M2PA is a protocol supporting the transport of Signaling
System Number 7 (SS7) Message Transfer Part (MTP) Layer
3 signaling messages over Internet Protocol (IP) using
the services of the Stream Control Transmission Protocol
(SCTP). This protocol would be used between SS7 Signaling
Points employing the MTP Level 3 protocol and having
IP network to connect the two SS7 points. SS7 Signaling
Points may also employ standard SS7 links using the
SS7 MTP Layer 2 to provide transport of MTP Layer 3
signaling messages.
M2PA provides the same services to MTP3 in IP network
as MTP2 does in SS7 Network.
Typical
Network Configuration of M2PA
M2PA Applications
The diagram below shows typical network configuration
of M2PA. Some of the possible applications of M2PA include
M2PA used in SS7 offloading applications
Communication between node SEP1 and SEP2 is done via
two SGs. Both SEP1 and SEP2 are connected to two different
Signaling Gateways via SS7 interface. These Signaling
Gateways are connected to each other via SIGTRAN (M2Pa
+ SCTP) and acts as STP Nodes. Signaling messages
from SEP1 and SEP2 are passed via these two Signaling
Gateways. This application can be termed as SS7 offload.
M2PA used in IP based signaling points
In this case Signaling Points are connected to each
other using IP network. These IP based signaling points
(IPSP) uses M2PA links instead of MTP2 links. These
IP bases signaling points can also connect to signaling
points in SS7 network, via M2PA based Signaling Gateway.
