IMS Services

Sebastian Schumann
Slovak Telekom
17. April 2013
Bratislava, Slovakia

About me
Studied 2003 2007 telecommunications
and computer sciences in Leipzig,
Germany
In Slovakia since 2006
Working for Slovak Telekom since 2007
Post-grad studies at Slovak University of
Technology since 2007
Worked and implemented SIP and IMS
software as well as carrier platforms

Outline
IMS and its Services
Service Triggering
Sample Services
Other Aspects

Note!
These slides only summarize the lecture. Take notes.
Fixed agenda: Understand IMS services
Besides that:
Ask questions (how is it done in real-world, how did Slovak
Telekom do that)
Interrupt (I dont understand, can you provide samples, can
we skip that)
Contribute (Ive heard/read that, Im interested in)
Discuss

IMS and its Services

IMS: End User Perspective

Integrated all-IP services

Today services

content

content

Voice/video
SMS/MMS

Instant
messaging
Mail

Shared content

Voice/Video/IM
Conferencing/App
sharing/MM chat/
Others

Technology Trends
Existing and newly
emerging services
Service & Network Control
(QoS, Security, IP Mobility)
IP Backbone

CATV

Data/IP Networks

PSTN/ISDN

Mobile Networks

Services

Wireless
Access

Wireline
Access

Access Transport & Switching Networks

Too costly, per-service network archit
ecture

Single/simple/cost-effective network infr

astructure for existing & new services

IMS: Simplified Concept

Service Architecture
Applications/Services
Plane

Core Network
Session
Control Plane

Web Portal

Application
Servers

Session
Control

Centralized
Databases
HSS

CSCF

Access
Network

Media
Server
Media
Control &
Gateways

Access & Transport

Plane

Other
Networks

Recapitulation
IMS is an open architecture for mobile and fixed services
The core and its services are independent from the
access
Layered architecture
Transport, session control, applications
Transparency through standard interfaces

Session Control Layer

End point registration, authentication
Session establishment, routing, interconnect

Application Layer
Service Logic

Recapitulation ctd.
Service Control Layer
SIP: P/I/S-CSCF, (BGCF, I-BCF, MRFC, AS)
DIAMETER: HSS, (RACS/NASS, PCRF)

Application Layer
SIP/DIAMETER interface towards service control layer
SIP/XCAP interface (based on HTTP) towards UE
Call related application logic
IMS service (e.g. Presence, PoC)
Service Creation Environment
Northbound integration through service APIs

IMS entities

(Wiley, The IMS Concepts and Services)

Session management and routing family (CSCFs)
Databases (HSS, SLF)
Services (e.g. AS)
Support functions (PDF, SEG, THIG)
Charging
Interworking functions (BGCF, MGCF, IMS-MGW, SGW)

Session management & routing

Proxy-CSCF User contact point with the IM CN
SIP compression, IPSec association, PDF interaction

Interrogating-CSCF Subscriber contact point

Next-hop lookup from HSS, S-CSCF assignment and
routing, THIG functionality

Serving-CSCF Service profile internal procedures

Handling registration, challenging UE, routing decisions
Responsible for Registration and Session Establishment,
Charging Data Generation, Media content check

Databases
HSS
Data storage for all subscriber and service-related data

SLF
Find HSS address for multiple HSS environment

Application Server
SIP Application Server
Stand-alone AS
Northbound integration using various protocols possible,
e.g., HTTP REST, Parlay X

Open Service Access (OSA) gateway

Connect northbound to OSA Parlay based AS

IM Service Switching Function (SSF)

Connect northbound the AS layer to legacy services
using IN protocols (e.g. INAP, CAMEL)

Protocols (extract)
Signaling
SIP (signaling protocol)
SDP (embedded in SIP, describes the session, negotiation)

Media
RTP (end-to-end media delivery (audio, video))
MSRP (messaging, file transfer)

DNS
Diameter (AAA)
IPSec (secure communication)
MEGACO (media gateway control)

Service Triggering

Application layer interaction

User profile contains service profile
Service Profile
Public Identification (assigned subscribers)
Initial Filter Criteria (triggering AS interaction)

Initial Filter Criteria (iFC)

Trigger points with service point triggers
(conditions when to interact)
Application server (SIP URI for interaction)

Service Profile

Service Profile ctd.

