2010

12
2

Diameter Signalling Router

David Prince
Director Technical Pre-Sales, APAC
Tekelec. For Whats Next.

Outline

Diameter Background
Use of Diameter in LTE/IMS/3G
Diameter Agents
The Tekelec Diameter Signaling Router Use Cases for
International Interconnect Carriers

Summary

Signaling Protocol Evolution

Diameter and SIP become the dominant signaling protocols

SCTP point-to-point connections remain
Mobility and Subscriber Management

Application and Session Control

Mapping of SS7 to IP protocols

ISUP
INAP

MAP*
CAP*

Call &
Service
Control

Mobility &
Charging
Control

SIP

Diameter

CAP* - 2G/3G CAMEL prepaid functions in future via Diameter, VAS functions of CAMEL
via SIP (= INAP)
MAP* - AAA and mobility in future via Diameter, Messaging (SMS) via SIP

Comparing the SS7 and Diameter Protocol Stacks

MAP
CAP
INAP

S6, S9, S13,

Gx,Gy,Gz
Cx,Dx,Sh,Dh
Rx,Rf,Ro,

Diameter
Proxy
Agent

TCAP

Diameter

Diameter
Relay
Agent

SCCP

SCTP

MTP

IP

Diameter is the successor of Radius, originally used for AAA

Diameter acts as an envelope for applications (= interfaces)

Diameter Fundamentals

Defined by RFC 3588

IP-based AAA protocol designed for easy extensibility via the
definition of new Applications [interfaces], Commands
[messages], and Attribute-Value Pairs (AVPs) [parameters]

3GPP has defined many new Diameter applications for use in

IMS, LTE, and 3G

Routing, signaling network management and congestion

control not as robust as SS7

Requires security via TLS or IPsec, but these are not always
used in practice

Defines clients, servers, and 4 types of core agents

Selected Diameter Interfaces in LTE and IMS

Foreign LTE Domain

vMME

Foreign GPRS Domain

MAP-Diam
IWF

vPCRF

vSGSN

S6d

EPC Equipment
Check

S6a

IMS
Registration
Sh

SLF

EIR

vS4-SGSN

S9

HSS
AAA

S13

Rx
PCRF
MME

P-CSCF

Cx

AS Access
to HSS
I/S-CSCF

AF

Gx
Rf

Gz

PGW

OFCF

EPC Mobility
Management

IMS
Charging

OCF

Gy

EPC
Charging

IP-SM-GW

IMS PCC

S6a

Rc

ABMF

Ro
Re

RF

Home LTE/IMS Domain

Types of Diameter Agents

Relay Agent Routes messages

based on Realm (domain), Host,

and Application. Maintains
transaction state only.
Proxy Agent Similar to Relay,
but might also look inside the
message for routing decision,
or modify the message. Might
maintain session state.
Redirect Agent Returns routing
information and then drops out of
the loop.
Translation Agent Proxy agent
that translates between two
protocols, such as Diameter-MAP.

Request
Client
Answer

Request

Relay/Proxy
Agent

Server
Answer

Redirect
Agent

Request

Redirect
Request
Client

Server
Answer

MAP
Message
NE
MAP
Response

Request

Translation
Agent

Server
Answer

Diameter Comparison to SS7

Characteristic

SS7

Routing

Each message independently routed

Network-wide

Signaling network management

(SNM) and Congestion control

Subscriber number based routing

Dedicated SNM messages

Route around failed paths
Congestion levels and traffic
priorities defined

Diameter

Answer message does not contain

routing info and follows same path
as associated request

Hop-by-hop

Relies on reliable transport

GTT can be used by upper layers

No dedicated SNM messages

Failures discovered with each new
request

No defined traffic priorities

Specialized, app-specific proxies
required

DRA for PCRF

HSS address resolution for EPC and

IMS

Robustness

Wide-scale deployment; years of

experience

Early days; lots of prove-in still

required

Challenges Raised by Diameter

Complexity and scalability of managing large number of

SCTP/Diameter connections

Deficiencies with respect to network management and congestion

control in Diameter

Lack of wide-scale deployment and proven robustness of Diameter

Need for address resolution function to support mapping subscribers
to HSSs, particularly for LTE mobility management

Need to provide PCRF load-sharing and binding for policy

Need for single point of interconnect to other LTE networks to simplify
routing and provide security

