The IMS architectural blueprint introduced the concept of a Service Capability Interaction Manager (SCIM) within the "SIP Application Server" domain. Whilst the 3GPP Release 6 specification outlines the general need for the capability, it does not strictly define and bound the role of SCIM. It signposts the need for capabilities to address a problem that is common in telecommunications: the orchestration and control of the interaction between "capabilities" in the IMS network. The telecommunication service layer can be conceived as a set of logical, packaged capabilities – or objects – that can be used as building blocks to build a complete service. This broad concept will be familiar to software developers, of course.

In fact, there is no reason to restrict this ability to IMS services; traditional IN equipment performs this task and the deployment of multiple network technologies and Network Elements (NE) provides many opportunities for cross-technology service interaction.

OpenCloud have adopted the term Service Interaction Server (SIS) to denote the wider application of the IMS SCIM concept to include composition of new services by orchestrating the signalling and messages of:

• “IN” SS7-based circuit-switched network technologies;
• IMS/SIP telecoms networks;
• Web Services-based communication solutions

Rhino SIS includes protocol translators (IN to SIP and SIP to IN). This means that service compositions may span different networks and protocols, allowing hybrid combinations to be created. A service composition may use a combination of local services (i.e. deployed in the Rhino Service Interaction Server) or services that are hosted on external platforms – such as a traditional IN Service Control Point (SCP) or other Application Server. The physical location of the services is transparent to the SIS.

Rhino SIS allows service combinations that have not been possible in the past to be created easily using existing network assets. This means that it now becomes commercially viable to innovate in TDM IN services – creating variants of existing IN services that are targeted as various segments of the customer case. Standard telephony services can be augmented by combining them with additional attributes such as location and presence.

Service Interaction is also an excellent way to “prepay-enable” various SCP-based enterprise and SIP services.

Using Rhino SIS reduces the operating costs of the network. It uses existing network resources more efficiently and allows existing network resources to be used in new ways.

Creating Service Compositions

Rhino SIS service compositions are created and managed using a graphical user interface (GUI). Rhino SIS is designed for use by the service layer engineer within the telecoms operator: no programming skills are required.

Unlike other Telecom Service Brokers, Rhino SIS understands and enforces the requisite finite state machine (FSM) for the protocols that are being brokered. Rhino SIS brings the power and productivity of web “mashups” into the world of telecoms services.

Charging Integration

Creating new services – quickly and cheaply from proven service building blocks – is clearly desirable. Telecoms operators want new services to differentiate their service offering and to generate revenue. Rhino SIS allows “charging points” to be defined within the service composition. This allows the service to be charged on whatever basis is required. Both on-line and off-line charging are supported.

Rhino SIS runs on OpenCloud Rhino Telecom Application Server

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