Triggering

Triggering ctd.

Filtering
Only initial SIP requests
Initial filter criteria (iFC) retrieved from HSS during
registration
Subsequent filter criteria (sFC) provided by
application server (beyond 3GPP R8)
Allows dynamic definition of trigger points during
application runtime

Application Routing
I/S-CSCF are interaction points with the service layer
I-CSCF for public service identities (PSI) explicit access
S-CSCF for services (of served users) implicit access

Applications have interface towards HSS

User profile information
Location information, service information

Complexity of security, authorization, access

interaction etc. all handled by the core

Application Routing ctd.

Application server (AS) can have different functions
Terminating AS (e.g., acting as user agent)
Originating AS (e.g., wake up service, click to dial)
SIP Proxy server (e.g., for SIP header manipulation)
Back-to-back user agent (e.g., for deeper modifications
in SIP dialog as supplementary service enabler)

Sample Services

Services.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/soutra/
430186540/

http://gsmworld.com/images/rcs/img_gallery/eyeP-eComRCSWindows.3.png

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jre/3263704032/

IMS Services
Service that are often referred to
IP Messaging (page-mode, session-mode)
Push-to-talk over Cellular (PoC)
Conferencing
Presence

Commercially deployed
Voice (MMTel, VoLTE)
RCS-e/RCS 5 (Joyn)
Voice Call Continuity (VCC)

Rich Communication Suite

Definition
"Standard" definition
End-to-end approach to define a clear set of available communication services
that are interoperable
Stakeholders in RCS are all key players in the telecom market (operators, vendors)
Develop concrete value propositions for different stakeholders in the ecosystem
Initial focus was on enriched mobile communication services, now RCS is extending
the same services to the fixed environment
Collaborative effort to facilitate the introduction of commercial IMS based rich
communication services over mobile and fixed networks

Several releases available (Rel. 1-5, RCS-e aka Joyn)

Focus on residential user segment
Not defined, but PBX integration/support not defined

Focus NOT on end device applications (iPhone, Android)

RCS Services + use cases

EAB enabled services
Share presence + manage presence rules
Capability exchange

Video call, video sharing (inside/outside of call)

Image sharing, whiteboard-feature
File transfer
Messaging
multi-party, multi-device chat
x-domain

Provider interworking

Rich Communication Suite

Releases
Suite of rich communication services that can be launched from a capability
enhanced address book (EAB) EAB enriched call and enhanced messaging
Rel. 1
EAB with capability exchange enables content sharing during a call and enhanced
messaging (conversational view, chat). Backup/restore in network
Mobile users only, direct relation with mobile operator

Rel. 2
Introduction of broadband access, multiple clients, mobile phone required
Network address book (NAB) allows synchronization (sharing btw. devices possible)

Rel. 3
Enhanced services (presence states, messaging, network value added services)
Content sharing outside voice call
Single broadband access possible (w/o mobile phone)

Rel. 4
LTE and fixed access enhancements, service enhancements

Rel. 5
IP voice/video call, location sharing, service improvements

RCS-e/Joyn
RCS-e (e for enhanced) is a simple and interoperable
evolution to voice and text, which enables customers to
send instant messages, video chat and exchange files in
real time. All functions are built into the address book of
mobile devices and based on the IMS.
Enhanced Rel. 2 for faster time-to-market
Powered by the five leading European mobile operators,
incl. Deutsche Telekom
Focused communication services (core services only)
IM/Chat, file transfer, image/video share
Social presence/profile information not mandatory

