Leliwa Technical Bulletin

SGSNs in Pool

Date: Date: Revision: Author:

23.08.2009 005/SGP/004 Jakub Bluszcz

Copyright 2010 Leliwa. All Rights Reserved.

Leliwa Technical Bulletin

SGSNs in Pool

Table of contents
Topic Page

Introduction.....................................................................................................3 Network Resource Identification .....................................................................5 Node Selection Function.................................................................................7 Mobility Management....................................................................................10 Combined MM procedures............................................................................12 Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................17 References ...................................................................................................18 Disclaimer.....................................................................................................19

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Introduction
The SGSN in Pool, as a part of Intra Domain Connection of RAN Nodes to Multiple CN Nodes solution, overcomes the strict hierarchy, which restricts the connection of a BSC node to just one SGSN. This restriction results from routing mechanisms in the BSC which differentiate only between information to be sent to the SGSN (PS domain) or to the MSC (CS domain) and which do not differentiate between multiple CN nodes in each domain. The SGSN in Pool solution introduces a routing mechanism and other related functionality, which enables the BSC to route information to different CN nodes within the CS or PS domain, respectively.

SGSN1

SGSN2

SGSN3

BSC1

BSC2

BSC3

BSC4

BSC5

BSC6

Figure 1 SGSNs in Pool (logical view)

The fact that the BSC can co-operate with the several SGSN does not implies that the separate physical interfaces are required since the IP network can be used between BSCs and SGSNs to switch the traffic delivered on the same physical interfaces to different recipients connected to that network.

SGSN1

SGSN2

SGSN3

IP network

BSC1

BSC2

BSC3

BSC4

BSC5

BSC6

Figure 2 SGSNs in Pool (physical view with Gb/IP)

The SGSN in Pool solution introduces further the concept of pool-areas which is enabled by the routing mechanism in the BSC. An SGSN pool-area is comparable to an SGSN service area as a collection of one or more BSC service areas. In difference to an SGSN service area a pool-area is served by

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multiple SGSNs in parallel which share the traffic of this area between each other. Furthermore, pool-areas may overlap which is not possible for the SGSN service areas. From a BSS perspective a pool-area comprises all RAs of one or more BSC that are served by a certain group of SGSN nodes in parallel. One or more of the SGSNs in this group may in addition serve RAs outside this pool-area or may also serve other pool-areas. This group of SGSNs is also referred to as SGSN pool. The SGSN in Pool enables a few different application scenarios with certain characteristics. The service provision by multiple SGSNs within a pool-area enlarges the served area compared to the service area of one SGSN. This results in reduced inter SGSN RA updates and it reduces the HLR update traffic. The configuration of overlapping pool-areas allows to separate the overall traffic into different MS moving pattern, e.g. pool-areas where each covers a separate residential area and all the same city centre. Other advantages of multiple SGSNs in a pool-area are the possibility of capacity upgrades by additional SGSNs in the pool-area or the increased service availability as other SGSNs may provide services in case one SGSN in the pool-area fails.

SGSN2 SGSN1

SGSN4 SGSN3

SGSN7 SGSN6 SGSN5

BSC3 BSC2 BSC1 Pool-area 1 Pool-area 2 BSC4 BSC5 BSC7 BSC6 BSC8

Pool-area 3

Figure 3 Pool area configuration example

An MS is served by one dedicated SGSN node of a pool-area as long as it is in radio coverage of the pool-area. Fig. 13-3 shows most of the possible poolarea configurations. It contains Pool-area 1 (BSC area 1, 2 and 3 served by SGSNs 1 and 2), Pool-area 2 (BSC area 4 and 5 served by SGSNs 3 and 4) and Pool-area 3 (BSC area 5, 6 and 7 served by SGSNs 5, 6 and 7). In addition the BSC areas 8 is served by SGSN 7 without any usage of the SGSNs in Pool feature. The possibility to configure overlapping pool-areas is shown by the Pool-areas 2 and 3. The Pool-areas 1 is configured nonoverlapping with any other Pool-area. The number or capacity of SGSNs is configured independently for each pool-area. The usage of SGSNs in Pool

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may be configured in parts of the network only and can co-exists with other areas not using this feature.

