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3G SGSN Element Management

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3G SGSN Element Management

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© Copyright Hughes Software Systems, 2004

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 Contents

1. 3 G Wireless Networks 5
1.1. Management Modules 6
1.2. Challenges 7
1.3. 3G-SGSN Managers 8
1.4. Future Roadmap 8
1.5. Conclusion 9
1.6. References 9

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3G SGSN Element Management

Figures

Figure 1: The SGSN in the 3G Network ........................................ 5

Figure 2: Management of a 3G SGSN Module ................................ 8

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1. 3 G Wireless Networks
Serving GPRS Support Node (3G-SGSN) is
an integrated system consisting of several
modules. 3G SGSN provides a framework for
complete element management intended for a
field-deployable system. The 3G-SGSN Element
Management involves management of the
system as well as its constituent modules. The
paper summarizes element management
framework of 3G-SGSN. It also highlights the
challenges involved in development of the
element management framework and solutions
to various challenges faced
The 3G-SGSN is the network entity in a 3G GPRS
network primarily responsible for managing the
mobility of a served GPRS capable UE in the 3G
mobile network. It also performs session management
procedures for packet routing and transfer functions
and is responsible for the delivery of data packets
from and to the mobile stations within its geographical
service area.
The figure below gives an architectural overview
of a 3G network, illustrating the important
components of the network and the logical interfaces
between these components

Other PLMN
Gp BG GSN

Billing
Other Center
SGSN
GERAN
BT Charging
Ga Ga PDN
Um S Border Gn Gateway
Gateway

BS
BT C
S Gb SGSN Gn GGSN Gi
Gc
Abis Gd

BT A Gr
S Gf
S
EI M-
R SMS SM
Gs HLR/AUC C S
Gateway E
C
F
UTRAN D E
IuPS
N
Uu B R D
N IuCS MSC E GMSC
C
N
B Iur
E/G
R PSTN
N N Other
Iub MSC
B C

