Extension of GPRS over Optical Networks

Vo Viet Minh Nhat, Abdel Obaid

Department of Computer Science
Université du Québec à Montréal
Montréal, Qué., Canada – H3C 3P8
vominhnhat@yahoo.com, abdel.obaid@uqam.ca

Abstract— General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new
service which provides packet radio access for users based on the
Global System in Mobile Communications (GSM) technology. It
is an important step towards packet switching paradigms in
mobile communications. The integration of GPRS into GSM has
created conditions to extend mobile communications over public
packet networks, such as the Internet or corporate intranets
where leased lines or virtual private networks (VPNs) are used to
interconnect GPRS support nodes. A tendency now is to use the
optical technology to transport data over public networks. In
this case, dedicated optical channels or optical VPNs (OVPNs)
are used to support GPRS over optical networks. This paper will
consider the extension of GPRS over optical networks. As the
impact of GPRS roaming, a based-agent model is also proposed
for dynamic management and configuration of OVPNs.
Index Terms— GSM/GPRS, Optical VPN, Roaming, Based-
agent model.
I. INTRODUCTION
The introduction of GPRS is an important step of mobile
communications towards packet switching for mobile
networks. The development of GPRS enabled GSM operators
to meet the growing demand of wireless packet data services
over public packet networks, such as the Internet and
corporate intranets. The integration of GPRS with GSM not
only revitalizes many existing wireless applications, such as
email, messaging, information services, etc., but also creates
conditions for many other new applications. Furthermore, it
brings continuous packet data connections to mobile users at a
reasonable cost. GPRS therefore created an opportunity for
GSM operators to gain in a competition for a new wireless
generation.
The integration of GPRS into GSM created conditions for
the extension of mobile communications over public packet
networks. In fact, this extension has been done by using IP
mobility techniques through using leased lines or VPNs [1]. A
tendency now is to use the optical technology to transport data
over public networks. It means that the extension of GPRS
over optical networks needs to be considered. In this case,
dedicated optical channels or optical VPNs (OVPNs) are
established to support GPRS over optical networks.
In optical networks, provided optical channels or OVPNs are
normally stable over time [2]. This causes an obstacle in using
OVPN to support GPRS because of the roaming of mobile
terminals. A mobile user can roam anywhere and its GPRS
access points to optical networks can change. A model of
dynamical OVPNs management is then needed to provide and
reconfigure OVPNs when GPRS access points are changed.
This paper will consider the extension of GPRS over optical
networks. An OVPN architecture based on the multi-agent
technology is presented first. The integration of the multi-
agent technology into the OVPN architecture will benefit from
the potential capacity of agents when network resources are
provided and managed in heterogeneous and distributed
environments. Dynamically providing and configuring
OVPNs is required in order to respond to the needs for
adaptability of OVPN to the changes of GPRS access points.
This paper discusses strategies and methods to achieve this
adaptability.
II. AN OVERVIEW OF GPRS ARCHIECTURE AND ROAMING
A. GPRS Architecture
GPRS has been designed as an extension of the existing
GSM network infrastructure to offer wireless packet data
services. Therefore, a number of new functional elements are
added to support the end-to-end transport of IP based packet
data. GPRS has been developed from the GSM standards, and
then functions, interfaces and inter-network operations were
defined to support global roaming.
Figure 1: GPRS reference model
Figure 1 shows the standard GPRS reference model in a
GSM network context [3]. In this model, in addition to the
network components defined in a voice-based GSM network,
such as Home Location Register (HLR), Mobile Switching
Center (MSC), and Base Station Subsystem (BSS), two new
core network functions are required to support GPRS: the
Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and the Gateway GPRS
Support Node (GGSN).
The SGSN monitors the state of the mobile stations and
track their movements within a given geographical area. It is
also responsible for establishing and managing data
connections between mobile users and the destination
network.

0-7803-9019-9/05/$20.00 ©2005 IEEE.

 The GGSN provides the attachment point between the GPRS
domain and the external Packet Data Network (PDN), such as
the Internet. Each external PDN is given a unique Access
Point Name (APN) that is used by the mobile user to establish
the connection to the destination network.
Between two these GPRS Support Nodes (the SGSN and the
GGSN), a Gn interface is used as a tunnel of data packets. In
case of handoff during an active session, the Gn interface is
also used for tunneling data packet from the old SGSN to the
new SGSN of the mobile terminal.
A Gi interface is added as the link between the GPRS
network and the external PDN. All packets to/from the
supported PDN enter or leave the GPRS network through the
Gi interface.
