In a public switched telephone network, real time monitors on SS7 links will
collect
interoffice signaling messages. A site processor compiles data from the signaling
messages relating to individual calls, to form call detail records (CDRs) for all
interoffice call attempts. The site servers upload the CDRs to a central server.
Automatic Message Accounting (AMA) records also are accumulated for at least selected
central office switching systems and uploaded to a server. Programs running on
the servers enable network operations personal to analyze a variety of network
traffic patterns, for example to study the number of calls to particular numbers
during various times periods and the hold time of the calls in order to identify
the numbers of Internet Service Providers (ISPs). As another example, the traffic
analysis may indicate the amount of traffic between two end offices and the percentage
thereof routed through a tandem office, to allow network planners to design trunk
upgrades between the various offices and/or to plan the addition of new offices.