LTE, its Charging Architecture and use of Diameter

Modules

Hide all

LTE Core Introduction (4 topics)

• The 3G LTE & EPC Components
• eNB, MME, SGW, PGW, PCRF, OCS, OFCS, ADNSF
• Interworking
• Authentication

Evolved Packet Core (6 topics)

• Structure
• Main Components
• MME (Mobility Management Entity):
• SAE Gateway or SGW (Serving Gateway)
• PGW (PDN - Packet Data Network Gateway)
• HSS (The Home Subscriber Server)

A Short History of Diameter (12 topics)

• RADIUS/TACACS
• Enter Diameter
• Twice the Radius
• Scalability
• Fault Tolerance
• Agents
• Security
• Reliable Transmission
• Negotiation
• Load Balancing
• Diameter Node Deployment
• AAA Evolving Network Requirements

Diameter and its Applications (11 topics)

• What an AAA Server Does
• RADIUS - Remote Access Dial In User Service
• The Need for Diameter
• The Diameter Document Set
• Diameter Applications; Not Applications but Protocols
• Overview of Diameter Applications
• Diameter Mobile IPv4 Application
• Diameter Network Access Server Application
• Diameter Extensible Authentication Protocol Application
• Diameter Credit Control Application
• Diameter Session Initiation Protocol Application

Transporting Diameter & Diameter Agents (11 topics)

• Transport - The need for a reliable fast transport protocol
• SCTP Explained
• Securing Diameter Messages
• Connections & Sessions
• Diameter Agents
• Relay Agents
• Proxy Agents
• Redirect Agents
• Translation Agents
• End-to-End Security
• Authorisation

The Diameter Base Protocol (8 topics)

• The following topics are covered:
• Diameter Base Protocol
• Diameter Header Structure
• Command Codes
• Command Flags
• AVPs
• AVP Header Structure
• New AVPs

Diameter Operations and Extensibility (13 topics)

• Peer Connections
• Discovery
• Capability Exchange
• Disconnection
• Failover and Fallback
• Diameter message processing
• Diameter Error Handling
• User Sessions
• Agent Support
• Auditability
• Extensibility of the protocol
• Creating New AVPs
• Creating New Applications

Diameter Error Handling (7 topics)

• ResultCode AVP
• Informational
• Success
• Protocol Errors
• Transient Failures
• Permanent Errors
• Error Bit

Diameter Messaging & Application (12 topics)

• A selection of Diameter Messages explained with examples including:
• AbortSessionRequest & AbortSessionAnswer
• AccountingRequest & AccountingAnswer
• CapabilitiesExchangingRequest & CapabilitiesExchangingAnswer
• DeviceWatchdogRequest & DeviceWatchdogAnswer
• DisconnectPeerRequest & DisconnectPeerAnswer
• ReAuthRequest & ReAuthAnswer
• SessionTerminationRequest & SessionTerminationAnswer
• Diameter Routing and Management
• Diameter routing concepts
• Diameter message manipulation with DRA
• Usage reporting and event trigger reporting

IPSec & Its use with Diameter (3 topics)

• Security Issues
• IPSec Introduction
• TLS Usage

Diameter in the IMS (9 topics)

• Accounting
• Server Directed Model
• Protocol Messages
• Application Document Requirements
• Fault Resilience
• Accounting Records
• Correlation of Accounting Records
• How Diameter messages apply with IMS
• CER/CEA, DWR/DWA, DPR/DPA, RAR/RAA, CCR/CCA

The LTE/UMTS Charging Management Architecture (7 topics)

• Types of DIAMETER Nodes in IMS/LTE
• Client (e.g., S4SGSN, MME, NAS), Server (e.g., HSS), Agent, Relay Agent, Proxy Agent (e.g., DRA), Redirect Agent (e.g., SLF), Translation Agent (e.g., MAP, DIAMETER IWF)
• Offline and Online Charging procedures and call flows
• Offline Charging CDR content
• Online Charging AVPs and their use in rating PCC Architecture within EPC/LTE
• PCC Architecture and Components: PCRF, PCEF, SPR, OCS
• Charging plans and policies with PCC architecture

Accounting & Billing (5 topics)

• Accounts & Billing Messages & Usage
• Server Directed Model, Messages, Application Document Requirements, Fault Resilience
• Accounting Records, Correlation of Accounting Records
• Accounting CommandCodes
• AccountingRequest, AccountingAnswer, Accounting AVPs

Policy and Charging Control (7 topics)

• Flow Based Charging
• Policy Control
• Architecture
• Functional Entities
• PCRF - Policy Control and Charging Rules Function
• PCEF - Policy and Charging Enforcement Function
• Data Flows and Procedures

Offline & Online Charging Systems & Messaging (16 topics)

• Diameter Interfaces
• S6a between MME and HSS, S6d between S4SGSN and HSS
• S13 between MME and EIR, S13 ' between S4SGSN and EIR
• S9 between Visited PCRF and Home PCRF
• Gx between PDNGW and PCRF, Gxx (Gxa, Gxb, Gxc) for policy control
• Gy between PDNGW and OCS, Gz between PDNGW and OFCS
• Rx between PCSCF and PCRF
• Sp between PCRF and SPR
• Diameter Applications in IMS
• Rc (IMS)
• Re (IMS)
• Rx (IMS)
• Diameter Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Application (RFC 4740)
• Cx (IMS), Dx (IMS), Sh (IMS) and Dh (IMS)
• Rf (IMS)
• Diameter CreditControl Application (RFC 4006): Ro (IMS)