Standard: RCS-e provides a simple interoperable extension

to voice and text today

RCS-e 1.2.2
Dynamic capability discovery
(SIP OPTIONS)
Text messaging (as in RCS R2)
One-to-one chat
Group chat
Add. Features to Rel. 2
Store &forward for chat
Typing/delivery notify
File Transfer (as in RCS R2)
Image/Video Share during CS
phone call (as in RCS R2)

Real sample architecture

Sh

RCS-e AS
(Config)
Mb

RCS-e AS
(Service)

RCS-e AS

HTTP

HSS
Ma

SIP

ENUM

Diameter

ISC

DNS

Cx

Media

Cx
P-CSCF

Mw

I-CSCF

Mw

Mx

S-CSCF
Mi

A-SBC

BGCF

Mw

A-BGF

Mb
Gm

Mb

UE

IBCF

Ici

Mx
I-SBC
I-BGF

IPX
Izi

Other MNO

RCS-e flow diagrams

Figure 1: RCS-e alternative configuration: Initial request

RCS-e flow diagrams ctd.

Figure 1: RCS-e capability discovery

RCS-e flow diagrams ctd.

RCS-e service

Tag

IM/Chat
File transfer
Image share
Video share
Social presence
information
Capability
discovery via
presence

+g.3gpp.iari-ref="urn%3Aurn-7% 3A3gpp-application.ims.iari.rcse.im"
+g.3gpp.iari-ref="urn%3Aurn-7% 3A3gpp-application.ims.iari.rcse. ft"
+g.3gpp.iari-ref="urn%3Aurn-7% 3A3gpp-application.ims.iari.gsma-is"
+g.3gpp.cs-voice
+g.3gpp.iari-ref="urn%3Aurn-7% 3A3gpp-application.ims.iari.rcse.sp"
+g.3gpp.iari-ref="urn%3Aurn-7% 3A3gpp-application.ims.iari.rcse.dp"

Table 1: Complete SIP OPTIONS tag proposal for RCS-e

RCS-e flow diagrams ctd.

SIP INVITE with ICSI/SDP for session establishment
SIP MESSAGE for notifications
MSRP for one-to-one/group chat and file transfer
RTP for video share
AS functions (samples)
Group chat
Aggregation
Accounting, policy

Protocols

SIP
SIP in the IMS has been already covered in the past
Relevant main SIP headers for the service interaction
P-Asserted-Identity (inserted by P-CSCF) trusted header
indicating registered users IMPU
Contact header contains ICSI
SDP used for session description & codec negotiation
Sample RCS-e
OPTIONS discovery
MESSAGE page-mode messaging & notifications
INVITE session-mode messaging & notifications,
file transfer, video share

Message Session Relay Protocol

(MSRP)
Message content within a SIP session (similar to RTP)
Rendezvous mechanism mandatory (e.g. SDP)
MSRP URIs
Accepted content

SDP
c=IN IP4 atlanta.example.com
m=message 7654 TCP/MSRP *
a=accept-types:text/plain
a=path:msrp://atlanta.example.com:7654/jshA7weztas;tcp

MSRP ctd.
MSRP exchange
MSRP a786hjs2 SEND
To-Path: msrp://biloxi.example.com:12763/kjhd37s2s20w2a;tcp
From-Path: msrp://atlanta.example.com:7654/jshA7weztas;tcp
Message-ID: 87652491
Byte-Range: 1-25/25
Content-Type: text/plain
Hey Bob, are you there?
-------a786hjs2$
MSRP a786hjs2 200 OK
To-Path: msrp://atlanta.example.com:7654/jshA7weztas;tcp
From-Path: msrp://biloxi.example.com:12763/kjhd37s2s20w2a;tcp
-------a786hjs2$

MSRP ctd.
Key concepts
Framing/message chunking (+ vs $)
MSRP Addressing (URIs for send/recv, lists for relays)
Scheme: msrp/msrps for TLS. TCP transport.
Methods (e.g. SEND) and response codes (e.g. 200 OK)

MSRP relays in the path

More in RFC 4975 (protocol), RFC 4976 (relays)

Domain Name Service

Link IP addresses with domain names
Support in locating SIP servers
NAPTR lookup
SRV lookup
A/AAAA lookup

NAPTR resolves the preferred protocol and the DNS string to

locate the service
ngnlab.eu. 7200 IN NAPTR 10 50 "s "SIP+D2T
_sip._udp.ngnlab.eu.