The GSM Base Station Subsystem (BSS) has to be adapted
to support the GPRS connection-oriented packet mode of
operation. A new functional node called Packet Control Unit
(PCU) is the interface between the packet based on GPRS
core network and the circuit based on GSM air interface. The
PCU manages the transmission and reception of data to/from
the mobile terminals. In addition, it provides radio link layer
functions, radio resource management, etc. A Gb interface is
added as the link between SGSN and PCU.
B. GPRS Roaming
GPRS roaming enables subscribers to access their GPRS
services while they are abroad or beyond the reach of their
home mobile network. It requires that a connection be made
between GPRS operators so that subscribers can move from
one network to another and yet still access their GPRS
services. GPRS roaming is based on bilateral relationships
between individual GPRS operators. It becomes complex and
expensive to maintain as the number of roaming partners
increases. The GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX) therefore is
recommended for using GPRS roaming (Figure 2).
Figure 2: GPRS roaming based on GRX
The GRX is built on a private or public IP backbone and
transports GPRS roaming traffic via the GPRS Tunneling
Protocol between the visited and the home Public Land
Mobile Network (PLMN). A Gp interface is added to support
roaming when a mobile terminal is traveling in a visited
PLMN and its data packets are still handled by a GGSN in its
home PLMN. The Gp interface is similar to the Gn interface
except that an additional security is provided through external
border gateways.
The GRX acts as a hub. There is no need for a GPRS
operator to establish a dedicated connection to each roaming
partner; instead the GPRS operator establishes a connection
with the GRX. This allows a faster implementation of new
roaming relations and a rapid deployment time for new
operators. Furthermore, the services offered by the GRX allow
the GPRS operator for better scalability. The operator may
start with a low capacity connection to the GRX and upgrade
if volumes and types of traffic require more bandwidth and
better quality.
III. OVPN ARCHITECTURE
As the model of VPNs presented in [4,5], a reference model
of OVPN to support GPRS is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: The reference model of OVPN
The architecture of OVPN is composed of three types of
components (which support OVPN functions): a) customer
edge (CE) devices which are on customer sites and which
attach to provider networks, b) provider edge (PE) devices,
which belong to provider networks and which connect to
customer sites, c) provider (P) devices, which are in the
provider networks and which are connected to PE devices and
other P devices.
Considered optical networks are assumed to be all-optical,
so PE and P devices are optical cross-connects. Furthermore,
the capacities such as the time-slot exchange and the wave-
length conversion are added to these PE and P devices. It
increases the flexibility of OVPN management, but also
increases the complexity of the operations on OVPN
components. Notice that this OVPN architecture is based on
PE devices (PE-based); so the OVPN functions are located
only on PE and P devices, but transparent with CE devices.
To connect customer sites with the optical core network, the
link between a CE device and a PE device, which is called the
access circuit (AC), is defined. An AC can be an optical or
non-optical link, depending on the kinds of its terminals (CE
and PE). In the core optical network, the connections between
PE (and/or P) devices are optical channels. These OCs are not
established by the OVPN providing system, but leased from
optical channel providing systems as the lightpath providing
system [6].
The concatenation of an AC, an OC and another AC forms a
CE-CE completed connection, which is called the virtual
circuit (VC). A VC can be considered as a dedicated channel
of one or a group of GPRS services which have the same
terminals (PE devices). When passing through optical
networks, many VCs can be multiplexed into an OC in such
way to exploit its bandwidth at the maximum.
The operations of the OVPN providing system involve:
A. Allocation of access circuits
To establish an OVPN, the first step is to determine which
PE devices attach to which CE devices participating in an
OVPN. This process runs in parallel with the allocation of
access circuits. The latter must take into account the
homogeneity of the quality of service (QoS) and the transport
technique these ACs support. For example, an AC belonging
to a VC could be a Frame Relay link, while another AC
supports Ethernet. In such case, the equivalence of QoS of
different transport techniques must be considered and the
encapsulation of a protocol into another are used to transport
traffics from an AC to another.
B. Location of optical channels
The OVPN providing system can have some available OCs,
which can be used to interconnect PE devices taking part in an
OVPN. These OCs are leased from optical channel providing
systems [6]. Choosing an OC depends on the characteristics
(such as bandwidth, QoS, etc.) of both ACs at the end of the
OC, on the set of VCs to multiplex, and on the available OCs
of optical channel providing systems. In the last case, it is
possible that many OCs are leased between OVPN
components and they must be concatenated together to support
VCs.
C. Grooming of virtual circuits
VCs having the same terminals (PE devices) can be
combined in an OC when passing through optical networks.
Traffic grooming techniques [7,8] can be used in this case.
