RACH Optimization

Feature Parameter Description

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Contents
 
                                                                                            
 
1 Introduction
1.1 Scope
This document describes the key techniques and engineering guidelines for random access
channel (RACH) optimization.

1.2 Intended Audience

This document is intended for:
 Personnel who need to understand RACH optimization
 Personnel who work with Huawei LTE products

1.3 Change History

This section provides information on changes in different document versions. There are two
types of changes, which are defined as follows:
 Feature change: refers to a change in the RACH optimization feature of a specific product
version.
 Editorial change: refers to a change in wording or the addition of information that was not
described in the earlier version.

Document Issues
The document issues are as follows:
 01 (2011-12-24)
 Draft A (2011-07-15)

01 (2011-12-24)
Compared with draft A (2011-07-15) of eRAN 2.2, issue 01 (2011-12-24) of eRAN 2.2
incorporates the changes described in the following table.

Change Type Change Description Parameter Change

Feature change None None

Editorial Optimized the description of engineering guidelines. None

change For details, see chapter 4 "Engineering Guidelines."

Draft A (2011-07-15)
This is the draft.
2 Overview of RACH Optimization
This feature provides two functions: RACH resource adjustment and adaptive backoff.
 RACH resource adjustment
RACH resource adjustment optimizes preamble groups and physical random access channel
(PRACH) configurations.
As defined in 3GPP specifications, RACH resources for a cell consist of preambles and
PRACH resources. Preambles are further classified as dedicated preambles and random
access preambles, which are used for non-contention-based random access and contention-
based random access, respectively. RACH resources are configured in semi-persistent mode.
Therefore, a change in the traffic model may lead to an insufficiency of RACH resources to
meet load requirements. For example, an increased number of handover attempts may cause
an insufficiency of dedicated preambles and a longer handover delay. An increased number of
initial access attempts may cause an insufficiency of random access preambles and PRACH
resources and a higher probability of preamble collisions. This further lowers one-time access
success rates and prolongs access delays.
With the two RACH optimization mechanisms, preamble groups and PRACH configurations,
the number of preambles in each group and the number of PRACHs allocated each second
smoothly adapt to the dynamic change in the traffic model. This increases RACH usage and
decreases the access delay for heavy RACH loads.
 Adaptive backoff
If multiple UEs use the same preamble to quickly initiate contention-based random access,
continual preamble collisions may occur. After a preamble collision occurs, only one UE can
access the network as usual, and the remaining UEs that use the same preamble must initiate
random access again on the same PRACH, which may lead to another preamble collision.
Continual preamble collisions cause extra access delays for UEs. UE is short for user
equipment.
To solve this problem, 3GPP specifications introduce the adaptive backoff function. A backoff
time is specified for each UE that has experienced a preamble collision and failed the random
access procedure. A UE can initiate random access again using the same preamble at a
random time point within the specified backoff period. Adaptive backoff enables the eNodeB to
specify the backoff period for UEs based on the contention-based random access load. This
function reduces both the probability of continual preamble collisions and the access delays for
UEs.
This document describes the optional feature LOFD-002015 RACH Optimization. For details
about random access procedures and basic concepts related to random access preambles, see
the Connection Management Feature Parameter Description.
3 Key Techniques of RACH Optimization
3.1 RACH Resource Adjustment
Preambles of a cell are generated based on root Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences. UEs initiate
contention-based random access by transmitting preambles over the PRACH.
As defined in 3GPP specifications, each cell can be configured with 64 preambles. The 64
preambles are classified as random access preamble group A, random access preamble group
B, and a dedicated preamble group, as shown in Figure 3-1. UEs use dedicated preambles to
initiate non-contention-based random access. For contention-based random access, when the
path loss of a UE is less than a particular protocol-defined threshold and the msg3 length is
greater than the value of MessageSizeGroupA, the UE selects random access preambles from
group B to initiate contention-based random access. Otherwise, the UE selects random access
preambles from group A to initiate contention-based random access.
Figure 3-1 Preamble groups

 
PRACH configurations depend on PRACH configuration indexes stipulated in 3GPP
specifications. Setting the PRACH configuration index determines the number of PRACH
opportunities and the subframe numbers at which a random access preamble is transmitted. For
details about PRACH configuration indexes, see reference document [1]. Table 3-1 lists the
frame structure type 1 random access configuration for preamble formats 0 to 3.
Table 3-1 Frame structure type 1 random access configuration for preamble formats 0-3

