Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP)

Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) is an IETF-defined protocol for controlling media gateways (MGs) from external call control elements called Media Gateway Controllers (MGCs) or Call Agents. Aricent’s MGCP Stack and other Voice over Packet (VoP) software solutions provide a complete set of building blocks for quickly developing next-generation solutions that meet the carrier-class requirements of redundancy, scalability and reliability.

MGCP is central to VoP solutions and may be integrated into products such as central office switches, gateways, network access servers, cable modems, and PBXs to develop a convergent voice and data solution. The current shipping release is Release 2.0 and is uniquely designed to meet the functional and performance needs of next-generation networks.

Aricent’s Companion Lifecycle Services

The majority of Aricent’s products are delivered with tailored combinations of our Lifecycle Services, including Global Innovation and Design, Product Development, Testing and Certification, Network Engineering, Maintenance and Support, and Business Operations and Systems Integration. Aricent’s engineers and consultants have successfully completed thousands of services engagements globally using flexible delivery models ranging from on-site to off-shore. Aricent’s services offer deep communications domain expertise, cost and time efficiencies, quick ramp up and contemporary commercial engagement models including end-to-end commitments. 

Functions

• Transaction management
• Encoding/Decoding and parameter validation of MGCP messages
• Reporting of peer entity failure
• Reliable transport

MGCP Protocol commands on MGC

• Notification request
• Create, modify and delete connection
• Audit endpoint, audit connection
• Endpoint configuration, experimental command

MGCP Protocol commands on MG

• Restart in progress
• Delete connection
• Notify

Event Packages supported per following documents:

• RFC 3064 (CAS Packages)
• PacketCable Network-Based Call Signaling Protocol specification
• PacketCable PSTN Gateway Call Signaling Protocol specification
• draft-mgcp-basic-packages-01.txt.
• draft-rajeshkumar-mgcp-atm-package-01.txt
• draft-foster-mgcp-nas-01
• draft-srinath-mgcp-bus-packages-01. (Feature key and business phone package)
• draft-foster-mgcp-cas-packages-00.txt
• ATM SDP support as per RFC 3108

MGCP Stack Interfaces

• Exports protocol APIs and management APIs to application

Bulk Audits supported as per draft-foster-mgcp-bulkaudits-00

RFC 2833 support

Interfaces provided:

• Interface to register with stack
• Interface to configure protocol parameters
• Interface to the MG/MGC application for sending protocol messages

Flexibility to piggyback messages

Protocol message encoding and decoding services and parameter validation services

Features

• MGCP Stack conforms to RFC 2705 Version 1.0 and RFC 3435

Scalability

• Capability offered by design, for scaling as target application grows
• Achieved by dimensioning stack based on capacity requirements of user

Operation and Management Support

• Extensive support for operations support and debugging support
• Statistics collection (error reporting for multiple error levels and multiple error types)
• Multi-level tracing support

Interoperability

• Aricent authored the test profiles for the ISC MGCP interop event held on November 4th 2001.
• Aricent successfully participated with both the MG and MGC implementations in the ISC MGCP Interop.
• Aricent helped organize the ISC MGCP Interop Event by playing the Interop lead and authoring test profile.
• Aricent successfully participated with both the MG and MGC implementations in the ISC MGCP Interop (April 2001)
• Aricent participated in the PacketCable Compliance Wave Dry Run testing in December 2000 with both MG and MGC implementations
• Support for PacketCable Network-based Call Signaling and Trunking Gateway Control Protocol profile
• Both MG and MGC support
• Multiple application registration support
• Redundancy support
• Transport Layer Interface supports
  • UDP Transport Layer
  • At-most-once functionality
  • Three-way handshake
  • Piggybacking of messages
  • Provisional response
• Text-based message encoding
• Supports one-level of embedding commands
• System management interface
• Data-driven package implementation
• Extensive and flexible package support
• Well-defined and documented APIs
• Flexible Packaging Option: MG and MGC only, with or without NCS and TGCP profile support

Deliverables

• Source Code for MGC and MG Side
  • Core Stack Build
  • Assessor APIs
  • Client library
  • Encoder/decoder library
  • Test stubs
  • OS Wrappers for Solaris, VxWorks, WinNT, Linux
• User's guide
• API document
• Test reports
• Warranty and optional annual support plans
• Training and on-site consultancy
• Turnkey integration and porting services
• Managing an association
• SME services
• Digit map handling
• Supporting protocol packages