Configuration for substitute-switching spatially separated switching systems
An identical clone, with identical hardware, identical software and an identical data base, is allocated to each switching system to be protected, as a redundancy partner. Switching is carried out in a quick, secure and automatic manner in real time by a superordinate monitor in the network.
1 - 12 . (canceled)
13 . A network configuration for substitute-switching of a switching system, comprising:
a first switching system having access to a transmission network and active from a switching perspective;
a redundant switching system assigned as a redundancy partner to the first switching system, the redundant switching system having access to the transmission network and is inactive from a switching perspective; and
a network management system operatively connected to the first and redundant switching systems;
a real-time monitor operatively connected to the first and redundant switching systems and the transmission network, when a communication to the first switching system fails the real-time monitor causes the redundancy partner to become active from a switching perspective.
14 . The configuration according to claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of real-time monitors operatively connected to each other.
15 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein first and redundant switching systems have packet base interfaces.
16 . The configuration according to claim 15 , wherein the first and redundant switching systems have the same packet addresses for the packet-based interfaces.
17 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the first and redundant switching systems each comprising a database having substantially the same permanent and semi-permanent data.
18 . The configuration according to claim 17 ,
wherein permanent data is data that may only be modified via a software upgrade or a software patch,
wherein semi-permanent data is data entered via a user interface, and
wherein the permanent and semi-permanent data do not include transient data related to a call.
19 . The configuration according to claim 17 , wherein the first and redundant switching systems have the same hardware and identical software.
20 . The configuration according to claim 19 , wherein the identical software includes the same software release and software patches.
21 . The configuration according to claim 19 , wherein the first switching system, the redundant switching system, the network management system and the real-time monitor reside at different geographical locations.
22 . The configuration according to claim 17 , wherein the redundant switching system is in an operating state such that all outward-switching-oriented packet-based interfaces are blocked and the system includes active applications.
23 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the first and redundant switching systems include packet-based interfaces having the same packet addresses.
24 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the transmission network has a cross-connect device that is controlled by the network management for switching TDM connections.
25 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the transmission network has a cross-connect device that is controlled by the monitor for switching TDM connections.
26 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the transmission network has a direct communications interface between the first switching system and the redundant switching system.
27 . The configuration according to claim 13 , wherein the first switching system, the redundant switching system, the network management system and the monitor reside at different geographical locations.
28 . A system for monitoring redundant switching system, comprising:
a communication link to a first switching system that is active from a switching perspective;
a communication link to a redundant switching system that is inactive from a switching perspective and that includes substantially the same permanent and semi-permanent data; and
a monitor having real time switch over mechanism that causes the redundant switching system to become active after a failure of the first switching system.
29 . The system according to claim 28 , further comprising a plurality of monitors that monitor each other and that coordinate the switch over.
30 . The system according to claim 29 , wherein the monitors do not switch between paired-redundancy switching systems in the event of faulted intercommunication.