 
As listed in Table 3-1, the Subframe Number column specifies PRACH opportunities reserved
for the subframes of a radio frame in each PRACH configuration. For example, PRACH
configuration index 7 specifies that random access preambles are transmitted at subframes 2
and 7 of each radio frame, and PRACH configuration index 3 specifies that random access
preambles are transmitted only at subframe 1 of each radio frame.
Based on the allocation of dedicated preambles, detection of random access preambles, and
load on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), RACH optimization adaptively groups
preambles and adjusts PRACH configurations as follows:
 Decreases the number of PRACH opportunities within each radio frame if the eNodeB receives
a small number of random access preambles and the PUSCH load is high.
 Increases the number of PRACH opportunities within each radio frame if the eNodeB receives
a large number of random access preambles and the PUSCH load is not high.
 Decreases the number of dedicated preambles if there are sufficient dedicated preambles and
the eNodeB receives a large number of random access preambles.
 Increases the number of dedicated preambles if dedicated preambles are insufficient.
If preamble groups or PRACH configurations change, the eNodeB sends the new PRACH
configuration to the UE through system information block type 2 (SIB2). Then, the UE uses the
new PRACH configuration to optimize random access performance.
RachAdjSwitch under the RachAlgoSwitch parameter controls RACH resource adjustment.

3.2 Adaptive Backoff

The eNodeB sends a backoff index in an MAC control element (MCE) to a UE to prevent the UE
from retransmitting a random access preamble immediately. This reduces the probability of
preamble collisions and reduces the processing loads of the eNodeB.
The UE queries the backoff time corresponding to the backoff index received from the eNodeB
against Table 3-2. Then, the UE retransmits the random access preamble within the backoff
time. For details, see reference document [2].
Table 3-2 Backoff parameter values

 
Adaptive backoff enables the eNodeB to measure the average number of random access
preambles. The policies are as follows:
 If the number is large, the eNodeB increases the backoff time.
 If the number is small, the eNodeB decreases the backoff time.
 If the number changes slightly, the eNodeB does not change the backoff time.
BackOffSwitch under the RachAlgoSwitch parameter controls adaptive backoff.
 
4 Engineering Guidelines
4.1 Deployment
4.1.1 When to Use RACH Optimization
RACH optimization is recommended if operators require improvements in random access
performance in terms of the one-time random access success rate and access delay.

4.1.2 Data Preparation

This section describes how to prepare generic data and scenario-specific data. Generic data is
not related to any scenarios and must be collected. Scenario-specific data is collected for a
specific scenario. Operators can collect both generic data and scenario-specific data as required.
There are three types of data sources:
 Network plan (negotiation not required): Parameters are planned and set by operators.
 Network plan (negotiation required): Parameters are planned by operators and negotiated with
the EPC or peer transmission equipment.
 User-defined: Parameters are set by the users themselves.

Generic Data
None

Scenario-specific Data
To enable RACH resource adjustment and adaptive backoff, prepare the related parameters in
the CellAlgoSwitch managed object (MO) as instructed in the following table.

Parameter Parameter ID Source Setting Description

Name

Local cell LocalCellId Network plan This parameter specifies the local ID of the cell.
ID (negotiation not It uniquely identifies a cell within an eNodeB.
required) Set this parameter to a value in the range of 0 to
17.

RACH RachAlgoSwitc Network plan The following switches in this parameter are
algorithm h (negotiation not related to RACH optimization:
switch required)  RachAdjSwitch: specifies the switch for
RACH resource adjustment. If this switch is
turned on, the RACH resource adjustment
function adaptively adjusts the RACH
resources in the cell based on the random
access type and the number of random
access times. If this switch is turned off, RACH
resource adjustment is disabled.
 BackOffSwitch: specifies the switch for
adaptive backoff. If the switch is turned on,
adaptive backoff is enabled. If this switch is
turned off, adaptive backoff is disabled.
Turn on RachAdjSwitch and BackOffSwitch.

 
4.1.3 Requirements
Requirements for the Operating Environment
None

Requirements for Transmission Networking

None

Requirements for Licenses

Operators must purchase and activate the following license.

Feature License Control Item Name License Control Item ID

LOFD-002015 RACH Optimization RACH Optimization(FDD) LLT1RAOP01

Other Requirements
Before deploying this feature, trace the SIB2 message over the Uu interface and record the
values of the IEs prach-ConfigIndex and preamblesGroupAConfig. For details about how to trace
the message and obtain the IE values, see section 4.1.6 "Activation Verification."

4.1.4 Activation
Configuring a Single eNodeB on the GUI
Configure a single eNodeB on the GUI based on prepared data. For details, see the procedure
for configuring eNodeB transmission data described in the eNodeB Initial Configuration Guide.

Configuring eNodeBs in Batches

Configure eNodeBs in batches based on prepared data. For details, see the batch configuration
process described in the eNodeB Initial Configuration Guide.
This section uses a table to describe the summary data templates recommended for various
scenarios. The table lists the sheet that provides the parameter group corresponding to the
CellAlgoSwitch MO. The Remarks column in the table describes the requirements for
customizing templates or referencing data settings.
A user-defined template is used. The following table lists the recommended distribution of the
CellAlgoSwitch MO and related parameters in the template.

