Switch selection mechanism for a switch pool in a wireless telecommunications network

摘要

Disclosed are systems and methods for associating querying switches with responsive access nodes in a telecommunications network ( 10 ) having a switch pool ( 18 ). The methods include techniques for assigning a switch ( 12 ) of the switch pool ( 18 ) as a handling switch for queries received from the plurality of access nodes ( 14 ). The handling switch directs queries to respective target access nodes ( 14 ). The handling switch also receives responses from target access nodes. Techniques are provided for reassignment of the handling switch from among switches ( 12 ) of the switch pool ( 18 ) on the basis of various criteria such as, for example load or transaction count. Examples of the invention in the context of a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network ( 10 ) having a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) pool ( 18 ) are described.