Configuring T1, E1, and ISDN PRI   11

  This chapter describes how to configure T1 or E1 lines on the PortMaster 4 for the following kinds of service:

T1 Line0 through Line3	E1 Line0 through Line2
Full T1	Full E1
Fractional T1	Fractional E1
Channelized T1	Multifrequency R2 (MFR2) signaling for channelized E1
ISDN Primary Rate Interface (PRI)	ISDN PRI
	Fractional PRI

  Quad T1 and Tri E1 boards with True Digital modems have the digital modems and T1 or E1 circuits physically present on the same board.

  Note ¯ After making any configuration changes to a line (Line0 through Line3), you must use the save all  and reset slot  commands for the changes to take effect.

  This chapter discusses the following topics:

•  "PortMaster 4 Quick Setup Guide for ISDN PRI" on page 11-2
•  "Configuring General Settings" on page 11-5
•  "Configuring Fractional Settings" on page 11-6
•  "Configuring ISDN PRI Settings" on page 11-7
•  "Configuring True Digital Modems" on page 11-10
•  "Configuring Channelized T1 or E1" on page 11-11
•  "Using NFAS for ISDN PRI" on page 11-15
•  "Configuring SS7" on page 11-20

  See the PortMaster 4 Command Line Reference for more detailed command descriptions and instructions.

  You can also configure the PortMaster 4 using the PMVision application for Microsoft Windows, UNIX, and other platforms supporting the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). PMVision replaces the PMconsole interface to ComOS.

       PortMaster 4 Quick Setup Guide for ISDN PRI

  This section provides a procedure to help you quickly get T1 or E1 lines configured for ISDN PRI service. The procedure uses an example to configure Line0 for PRI. After completing this configuration, you can configure the line for channelized T1, Frame Relay, or any supported protocol.

  Substitute your IP addresses, system names, passwords, and so on for the italicized variables in the sample commands.

  See "Configuring General Settings" on page 11-5 for details.

  The PRI configuration involves the following three procedures:

•  "Configuring the Ethernet Interface" on page 11-2
•  "Configuring Global Parameters" on page 11-3
•  "Configuring the Quad T1 Boards" on page 11-4

       Configuring the Ethernet Interface

  Use the console port to log in to the PortMaster, or log in as !root  and press the Return  key twice to get to the command prompt. Then follow this procedure, substituting your own information for variables.

  1. Set the system name of the PortMaster 4.

  Command> set sysname ISP-PM4-1

  2. Set the address of Ether0 10BaseT port.

  Command> set ether0 address 192.168.10.1

  3. Set the netmask of Ether0.

  Command> set ether0 netmask 255.255.255.0

  4. Set Ether0 broadcast to high.

  Command> set ether0 broadcast high.

  5. (Optional) Set Ether0 to listen for and broadcast RIP-1 packets.

  Command> set ether0 rip on

  Refer to the PortMaster 4 Command Line Reference for additional RIP-1 options, or for configuring RIP-2.

  6. Save the settings and reboot.

  Command> save all
Command> reboot

  7. Set the address of the Ether1 10/100BaseT port.

  Command> set ether1 address 192.168.100.1

  8. Set the netmask of Ether1.

  Command> set ether1 netmask 255.255.255.0

  9. Set Ether1 broadcast to high.

  Command> set ether1 broadcast high

  10. (Optional) Set Ether0 to listen for and broadcast RIP-1 packets.

  Command> set ether1 rip on

  11. Save the settings and reset the slot.

  Command> save all
Command> reset slot10

  12. Set the default gateway address.

  Command> set gateway 192.168.100.254

  Proceed to global configuration.

       Configuring Global Parameters

  You can now connect to the PortMaster 4 via Telnet or PMVision to continue the configuration process. You can perform the following command line configuration via the console or by using Telnet. Substitute your own information for variables.

  1. If you are not already in slot 4, set the view to slot 4.

  Command> set view 4

  2. Set the IP address for syslog authentication information.

  Command> set loghost 192.168.1.2

  3. (Optional) Set a domain name.

  Command> set domain ISP.net

  4. (Optional) Set the Domain Name System (DNS).

  Command> set namesvc dns

  5. (Optional) Set the IP address of the name server.

  Command> set nameserver 192.168.25.16

  6. (Optional) Set RIP broadcast to high.

  Command> set ether0 broadcast high

  7. Do not broadcast default routes.

  Command> set default off

  8. Set the IP address of the RADIUS server.

  Command> set authentic 192.168.120.10

  9. Set the RADIUS password.

  Command> set secret String

  10. Set the IP address of the RADIUS accounting server.

  Command> set accounting 192.168.120.10

  11. Use RADIUS-provided netmasks.

  Command> set user-netmask on

  12. Set the ChoiceNet server address.

  Command> set choicenet 192.168.120.10

  13. Set the ChoiceNet password.

  Command> set choicenet-secret  String

  14. Save the configuration to nonvolatile memory.

  Command> save all

       Configuring the Quad T1 Boards

  To configure a Quad T1 board, you set the view to the slot where the Quad T1 board is installed. Substitute your own information for variables.