Network Resource Identification

An SGSN pool-area is an area within which an MS roams without a need to change the serving SGSN. A pool-area is served by one or more SGSNs nodes in parallel. The complete service area of a BSC belongs to the same one or more pool-area(s). An BSC service area may belong to multiple poolareas, which is the case when multiple overlapping pool-areas include this BSC service area. If RAs span over multiple BSC service areas then all these BSC service areas have to belong to the same pool-area.

BSC3 SGSN3 SGSN2 SGSN1 BSC2 BSC1

An SGSN pool-area is an area within which an MS roams without a need to change the serving SGSN.
Figure 4 Pool-area definition

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The Network Resource Identifier (NRI) identifies uniquely an individual SGSN out of all SGSNs, which serve in parallel a pool-area. The length of the NRI is the same in all SGSNs in one pool-area. In areas where pool-areas overlap the NRI identifies uniquely an SGSN out of all SGSNs, which serve all these overlapping pool-areas, i.e. an NRI identifies uniquely an SGSN within a BSC. In case of overlapping pool-areas the NRI length is configured to be the same in all the nodes serving these pool-areas. More than one NRI may be assigned to an SGSN. The NRI is part of the P-TMSI, which is assigned by the serving SGSN to the MS. The P-TMSI allocation mechanism in the SGSN generates P-TMSIs which contain a configured NRI in the relevant bit positions. The NRI has a flexible length between 10 and 0 bits (0 bits means the NRI is not used and the feature is not applied). The NRI is coded in bits 23 to 14 of P-TMSI. Regardless of the NRI length the most significant bit of the NRI is always in bit 23 of P-TMSI.

octet 4 octet 3 octet 2 octet 1 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

NRI NRI - Network Resource Identification

Figure 5 Structure of P-TMSI

The BSC node derives the NRI from the TLLI. The BSC masks the significant bits out of the TLLI to determine the NRI, which identifies the SGSN. It is configured in the BSC which bits out of TLLI provided by the MS are significant for the NRI. The change of a pool-area is not visible to the MS. In general there is no need to detect a pool-area change. It may be advantageous for load balancing purposes to detect pool-area changes in the network to distribute MSs entering a pool-area to SGSNs with an appropriate load status. MSs changing a pool-area may be detected by configuration of different NRI values for adjacent pool-areas.

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Node Selection Function

This function is used in BSC and potentially in SGSNs. In the BSC the function selects the specific SGSN to which LLC frames are routed. The NRI identifies the specific SGSN. If the Node Selection Function has an SGSN address configured for the NRI derived from the LLC frame then this frame is routed to this address. If no SGSN address is configured for the derived NRI or if no NRI can be derived (e.g. the MS indicated an identity which contains no NRI) then the Node Selection Function selects an available SGSN (e.g. according to load balancing) and routes the LLC frame to that SGSN. The MS sends the TLLI to the BSC. The NRI is part of the P-TMSI and therefore also contained in the local TLLI or in the foreign TLLI. A local TLLI indicates to the BSC that the TLLI is derived from a P-TMSI which was assigned for the current RA, i.e. the local TLLI contains an NRI which is valid for routing to an SGSN. A foreign TLLI indicates to the BSC that the TLLI is derived from a P-TMSI which was assigned for another RA than the current RA. The BSC does not know whether the other RA and therefore the related P-TMSI belongs to the same pool-area or not unless this is configured in the BSC (which is not intended). Consequently, the BSC assumes, that the foreign TLLI contains a NRI which is valid for routing to an SGSN.

SGSN1
(NRI=1) P-TMSI (NRI=2)

BSC1 SGSN2
(NRI=2)

P-TMSI (NRI=2)

BSC2 SGSN3

Node Selection Function (NSF) P-TMSI/NRI allocation NRI routing

Figure 6 Use of NRI

(NRI=3)

If no SGSN address is configured in the BSC for the requested NRI, which may happen for NRIs masked out of a 'foreign TLLI', or if the BSC received a

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'random TLLI' which contains no NRI at all then the BSC routes the uplink LLC frame to an SGSN selected from the available SGSNs. The selection mechanism is implementation dependent. As more than one SGSN may send downlink data at the same time for a cell or a BVCI, the BSC has to share the total possible downlink traffic between the SGSNs that can access a cell. The BSC should use the existing flow control procedure on cell level to control each of the SGSNs in a way not to violate the total possible traffic for the cell. How the BSC decides to share the downlink traffic between each of the SGSNs is an implementation specific issue; e.g. the possible downlink traffic can be equally shared between the SGSNs, or the share of each SGSN can be proportional to the capacity of the SGSN.

