DIAMETER Architecture

Agenda

1. Introduction to LTE Core Architecture

2. DRF as Core DIAMETER Router
3. Focus on Roaming Architecture

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 Introduction to LTE Core Architecture

The architecture of LTE network is, as for 2G/3G technologies based

on a difference between control/mobility plane (mainly allowed
thanks to Signaling DIAMETER protocol) and data plane.

This presentation is focusing on Signaling part and the role of

DIAMETER Agents based on Orange Group recommendation

However, to speed up LTE and LTE Roaming opening, do not forget

to take care on data plane too !

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 DRF as Core DIAMETER
Router

4
 Towards a Diameter Routing Function

Roaming

EPC DRF PCC

IMS

Interconnected Interconnected
domains equipment
Diameter Routing Function (DRF) definition:
• Device providing interconnection and interworking between:
• Internal Diameter nodes of EPC, PCC and IMS in each PLMN
• the Home PLMN and external PLMNs for roaming scenarios.
• Provide a secure & reliable centralized routing of Diameter messages
• Ensure an optimized management of the Diameter signalling plane through
features such as load-balancing, monitoring and congestion control.
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 One-In-All Approach – the swiss knife
DRF

Diameter Diameter Diameter Subscriber

Edge Agent Use cases
Routing Hub Routing Agent Location Function

• Connection between: • IMS enabler

• LTE Roaming enabler
• MME->HSS • Cross PCC and IMS Session • Location of HSS within the
• Connection with roaming

features
Specific
• PGW->PCRF binding: ensure that all IMS for a particular
partners
messages of the Gx and Rx IMPI/IMPU
• IP firewall • PGW->OCS
sessions belonging to the •Location of HSS within the
• IPSEC connections • Any other Diameter same IP connection are EPC for a particular IMSI
nodes delivered to the same PCRF
• Diameter topology hiding
• Load-balance to different
instances of the same
equipment (HSS, PCRF, OCS)
• Session stickiness: all
messages of the same
session are delivered to the
same PCRF and OCS

DRA: only needed when a MNO have a big (8 or more MME/HHS noese) LTE network and/or need to
manage multiple PCRF

features
Core
Virtual DRA: force domestic traffic to travel on an international routes (Ncell_HSS communicate to
NCELL_MME via international link). Inefficient and bandwidth heavy solution

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 Orange LTE Roaming – fonctionnal Architecture

Visited Home
Network Network

vPCRF
hPCRF
S9
SGSN Diameter
S6d Router
HSS
S6a
MME
S1-MME
Orange
IPX
E-Utran S10 S11

Serving
S8
Enhanced PDN Internet
S1-U Gateway GRX Gateway

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 Why are DRF features important ?
DRF function Main use
Diameter Edge Agent It provides enhanced security, interoperability and routing functions at the edge of
the mobile operator network to manage Diameter signaling between visited, home
and roaming hub/IPX providers.
Diameter Routing Hub It combines different functions to aggregate and load-balance all the Diameter
traffic inside the Home operator network, including IMS, LTE/EPC, charging and
PCC related Diameter signaling
Diameter Routing Agent It provides enhanced routing and session binding functionalities in a multiple PCRF
environment.
Subscriber Location function When there are multiple HSSs in the network, subscribers may be homed on different
HSSs. Therefore, there must be some function in the network that maps subscriber
identities to HSSs.
Diameter Routing The DRF provides the capability to route Diameter messages based on any
combination or presence/absence, of Destination Host, Destination-Realm or
Application-ID
Network interconnection It provides a central interconnect point towards other networks (full mesh connection
is not an option), and hides the network topology (security).
Congestion Control The Diameter protocol in itself lacks a well-defined congestion control mechanisms
found in other protocols such as SS7
Overload Control In case of overload, the DRF allows to discard messages and can send an answer
response containing a user configurable result code AVP.
Diameter flavor mediation It enables to adapt diameter protocol in a multivendor environment in case a different
implementation is made by different vendors. It is a key function to solve IOT issues.

