Design and Implementation of Network Connectivity And Traffic Control Of MTN Network In Nigeria
Chapter One
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Basically the aim of this project work is to design and simulate a multi-user congestion control system for MTN.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research work is to establish a transparent set of Interconnection Rules, which shall encompass at least the following requirements:
* Every operator must allow all other operators full interconnection to its network at technically feasible and convenient points of interconnection, such that traffic may originate on one network and terminate on another, or otherwise pass across networks, without interference, signal deterioration, delay, congestion, or restriction.
* To design software that will serve as a congestion control system for multi-user telecommunication networks.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
THEORY OF CONGESTION CONTROL
The modern theory of congestion control was pioneered by Frank Kelly, who applied microeconomic theory and convex optimization theory to describe how individuals controlling their own rates can interact to achieve an “optimal” network-wide rate allocation.
Examples of “optimal” rate allocation are max-min fair allocation and Kelly’s suggestion of proportional fair allocation, although many others are possible.
The mathematical expression for optimal rate allocation is as follows.
Let xi be the rate of flow i,
Cl be the capacity of link l,
And rli be 1
If flow i uses link l and 0 otherwise.
Let x, c and R be the corresponding vectors and matrix.
Let U(x) be an increasing, strictly convex function, called the utility, which measures how much benefit a user obtains by transmitting at rate x. The optimal rate allocation then satisfies that Lagrange dual of this problem decouples, so that each flow sets its own rate, based only on a “price” signaled by the network. Each link capacity imposes a constraint, which gives rise to a Lagrange multiplier, pl. The sum of these Lagrange multipliers; is the price to which the flow responds.
Congestion control then becomes a distributed optimization algorithm for solving the above problem. Many current congestion control algorithms can be modeled in this framework, with pl being either the loss probability or the queuing delay at link l.
A major weakness of this model is that it assumes all flows observe the same price, while sliding window flow control causes “burstiness” which causes different flows to observe different loss or delay at a given link.
There are many ways to classify congestion control algorithms:
By the type and amount of feedback received from the network: Loss; delay; single-bit or multi-bit explicit signals
By incremental deplorability on the current Internet: Only sender needs modification; sender and receiver need modification; only router needs modification; sender, receiver and routers need modification.
By the aspect of performance it aims to improve: high bandwidth-delay product networks; lossy links; fairness; advantage to short flows; variable-rate links
By the fairness criterion it uses: max-min, proportional, “minimum potential delay”
CONGESTIVE COLLAPSE
Congestive collapse (or congestion collapse) is a condition which a packet switched computer network can reach, when little or no useful communication is happening due to congestion.
When a network is in such a condition, it has settled (under overload) into a stable state where traffic demand is high but little useful throughput is available, and there are high levels of packet delay and loss (caused by routers discarding packets because their output queues are too full).
Congestion collapse was identified as a possible problem as far back as 1984 (RFC 896, dated 6 January). It was first observed on the early Internet in October 1986, when the NSFnet phase-I backbone dropped three orders of magnitude from its capacity of 32 kbit/s to 40 bit/s, and this continued to occur until end nodes started implementing Van Jacobson’s congestion control between 1987 and 1988.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY AND SYSTEM ANALYSIS
GENERAL ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM
In conformity to the terms of interconnectivity agreement and the relevant ITU-T recommendations the following steps are involved:
Interconnect Requests
Interconnect requests shall be reviewed to confirm that interconnect applicants are licensed by the NCC to provide services which necessitate interconnection.
Where the company is licensed by the NCC to operate a network which necessitates interconnection, MTN Nigeria (MTNN) shall acknowledge the request and seek relevant information in order to process the request for interconnection.
Interconnect Schedule
The schedule for the interconnectivity procedures is as detailed below:
- Verification of interconnect applicant’s NCC license and other MTN required information.
- Database Preparation.
- Transmission tests.
- Switching tests.
- Billing Verification.
- Post processing.
- Commercial Launch.
Points of Interconnectivity
The Requesting Operator shall provide transmission links from its network to the relevant Network’s POI in line with standard industry practice.
Current MTNN’s POIs have since grown from an initial four to a current total of eight locations with a nation-wide geographical spread, namely Ikoyi and Ojota within Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Asaba, Benin and Kano.
Resources
A summary of the organizational departments responsible in the process flow for the standard operation procedure, including the inputs and outputs are given below: Transmission tests – Transmission Engineer(s).Switching tests – Switching Engineer(s)
ACT FINDING METHOD
Methodology
During the research work, data needed for the project was gathered from various sources. In gathering and collecting necessary data and information needed for system analysis, two major fact-finding techniques were used in this work and they are:
(a) Primary Source
This refers to the sources of collecting original data in which the researcher made use of empirical approach such as personal interview and questionnaires.
(b) Secondary Source
The secondary data were obtained by the researcher from written documents such as magazines, Journal, Newspapers, Library source and Internet downloads.
Personnel interviews
This method was implored due to some reasons that is, congestion control of GSM in MTN. controlling congestion in GSM has so many steps and all the necessary information cannot be obtained through written documents. The information is obtained orally by the personnel manager, the IT department manager and some staffs. Some of the vital questions addressed include:
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM DESIGN
DESIGN STANDARDS
As the new system is focusing on how to create computerised database system, effort was made to present designs that will suite the research objectives. So, the design of the software will help the user achieve the following objectives.
- Have a workable form through which all the inputs will be made to the system.
- Generate a report that will present call records with time and date.
- Design of a menu driven program so that the forms will be neatly arranged and utilized.
- Create a modular programming interface for easy debugging.
- Design a system that will be very fast in detecting congestions and put some control measures.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
SUMMARY
With the level of research work carried out in this project, a lot of findings were made on the operations of GSM industries. This will help the mass to have background information of the GSM sets the use and possible trigger researchers to use this information for further research. Also students of higher institutions can adopt the methods used for the implementation of this project in their academic works.
Moreover, in the cause of this research, the features of the programming language used were mention and this will make more students to have interest in programming.
CONCLUSIONS
The broader world of information and communications technologies (ICT) has exciting prospects in the Nigerian market, and will attain greater heights even quicker if all technological tools are properly harnessed.
Nigerians are now awaiting downward review of tariff, which is believed, will place national interest as a major factor in considering the price regime especially putting into consideration the economic capacity of the average Nigerian. In a country where the Federal Government pays its public service workers a minimum wage of 7,500 Naira, it is assumed that the Government will prevail on the national telecommunications body to have rates that will be affordable for at least middle class workers. It is perceived that such a move will force operators to cut their rates, as market forces will level the price differentials involved in interconnectivity.
Also, with a good congestion control on the telecommunication networks, users will start to enjoy their calls without much interruption or call failures.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the achievement made on this research work and also the experienced gained during the design and implementation.
We suggest that every undergraduates, graduates and post graduates should pay more attention to programming in other to compete favorably with there counterparts in the western world.
Some of the subsystems in this congestion control system were not completely developed because of the time and financial constraint, hence the need to further develop this research work and implement it on both the software and hardware aspect of it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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