Load balancing
The Node Selection Function in the BSC balances the load between the available SGSNs. This is performed by an appropriate selection of the SGSN for an MS: which was not yet assigned to a SGSN, i.e. when there is no SGSN configured for the NRI indicated by the MS, when a 'random TLLI' is received, when no NRI can be derived, in exceptional cases, e.g. when the SGSN corresponding to an NRI cannot be reached.

The load-balancing algorithm is implementation specific.

Load ReRe-Distribution
There are situations where a network operator wishes to remove load from one SGSN in an orderly manner (e.g. to perform scheduled maintenance, or, to perform load re-distribution to avoid overload) with minimal impact to end users and/or additional load on other entities. The re-distribution procedure does not require any new functionality in the terminal, that is, all terminals can be moved. Re-distribution of MSs is initiated via an O&M command in the SGSN node, which needs to be off-loaded. In a first phase (a couple of Periodic RA Update periods long), MSs doing RA Update or Attach are moved to other SGSNs in the pool. When the SGSN node receives the, RA Update or Attach request, it returns a new P-TMSI with a null-NRI, a sufficiently low value of periodic routing area update timer (recommended value 4 seconds) and sets the force to Stand-by indication.

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The MS shortly after sends a new RA Update that the BSC then routes to a new SGSN due to the presence of a null-NRI.

Null-NRI, Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s, Force to Stand-by

SGSN
(NRI=1) O&M

RA Upd. (periodic) RA Upd. Accept ( )

BSC

SGSN
(NRI=2)

RA Upd. (periodic)

SGSN
(NRI=3)

Figure 7 Load Re-Distribution (phase 1)

In a second phase, the SGSN requests all MSs trying to set up PDP Contexts to detach & reattach. When they reattach, the SGSN moves them as in the first phase described above.

Activate PDP Context Request Detach Request Attach Request Attach Accept ( )

SGSN
(NRI=2)

BSC
RA Upd. (periodic) Null-NRI, Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s, Force to Stand-by

SGSN
(NRI=3)

Figure 8 Load Re-Distribution (phase 2)

A third phase includes scanning through remaining MSs and initiating a move of them to other SGSNs by requesting them to detach and reattach, which causes them to be moved.

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Detach Request / IMSI paging Attach Request Attach Accept ( )

SGSN
(NRI=2)

BSC
RA Upd. (periodic) Null-NRI, Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s, Force to Stand-by

SGSN
(NRI=3)

Figure 9 Load Re-Distribution (phase 3)

The MSs being moved from one SGSN are stopped from registering to the same SGSN again by an O&M command in BSCs connected to the pool. The MSs moving into a pool area are also stopped from registering into a SGSN being off-loaded in the same manner.

Mobility Management
An MS performs RA Updates and Attachments, which may result in a change of the serving SGSN. In these procedures the new SGSN requests from the old SGSN MS specific parameters. If multiple SGSNs are configured in the new SGSN for the old RA indicated by the MS then the new SGSN derives the NRI from the old P-TMSI indicated by the MS. The new SGSN node uses the old RA together with the NRI to derive the signalling address of the old SGSN from its configuration data.

old pool
SGSN
(NRI=1)

SGSN
(NRI=2) RA Update Request (P-TMSI, old RAI) SGSN Context Request

SGSN
NRI & old RAI IP @ old SGSN

Figure 10 SGSN change (new SGSN outside old pool)

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The SGSN addresses are configured in the SGSN (O&M) or in DNS for each RAI and NRI combination. If a DNS server is used, it is queried using the logical name, derived from the old RAI and NRI information (see Fig. 13-11).

nriCCCC.racDDDD.lacEEEE.mncYYY.mccZZZ.gprs SGSN IP @ old SGSN DNS

Figure 11 DNS query

If the network contains nodes that cannot derive the old SGSN from RAI and NRI a default SGSN for each RA is used to resolve the ambiguity of the multiple SGSNs serving the same area.

