Case Study
In 2007/2008 FairPoint Communications purchased the telephone network assets of Verizon Communications in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Part of the newly acquired data support network was a Datakit II VCS (DK) network consisting of 10 nodes which were parts of two different DK networks in Verizon. Datakit networks provide the internetworking used by the Operation Support Systems (OSS’s) to survey and control the approximately 60 voice switches consisting of 5ESS, DMS10 and DMS100 in this region. The DK networks also supported the Signal Transfer Point (STP) switches and the E911 network in those states. The majority of the interfaces on the voice switches and other network elements to which the OSS’s obtain access via the Datakit networks are still low speed (19.2 KB or less) asynchronous or legacy BX.25 protocols. Craft access to the switches and other network elements is usually provided today by IP access to the OSS’s which then connect to the Datakit network for access to the switches. In addition, Datakit networks are used to provide access through older legacy direct or indirect asynchronous or synchronous interfaces.
In FairPoint, Datatek Applications performed a survey of the 10 DK nodes and the existing Verizon network which had been purchased. Datatek then spent considerable time identifying and analyzing all the interfaces that the Verizon Datakit networks supported or had supported in the past in the FairPoint territory. Using that data and the 10 DK nodes, Datatek designed and configured a single, new, cohesive, redundant, and integrated Datakit network that would be totally divorced from the Verizon network. In addition, since FairPoint purchased new IP-based OSS applications to replace the OSS applications that Verizon used, Datatek designed and configured an IP interface network that bridged the existing Datakit network with the IP network. This new network also included Datatek Applications-provided IP network application processors and IP-to-legacy protocol mediation equipment. This latter network allows an IP-based OSS application transparent access to the legacy interfaces on the voice switches connected to the Datakit network as well as to those interfaces that could be connected via mediation equipment. The new IP bridge network and the structure of the Datakit network were designed to facilitate the eventual migration off the Datakit network when monetary and people resources are available.
In conjunction with the IP-based OSS application development groups and Verizon and FairPoint personnel, Datatek participated in late night testing with the new OSS’s, bridge network, and live voice switches in the Verizon network prior to turn-over to FairPoint. On the cutover weekend in January 2009, Datatek did the configuration and testing that was not possible before cutover and followed up on any problems. No major problems or roadblocks were encountered due to the planning, configuration and testing that Datatek had performed prior to cutover.