Need to provide for roaming to non-LTE (2G/3G) networks

Need for visibility of critical Diameter interfaces

Selected DSR Use Cases for Interconnect Carriers

LTE Roaming

LTE-to-LTE

LTE-to-2G/3G Roaming
MAP-Diameter Interworking

Topology Hiding

Roaming Steering

Diameter Mediation
Centralized Monitoring

GSMA LTE Roaming Guidelines

Defined in GSMA PRD IR.88

Defines need for a Diameter agent at the point of network

demarcation

VPMN

HPMN

S6a

S4
SGSN

HSS

GRX/IPX

MME
S6d

Proxy
Agent

Proxy
Agent

Proxy
Agent

S9

vPCRF

hPCRF

Simplified S6a Network

DSR

HSS BE

HSS BE

HSS BE

HSS BE

HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS

Operator_2

HSS
HSS

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

HSS
FE

MME
MME
MME

DSR

HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS

Operator_3

HSS
HSS
MME
MME
MME

DSR

DSR

HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS

Operator_N

HSS
HSS

DSR

MME

MME

MME

Roaming Hub
Provider

MME
MME
MME

DSR

HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS
HSS

MME
MME
MME

Operator_N+1

DSR Routing

DSR allows the operator to define routing rules based on combinations

of the following data elements:

Destination-based: Realm, Host, and Application-ID

Origination-based: Realm, Host, and Application-ID

Command-Code

IMSI Address

DSR allows the operator to prioritize rules for cases where a Diameter

Request may match multiple user defined rules

Supports

Security:
IP Sec,
Single point of interconnect,
Screening functions

Topology hiding,

SCTP multi-homing

MAP-Diameter Interworking Function (IWF)

Target Use Case Roaming to non-LTE network;
Visited SGSN uses Gr interface (MAP)
PDN
Alternatives

HSS

SGi

HLR

PGW

S6d

IWF
Gr

Gp

Gr

EPS HPMN
2G/3G VPMN

S6d
(R8
SGSN only)

SGSN
R7/R8
Gb

GERAN

Iu

UTRAN

Diameter Mediation

Designed to be a highly extensible protocol, new Diameter

applications and enhancements to existing applications will be
commonplace

Inevitably, vendor-specific implementations and ongoing

enhancements will present interoperability issues as these
enhancements and new applications are introduced in existing
Diameter networks

DSR will support a Diameter mediation framework to assist

with timely resolution of interoperability issues

Request A

Vendor A
AnswerB(A)

DSR
Diameter
Mediation
Framework

RequestA(B)

Vendor B
AnswerB

Diameter Intelligence Hub

IP networks

IMS

Tekelecs Diameter Intelligence Hub (DIH) is

fully integrated with the DSR, eliminating the
need for additional probes and taps
The DIH leverages virtualization technology
to deliver accounting and troubleshooting
capabilities in a common blade deployment
with each DSR NE
Leveraging DSRs role as an IPSec security
associated endpoint, visibility is maintained
over IPSec encrypted interfaces

HSS
HSS
HSS
AAA
EIR

PCRF

Gy

OCS

SWm

Gz
S6d

S6a
S13

S4SGSN
SGSN
S4
S4 SGSN

MME
MME

MAP

OFCS

MME

vMME
vPCRF

Analytics:

Data Feed:
Accounting (message count like suDR)
xDR, KPI, Alarms to 3rd party incumbent OSS/BSS systems

Troubleshooting:
Mobility Management incl. 4G/3G hand-over performance
Authentication Management

17 I Tekelec. For Whats Next.

PDN Gw

Gx, Rx,
S9

ePDG

HLR

Gy, Gz,
Gx

SW
x/a/m
S13

vSGSN

Rx,Cx,
Dx,Sh,
S9

S6d/a
Swx

Tekelec Confidential

(sample of KPIs generated from S6a, S6d):

Update-Location-Request/Answer

Cancel-Location-Request/Answer

Purge-UE-Request/Answer

Insert Subscriber Data Request/Answer

Delete-Subscriber-Data-Request/Answer

Reset-Request/Answer

Notify-Request/Answer- For change of PDN-GW

Authentication-Information-Request/Answer

Conclusions

Diameter (and SIP become) the dominant signaling protocols

Diameter interconnect required to support

LTE Roaming

PCC (3GPP R9) connectivity between hPCRF and vPCRF

Need a robust signalling framework for DIAMETER

Provided by the Diameter Signaling Router Solution

Main DSR Use Cases for International Interconnect Carriers

Gateway to other networks to support roaming and topology

hiding
Possibly include MAP Interworking Function for interconnection with
2G/3G networks