Default SGSN and backwards compatibility

SGSNs that can only derive one SGSN from the RAI (e.g. because they do not support the SGSN in Pool feature, or no detailed knowledge of the NRIs is configured) are not aware, that multiple SGSNs may serve a RA. These nodes can therefore contact only one SGSN (default SGSN) per RA. A default SGSN resolves the ambiguity of the multiple SGSNs per RA by deriving the NRI from the P-TMSI. The default SGSN relays the signalling between the new SGSN and the old SGSN. Note that the default SGSN is configured per RA. So different SGSNs in a network might have configured different default nodes for a RA. With this approach more than one of the SGSNs that serve a pool-area can be used as default SGSN, so load concentration on one SGSN and a single point of failure can be avoided. If a default SGSN that is serving a pool-area receives GTP signalling (e.g. to fetch the IMSI or to get unused cipher parameters) it has to resolve the ambiguity of the multiple SGSNs per RAI by deriving the NRI from the PTMSI. The SGSN relays the GTP signalling to the old SGSN identified by the NRI in the old P-TMSI unless the default SGSN itself is the old SGSN.

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old pool
SGSN
(default)

SGSN

SGSN Context Request

RA Update Request (P-TMSI, old RAI)

SGSN
RAI IP @ default SGSN

Figure 12 Default SGSN

Combined MM procedures
The Intra Domain Connection of RAN Nodes to Multiple CN Nodes allows for creation of PS and CS pool areas (i.e. SGSNs pools and MSCs pool). If the operator is using Network Mode of Operation 1 (i.e. Gs interface) than the combined MM and GMM procedures are affected.

SGSN1

SGSN2

SGSN

BSC1

BSC2

BSC3

BSC4

BSC5

BSC6

Gs
MSC1 MSC2 MSC3 MSC4

Figure 13 MSCs pools & SGSNs pool with Gs I/F

Attach
In case of combined GPRS/IMSI attach or GPRS attach when already IMSI attached, the SGSN sends the Location Update Request message to the MSC/VLR. The SGSN selects an MSC/VLR from the available MSC/VLRs

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(MSC/VLRs in Pool) which serve the current LA of the MS. The selection bases on a hash value derived from the IMSI. It is configured in the SGSN which range of the hash values relates to which MSC/VLR.

MSC

pool

(0-4999)

MSC
(4999-9999) Location Upd. Request

Combined GPRS/IMSI Attach

SGSN

IMSI hash value (0-9999) hash value & RAI MSC No.

Figure 14 Combined GPRS/IMSI Attach

This selection mechanism avoids a random change of the MSC/VLR for MSs using combined procedures when an SGSN fails. The new SGSN will select the same MSC/VLR.

Routing area update

The CN node changes in the following considerations result from pool-area changes (when pool-areas are configured) or from CN node service area changes (when no pool-areas are configured). For each domain (PS or CS) it is configured independently whether pool-areas are used or not. When neither the MSC nor the SGSN are changed, the association for an MS between both CN nodes will also not change. When the MSC changes but the SGSN does not change, the SGSN selects a new MSC because the new LA is not served by the old MSC/VLR. The selection mechanism is as described for the attach above. When the SGSN changes but the MSC does not change, the new SGSN selects the old MSC to establish a Gs association because the new SGSN uses the same selection mechanism as described above for the attach with the same parameters as configured in the old SGSN.

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IMSI hash value (0-9999) hash value & RAI MSC No.

SGSN1

SGSN2

SGSN
RA/LA Upd. Location Upd. Request

BSC1

BSC2

BSC3

BSC4

BSC5

BSC6

MSC1

MSC2

MSC3
(0-4999)

MSC4
(4999-9999)

Figure 15 SGSN change with no MSC change

When both the MSC and the SGSN change, the new SGSN selects a new MSC to establish a Gs association. The selection mechanism is as described for the attach above.

CS paging via Gs interface

In case a MSC sends a paging-request with IMSI via Gs-interface the SGSN has to add the MSC/VLR-identity to the Paging message. The selection function in the BSC temporarily stores MSC/VLR-identity in order to send the Paging Response to the MSC that has issued the Paging Request.

