Diameter Proxy and Relay Agents in Next Generation LTE and EPC

A Whitepaper May 2010

By Yogesh V. Ranade
Senior Solutions Architect

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DIAMETER Proxy and Relay Agents in Next Generation LTE and EPC
Introduction We are now seeing tremendous acceleration in the adoption of mobile broadband services. This phenomenal growth is primarily due to powerful new devices and applications, such as video and peer-to-peer, as well as flat rate billing plans and high speed networks that are optimized for IP traffic. Smart phones now account for more than 20% of global handset sales with industry predictions to go as high as 40% in the next 4-5 years.

Industry forecasts call for as much as a hundred fold increase over the next five years

Fig 1: iPhone Users Data Usage With industry forecasts calling for as much as a hundred fold increase in data traffic over the next five years, operators face all sorts of challenges in scaling their networks in a cost-effective manner. This recent increase of mobile data usage and emergence of new applications have motivated the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to work on the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). LTE-EPC aims to ensure 3GPPs competitive edge over other cellular technologies. The key components of the Evolved Packet Services (EPS) are the evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) terrestrial Radio Access Network (RAN), abbreviated as E-UTRAN, and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). Unlike HSPA (High Speed Packet Access), which was accommodated within the Release 99 UMTS architecture, 3GPP is specifying a new Packet Core, the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network architecture to support the E-UTRAN through a flat-IP architecture, less complex functionality and improved redundancy. It caters to allowing for

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connections and hand-over to other fixed line and wireless access technologies, giving the service providers the ability to deliver a seamless mobility experience. The EPC has also been designed to handle seamless roaming facilities as well. The figure below depicts the LTE-SAE roaming architecture as specified in 3GPP Release 8 specifications.

HSS Rx hPCRF S6a HPLMN Gx PDN Gateway SGi S6b S9 S8 S2b vPCRF SWd SWx Operator's IP Services (e.g. IMS, PSS etc.)

3GPP AAA Server

3GPP Access

Serving Gateway

Gxc

Gxb

3GPP AAA Proxy SWm

S2a VPLMN Non-3GPP Networks ePDG

It becomes obvious that there is a need for proxy/relay agents

Gxa Trusted Non-3GPP IP Access

SWn Untrusted Non-3GPP IP Access

SWa

STa

Fig 2: 3GPP LTE Roaming Architecture In the Evolved Packet Core network signaling for access control, policy control and charging is based on the Diameter protocol. Some of the interfaces that are based on the Diameter protocol S6a interface between the MME and the HSS S9 interface between the vPCRF and the hPCRF Many other interfaces are based on Diameter protocol. For more details refer the role of Diameter in the EPC white-paper Diameter in the EPC With the increasing importance and reliance on the IP network infrastructure, the EPC must be carrier class. Looking at the above architecture it becomes extremely clear and poignant that these interfaces are not direct point-to-point interfaces. Considering that most of the traffic will be routed over IP transports over different PMNs it is obvious that there will be a need for edge routers and gateways that would route messages appropriately to the end destinations. It also becomes also clear that there would be a need for edge devices to do access and policy control right at the edge rather than at the HPMN so as to avoid multiple packet hops and maintain and improve the efficiency of the services delivered. There is a need for proxy/relay agents that provide these services.

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INTRODUCTION TO DIAMETER Diameter (RFC 3588) is an IETF draft standard and is defined in terms of an Authorization, Authentication and Accounting (AAA) base protocol and a set of applications. The base protocol provides basic mechanisms for reliable transport, message delivery and error handling. It must be used along with a Diameter application. A Diameter application uses the services of base protocol in order to support a specific type of service. The Diameter Base Protocol defines basic and standard behavior of Diameter nodes as welldefined state machines and also provides an extensible messaging mechanism that allows information exchange among Diameter Nodes. Diameter Applications augment the Base Protocol state machines with application-specific behavior to provide new AAA capabilities. THE DIAMETER PROXY/RELAY AGENT FUNCTIONALITY The base Diameter RFC 3588 specifies the Proxy and Relay functionality definitions which provide a framework to build and develop reliable and scalable agents in the EPC. Figure below depicts the basic proxy and relay functionality specified in the Diameter RFC 3588.

