Solution of ZXWDSS MME Multimedia Mail Service Center

Starting with the applications of mobile multimedia email (MME) and multimedia message services, this paper elaborates on the networking solutions, system components and system features of the ZXWDSS MME. Its desirable performance indices, system expandability and openness are beneficial for mobile telecom operators looking to make new profits.

The worldwide successes of the application of short message services (SMS) have shown mobile users’ huge demand for this kind of service. With the development of SMS, users are no longer satisfied with the existing text-based message services. Interactive communication based on multimedia short messages is anticipated.

ZTE has rolled out the product of ZXWDSS MME based on the concept of open service access to satisfy carriers’ need for mobile multimedia email (MME) equipment. ZXWDSS MME is capable of delivering services for GSM, CDMA and Internet subscribers simultaneously, which will breathe new energy into the mobile market and generate new revenues for carriers.

1 Typical Networking

The ZXWDSS MME system can deliver MME service and multimedia message service (MMS) simultaneously. Its typical networking is shown in Figure 1 and network structure in Figure 2.

2 System Components

ZXWDSS MME contains various nodes such as the protocol gateway, WWW service system, service server, user database (DB), message storage server, type/format server and OMM server. The nodes of the protocol gateway, WWW service system, service server, user DB, message storage server and type/format server employ the multi-module structure, with each module working in a load-sharing mode. Therefore service capacity can be greatly expanded.

In addition, the ZXWDSS MME system provides external services through a pair of L4 switches, while all internal nodes support the message interaction via a high speed Ethernet switch.

3 System Features

The ZXWDSS MME Multimedia Mail Service Center supports both 3GPP MMS and 3GPP2 MME.

(1)Serving Various Kinds of Terminal Users

One important feature of ZXWDSS MME is that it can provide services to a variety of subscribers. It supplies MMS to BREW users according to the MMS standard process. For mobile terminals supporting WAP other than MMS, the system provides WAP-based WAP EMAIL technology which enables subscribers to enjoy multi-media services through their mobile terminals. For other ordinary terminals, by sending SMS notice the system enables subscribers to access the system via a standard EMAIL client or WWW client for multi-media services.

(2)Full Range of Services

Being a carrier-grade multimedia mail service center, the ZXWDSS MME  system has a full range of service functions. It can provide the mobile email service, MMS and other similar services. Also, as a carrier-grade product, the ZXWDSS system is able to deliver powerful billing functions to help carriers implement various billing policies for subscribers, and advanced user-friendly service statistics function for carriers to provide current or other service data statistics according to the specific requirement and also to make an analysis on the operation.

Furthermore, subscribers can make on-line modifications of their requirements through WAP or WEB, and the system provides differentiated services to their needs.

Meanwhile, the system provides certain value-added services on the multimedia mail center such as picture download and mail on demand. When subscribers fail to access the data source of the multimedia content immediately, they can have the multimedia content changed into a screen saver or a user ID by means of picture downloading. As for the service application, subscribers can obtain information about visual news, stock trends and so on through the on-demand multimedia service.

In order to meet diversified demands, various optional functions such as DRM, the service interfere with external user DB and the MAP interfere with HLR are available, which allows scarriers to personalize the module configuration of the system according to their own need.

(3)High Performance

The ZXWDSS MME system provides operators with powerful processing capability. A business server with multiple large-capacity and powerful CPUs is employed to achieve high-performance processing. To complement this matured L4 switching technology is adopted in the network service interface to enhance service-processing capability, with several physical nodes working in load sharing mode to form a logical node. For the service nodes, N+1 backup mode is adopted to ensure reliability.

(4)Smooth Expansion

With a multi-layer modular structure adopted in design, the system can implement different service functions via different modules. By adding modules, the service capability will be expanded, ensuring easy expansion and flexible application.

(5)High Reliability

Advanced technologies are adopted to ensure the data safety and reliability of the system with real-time access. The mirror technology is introduced for the data hard disk that is used for the storage of user data and unforwarded short messages, to ensure the system reliability, while the dual-host cluster technology is applied to the main processor (MP) to ensure its high availability. With the functions of user data backup and restore, users data can be quickly restored in case of a system collapse.

(6)Providing Customized Solutions

The system can also provide sophisticated customized solutions for enterprises, working groups, ICPs, etc.

4 Service Functions

The ZXWDSS MME system provides carrier-grade MMS services. It delivers multimedia messages in a store-and-forward service mode. As shown in  Table 1, its full-range  service functions cover basic services, user management, batch billing, operation and maintenance (OM), etc.

5 Performance Descriptions

(1)Processing capability

On the assumption that the average content of each Email is 40-50 KB, the system is capable of providing a processing capacity of up to 500 messages per second, which can support 6 000 000 subscriber lines, and it can be expanded by adding related modules to meet operators’ specific requirements.

(2)Message loss probability ≤10-7

(3)Message storage delay ≤1 000 ms (with probability of 95%)

6 Position of MME in a Mobile  Network

The MME service can be provided on different networks interconnected via the Internet protocol, by which message services on such wireless networks as 2G, 2.5G and 3G can be compatible with those on the Internet. In addition, mobile subscribers can, via the Internet, have access to the existing message services and value-added service applications based on MMS in wireless networks, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Logical network elements of ZXWDSS MME, which provide mobile subscribers with multimedia messaging services, comprise a service center responsible for message storing and sending/receiving, message forwarding among different message service systems, and billing functions   including   end-to-end   billing  or billing between application terminals, and a subscriber database that stores related subscriber information such as registration, configuration, etc.