MSC

pool
MSC
Paging Req. (IMSI)

Paging Res. (IMSI) Paging Req. (IMSI)

BSC

Paging (IMSI + MSC/VLRidentity)

SGSN

Figure 16 CS paging via Gs interface

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MSC Load ReRe-Distribution

Redistribution of MSs is initiated by O&M command in the SGSN providing the Gs interface to the MSC to be off-loaded. The corresponding IMSI Hash table is reconfigured to reflect the redistribution. If the SGSNs are also configured in a pool, this is repeated for any SGSN connected to that MSC. The IMSI Hash table have a consistent configuration in all SGSNs in the pool. The redistribution is done in two phases. During the first phase, the MSs that are performing combined RA/LA updates are moved to a new MSC. When the SGSN receives a Routing Area Update Request (combined RA/LA updating), it checks if the particular MS shall be moved (i.e. it has a Gs association with the MSC being off-loaded). If the MS shall be moved, the SGSN invokes the MSC selection function (IMSI Hash) to decide where the MS should be distributed. SGSN sends the (BSSAP+) Location-UpdateRequest (IMSI attach) to the new selected MSC where the MS is registered. Stationary MSs (i.e. MSs not performing RA/LA updates) are not moved during this first phase.

MSC1

MSC2
Location Upd. Request

MSC3

RA/LA Upd.

SGSN

O&M

(0-3332) MSC1 (3333-6665) MSC2 (6666-9999) MSC3

(3333-6665)+(0-1666) MSC2 (6666-9999)+(1666-3332) MSC3

Figure 17 MSC Load Re-Distribution (phase 1)

During the second phase, the SGSN scans its Gs associations to find out which MSs shall be moved. For each MS with an association to the MSC being off-loaded, the SGSN sends a Detach Request (indicating IMSI detach). The MS is forced to re-attach to non-GPRS service (note that there is no impact on PDP contexts in this case). The MS sends a RA Update Request (combined RA/LA updating with IMSI Attach). SGSN checks if the MS shall be moved. If the MS shall be moved, the SGSN invokes the MSC selection function (IMSI Hash) to select another MSC. SGSN sends the (BSSAP+) Location Update-Request (IMSI attach) to the new MSC where the MS is registered.

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MSC1

MSC2
Location Upd. Request

MSC3

Detach Request (IMSI)

SGSN
RA/LA Upd (IMSI Attach)

Figure 18 MSC Load Re-Distribution (phase 2)

During the redistribution, incoming IMSI Detach messages are (as during normal operation) routed to respective existing associated MSC. That is, the reconfigured IMSI Hash doesn't affect the routing of IMSI Detach messages.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

BSC BSS BSSAP CN CPICH CS CS EHPLMN FDD GMM GPRS GSM GTP HLR HPLMN IMSI IP LA LLC MM MS MSC NRI NSF PDP PDP PS PS P-TMSI RA RAI RAN SGSN TLLI TMSI VLR Base Station Controller Base Station System BSS Application Part Core Network Common Pilot Channel Circuit Switching Convergence Sublayer Equivalent Home PLMN Frequency Division Duplex GPRS Mobility Management General Packet Radio Service Global System for Mobile Communications GPRS Tunelling Protocol Home Location Register Home Public Land Mobile Network International Mobile Subscriber Identity Internet Protocol Location Area Logical Link Control Mobility Management Mobile Station Mobile services Switching Centre Network Resource Identifier Node Selection Function Packet Data Protocol Policy Decision Point Packet Switching Presence Service Packet TMSI Routing Area Routing Area Identification Radio Access Network Serving GPRS Support Node Temporary Logical Link Identifier Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity Number Visited Location Register

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References
This section contains the locations of various specifications, document references and useful information where you can learn more about this subject.

[1]

23.236 Intra-domain connection of Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes to multiple Core Network (CN) nodes

[2]

23.002 Network architecture

[3]

23.060 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service description; Stage 2

[4]

48.008 Mobile Switching Centre - Base Station system (MSC-BSS) interface; Layer 3 specification

[5]

23.003 Numbering, addressing and identification

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Disclaimer
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