  1. Set the slot to 0.

  Command> set view 0

  2. Set the base address of an address pool to slot 0.

  Command 0> set assigned_address 192.168.0.1

  3. Set the number of IP addresses in the pool.

  Command 0> set pool 92

  4. Set the switch type for slot 0.

  Command 0> set isdn-switch dms-100

  5. Set Line0 to PRI, slot 0.

  Command 0> set line0 isdn

  6. Set Line1 to PRI, slot 0.

  Command 0> set line1 isdn

  7. Set Line2 to PRI, slot 0.

  Command 0> set line2 isdn

  8. Set Line3 to PRI, slot 0.

  Command 0> set line3 isdn

  9. Save the configuration to nonvolatile RAM.

  Command 0> save all

  10. Reset the slot.

  Command 0> reset slot0

  11. Repeat the previous 10 steps for each installed Quad T1 board.

  You must change the view to the appropriate slot.

       Configuring General Settings

  Configure the following general settings for T1, E1, or ISDN PRI lines on PortMaster 4.

       Setting the View

  To configure a T1, E1, or ISDN PRI line, you must first set the view. Enter the show boards  command to determine the identification number of the line board you want to configure.

  The board identification number is the same as the number of the slot in which the T1 or E1 board is installed.

  Command> show boards

  Use the following command to set the view to a slot with an installed T1 or E1 line board:

  Command> set view Slotnumber

  Setting the view for a specific board gives you administrative access to that board.

       Displaying Line Status

  To display the status of a E1 or T1 line, use the following command:

  Command> show  Line0

       Configuring Line Use

  You can use a line as a single E1 or T1 line; as PRI B channels; as a fractional E1, ISDN, or T1 line divided into channel groups; or for in-band signaling for channelized T1 or E1.

  Note ¯ T1 and E1 lines require an external clock signal provided by the device to which the PortMaster is connected, or by the telephone company network.

  To configure a line, use the following command. Table 11-1 explains the line use options.

  Command> set  Line0|isdn |t1 |e1 |fractional |isdn-fractional |inband 

  Table 11-1 Line Use Options

Options	Descriptions
isdn	Configures the line as ISDN B channels. This is the default.
t1	Configures the entire line as a T1 line.
e1	Configures the entire line as an E1 line.
fractional	Allows a channelized T1 or E1 line to be divided into groups (see "Setting Channel Groups" on page 11-6).
isdn-fractional	Allows an ISDN PRI line to be divided into groups (see "Setting Channel Groups" on page 11-6).
inband	Sets the channelized T1 or E1 line for inband signaling.

  Caution ¯ If you configure a line for fractional T1 or fractional ISDN and reset the board before configuring the group and channels, you will no longer be able to see and configure the line.

  You use the fractional  keyword in this command to break up a channelized T1 line into groups. The isdn-fractional  keyword refers to PRI only.

       Configuring Fractional Settings

  The PortMaster 4 supports fractional service on T1, E1, or ISDN PRI lines. To configure a line for fractional use, you must create channel groups and assign channel numbers. You must also set the channel rate for a fractional T1 or E1 line.

       Setting Channel Groups

  You can divide the channels of a T1, E1, or ISDN PRI line into numbered groups after the line type has been set to fractional with the set  Line0 fractional  command.

  To set the channel group for a T1, E1, or ISDN PRI line, use the following command. Table 11-2 explains the channel group options.

  Command> set  Line0 group  Cgroup channels  Channel-list

  Table 11-2 Channel Group Options  

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3 (T1), or Line0 through Line2 (E1).
Cgroup	Group number from 1 to 63 that designates a port number on each T1, E1, or ISDN PRI line, or none  to unassign channels.
Channel-list	Space-separated list of one or more channel numbers, from 1 through 24 for T1, or 1 through 30 for E1. The channel numbers do not have to be contiguous.

       Setting the Channel Rate

  To set the channel rate to 56Kbps or 64Kbps for a channel group, use the following command. Table 11-3 explains the channel rate options.

  Command> set  Line0 group  Cgroup 56k|64k 

  Table 11-3 Channel Rate Options

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3 (T1), Line0 through Line2 (E1).
Cgroup	Defined channel group from 1 to 63.
56k	56Kbps, typically used for D4 framing.
64k	64Kbps, used for framing types other than D4. This is the default.

       Configuring ISDN PRI Settings

  Use the following settings to configure ISDN PRI on the PortMaster 4.

       Setting the ISDN PRI Switch

  The switch type information is available from your ISDN PRI service provider. To set the switch type for ISDN connections to the PortMaster ISDN PRI virtual ports, use the following command--entered on one line. Table 11-4 explains the ISDN switch options.

