Jim Hodges from Heavy Reading has come out with an interesting report about signaling (Diameter) in next-generation networks. In it, he makes the point that signaling is now front and center in supporting complex service interactions. Diameter signaling controllers (DSC) are rising in importance, and their parts -- including Diameter routing agents (DRA), Diameter edge agents (DEA) and Diameter interworking function (IWF) – are important nodes in the LTE/IMS networks.

Signaling has always supported certain mobile value-added services, and many Dialogic customers purchase both media and signaling from us, creating a litany of value-added service applications. With the faster networks using Diameter, namely LTE networks, we’re bound to see many more interesting applications emerge.  But even beyond that, NFV and SDN could have a big impact on the DSC market.

Hodges makes the argument that NFV makes the control plane even more important because this is a natural NFV starting point. Within that, he sees DSC playing a key role because of its optimization of Diameter signaling across the networks. This, in turn, makes the DSC a central player in NFV/SDN because of the nature of adding and removing resources, as the applications running on the NFV/SDN networks dictate. Hodges says NFV will result in the, “Diameter-enabled control plane having a much greater role in service orchestration than in SS7 legacy networks.”   

There are also some other very interesting tidbits in the report, such as a greater focus on Diameter interworking being required.

I expect NFV, Diameter and Diameter interworking will be hot topics at Mobile World Congress. We’d be glad to talk to you about these topics at our booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 24 to February 27.