There are many forms of traffic grooming, such as planning of
VCs into an OC [9] or switching of a VC between OCs [10].
The objectives are to reduce the network using cost, to
optimize the used bandwidth and to ensure the QoS.
D. Maintenance of virtual circuits
The maintenance of VCs in an OVPN is carried out by
periodically sending Hello messages from a PE device to its
neighbors to check if the connection is alive. A VC is in
operation if PE devices to which it connects receive these
Hello messages from each other. The interruption of a VC can
be caused by the interruption of its ACs or its OC. In these
cases, a new AC, a new OC, or even a new VC can be
established to replace the interrupted one.
II. EXTENSION OF GPRS OVER OPTICAL NETWORKS
The extension of GPRS over optical networks can be done
by using an OVPN which interconnects GPRS support nodes
(edge GGSNs). Figure 4 show a reference model of GPRS
over optical networks; where the GPRS partners play the role
of customer sites and the edge GGSNs are CE devices.
Figure 4: The reference model of GPRS over optical networks
In this model, a packet radio channel of GPRS is mapped
into a VC in the serving OVPN. The links between edge
GGSNs and PEs devices (AC links) are non-optical links.
Therefore, no much change is required for Gi interfaces in the
edge GGSNs. The roles of PE devices are to establish tunnels
through the core optical network, multiplex packet radio
channels from GGSNs into tunnels, maintain the tunnels, and
demultiplex the packet radio channels from the tunnels to
other GPRS partners.
Data packets of a GPRS can change their packet radio
channels while their terminals roam. This can require some
changes of VCs in the serving OVPN, or even a new serving
OVPN must be established. Problems arise on how the GPRS
roaming impacts on the management and maintenance of the
serving OVPN and how the serving OVPN changes to adapt
to the GPRS roaming.
Changes of the serving OVPN is caused by changes of the
access points of the GPRS that it supports. If changes of the
packet radio channel do not make any change on the edge
GGSNs (which participate in the current serving OVPN), no
change is required for the serving OVPN. However, in cases
where some edge GGSNs are replaced by others, the serving
OVPN must be reconfigured.
The reconfiguration of a serving OVPN normally requires a
delay, which can cause a considerable loss for data over the
serving OVPN. To reduce this loss, predictions about possible
changes for a GPRS before providing a serving OVPN are
needed. However, in some case, the reconfiguration of the
serving OVPN is required.
A. Prediction of changes of a serving OVPN
In a cellular system, a cell supports a limited number of
radio channels (about 60 channels). The radio channels which
can be used to transport packet data can be determined in
advance. In addition, when extending a GPRS over optical
networks using an OVPN, the edge GGSNs used as access
points (CE devices) to this OVPN can also be determined. A
simple solution in order to avoid the reconfiguration of the
serving OVPN is to interconnect all these edge GGSNs by
only one OVPN. Figure 5 illustrates an example of grouping
all edge GGSNs which want to exchange their data packet.
Figure 5: Interconnecting all edge GGSNs by one OVPN
This solution requires many network resources because it
exists on some connections which are never used. However,
an advantage is the robustness of serving OVPN when packet
radio channels are changed, because no reconfiguration is
needed and there is no interruption due to reconfiguration
delays.
Another solution is to divide the set of the edge GGSNs into
groups basing on packet radio channels supported by each
edge GGSN. This way, each OVPN is dedicated to support a
group of packet radio channels. If switching is established
between packet radio channels in a same group, no change is
required for the serving OVPN. But if the current GPRS
switches its packets from a current channel to another in
another group, the OVPN providing system simply switches
these packets from the current serving OVPN to another. As
shown in Figure 6, OVPN-1 will be switched to OVPN-2 if
the serving channel 2 is switched to the channel 4.
Figure 6: Classifying edge GGSNs into groups
This method demands a smaller delay to switch the serving
OVPN and it saves network resources. However, this method
can fail if the needed resources for establishing the new
OVPN are unavailable.
B. Reconfiguration of a serving OVPN
GPRS roaming can require some changes on the topology of
its serving OVPN or a new OVPN to be established,
depending on the replacements of new edge GGSNs. There
are many possible cases to reconfigure a serving OVPN. As
shown in Figure 7, assuming that a packet radio channel is
about to replace its access point GGSN-1 (CE-1) by GGSN-2
(CE-2). It means that a new VC will be established between
CE-2 and CE-3 for carrying it. If there is an access circuit
(AC) from CE-2 to PE-1, this AC will be used and no change
is required for OVPN-1. The PE-1 just updates the new VC.