  Command> set isdn-switch ni-2 |dms-100 |4ess |att-5ess
 |net5 |vn2 |vn3 |1tr6 |ntt |kdd |ts014  

  Table 11-4 ISDN Switch Options  

 

ISDN Switch	Description
ni-2	National ISDN-2 (NI-2) compliant. This is the default.
dms-100	Northern Telecom DMS-100 Custom.
4ess	AT&T 4ESS.
att-5ess	AT&T 5ESS.
net5	European ISDN PRI standard.
vn2	France--older switch.
vn3	France--older switch.
1tr6	Germany--older switch.
ntt	Japan.
kdd	Japan.
ts014	Australia. To use this switch type, set the port type to network hardwired, set the directory number for the port appropriately, and reset the port.

       Setting the Framing Format

  To set the framing format used for the E1 or T1 line, use the following command. Table 11-5 explains the framing format options.

  Command> set  Line0 framing  esf |d4 |crc4 |fas 

  Table 11-5 T1 and E1 Framing Format Options

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3 (T1), Line0 through Line2 (E1).
esf	Extended superframe. This is the default format for T1 lines.
d4	D4 framing, an alternative format for T1 lines.
crc4	Cyclic redundancy check 4. This is the default format for E1 lines.
fas	Frame Alignment Signal, an alternative format for E1 lines.

       Setting the Encoding Method

  This command sets the encoding method used with T1 and E1 lines. Table 11-6 explains the encoding method options.

  Command> set  Line0 encoding  b8zs |ami |hdb3 

  Table 11-6 T1 and E1 Encoding Method Options 

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3 (T1), Line0 through Line2 (E1).
b8zs	Bipolar 8-zero substitution. This is the default for T1 lines.
ami	Alternate mark inversion.
hdb3	High-density bipolar 3. This is the default for E1 lines.

       Setting the Pulse Code Modulation

  You need to set the pulse code modulation only if you are using digital modems and your PRI service provider instructs you to change the setting to something other than the default. This command sets the method for "companding"--compressing and expanding--the amplitude of analog signals.

  To set the pulse code modulation, use the following command. Table 11-7 explains the pulse code modulation options.

  Command> set  Line0 pcm u-law |a-law 

  Table 11-7 T1 and E1 Pulse Code Modulation Options

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3 (T1), or Line0 through Line2 (E1).
u-law	Default method for T1 PRI lines.
a-law	Default method for E1 PRI lines.

       Setting the Loopback

  You can test the telephone line of your T1 or E1 ISDN connection by setting the local network loopback.

  To set the loopback, use the following command:

  Command> set  Line0 loopback on |off 

       Setting the Directory Number

  Normally, a T1 or E1 line has a single telephone number. However, when the line is set up as ISDN B channels, you can set a telephone number for an individual virtual port. This feature allows you to identify the circuit telephone number associated with a specific ISDN PRI port.

  To set a telephone number for an individual port when the line is configured as ISDN B channels, use the following command. Table 11-8 explains the directory number options.

  Command> set S0 directory Number

  Table 11-8

Options	Description
S0	One of the virtual ISDN PRI ports.
Number	Access telephone number.

Directory Number Options

       Configuring True Digital Modems

  Each Quad T1 board with internal modems has 34 modems installed on it plus 64 modems arranged on a daughterboard that plugs directly into the Quad T1 board. There are 96 active modems per board, plus 2 modems acting as hot spares.

  Similarly, the Tri E1 board with internal modems has 98 modems per board, with 90 active modems and 8 hot spares.

  You can install up to nine Quad T1 or Tri E1 boards into the PortMaster 4 chassis, for a total of 882 modems--864 active modems plus 18 hot standby modems for Quad T1 boards, or 810 active modems plus 72 hot standby modems for Tri E1 boards.

  All Quad T1 and Tri E1 boards can be hot swapped.

  Note ¯ Digital modems require no configuration or initialization string.

 

  Use the show  M0 and show modems  commands to display modem status.

       Setting Digital Modems to Analog Service

  When analog modem service is required for dial-out network connections, you can convert the analog service to digital service.

  To set the digital modems to analog modem service for the specified location, use the following command. Table 11-9 explains the analog modem options.

  Command> set location  Locname analog  on |off 

  Table 11-9 Analog Modem Options 

 

Option	Description
Locname	Location name that is in the location table.
on	Enables analog modem service on dial-out.
off	Disables analog modem service on dial-out, and causes the service to revert to ISDN.

       Displaying Modem Status

  Use the following command to display the settings for a particular modem:

  Command> show  M0

  You can display the status for all digital modems. Modem states are as follows:

•  ACTIVE--in use
•  READY--available for use
•  ADMIN--busy
•  TEST--under test
•  DOWN--unavailable

  To display the status for all modems, use the following command:

  Command> show modems 

       Troubleshooting Digital Modems

  The debug  command is useful for troubleshooting the digital modems and Multichassis PPP events on the PortMaster 4. Output is sent to the system console set by the set console  command. After completing the debugging process, disable the debug  commands by using the correct set debug off  command, and reset the console with the reset console  command. Debug information is displayed to the console.

  To set debug flags used for troubleshooting, use the following command--entered on one line:

  Command> set debug mdp-status |mdp-events on |off 

  Table 11-10 explains the debug options for the PortMaster 4

  Table 11-10 Debug Options for the PortMaster 4

 

Option	Description
mdp-status	Set on  to display the status of the digital modems.
mdp-events	Set on  to display the progress of the digital modems as they initialize.

