Arrangement for controlling congestion in an SS7 signaling node based on packet classification

A method in a signaling network node, including:

• determining a message rate, relative to a unit time, for one of a plurality of groups of signaling nodes of a signaling network based on classifying a signaling packet, received via a signaling network link from one of the signaling nodes, as belonging to the one group of signaling nodes based on prescribed message class selection criteria, each group of signaling nodes including at least one signaling node and at least a first of the group of signaling nodes including a plurality of the signaling nodes of the signaling network, each of the signaling nodes coupled to the signaling network node via a corresponding signaling network link;
• and
• executing a congestion control operation for the one group of signaling nodes if the message rate for the one group of signaling nodes exceeds a predetermined threshold for the one group of signaling nodes.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for selectively routing a received signaling packet by a signaling network node via a signaling network, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

• determining a message rate, relative to a unit time, for one of a plurality of groups of signaling nodes of a signaling network based on classifying a signaling packet, received via a signaling network link from one of the signaling nodes, as belonging to the one group of signaling nodes based on prescribed message class selection criteria, each group of signaling nodes including at least one signaling node and at least a first of the group of signaling nodes including a plurality of the signaling nodes of the signaling network, each of the signaling nodes coupled to the signaling network node via a corresponding signaling network link;
• and
• executing a congestion control operation for the one group of signaling nodes if the message rate for the one group of signaling nodes exceeds a predetermined threshold for the one group of signaling nodes.