SRV look-up for a NAPTR given address indicates the domain

and port the service listens on
_sip._udp.ngnlab.eu. 7200 IN SRV 0 0 5060 icscf.ngnlab.eu.

A/AAAA to find the IP address of the domain name

icscf.ngnlab.eu. 7200 IN A 147.175.103.213

Messaging/Presence
SIP MESSAGE
SIP SIMPLE
SIP SUBSCRIBE/NOTIFY
SIP PUBLISH
Many extensions
Standard bodies: IETF, OMA

Example: Presence call flow

UE

SUBSCRIBE
200 OK
NOTIFY
200 OK

P-CSCF

SUBSCRIBE
200 OK
NOTIFY
200 OK

200 OK
NOTIFY
200 OK

SUBSCRIBE

Presence
Server

S-CSCF

Service profile
assigned to users that want
to use presence
IFC
AS: Presence Server
TP: CNF (&)
Method and
PUBLISH or
SUBSCRIBE
Event
Header: Event
Content: .*presence.*

eXtensible Configuration
Access Protocol (XCAP)
XCAP allows clients to read, write and modify data
stored in XML format on server
Hard state presence information
Watcher authorization
Resource Lists

XML document sub-trees and element attributes are

mapped into HTTP URIs direct access via XPath
Various selections (e.g., one or more elements,
children, attributes, content)

XCAP ctd.
Client/Server architecture like HTTP
Application Usage for certain application needs
HTTP primitives GET, PUT and DELETE are used
Body contains XML data to be added/modified

Message flow
XCAP

XDMS

Interface exposed by XML

Document Management
Server
XDMS is located on
application layer
Direct communication
between UE and XDMS

UE

Use cases
Store resource list
Authorize buddies

Other Aspects

Northbound Interface API

Not standardized/partially standardized integration
point with other applications/enablers or with nonIMS clients
Various protocols possible
XCAP
Parlay X
HTTP REST

Standardization approaches exist, e.g., GSMA

OneAPI, RCS-e API

Service Orchestration
Querying multiple services
Services querying other services
Compilation of services by using various enablers
Standardization approaches (e.g. SCIM)
Approach
SIP AS towards the IMS using ISC
Connecting to multiple AS via ISC, optionally also to
other AS w/ different protocols

Q/A

Your Questions!

Is anything still unanswered?

How do IMS services work?
Why is the IMS needed for some communications services? Is it?
But I have heard of service X, why dont they use the IMS?
Will we build all future services on top of IMS?
Are IMS services only those inherited from the Telco past?
Will Telcos deploy multiple IMS? IMS in the cloud? Share an IMS?
Will IMS bring in new revenues? Is it cheaper to deploy services
on the IMS compared to stand-alone deployments?

Summary
Quick IMS recapitulation
Focus on service layer
Interaction with the IMS
Sample services, incl. protocols and principles

Other means of integrating IMS services

/with IMS services
Hopefully covered all open questions (last chance J)

Thank
you!
Sebastian Schumann
mail@s-schumann.com
@s_schumann
sschumann

Download
This lecture is available at http://bit.ly/fiit-ims-services

References
1. Standards
2. RCS-e related pictures from GSMA RCS-e 1.2.2 Spec

Thanks to Eugen Mikoczy and Stephan Massner for contributing

to the slides.
If you feel content where you hold the copyright is displayed within these
slides and you do not like it, miss a link/reference, or want me to remove
it altogether please let me know.