This section defines terms that are new to the Cisco vocabulary with the advent of Voice Network Switching and common terms that have specific meaning in this VNS manual. The Cisco Internetworking Terms and Acronyms book, which also can be found on the Cisco CD-ROM, defines most common internetworking terms.
Break-Out/Break-In (BOBI)
- BOBI is a VNS feature that allows interworking between Euro-ISDN (ETSI) and other VNS-supported signaling variants, such as DPNSS and QSIG.
Call Detail Record (CDR)
- The VNS record of voice or data SVCs, which includes calling and called numbers, local and remote node names, date and timestamp, elapsed time, and Call Failure Class fields.
Channel Associated Signaling (CAS)
- CAS is inband robbed-bit signaling performed on T1 lines. CAS PBXs are supported in VNS 2.2 when they are connected to an IGX Universal Voice Module with Model B firmware, supported in switched software release 8.5. The UVM performs CAS-to-QSIG conversion.
Cisco StrataCom network
- A public or private network built around Cisco StrataCom cell-switching nodes. These nodes utilize Cisco StrataCom's patented FastPacket technology and/or standards-based Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and are designed to support multiple applications integrating voice, constant and variable-bit rate data, video, frame relay, and ATM services on one multimedia wide area network.
Cisco StrataCom node
- A Cisco StrataCom IPX, IPX-AF (access feeder), IGX, or BPX/AXIS. Typically the VNS is co-located with a Cisco StrataCom node (e.g., IGX) and often installed in the same rack as the node.
D Channel
- The signaling channel used for call setup control and network connection teardown in an ISDN interface. The D channel is typically DS0 24 in a T1 interface and timeslot (TS) 16 in an E1 interface.
Local adjacency
- Two VNS's which control different VNS areas but communicate with one another through a Frame Relay PVC are considered to be locally adjacent.
Intelligent Network Server (INS)
- The broad name for a range of products adding specific capabilities to Cisco StrataCom networks. Voice Network Switching (VNS) is one INS application, and Dial-Up Frame Relay is the other. (You will occasionally see INS on a product label or on some of the software menus.)
Multihoming
- Multihoming is a VNS feature that allows two or more links to the same end-user CPE. A site may be multihomed to multiply the bandwidth capacity to meet increased traffic requirements.
Signaling network
- A virtual network over-laid on top of the traditional Cisco StrataCom network through which the VNS processors communicate with one another and with the nodes. This virtual signaling network is primarily created out of frame relay PVCs between the VNS processors.
SPNNI connection
- A Frame Relay connection between two VNS's in different areas or domains. The SPNNI connection gets its name form the StrataCom Proprietary Network to Network Interface protocol which operates over this connection.
StrataView Plus Workstation
- The network management platform for managing Cisco StrataCom networks. StrataView Plus, the application running on the workstation, provides status information for the VNS.
UNI port
- The User-to-Network Interface (UNI) where the PBX connects to a Cisco StrataCom Network. This is typically an IPX CDP or an IGX CVM.
VNS
- The rack-mounted adjunct processor that is normally co-located with a Cisco StrataCom node (e.g., IGX or IPX) and has IP connectivity to a StrataView Plus Workstation. VNS will be used to specify the hardware, that is the rack-mounted box, and to the application.This should not cause any confusion because the context will make it clear whether we are talking about an individual processor or a network-wide application. (Occasionally, the INS will be used in this document to refer to the hardware.)
Note Dynamic Network Switching (DNS) was an earlier name for Voice Network Switching (VNS).
VNS network
- A traditional Cisco StrataCom network which has been enhanced with VNS processors to perform Voice Network Switching. Voice Network Switching provides voice switched virtual circuits (SVCs) across a Cisco StrataCom network for PBXs using Digital Private Network Signaling System (DPNSS), QSIG, or ETSI signaling.
Voice Port
- The port (CVM on the IGX, or CDP on the IPX) on the Cisco StrataCom node which connects to the VNS Network Interface Card. The VNS can connect to up to two voice ports, which carry signaling information to and from the PBXs.
