This section specifies a STREAMS kenel-level instantiation of the ITU-T Signalling System Number 7 -Signalling Link, Recommendation Q.703,⁷ including the ability to provide for national options. 

The SS7 Link Provider interface (SS7-LPI) enables an SS7 Signalling Link service user to aaccess and use a variety of conforming SS7 Signalling Link service providers without special knowledge fo the provider's protocol. Specifically, the interface is intended to support ITU-T Q.703, ANSI T1.111, ETSI ETS 300 008-1, SSCOP-MCE, SIGTRAN, etc. Among the expected SS7 Signalling Link service users are implementations of the ITU-T SS7 Message Transfer Part (MTP) and SIGTRAN M2PEER and M2UA protocols. 

The interface specifies access to SS7 Signalling Link service providers, and does not define a specific protocol implementation. Thus, issues of network management, protocol performance, and performance analysis tools are beyond the scope of this document and should be addressed by specific implementations of a SS7 Signalling Link service provider. However, accompanying each provider implementation should be information that describes the protocol-specific behavior of that provider. Currently, there are plans to come up with a set of implementor's agreements/guidelines for common SS7 Signalling Link providers. These agreements will address issues such as SS7 Signalling Link SAP address space, management techniques, supported services, etc. 

This specification assumes that the reader is familiar with ITU-T Signalling System Number 7 network structure and reference models, SS7 Signalling Link services and services primitives, and STREAMS. 

This section is organized as follows: