Directory services for mobility management in private telecommunication networks

The use of standardized directory services (X.500) in comparison with the Groupe Speciale Mobile (GSM) concepts for storing mobility management data in private telecommunication networks (PTNs) is discussed. The functional requirements on the database that are called for by mobility management are defined. Solutions to these requirements based on GSM principles and on X.500 principles are presented. The conclusion is that X.500 seems to be a powerful and flexible platform for mobility management in PTNs. The main advantage is that user dialing numbers are independent of the storage node in which the user data is held, allowing free numbering. There are, however, open issues concerning the consistency and performance characteristics of X.500.<>