Mediation of Diameter variants in a multi-vendor environment

Probeless monitoring and network intelligence data collection

point for the Diameter network

DSR collateral available

Application Handbook
Product Brief
Download at www.tekelec.com

Acronyms
ABMF

Account Balance Mgmt. Function

OCF

Online Charging Function

AF

Application Function

OFCF

Offline Charging Function

CSCF

Call Session Control Function

PCRF

Policy and Charging Rules Function

DNS

Domain Name System

PDN

Packet Data Network

DRA

Diameter Routing Agent

PGW

PDN GateWay

EIR

Equipment Identity Register

RF

Rating Function

EPC

Evolved Packet Core

SB

Service Broker

GGSN

Gateway GPRS Support Node

SBCF

Session Based Charging Function

GRX

GPRS Roaming eXchange

SCTP

Stream Control Transmission Protocol

HSS

Home Subscriber Server

SGSN

Serving GPRS Support Node

IMC

Inter-MP Communication

SGW

Serving GateWay

IMS

IP Multimedia Subsystem

SLF

Subscription Locator Function

IPX

IP Packet eXchange

SSR

SIP Signaling Router

IWF

InterWorking Function

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol

LTE

Long Term Evolution

TLS

Transport Layer Security

MME

Mobility Management Entity

UE

User Equipment

References

IETF 3588bis Diameter Base Protocol

GSMA PRD IR.88 LTE Roaming Guidelines, v1.0

3GPP TS 33.210 (v8.3.0) 3G Security; Network Domain Security; IP network layer security
(Release 8)

3GPP TS 23.204 (v9.0.0) Support of Short Message Service (SMS) over generic 3GPP Internet
Protocol (IP) access (Release 9)

3GPP TR 29.805 (v8.0.0) InterWorking Function (IWF) between MAP based and Diameter based
interfaces, (Release 8)

3GPP TS 29.305 (v9.0.0) InterWorking Function (IWF) between MAP based and Diameter based
interfaces, (Release 9)

3GPP TS 23.292 (v9.4.0) IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) centralized services; Stage 2,

(Release 9)

3GPP TS 23.203 (v9.3.0) Policy and charging control architecture, (Release 9)

3GPP TS 29.272 (v8.3.0) Mobility Management Entity (MME) and Serving GPRS Support Node
(SGSN) related interfaces based on Diameter protocol (Release 8)
3GPP TS 23.003 (v8.6.0) UMTS; Numbering, addressing and identification (Release 8)
3GPP TR 29.909 (v8.1.2) Diameter-based protocols usage and recommendations in 3GPP
(Release 8)

Selected Diameter Interfaces in LTE and IMS

Interface

Endpoints

S6a

MME

HSS

S6d

HSS

vSGSN (Rel 8)

S13

MME

EIR

S9

hPCRF

vPCRF

Rx

PCRF

AF, P-CSCF

Gx

PGW

PCRF

Gy

PGW

OCF

Gz

PGW

OFCF

Cx

I/S-CSCF

HSS

Sh

AF, IP-SM-GW

HSS

Rf

P/I/S-CSCF, AF

OFCF

Ro

S-CSCF, AF

OCF

Rc

OCF

ABMF

Re

OCF

RF

Contact Details

David Prince
Director Technical Pre-Sales, APAC
Mobile: +61.448.186.288
E-Mail: David.Prince@tekelec.com

Diameter Agents in 3GPP and GSMA

HSS

3GPP TR 29.909 Diameter-based

protocols usages and
recommendations in 3GPP
Defines need for Diameter
infrastructure to simplify the S6 and
S9 networks

Inner
Diameter
Relay Pool

MME

MME

3GPP TS 23.203 Policy and

charging control architecture

Defines need for a Diameter agent

at the point of network demarcation

...

Inter-Operator Diameter
Infrastructure

MME

S-GW

PLMN
Diameter (PCRF) realm

P-GW

Defines Diameter Routing Agent to

direct all messages for the same IPCAN session to the same PCRF

GSMA PRD IR.88 LTE Roaming

Guidelines

Border
Diameter
Relay Pool

Non-3GPP
GW

DRA
Gx, Gxa, Gxb, Gxc, Rx

ePDG

PCRF
PCRF
PCRF

Diameter (PCRF) realm

AF

DRA

PCRF
PCRF
PCRF

HPMN

VPMN
MME
S6a

S4
SGSN

S6d

HSS

GRX/IPX
Proxy
Agent

Proxy
Agent

S9

vPCRF

24 I Tekelec. For Whats Next.

Tekelec Confidential

hPCRF