Quantum

WORLD

Systems

 

Transitions of Technology

 

This page is out of date, please follow this link for current information: http://www.quantumsi.com/products/ccm/

Quantum has slashed the cost of collecting, archiving, and disseminating customer billing data for telecommunications operators. Quantum is a proven leader in reliable data collection, distribution, and management systems. Customers trust Quantum software to collect, archive, and distribute their critical data, such as cellular billing records, in sites all around the world. Quantum's solutions are designed as mission-critical applications, working reliably without the need for administrative care, ensuring critical enterprise information is not lost.

CDR Collection Manager™ (CCM™)

Billing data is arguably one of the most important pieces of information for a telecommunications company. Yet many companies use inefficient or non-automated means to collect billing data. This can result in slow turnarounds to create bills, or potentially lost or duplicated data due to human error.

Quantum System's CDR Collection Manager (CCM) reliably and automatically collects CDR/AMA billing data from a variety of switch types, and manages the information for processing by a third party billing system.

CCM has been developed to work with many common switch types and protocol layers, and has been modularly designed such that support for other equipment can be "plugged-in" without code changes.

CCM's use of the XOT network protocol results in reduced hardware costs by allowing many X.25 applications to communicate over a standard ethernet WAN infrastructure
The benefits of using CCM over conventional or home-spun methods:

Centralization

The power of CCM technology brings all CDR data from remote and diverse telecommunication switches into one central location for processing. By encapsulating standard X.25 switch communication protocol within WAN-standard TCP/IP, CCM can manage a network of switches located anywhere in the world and still process and manage the data in one location.

Support for Many Switch Types and Protocols

The current release of CCM (3.0) provides support for the following switch types and protocols:

Switch Types:

Session-layer protocols

Network-layer protocols:

Configuration and Monitoring with Java™ GUI

CCM can be configured by the user to mix and match any of the above switch types, session layer protocols, and network layer protocols. The software has been developed such that new protocol layers can be developed and "plugged-in" without modifying any of the existing CCM software.

The protocol choices, as well all other system parameters, are fully configurable via a Java-based GUI. The GUI also allows you to bring CCMs up and down, monitor their collection state, view lists of collected files, and track system status and problems.

Reduced Hardware Costs

CCM is unique among CDR billing collectors in that it uses the XOT protocol. All telecommunication switches communicate via X.25, but computers that talk X.25 require additional hardware (X.25 interface cards) for each X.25 connection, plus an X.25 capable enterprise backbone. For example, if your system manages 20 switches, you will need 20 X.25 cards and probably additional workstations and infrastructure to collect this information.

CCM uses XOT ("X.25 over TCP"), which encapsulates X.25 information within standard TCP/IP communication. Thus, with a XOT-capable router (available from Cisco, ACT Networks, and others), CCM can communicate with potentially hundreds of switches from a single workstation with only one standard ethernet interface.

Multiple CDR Data Consumers

There is often more than one use for the collected CDR data, such as fraud analysis or comparison analysis with a second billing house. CCM provides a "client" interface to the collected data, where each client can manage its own distinct or overlapping set of CDR data.

Fault Tolerant, Mirrored Data

Like most Quantum products, CCM is hosted on fault tolerant RAID disk suites using data mirroring technology to drastically reduce the possibility of data loss. Data can also be mirrored across the enterprise.

Optional NMS Integration i.e. Netcool™ and NetExpert™

Although CCM can run as a standalone system, it can also run as a peer in a larger network management system (NMS) such as Micromuse's Netcool and OSI's NetExpert systems. For example CCM can be completely configured as a native Netcool "probe" or NetExpert "gateway", with all CCM parameters configurable as parameters. CCM can thus be brought up and down any operational status messages and/or alerts will appear in the Alert Window.

Optional RDBMS Analysis Module

CCM integrates with the Informix™ RDBMS to automatically populate the entire Call Detail Record or a defined subset of data. Once data is populated into the database, the RDBMS CCM module can examine the data to determine various measurements and trends useful for tracking call volume, call duration, termination type, and for performing fraud analysis.

Reliability

Like all Quantum products, CCM has been extensively tested for reliability. By strictly adhering to each session layer and network layer protocol, and by using well-organized local storage procedures, CCM ensures that data is not lost or duplicated.

Proven Systems

CCM technology is currently collecting data 24 hours/day in systems worldwide, including Cablevision (Eastern United States), Metronet (Canada) and Telebrasilia (Brazil). It should be noted that other companies base their CDR solutions on OEM software derived from Quantum's rock solid CDR collection technology.

Availability

Currently available (shipping two weeks ARO) in cost effective pre-configured systems for turn key deployments for both high end and low end situations:

Large Server: Server: Sun Enterprise 4500 running Solaris 2.6 to 2.8
(5-20 switches) RDBMS: Informix OWS/ODS version 7.X
  Storage: Hardware RAID Storage: SCSI 145GB or FC-AL up to 2TB

Small Server: Server: Sun Enterprise 450 running Solaris 2.6 to 2.8
(1-4 switches) RDBMS: Informix OWS/ODS version 7.X
  Storage: Hardware RAID Storage: SCSI 145GB or 290GB

For further information or a live demonstration of our CDR product suite, please contact the the Wireless Products Division at Quantum Systems Integrators,Inc. at (714) 631-3032.