Overload control in communications networks

Three basic strategies for controlling overloads in the control systems of SPC (stored program control) switches are presented and briefly compared. The focus is on transient behavior and on worst cases with a sudden large increase in call arrivals. The authors foresee very high demands on efficient, predictable and robust overload control mechanisms in local and tandem switches in an ISDN environment as well as in different nodes like SSPs (signal service points), STPs (signal transfer points) and SCPs (signal control points) in an intelligent network. They stress that local as well as global control mechanisms must be implemented, at least in the SCPs