       Configuring Channelized T1 or E1

  The PortMaster 4 supports channelized T1 service on the Quad T1 board and channelized E1 service on the Tri E1 board.

       Channelized T1 Service

  Channelized T1 service provides 24 channels of 56Kbps capacity each. In contrast, an ISDN PRI line provides 23 channels of 64Kbps capacity each--plus one 64Kbps signaling channel. However, channelized T1 is available in many service areas that do not yet provide ISDN PRI. In areas where PRI is available, the cost of channelized T1 can be significantly less than the cost of PRI.

  Each Quad T1 board on the PortMaster 4 has an integrated channel service unit/digital service unit (CSU/DSU). However, the other end of a T1 connection might require an external clock signal provided by the telephone company, or a CSU/DSU.

 

How to Order DS-1 Service from the Telephone Company

  The telephone company will ask you the following two questions when you order digital service level 1 (DS-1) service:

•  What signaling protocol do you use?

    You can use any one of the following signaling protocols on the PortMaster 4:

    ¯ E & M wink start 

    ¯ E & M immediate start

    ¯ Foreign exchange station (FXS) 

•  If you use E & M wink start, how many Directory Number Identification Service (DNIS) digits do you need?

    The PortMaster 4 requires one DNIS digit.

  Record the line parameters provided by the telephone company.

 

Setting the In-Band Signaling Protocol for T1

  To set the in-band signaling protocol and the in-band call options used with channelized T1, use the following command. Table 11-11 explains the in-band signaling protocol options.

  Command> set  Line0 signaling wink |immediate |fxs 

  Table 11-11 T1 In-Band Signaling Protocol Options

 

Option	Description
Line0	Line0 through Line3.
wink	E & M wink start protocol, an option for use with T1 lines. This is the T1 default.
immediate	E & M immediate start protocol, used with T1 lines.
fxs	Foreign exchange station (FXS) loop start protocol used with T1 lines.

 

Configuring the PortMaster 4 for Channelized T1

  Follow these steps to configure a Quad T1 board on the PortMaster 4 to use channelized T1 service:

  1. Set the view

  Command> set view Slotnumber

  2. Set the line for in-band signaling.

  Command Slotnumber> set Line0  inband

  3. Set the signaling protocol and the line provisioning.

  Command Slotnumber> set Line0  signaling  wink|immediate|fxs

  4. Set the framing format for the line.

  Command Slotnumber> set  Line0  framing esf|d4

  5. Set the encoding method for the line.

  Command Slotnumber> set  Line0  encoding b8zs|ami

  6. Repeat Steps 2 through 5 for the other three T1 lines on the Quad T1 board.

  7. Save the configuration changes and reset the slot.

  Command Slotnumber> save all
Command Slotnumber> reset slotSlotnumber

  8. Use the following command to display the configuration for each line:

  Command Slotnumber> show  Line0  

 

Example Channelized T1 Configuration

  This example configures Line1 on a Quad T1 board for channelized T1 service using E & M wink start, extended superframe format, and bipolar 8-zero substitution.

  Command> set view 2
Command 2> set line1 inband
Command 2> set line1 signaling wink
Command 2> set line1 framing esf
Command 2>  set line1 encoding b8zs
Command 2> save all
Command 2> reset slot2

  The following example display shows the output from the show line1  command for this configuration:

  Command 2> show line1  

  ----------------------line1 - T1 Inband DS0 ------------------
Status: UP Framing: ESF Encoding: 8ZS PCM: u-law
Signaling: Trunk E&M wink start Options: inbound calls only
Receive Level: +2dB to -7.5dB
Alarms Violations
---------------------------------------------------------------
Blue 0 Bipolar 0
Yellow 1 CRC Errors 0
Receive Carrier Loss 0 Multiframe Sync 0
Loss of Sync 0

       Channelized E1 Service

  Channelized E1 service is a digital standard used outside the United States. E1 technology is an improvement over T1 because it is slightly faster and contains 32 channels of 64Kbps capacity each. One channel is reserved for administrative uses, and one channel is used for signaling.

 

Setting the In-Band Signaling Protocol for E1

  Although PortMaster products do not require dial digits (the calling number and caller ID) when establishing a connection, most telephone companies transmit this information by default. You can use the r2generic  signaling option if you do not require dial digits, but you must first arrange for the telephone company to not transmit these signals.

  The PortMaster defaults to r2generic  when you set the line to in-band (see "Configuring Line Use" on page 11-5).

  To accept caller ID and dial digit tones, use the mrf2  option. Because some countries implement different variations of multifrequency robbed bit signaling (MFR2), you must specify a profile with the mfr2  option.

  To set the in-band signaling protocol and in-band call options for channelized E1, use the following command. Table 11-12 explains the in-band signaling protocol options and profiles.