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 Focus on Roaming
Architecture

9
 Diameter Routing Function
LTE Roaming: need of Diameter Edge Agent

LTE Roaming
> Diameter interfaces

2 3

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 Diameter Routing Function
LTE Roaming: need of Diameter Edge Agent

 Topology hiding
> Reduce the export of network topologies (HSS, MME…)
 Load Balancing between inner Diameter Peers and at least two DEAs
> Either for Failover/failback procedures
> Either for load balancing requests between a set of peers
 IPv4/v6 intewroking
> At the commercial launch, the EPC core network may use a combination of IPv4 and IPv6 addressing
planes
> DEA must support IPv6 and IPv4 addressing
> If the inner peer supports both IPv4 and IPv6, IPv6 should be used to initiate a Diameter connection with
the DEAs
 Transport
> SCTP must be used between peers
> DEA must only advertize the Relay application-id in CER/CEA
> Each DEA should be connected to 2 out peers (DEAs or IPX Agents) as primary/secondary peers for load-
balancing and failover mechanisms
 Security
> Diameter connections between peers should be secured by using TLS/TCP, DTLS/SCTP or IPSec
> Diameter signaling plane in EPC core network is considered as natively secured

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 DIAMETER Peering Architecture Model 1
Case of Everything Everywhere, Orange France, Orange Spain

FT DEA Customer
Paris DEA2

HSS
IBNF Customer
network
FT DEA
Reims MME

Customer
DEA2 HPLMN

Diameter connections are carried over

multi-homed SCTP associations

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 DIAMETER Peering Architecture Model 2
Case of Optimus

Diameter Interconnection
Architecture
Direct Connection

FT DEA
Paris

HSS
IBNF Customer
network
FT DEA
Reims MME

HPLMN

Diameter connections are carried over

multi-homed SCTP associations

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 ORANGE offer both models to enhance roaming
experience

 help Mobile Operators offer a 4G roaming experience

– LTE Signalling enables the exchange of Diameter messages between MNO
(s6a interface)
– GRX and ss7 connectivity complete the picture to support 4G CSFB
roaming scenario

 Equipment integrated
in Orange International MNO

DEA
Orange
Multiservice Network:
C
IPX
Diameter Edge Agent
 DEA provides enhanced HSS
DEA
Proxy
security, interoperability MNO
diameter

and routing functions

B
MME

MNO

DEA
A

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 Orange offer – key features
availability
Diameter  Geo-redundancy and local redundancy in Active/Stand-by mode

Routing  thank to SCTP protocol and multi-homing the solution is able to support network failure,
the traffic could be routed on the other side which is able to manage it

Solution global robustness

provides a lot of  DEA protects network from signalling storms against overload (New Year Day)
functionalities to ensure
your diameter traffic load-balancing and routing
exchange  re-routing, AVP-based routing, peer based routing.
Example for your Welcome SMS, SOR…

connection management
 native support of Diameter stack
 filtering mechanism during CER/CEA (Capability-Exchange-Request /Answer)

 peer (multiple connections per peer) state monitoring GUI interface and possibility of script
to monitor

transport and protocols

 TCP, SCTP, SCTP multi-homing, IPv4/IPv6 interworking, Ipsec, Diameter, protocol
interworking (MAP, RADIUS in roadmap) and Diameter dynamical Stack Support

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 Focus on NCELL Architecture

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 NCELL Enviroment

• Single PCRF
• 2 HSS (1 standby) ZTE
• 2 MME (1 standby) Huawei

NCELL has no need for a DRA in particular not virtual DRA

Orange proposal
• Free virtual DEA
• HSS – MME direct connection to Orange DEA (Mode 2)
• Both ZTE and HW equipment already tested and validated with
Orange DEA by several clients
• DEA’s DRF capable of manage direct connection (example ROUT in
appendix 1

Orange solution is fully compatible with NCELL requirements and can

allow considerably cost saving (no leased virtual DRA)
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 NCELL Routing Rules NCELL's Outgoing traffic
(NCELL->Orange)
Only a simple routing rule is need:
• If the Destination Host not NCELL then the traffic shall be sent to
Orange DEA

Orange ruoting rule: NCELL’s Incoming traffic

(Orange->NCELL)

Orange DEA will mange more complex rules

• If the Destination Host is empty then the DSU (Request) is sent
towards NCELL HSS
• If the Destination Host is present then the DSU will be routed
toward such destination (example of HSS excahnging with MME
for RIN)

Orange solution can route by IMSI range if more then one HSS is
active

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 Appendinx 1 : Signaling flow
between Mode 1 (own
DEA/DRA) and mode 2 (using
carrier DEA)

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 UK in the example
NCELL Mode 2 represent a
connection will partner using its
work as the own internal
Optimus one in DEA/DRA
the example

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 UK in the example
NCELL Mode 2 represent a
connection will partner using its
work as the own internal
Optimus one in DEA/DRA
the example

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Thank You