STRATUS ENHANCES SERVICE CONTROL POINT PLATFORM FOR INTELLIGENT NETWORKS
New SCEnic/SCP Release Provides Advanced Capabilities for Service
Creation, Implementation, and Management
Marlboro, Mass., October 14, 1997 - Stratus Computer, Inc. today
introduced a new, robust, and easy-to-use version of the SCEnicTM/Service
Control Point (SCP) platform, the company's open, standards-based
solution for developing and delivering continuously available
Intelligent Network (IN) service applications.
SCEnic/SCP Release 2.0 offers application developers, service providers,
and systems integrators comprehensive service creation, control, and
management capabilities - as well as a full-function runtime environment
- for sophisticated Intelligent Networks. It supports IN call control
applications such as Freephone 800/888, 900 number, alternate billing,
line information database (LIDB), and local number portability (LNP).
The new SCEnic/SCP features a graphical user interface (GUI)-based
service creation environment (SCE), designed to streamline service
development, testing, and deployment; a full set of GUI-based tools for
managing the service life cycle; improved version control support; SCP
database performance enhancements; and expanded support for both North
American (ANSI) and international (ETSI/ITU) advanced intelligent
network standards.
Release 2.0 supports the Stratus® Continuum® Series family of
continuously available computers. It runs under the FTXTM operating
system, the Stratus' fault-tolerant UNIX® operating environment. The
service creation and service management functions reside on a UNIX
workstation.
"This 'industrial-strength' platform reduces substantially the time and
cost for SCP service development and management," said John Scanlon,
Vice President of Telecommunications Systems at Stratus. "It gives our
customers and application partners a unique combination of advantages,
including Stratus' industry-leading fault tolerance; open hardware and
software architectures; remote system monitoring; support for IN
standards; and proven IN experience.
"By starting with an entry-level Continuum 400 system, SCEnic/SCP offers
a cost-effective way to enter the IN world," Mr. Scanlon said. "Users
can start with the platform that meets their needs today, then scale up
to larger Continuum systems to take advantage of future revenue
opportunities."
Matthew Lam, Director of Network Planning for the major Hong Kong
carrier New T&T, pointed to the Stratus SCP platform as a critical
element in his company's network. "The icon-based service creation
environment makes IN software development much faster and easier. This
is key to the success of our business," he said. New T&T uses the
Stratus product to support local number portability and other advanced
IN services.
Kerry Slota, AIN Developer at Gulf Telephone, said the Foley,
Alabama-based independent service provider selected SCEnic/SCP because
it is "feature-rich, easy-to-use and very affordable." Gulf currently
has a caller name delivery application based on the initial version of
SCEnic/SCP and plans to build new "follow me"/roaming and credit card
verification services on the new release. "The original SCEnic/SCP
version was very user-friendly and didn't require a lot of training,"
said Mr. Slota. "We're installing the new one to take advantage of the
upgrades that will make application development even easier, as well as
the additional functionality it offers."
State-of-the-Art Features
With Release 2.0, the SCEnic/SCP service creation environment offers an
expanded set of graphical tools, including tools for specifying a
service logic program (SLP) and its associated reports and database
templates. SLPs, reports, database templates, and program execution
tools can be automatically downloaded to the SCP. There is no need to
manually create traditional UNIX character-based commands and scripts.
In addition, service validation features have been expanded, allowing
SLPs to be fully prototyped prior to deployment. This enables developers
to be sure that their applications will work as intended before they are
brought online.
Release 2.0 provides GUI support for the entire service life cycle, with
management tools supporting service specification, implementation,
activation and deactivation, provisioning, monitoring, and modification.
Built-in SLP version control allows multiple versions of a service -
along with all associated templates and reports and tools - to be
downloaded to the SCP and dynamically enabled or disabled without
affecting ongoing network service.
Database performance enhancements include redesign of the service data
function (SDF) to maximize data throughput. The result is a significant
improvement in the number of service subscribers that can be supported
on a given system installation.
Compliance with key international standards ensures that SCEnic/SCP will
fit in a range of network environments. These standards include ITU
Q.1200 recommendations (CS1) message set, ITU '93 standards for TCAP
signaling, and ETSI INAP and AIN 0.1 call models. Release 2.0 adds
expanded ETSI messaging, including support for ETSI-style mid-call
detection points and triggers.
SCEnic/SCP is built on the Stratus Intelligent Network Applications
Platform (SINAP®). Deployed in more than 60 wireless and wireline
service providers' networks worldwide, SINAP is a full UNIX-based
implementation of the SS7 protocol for building and linking IN elements.
Configurations and Availability
Available immediately worldwide, SCEnic/SCP Release 2.0 is configured as
individually priced service creation and runtime environments. Users may
choose from AIN, ETSI or ETSI/AIN runtime variants.
Prices vary with the Continuum Series model on which the system is
based. Upgrades from Release 1.0 to Release 2.0 are available free of
charge to customers with Stratus SCEnic/SCP maintenance agreements.
Future upgrades will also be free to maintenance agreement holders.
Based in Marlboro, Massachusetts, Stratus Computer, Inc. (NYSE:SRA) is
the premier supplier of computer systems and services where continuous
availability is a critical need. Stratus and its subsidiaries offer a
broad range of continuously available computer platforms, application
software, middleware, and professional services. The company markets its
systems and solutions to a range of industries in more than 60
countries. Stratus posted revenue of $609.3 million in fiscal year 1996.
For more information, see Stratus on the Internet at
http://www.stratus.com.
Stratus Contact:
Lynette Gutcho
Tel: 508-490-6430
Fax: 508-485-6603
e-mail: lynette_gutcho@stratus.com
http://www.stratus.com
Editors Note: Stratus, the Stratus logo, Continuum, and SINAP are
registered trademarks, and FTX and SCEnic are trademarks of Stratus
Computer, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and
other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited.
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