  Command> set  line0 signaling r2generic |mfr2  Profile

  Table 11-12 E1 In-Band Signaling Protocol Options  

 

Option	Profile	Description
Line0		Line0 through Line2.
r2generic		Generic R2, the default; no caller ID and dial digit tones are exchanged.
mfr2		Accept caller ID and dial digit tones.
	0	ITU standard; used in Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. This is the default.
	1	Mexico.
	2	Brazil and Tunisia.
	3	Venezuela.
	4	Mexico. Profile 4 is a subset of profile 1 and is used with switches that do not support caller ID. This profile can be used in Mexico whenever profile 1 is used, but the reverse is not true.

 

Configuring the PortMaster 4 for Channelized E1

  Follow these steps to configure a Tri E1 board on the PortMaster 4 for channelized E1 service:

  1. Set the view

  Command> set view Slotnumber

  2. Set the line for in-band signaling.

  Command Slotnumber> set Line0  inband

  3. Set the signaling protocol and the line provisioning.

  Command Slotnumber> set Line0  signaling  r2generic|mfr2 Profile

  4. Set the framing format for the line.

  Command Slotnumber> set  Line0  framing crc4|fas

  5. Set the encoding method for the line.

  Command Slotnumber> set  Line0  encoding hdb3|ami

  6. Repeat Steps 2 through 5 for the other two lines on the Tri E1 board.

  7. Save the configuration changes and reset the slot.

  Command Slotnumber> save all
Command Slotnumber> reset slotSlotnumber

  8. Use the following command to display the configuration for each E1 line:

  Command Slotnumber> show  Line0  

       Using NFAS for ISDN PRI

  Non-facility associated signaling (NFAS) is an ISDN PRI protocol that allows you to define one or two D channels to carry signaling messages for up to 20 T1 lines, or interfaces . This feature relieves telephone companies and Internet service providers (ISPs) of the need to provide D channel signaling for each T1 interface, and increases bandwidth by making those D channels available to carry data.

  Most telephone companies offer two varieties of NFAS:

•  Standard NFAS --A PRI service in which one T1 interface provides D channel signaling for an NFAS group of up to 20 interfaces
•  NFAS with D channel backup (DCBU) --A PRI service in which two T1 interfaces provide D channel signaling for an NFAS group of up to 20 T1 interfaces

    In the D channel backup system, one T1 interface is configured as the primary interface and another is configured as the secondary interface. If the primary interface fails, the secondary interface takes over signaling responsibilities for the group. When the failed primary interface returns to service, it backs up the secondary interface.

  The Lucent ComOS implementation of NFAS supports both standard NFAS and NFAS with D channel backup, but recommends NFAS with backup.

       Understanding Standard NFAS

  If you have NFAS without backup, you gain one B channel. The drawback is that if the primary interface fails, you have no backup D channel and no calls are possible on any of the lines in the group until the primary interface reactivates.

  To enable NFAS without backup, you define an NFAS group and configure one T1 line as the primary interface and the remaining T1 lines as slave interfaces. See "Standard NFAS" on page 11-20 for an example configuration.

       Understanding NFAS with D Channel Backup

  To enable NFAS with D channel backup, you define an NFAS group and configure one T1 line as the primary interface, another T1 line as the secondary interface, and the remaining T1 lines as slave interfaces. The primary T1 interface carries signaling messages for its own interface, the secondary interface, and all slave interfaces in the NFAS group.

  When you reset the slot of a PortMaster 4 configured for NFAS with backup, the D channels on the primary and secondary interfaces initialize in "out of service" mode. The switch then puts the D channel on the primary interface in "in service" mode and the D channel on the secondary interface in "standby" mode. As call traffic commences on the T1 interfaces, the primary D channel handles signaling messages for all channels in the interface group, which typically include the primary T1 interface, the secondary T1 interface, and other T1 interfaces configured as slave interfaces.

  If the primary interface fails, all calls in process are dropped on all interfaces serviced by that D channel. The D channel on the secondary interface switches to "in service" mode and begins to carry signaling messages for channels on the secondary T1 interface and all other slave interfaces previously serviced by the primary T1 interface. Call traffic does not resume until the D channel on the secondary interface switches to "in service" mode and begins carrying signaling messages.

  Meanwhile, the switch attempts repeatedly to activate the primary interface. When the primary interface restarts, the D channel on that interface goes into "standby" mode and does not preempt the "in service" function from the secondary interface. Message signals for the reactivated primary T1 interface are carried by the D channel on the secondary T1 interface.

       Multichassis Capacity

  The ComOS implementation of NFAS is designed for use across multiple PortMaster 4 slots configured as a group on the same Ethernet. A group is an arbitrary number between 1 and 99 that you assign to an interface. You can define multiple groups of T1 interfaces on the same Ethernet segment, but each group must be supported by its own primary and secondary D channel pair.

  NFAS message signaling travels over Ethernet using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and UDP port 1650. A reliable, proprietary protocol provides packet sequencing, acknowledgment for packets, and retransmission of lost packets.

       Fault Tolerance

  When you configure NFAS with D channel backup, you set one line as the primary interface, one line as the secondary interface, and the remaining lines in the group as slave interfaces. To increase the fault tolerance of the group, you can set the secondary interface on a different Quad T1 board from the primary interface.