MO Sheet Parameter Parameter Remarks

Group

CellAlgoSwitc CellAlgoSwitch CellAlgoSwitch Local cell ID, RACH User-defined

h algorithm switch

Configuring a Single eNodeB Using MML Commands

To activate RACH resource adjustment and adaptive backoff, run the MOD CELLALGOSWITCH
command with the RachAdjSwitch and BackOffSwitch check boxes selected under the
RachAlgoSwitch parameter.
4.1.5 Commissioning
N/A

4.1.6 Activation Verification

To verify whether RACH resource adjustment is successfully activated, perform the following
steps:
Step 1   On the M2000 client, start a Uu interface tracing task.
Step 2   After a UE accesses the network, trace the SIB2 message and observe the values of the
IEs prach-ConfigIndex and preamblesGroupAConfig, as shown in Figure 4-1.
If the values of both IEs change after the RACH resource adjustment function is used,
RACH resource adjustment has been successfully activated.
Figure 4-1 SIB2

 
---End

4.1.7 Reconfiguration
None
4.1.8 Deactivation
To deactivate RACH resource adjustment and adaptive backoff, run the MOD
CELLALGOSWITCH command with the RachAdjSwitch and BackOffSwitch check boxes
cleared under the RachAlgoSwitch parameter.

4.2 Optimization
None

4.3 Troubleshooting
None
 
5 Parameters
Table 5-1 Parameter description

MO Parameter ID MML Command Description

CellAlgoSwitch RachAlgoSwitch MOD Meaning: RachAdjSwitch: Indicates the

CELLALGOSWITCH switch used to enable or disable random
LST access channel (RACH) resource
CELLALGOSWITCH adjustment, which adaptively adjusts the
RACH resources in the cell based on the
access type and the number of accesses.
If the switch is turned off, RACH resource
adjustment is disabled.
HoRaSwitch: Indicates the switch used to
control the random access mode applied
during handovers.
If the switch is turned on, the eNodeB
instructs UEs to use the non-contention-
based random access mode during
handovers.
If the switch is turned off, the eNodeB
instructs UEs to use the contention-based
random access mode during handovers.
UnsyncRaSwitch: Indicates the switch
used to control the random access mode
applied when UEs are out of
synchronization in the uplink.
If the switch is turned on, the eNodeB
instructs UEs to use the non-contention-
based random access mode upon DL
data arrivals in the case of out-of-
synchronization.
If the switch is turned off, the eNodeB
instructs UEs to use the contention-based
random access mode upon DL data
arrivals in the case of out-of-
synchronization.
MaksIdxSwitch: Indicates the switch used
to control reuse of dedicated preambles
between UEs.
If the switch is turned on, the eNodeB
enables reuse of dedicated preambles
among UEs based on the MaskIndex
parameter.
If the switch is turned off, the eNodeB
allocates a dedicated preamble to only
one UE at a time.
BackOffSwitch: Indicates the switch for
backoff control.
If the switch is turned on, backoff control
is enabled.
If the switch is turned off, backoff control
MO Parameter ID MML Command Description

is disabled.
GUI Value Range:
RachAdjSwitch(RachAdjSwitch),
HoRaSwitch(HoRaSwitch),
UnsyncRaSwitch(UnsyncRaSwitch),
MaksIdxSwitch(MaksIdxSwitch),
BackOffSwitch(BackOffSwitch)
Unit: None
Actual Value Range: RachAdjSwitch,
HoRaSwitch, UnsyncRaSwitch,
MaksIdxSwitch, BackOffSwitch
Default Value: RachAdjSwitch:Off,
HoRaSwitch:On, UnsyncRaSwitch:On,
MaksIdxSwitch:Off, BackOffSwitch:Off

CellAlgoSwitch LocalCellId LST Meaning: Indicates the local ID of the cell.

CELLALGOSWITCH It uniquely identifies a cell within a BS.
MOD GUI Value Range: 0~17
CELLALGOSWITCH Unit: None
Actual Value Range: 0~17
Default Value: None

 
6 Counters
There are no specific counters associated with this feature.
7 Glossary
For acronyms, abbreviations, terms, and definitions, see the Glossary
 
8 Reference Documents
This chapter lists the reference documents related to RACH optimization.
[1]    3GPP 36.211 "Physical channels and modulation"
[2]    3GPP 36.321 "Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification"
[3]    eNodeB Performance Counter Reference
[4]    eNodeB MO Reference
[5]    Connection Management Feature Parameter Description
[6]    eNodeB Initial Configuration Guide