Mobile network connections
A mobile network connection (MNC) is the SafeLinx Server's interface to a network provider. You must add an MNC to the SafeLinx Server for each network type that it supports for mobile access services and messaging services. MNCs are not required to support HTTP access services.
Aspects of the connection interface vary among different network providers, but all MNCs include a line driver, a network protocol interpreter, and one or more physical ports.
When you first install the SafeLinx Server, you select the network types that you want the SafeLinx Server to support. For each network type that you want to support, you must add and configure an MNC. If you did not initially install support for a network type that you need, install the support for it on the SafeLinx Server, then add an MNC.
There are two general categories of MNCs: MNCs for messaging connections and MNCs for mobile access connections. Each category includes a range of specific MNC types to support different network connections. Messaging MNCs are available on Linux™ systems only.
SafeLinx Servers that support mobile access services only and that are configured exclusively as subordinate nodes in a cluster, do not require installation of MNC support. However, to ensure that traffic for a network type can be dispatched, MNC support for the network type must be available on the principal node in the cluster. SafeLinx Servers that support messaging services always require the installation of MNC support.
When you configure an MNC, you must assign a connection profile and an authentication profile for the MNC. If the connection profile is for an IP-based network, then you must also assign transport profiles to the connection profile.
The following types of MNCs require specific configuration details:
- SMPP MNC
- Cluster nodes for connectionless MNCs
- Redundant RNCs with remotely controlled A/B switches
Tables 1 and 2 provide more information about the types of MNCs that you can configure for mobile access services and messaging services.
| MNC type that is listed in SafeLinx Administrator | Description | Install this network support |
|---|---|---|
| dial-pstn | Public switched telephone network, including native-PPP connections | Dial |
| dial-tcp | Dial connection through an IP-attached modem server, including native-PPP connections | Dial |
| ip-lan | IP-based network, such as CDPD, frame relay, connection with Internet service provider (ISP), or LAN | IP LAN |
| http-tcp-lan | HTTP-TCP based | IP LAN |
| rnc-3000 | Mobitex that uses TCP, such as Mobitex Internet application server (IAS) Mobitex rnc-3000 Radio network controller 3000 | RNC-3000 |
| tcp-lan | TCP-based | IP LAN |
| MNC type that is listed in SafeLinx Administrator | Description | Install this network support |
|---|---|---|
| sms-ois | Short message service (SMS) that uses open interface specification | SMS |
| sms-rpa | RPA wireless messaging | SMS |
| sms-smpp | Short message service that uses short message peer to peer protocol (SMPP) Version 3.4 | SMS |
| sms-ucp | Short message service that uses universal computer protocol/external machine interface(UCP/EMI) | SMS |
| smtp | Simple mail transport protocol, as specified in RFC 821. Extensions to the RFC, such as MIME support or mail server authentication, are not supported. | SMTP |
| snpp | Simple network-paging protocol, as specified in RFC 1861. All of the functions in level 1 of the protocol and the required elements from level 2 are supported. SNPP level 3 is not supported. | SNPP |
| wctp | Wireless communications transfer protocol | WCTP |