomend either
taking interfaces, large portions of the remote, or the whole damn thing!  
There will also surely be manuals and equipment sitting around for you...

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NOTE:
We are currently looking for the author of Tap.Interviews II, this file was
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