  With the primary and secondary interfaces on separate boards, all calls in the group are dropped when the primary interface board fails, but service resumes as soon as the secondary interface assumes D channel signaling responsibilities. See "Configuring NFAS with D Channel Backup" on page 11-17 for instructions on this type of fault-tolerant configuration.

       NFAS Limitations

  Each Quad T1 board can handle only one interface group and one type of signaling:

•  The four T1 interfaces on any Quad T1 line board cannot belong to different groups.
•  When you configure NFAS on one T1 interface, the other T1 interfaces cannot run in standard PRI mode.

  However, you can configure more than one Quad T1 board in the same group.

       Provisioning

  Because NFAS requires additional control command exchanges, NFAS T1 interfaces are provisioned differently at the switch. To help you determine the kind of provisioning you require for ISDN setup, refer to the information on the Lucent website at http://www.livingston.com .

       Configuring NFAS

  To configure NFAS on a T1 line, use the following command:

  Command> set Line0 nfas primary|secondary|slave |disabled  Identifier Group

  See the PortMaster 4 Command Line Reference for syntax information.

       Configuring NFAS with D Channel Backup

  This section describes how to configure NFAS with the D channel backup interface set, for fault tolerance, on a different Quad T1 board from the primary interface. The primary interface is set on Line0 in slot 0 for NFAS group 5. The secondary interface is set on Line0 in slot 1. All other T1 interfaces on these two boards on the PortMaster 4 are set as slave interfaces for this group.

  If you configure NFAS without D channel backup, do not configure a secondary interface. The configuration is otherwise the same.

  To configure NFAS with backup, follow this procedure:

  1. Set the view to the line board you want to configure.

  Command> set view 0
Command 0>

  The view is changed from the manager module to slot 0.

  2. Set the primary interface, the line number, and the NFAS group.

  Command 0> set line0 nfas primary 0 5

  Line0 is set as the primary interface for NFAS group 5.

  3. Set the other interfaces as slave interfaces on the line board in slot 0.

  Command 0> set line1 nfas slave 1 5
Command 0> set line1 nfas slave 2 5
Command 0> set line1 nfas slave 3 5

  Line1, Line2, and Line3 are set as slave interfaces in NFAS group 5.

  4. Save the configuration and reset the slot to make the changes take effect.

  Command 0> save all
 Command 0> reset slot0 

  5. Change the view to the slot containing the line board you want to set as the secondary interface, and set line 0 as the secondary interface.

  Command 0> set view 1
Command 1> set line0 nfas primary 4 5

  Line0 in slot 1 is set as the secondary interface for NFAS group 5. It is NFAS member number 4.

  6. Set the other interfaces as slave interfaces.

  Command 1> set line1 nfas slave 5 6
Command 1> set line2 nfas slave 6 5
Command 1> set line3 nfas slave 7 5

  7. Save the configuration and reset the slot to make the changes take effect.

  Command 1> save all
Command 1> reset slot1

  8. Configure any additional interfaces for this NFAS group--up to a maximum of 20--as slave interfaces, save the configurations, and reset slots as appropriate.

  Note ¯ When you configure a line board for NFAS, all interfaces on the board must use NFAS. You cannot configure some of the interfaces for standard PRI.

       Displaying Information about NFAS Configurations

  Use the show  Line0 command to display NFAS settings on an interface. For example, to display NFAS settings on a line board in slot 3, enter the following commands:

  Command> set view 3
Command 3> show line3 

  Use the show nfas  command to display a list of the members, called "neighbors," in an NFAS group. You must connect to a slot configured for NFAS to use this command. For example, to list the members of an NFAS group of which slot 2 is a member, enter the following commands:

  Command 3> set view 2
 Command 2> show nfas

  Enter the following command to display the last 40 significant messages exchanged between a PortMaster and its neighbors:

  Command> show nfas history

       Troubleshooting NFAS

  Use the set debug nfas  command to diagnose problems or errors during testing. For example, to receive debug information from the line board in slot 3, enter the following commands:

  Command 2> set console
 Command 2> set view 3
 Command 3> set debug nfas on

  Refer to the PortMaster Command Line Reference for more information about NFAS commands.

       Example NFAS Configurations

  This section provides sample configurations to illustrate basic NFAS configuration for standard NFAS and NFAS without D channel backup.

 

NFAS with D Channel Backup

  The convention, when configuring NFAS, is to set interface 0 as the primary D channel. In this example, Line0 in slot 0 is set as the primary D channel for group 5, Line1 in slot 1 is the backup D channel, and all other interfaces are set as slave interfaces.

  Command> set view 0
Command 0> set line0 nfas primary 0 5
Command 0> set line1 nfas slave 1 5
Command 0> set line2 nfas slave 2 5
Command 0> set line3 nfas slave 3 5
Command 0> save all
Command 0> reset slot0

  Command> set view 1
Command 1> set line0 nfas secondary 4 5
Command 1> set line1 nfas slave 5 5
Command 1> set line2 nfas slave 6 5
Command 1> set line3 nfas slave 7 5
Command 1> save all
Command 1> reset slot1

  To take full advantage of NFAS, you can configure three more Quad T1 boards as slave interfaces for a maximum of 20 interfaces.