The IPX network was developed to foster open standardized IP connectivity

Fig 3: Diameter Agent (Proxy/Relay) Functionality Let us look at how this functionality can be applied in the LTE/IMS networks. The figure below indicates the role of a proxy agent in a HPMN that establishes communication with a peer proxy agent in a VPMN to establish end-to-end communication between the various controlling/signaling entities (ex: MME-HSS over the S6a interface) for LTE roaming capabilities. Typically the GRX network supports GPRS, EDGE, 3G, HSPA data roaming and MMS interworking, but lacks inherent support for LTE/IMS networks and is primarily controlled for use by MNOs. The IPX network on the other hand was developed by GSMA to foster open standardized IP Connectivity for multiple types of service providers.

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Fig 4: Role of Diameter Agent (Proxy/Relay) in LTE/IMS Networks

Diameter Proxy Agents play a crucial role in Policy Control and Routing Control

Figure 5: Diameter Proxy/Relay Hub Network Design Figure above depicts the Diameter Proxy/Relay Hub network design. As can be seen Diameter proxy agents play a crucial role in Policy Control and Routing Control and can be configured to work as stateful or stateless proxies. FEATURES NEEDED IN A DIAMETER PROXY Considering that Diameter proxies and relay agents play such an important role in the LTE and IMS roaming and are in the critical path for signaling and control traffic, it is imperative that they support the following minimal set of features. Multiple application support (S6a, S9, S4, Sh, CxDx, NASREQ, DCCA etc): o The proxy agent should possess the capability to support a wide-range of Diameter applications in order to encode and decode appropriate AVPs as per the Policy and Rules specified/governed by that application. o Another important related point to note is that as the standards get ratified more and more Diameter based interfaces are

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being defined and it is important for agents to support the extensibility to encode and decode AVPs for these new interfaces without the need for developing new software. High Performance and Throughput with ability to scale across different hardware (multi-core, multi-cpu machines) o Considering that proxy agents serve as edge router devices, it goes without saying that they need to support high performance and throughput with very minimal latencies. Another important distinguishing feature would be with todays improved and ever changing hardware technology it is imperative that the software be architected and designed to scale across these different hardware architectures with only configuration changes so as to avoid any software code modification, compilation. These capabilities essentially future proof the software functionality to scale appropriately as improved hardware is available. Redundancy and HA o The fact that proxy agents function as routers and in case of stateful proxies maintain session information it is important for these proxies to have robust FT-HA capabilities. Dynamic Peer Discovery o Dynamic Peer Discovery is a feature specified in the Base Diameter RFC 3588 that provides the ability for Diameter proxy agents to identify, connect and route messages to upstream or downstream agents, clients and servers. IPv4 and IPv6 Support o As IPV6 starts gaining grounds in next generation networks, it becomes crucially important that Diameter proxies and agents provide support for it with no software changes. Security TLS/IPSec based secure transports o Security is another important aspect considering AAA protocols typically contain sensitive user specific, charging and accounting specific information. IntelliNet Diameter Proxy/Relay Agents IntelliNet Technologies offers a standards-based (IETF RFC 3588) implementation of Diameter. The IntelliNet Accelero Diameter can be seamlessly introduced into next generation LTE and IMS based IP networks, providing enhanced performance, reliability and control functions. The IntelliNet Accelero Diameter Proxy and Relay server is a Diameter agent function that provides relay, proxy and redirect services. Using the IntelliNet Accelero Diameter, operators and enterprises can create robust AAA infrastructure for next generation LTE and IMS networks.

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DIAMETER ENTITIES SUPPORTED

KEY FEATURES The IntelliNet Accelero Diameter Proxy and Relay combines the standard functions of a Diameter proxy and relay with additional features to create an AAA infrastructure component.

Figure 6: Accelero Diameter Proxy/Relay

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As can be seen above, IntelliNets Accelero Diameter Proxy/Relay agents support all the mandatory features identified in section 4 above and many more and are well positioned to be deployed in next generation LTE and IMS networks.

About IntelliNet Technologies Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida with offices in Bangalore, India, IntelliNet Technologies is a leading provider of next-generation network convergence and application development solutions for PSTN, cellular, wireless and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks. Major equipment vendors, application developers and global operators currently use IntelliNets products for prepaid, location services, messaging and fixed mobile convergence. Additional solutions include: mobility, fraud management, and network bridging applications including SS7/IN, SIGTRAN, Diameter, SUPL, SIP and other emerging signaling protocols. For more information please visit: http://www.intellinet-tech.com

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