Figure 7: An example of the OVPN reconfiguration
In the case where no AC is available from CE-2 to PE-2, a
new VC through PE-2 is established. In this case, PE-2 will
take part into OVPN-1 to establish the new VC, which is
composed of an AC from CE-2 to PE-2, an OC from PE-2 to
PE-3, and an AC from PE-3 to CE-3. If no more packet radio
channel passes through PE-1, the mentioned reconfiguration is
equivalent to an all replacement by a new serving OVPN
(OVPN-2).
The reconfiguration of a new OVPN always produces a
considerable delay. Therefore, the edge GGSNs must inform
to the OVPN providing system as soon as possible when a
packet radio channel is about to be changed. The cooperation
between the prediction methods and “early alert” will reduce
the damage caused by the reconfiguration.
III. AGENT-BASED OVPN MODEL TOWARDS GPRS ROAMING
The efficiency of dynamically providing an OVPN along
with GPRS roaming depends on the knowledge exchanging
capacity between PE devices and the individual decision
making capacity of each node. These capacities have been
proved in agent-based systems [11]. The integration of the
multi-agent technology into the OVPN model can benefit from
their capacities an features.
With the reference model of OVPN and its functions
mentioned above, three types of agents are defined for each
OVPN component: a) the Controlling agent that manages
OVPN agents, b) the Grooming agent that optimizes the usage
of network resources, and c) the OVPN agent that establishes,
maintains and releases VCs belonging to an OVPN. Figure 4
illustrates the interaction between these agents.
Figure 8: Interaction of agents in an OVPN component
A. Controlling agent
There is only one controlling agent on each PE device. Its
role is to create, maintain and remove OVPN agents (see later)
Figure 9: Internal structure of the control agent
A controlling agent has a table of OVPN agents (Figure 5)
which contains information about the participation of the
current PE device in different OVPNs. When a packet radio
channel changes its access point from GGSN-1 to GGSN-2 as
shown in figure 7, PE-2 can take part in OVPN-1 to establish
a new VC to carry this packet radio channel. In this case, the
controlling agent on PE-2 will check if an OVPN agent for
OVPN-1 has existed in this table. If no such OVPN agent
exists, a new one is created and will play the role of PE-2 in
OVPN-1. As for PE-1, if it is not used as a access point in
OVPN-1, it will be removed from OVPN-1. The controlling
agent on PE-1 will check the existence of the OVPN agent for
OVPN-1 in its table and remove it if it exists.
B. Grooming agent
When passing through the core optical network, VCs are
groomed into OCs. The optimization of the grooming aims to
efficiently exploit the bandwidth of OCs and reduce the
network cost. The grooming agent is defined for this purpose
(figure 10).
Figure 10: Interne structure of the grooming agent
Based on the status of VCs needed to groom and the status
of OCs in the tables of available OCs, the grooming agent will
choose appropriate strategies [10] to run the grooming. This
strategies are also dynamic to adapt to changes of VCs in a
serving OVPN.
C. OVPN agent
An OVPN agent plays the role of its PE device in an OVPN.
It establishes, manages and maintains tunnels (VCs). To do
these operations, internal components are defined
corresponding to functional units as shown in figure 11: (1)
the access circuit allocation unit finds pairs of appropriate
ACs (in terms of QoS and transport technique) for a given VC
and reserves them, (2) the optical channel location unit
searches and locates an OC corresponding to the allocated pair
of ACs, and (3) the virtual circuit maintenance unit checks
and maintains the existence of VCs.
The well-balanced coordination between these functional
units will bring a high performance in dynamically managing
and providing VCs, along with changes of packet radio
channels in GPRS roaming. Each OVPN agent has a table of
OVPN components that it has connections with. This table
also contains the information about available resources in
these OVPN components. The functional units will access to
this table for speeding up their operations.
Figure 11: Interne structure of the OVPN agent
IV. CONCLUSION
Various extensions of GPRS over public data networks is
needed when requirements to transport data packet over
cellular systems are being developed. Furthermore, due to
introduction of high bandwidths on public networks, the
optical transport technology is deployed and used. The
extension of GPRS over optical networks becomes important.
This paper proposed a solution of this extension. That is to use
optical VPNs to interconnect GPRS support nodes. A
characteristic of GPRS is to carry mobile communications.
Therefore, OVPNs used to support the GPRS must be
dynamic and flexible. This arises many new requirements to
dynamically provide and manage OVPNs. In fact, a perfect
solution to this problem is hard to reach. A compromised
solution becomes acceptable. This paper also presented the
prediction of changes and the reconfiguration of serving
OVPN using intelligent agent technology. The implementation
and evaluation of these solutions are still under development
in our research group.
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