 

Standard NFAS

  The convention, when configuring NFAS, is to set interface 0 as the primary D channel. In this example, Line0 in slot 0 is set as the primary D channel for group 5. All other interfaces are set as slave interfaces.

  Command> set view 0
Command 0> set line0 nfas primary 0 5
Command 0> set line1 nfas slave 1 5
Command 0> set line2 nfas slave 2 5
Command 0> set line3 nfas slave 3 5
Command 0> save all
Command 0> reset slot0

  Command> set view 1
Command 1> set line0 nfas slave 4 5
Command 1> set line1 nfas slave 5 5
Command 1> set line2 nfas slave 6 5
Command 1> set line3 nfas slave 7 5
Command 1> save all
Command 1> reset slot1

  To take full advantage of NFAS, you can configure three more Quad T1 boards as slave interfaces for a maximum of 20 interfaces.

       Configuring SS7

  Signaling System 7 (SS7) is an out-of-band signaling system that provides fast call setup by means of high-speed connections and transactions. SS7 uses physical out-or-band signaling, which means that signaling is transmitted over a full-duplex, 64Kbps digital transmission channel on an entirely separate network from the voice and/or data information. Voice and/or data traffic flows over intermachine trunks (IMTs). SS7 makes possible features such as caller ID, call forwarding, and call waiting. When you configure SS7, you identify an SS7 gateway to the signaling network that does call management for user traffic on IMTs.

  Because modem pools are managed on a slot-by-slot basis, each slot in the PortMaster 4 configured for IMTs is an SS7 client and sets up an independent session with the SS7 gateway. A PortMaster 4 supports only one SS7 gateway and can dedicate only 96 modems on its installed Quad T1 or Tri E1 boards to SS7.

  You configure the PortMaster 4 for SS7 by setting the SS7 gateway address and TCP port, the TCP port on the PortMaster 4 and, occasionally, the switch type. You must configure each slot independently. The SS7 gateway address and target TCP port are provided by the SS7 gateway administrator. The TCP port of the PortMaster 4 is the base value that is used to generate the source TCP port number for the Quad T1 or Tri E1 board in each slot that has active IMTs. The actual port number is the base value plus the board's slot number.

       Setting the Intermachine Trunk

  To specify the SS7 gateway that does call management (signaling) for intermachine trunks (IMTs), use the following command:

  Command> set imt-parms Ipaddress Tport1 Tport1 [1a|default]

  See the PortMaster 4 Command Line Reference for syntax information.

  How you configure the IMT depends on whether you use the default 5ESS switch type or the optional 1A switch type.

 

Using a Default Switch Type

  To configure the PortMaster 4 to communicate with an SS7 gateway using the default IMT switch type, you set only the IP address and port number of the gateway, and the PortMaster 4 base port number. You do not need to set the switch type--if it is not specified, the default is assumed.

  For example, to set an SS7 gateway with IP address 192.168.10.10  and TCP port number 10000  to communicate with a line board in slot 0  on TCP port 7000 , enter the following commands:

  Command> set view 0
Command 0> set imt-parms 192.168.10.10 10000 7000
Changed gateway IP address from 0.0.0.0 to 192.168.10.10
Changed gateway port from 0 to 10000
Changed local port from 7000 to 7000

  The local port number (7000 )  is the TCP socket address the PortMaster 4 uses to communicate with the SS7 gateway. Because each Quad T1 or Tri E1 line board you configure for SS7 automatically adds its own slot number to the base port number, you use the same IMT base port number for each slot you configure. Always configure slot 0 first.

  You must then save the configuration and reboot the PortMaster for the changes to take effect.

  Command 0> save all
Command 0> reset slot0

 

Using the Optional 1A Switch Type for T1

  To configure the PortMaster 4 to communicate with an SS7 gateway using the 1A IMT switch type, you must specify the switch type when you set the IP address and port number of the gateway, and the PortMaster 4 base port number. The 1A  setting allows the PortMaster 4 to interpret the loopback command from the SS7 gateway as a 1A continuity check request. Because 1A switches require continuity checks, you must group 1A IMTs together on a board-by-board basis.

  When you use the 1A setting, you must also set robbed bit signaling (RBS) on the line and configure the appropriate line encoding and framing. With this setting, the PortMaster 4 treats the IMT as a robbed bit signaled line with twenty-four 56Kbps channels. It sets the bits to indicate an on-hook condition as specified by the E & M wink start protocol.

  For example, to set an SS7 gateway with IP address 192.168.10.10  and TCP port number 10000  to communicate with a line board in slot 0  on TCP port 7000  using a 1A switch, enter the following commands:

  Command > set view 0
Command 0> set imt 192.168.10.10 10000 7000 1a
Changed gateway IP address from 0.0.0.0 to 192.168.10.10
Changed gateway port from 0 to 10000
Changed local port from 7000 to 7000
Changed switch type from default to 1a

  Save the configuration and reboot the PortMaster to make the changes take effect.