Figure 1: The SGSN in the 3G Network

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3G SGSN Element Management
The system exports a public-interface to the
external network for IP and SS7 connectivity on a
distinguished system entity called System Controller.
The public interface for node management also
terminates on the System Controller. The 3G-SGSN
architecture separates the signaling and the traffic
processing on other distinguished system entities
referred to as Signaling slots and Traffic slots
respectively. The System Controller is also responsible
for controlling and managing different Signaling slots
and Traffic slots configured on the system.
Each slot consists of several modules, each
providing a definite functionality defined for 3G-SGSN.
These modules include protocol stacks and element
management modules.
The management of 3G-SGSN includes the
following functions
¡ Read configuration parameters of the 3G-SGSN at
startup.
¡ Modify configuration parameters of the 3G-SGSN
and handle consequent modifications in
operation.
¡ Read status values and tables of the 3G-SGSN.
¡ Retrieve (and possibly atomically reset) statistics
data collected at the 3G-SGSN.
¡ Report alarm conditions asynchronously.
¡ Detect faults and take necessary corrective
actions.
¡ Accept and perform imperative commands.
The basic principle here is that the public element
management interface will be accessible from the
system controller through a proprietary suite of APIs
based on OIDs generated from SMIv2C MIBs.
Internally, each management function is available at
the system level as well as on individual slots.
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1.1. Management Modules
This section describes the various management
modules of 3G-SGSN.
1.1.1. Configuration Manager (CM)
The CM reads the configuration parameters of the
3G-SGSN from a configuration file at the startup and
configures the system and the corresponding
modules. At the system level it is also responsible to
serve the configuration requests received from an
external manager and configures the various modules
appropriately. Additionally the CM is also responsible
to serve requests from the external manager for
statistics collection, status query and trigger necessary
actions based on imperative commands received from
the external manager.
1.1.2. Health Manager (HM)
The HM periodically monitors the health status of
various modules in the system and in case of failure
reports the faults to a fault manager. This module is
also responsible to report startup of different slots
configured on the 3G-SGSN to FM.
1.1.3. Fault Manager (FM)
Any fault in the system is reported to the FM. The
FM takes necessary actions depending on the severity
of the fault. The different levels of severity identified
for the faults reported are Critical, Major, Minor and
Informational. The Critical faults trigger a restart of
the system. All the faults that occur in the system are
further reported to the Event Manager.
1.1.4. Event Manager (EM)
The EM receives information for various events
and alarms that have occurred in the system from the
respective modules or the FM. All the events and
alarms are reported to the configured external
element manager.
1.2. Challenges
3G-SGSN consists of several modules, which have
been developed independently. All these modules
individually export different APIs towards
management interface. The biggest
involved in managing the 3G-SGSN and its modules,
was to address these several disjoint management
APIs through a common management point.
To address this mammoth management task a
uniform interface has been used to manage all the
modules irrespective of the APIs exported by them.
The API interface for 3G-SGSN management has also
been adaptable enough to suite a standard
management technique. This has been achieved using
the MIBs defined for the 3G-SGSN system as well as
all the constituent modules. Hence the management
interface is completely based on these MIBs.
1.2.1. Management Interface of 3G-SGSN
The MIBs defined for 3G-SGSN and its constituent
modules provided unique OIDs for each management
attribute. Internally 3G-SGSN addresses these OIDs
from the level of 3G-SGSN OID. Hence it is possible to
modify the MIBs to generate OIDs for any network in
which the OIDs for any management attribute below
the level of 3G-SGSN OID did not change.
Example:
The PLMN Id attribute of GMM module MIB in the
3G-SGSN has the OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.303.1.1.1.1.1.7
defined for a 3G-SGSN with its MIBs defined for HSS
(OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.303). Internally 3G-SGSN processes
the OID after the prefix OID
(1.3.6.1.4.1.303). If this MIB is later defined for any
other network the prefix (1.3.6.1.4.1.303) can change
but the suffix (1.1.1.1.1.7) will remain unchanged.
Hence there is no change required
management functionality of 3G-SGSN when placed in
a different network.
The stripping-off of the prefix OID digits is
external to 3G-SGSN.
3G-SGSN management API is defined for a basic
set of following 5 commands
¡ Set Request – This API corresponds to any
the request received to set a particular management
challenge attribute to a particular value.
¡ Set Response – This API contains the response to
the corresponding Set Request received indicating
a success or failure. In case of success the value
configured is also present in the API.
¡ Get Request– This API corresponds to any
request received to receive the value
corresponding to a particular management
attribute.
¡ Get Response– This API contains the response to
the corresponding Get Request received
indicating a success or failure. In case of success
the value is also present in the API.
¡ Trap – This API is used to asynchronously report
occurrence of any event or alarm in the 3G-SGSN.
All the management attributes are identified by
their OIDs in the above APIs. Hence the management
interface is independent of the API expected by the
corresponding modules. Each module has a small
encapsulation layer which translates these generic
APIs (based on OIDs) to the module specific APIs and
vice-versa. This ensures that any changes in the
module specific management APIs require minimal
change in the 3G-SGSN management modules.
The Iu interface is split into 2 parts: circuit
for HSS switched and packet-switched. The Iu interface is
based on ATM with voice traffic embedded on virtual
circuits using AAL2 technology and IP-over-ATM for
data traffic using AAL5 technology. These traffic types
in the are switched independently to either 3G SGSN for
data or 3G MSC for voice.
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3G SGSN Element Management
Core
Module
Figure 2: Management of a 3G SGSN Module
1.2.2. Management Information Base
As stated earlier the MIBs defined for 3G-SGSN
and its constituent modules generate unique OID
corresponding to each attribute. The leading digits of
the attributes OID (prefix stripped-off) identify the
module for which the API is received.
corresponding management module then routes the
message, unchanged, to the module using the 3G-
SGSN IPC. This ensures that any change in the MIB
specific to a module does not impact the operation of
the management modules. However in case of
addition of new module minimal change is required in
the management modules to enable the management
of the new modules.
1.3. 3G-SGSN Managers
1.3.1. SNMP Management
3G-SGSN can be bundled with a SNMP Agent,
which exports the SNMP interface to the external
manager and the 3G-SGSN specific management API
towards the 3G-SGSN. The SNMP Agent is responsible
to strip off the prefix OIDs, which are specific to the
network.
8
Stack Wrapper Code
Porting Code of module
includes stack wrapper
Module Specific API
Generic API
1.3.2. CLI
3G-SGSN is available with a CLI (generated from
HSS CLI Toolkit). CLI is based on the 3G-SGSN
System MIBs and MIBs of the constituent modules of
3G-SGSN. Corresponding to each MIB attribute the
The CLI provides basic set of commands to configure the
attribute or retrieve its value from the system. CLI
exports a telnet interface using, which the 3G-SGSN
can be managed remotely.
1.4. Future Roadmap
Currently 3G-SGSN supports a single
management interface, thus limiting the management
from a single external manager. In future 3G-SGSN
shall be enhanced to support management from
multiple managers simultaneously.
HSS FlexNM™ shall be available to manage the
3G-SGSN over the SNMP interface through the SNMP
Agent.
Currently MIBs are defined for 3G-SGSN system
parameters and individual MIBs are defined for each
of the constituent module of 3G-SGSN. Some of the
modules’ MIBs have the same parameter hence
requiring multiple configuration of the same attribute
for the system. A proxy MIB will be defined for 3G-
SGSN, which shall require a single configuration for
such attributes and internally 3G-SGSN management
modules can configure appropriate modules based on
the module specific MIBs.

1.5. Conclusion
Element management system of HSS 3G SGSN
provides a uniform management interface of all the
integrated stack components. Being MIB based NM
interface, this can be adapted to interface with a
standard NM framework

1.6. References
¡ HSS Internal Approach Papers for 3G-SGSN
Feature Development
¡ IETF RFC 1157 Simple Network Management
Protocol (SNMP). J.D. Case, M. Fedor, M.L.
Schoffstall, J. Davin. May-01-1990.
¡ 3GPP TS 32.106, 3G Configuration Management:
Concepts and Requirements
¡ 3GPP TS 32.111-1, 3G Fault Management
Architecture
¡ ITU-T Recommendation X.733, Alarm Reporting
Function

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