  Command 0> save all
Command 0> reset slot0

  Because you must group 1A IMTs together on a board-by-board basis for continuity check requests, you must then set robbed bit signaling on all active lines in the slot. For example, to configure Line0 on a Quad T1 board in slot 0 to use robbed bit signaling, enter the following commands:

  Command 4> set view 0
Command 0> set line0 imt
Command 0> set line0 signaling rbs

  Note ¯ You set line signaling only for 1A type switches. When robbed bit signaling is not set, the IMT supports 24 64Kbps channels.

  After you set line signaling for each line you want to use for SS7, you must reset the slot. For example, to reset slot 0, enter the following commands:

  Command 0> set view 4
Command 4> reset slot 0

       Viewing SS7 Configurations

  To display SS7 configuration information on a slot-by-slot basis, use the following command:

  Command 0> show imt

  To display configuration information for a specified line, use the following command and substitute the desired line number:

  Command 0> show Line0

       Troubleshooting SS7 Configurations

  This section provides information on checking activity between the slot on the PortMaster 4 and the SS7 gateway. To troubleshoot modems, see "Troubleshooting Digital Modems" on page 11-11.

 

Checking SS7 Gateway Initialization

  Caution ¯ Because debug commands can significantly slow throughput on line boards, Lucent recommends that you do not perform debugging operations on production lines.

  To view SS7 debug information for a Quad T1 or Tri E1 board, set the view to the slot and enter the following commands:

  Command 1> set console
Command 1> set debug imt on

  For example, the following sample output shows a partial stream of debug messages that indicate slot 1 activity until the SS7 gateway is completely initialized. The output shows only "heartbeat" information when the gateway is in a ready state.

  slot1: imt_hangup: line(1), slot(23)

  slot1: imt_hangup: line(1) slot(23) flags(0) state(1)

  slot1: imt_hangup: state 1, done

  slot1: imt_hangup: done

  slot1: imt_receive_data: got heartbeat

  slot1: imt_proc: IMT_HEARTBEAT

  slot1: imt_process_heartbeat: sent heartbeat

  slot1: imt_send_data: sent packet

  slot1: 00

  slot1: 00

  slot1: imt_receive_data: got heartbeat

  slot1: imt_proc: IMT_HEARTBEAT

  slot1: imt_process_heartbeat: sent heartbeat

  slot1: imt_send_data: sent packet

  slot1: 00

  slot1: 00

  The following example shows output from slot 2 when the SS7 gateway is not working. This kind of output indicates that the gateway is not "listening" or is not configured with the correct IP address and socket number.

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

  slot2: imt_gw_conn_established: not!

 

Displaying Session Information

  When the SS7 gateway is active and a session is established, use the show netconns  command to display session information. The following output to the show netconns  command shows that slot 1 and slot 2 (handles S2 and S1) have established sessions with the gateway:

  Command 0> show netconns

  Hnd Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address (state)

  21 0 0 192.168.10.10.23 0.0.0.0.0 LISTEN

  20 0 0 192.168.10.10.23 172.16.10.10.40982 ESTABLISHED

  19 0 0 192.168.10.10.67 0.0.0.0.0 UDP

  18 0 2 192.168.10.10.23 172.20.23.25.21082 ESTABLISHED

  17 0 0 192.168.10.10.10100 0.0.0.0.0 LISTEN

  16 0 0 192.168.10.10.10099 0.0.0.0.0 LISTEN

  15 0 0 192.168.10.10.1643 0.0.0.0.0 LISTEN

  14 0 0 192.168.10.10.1701 0.0.0.0.0 UDP

  5 0 0 192.168.10.10.1044 192.168.10.12.1646 UDP

  3 0 0 192.168.10.10.520 0.0.0.0.0 UDP

  S2 0 0 192.168.10.10.7002 192.168.10.12.10000 ESTABLISHED

  S1 0 0 198.36.134.10.7001 192.168.10.12.10000 ESTABLISHED

       SS7 Configuration Examples

  This section provides two sample SS7 configurations: one for the default switch type, and one using the 1A switch type. Each example shows how to configure slot 0 and slot 1. The SS7 gateway is at address 192.168.10.10  and is listening for SS7 signaling on port 10000 . Port 7000  on the PortMaster 4 is the IMT base port for both slot 0 and slot 1.

 

Default Configuration

  Configure slot 0.

  set view 0
set imt 192.168.10.10 10000 7000
save all
reset slot0

  Configure slot 1.

  set view 1
set imt 192.168.10.10 10000 7000
save all
reset slot1

 

1A Switch Type Configuration

  Configure slot 0.

  set view 0
set imt 192.168.10.10 10000 7000 1a

  Set line signaling on all lines you want to use for SS7 in slot 0.

  set line0 imt
set line0 signaling rbs
. . .

  save all
reset slot0

  Configure slot 1.

  set view 1
set imt 192.168.10.10 10000 7000 1a

  Set line signaling on all lines you want to use for SS7 in slot 1.

  set line0 imt
set line0 signaling rbs
. . .

  save all
reset slot1