Duration: 3 days onsite or 5 mornings online
Diameter is the successor to RADIUS and the current AAA (Authentication / Authorization / Accounting) protocol used in many telecommunication environments like IMS and SAE. Especially its highly flexible approach, real-time credit-control, and the additional support of various interfaces make it the preferred AAA solution in today’s mobile networks. It is used on a variety of interfaces for numerous functions like subscriber/location information transport, negotiation of bearer establishment or charging.
Within this course you get a good understanding of the Diameter protocol and its application in mobile networks. The focus is mainly on LTE/SAE and IMS.
The course is addressed to technical staff to get a good overview about the DIAMETER protocol and its use in mobile networks.
DIAMETER overview
- Introduction to AAA
- Comparison RADIUS / DIAMETER
- Limitations of RADIUS
- DIAMETER as single protocol in packet based networks
- DIAMETER functions overview
- Registration
- Quality Control
- Charging
- DIAMETER protocol structure overview
- Base protocol
- Application protocols
Network comparison today – future
- Overview of legacy mobile networks (2G/3G/4G)
- Network architecture and interfaces
- Legacy protocols in use
- Overview of future mobile networks (all IP infrastructure)
- Network architecture and interfaces
- Use of DIAMETER in future networks
- LTE: MME, HSS, P-GW, PCRF, OCS, EIR
- 2G/3G packet: GGSN, eRADIUS
- IMS: CSCF, HSS, SLF, Charging GW
- DIAMETER terminology
Registration overview
- Mobile network architecture, interfaces and protocols
- General registration view
- Application Protocol for Registration
Registration message structure and message flow
- Example message structure “Authentication Information Request (AIR)”
- Example message flow MME – HSS
- Message formats in detail
- AIR / AIA (Authentication)
- ULR / ULA (Update)
- CLR /CLA (Cancel)
- Message command description
- Capability Exchange, Device Watchdog, Disconnect Peer
- Re-Authentication, Abort Session, Session Termination
Error handling
- General principles
- Result code AVP
- Informational
- Success
- Protocol Errors
- Transient Failures
- Permanent Failures
DIAMETER on the Gi interface
- 2G / 3G network overview
- eRADIUS for AAA
IMS specific DIAMETER registration
- IMS network architecture, interfaces and protocols
- Example message flow CSCF – HSS
- Message formats in detail
- UAR / UAA (User)
- MAR / MAA (Multimedia)
- LIR / LIA (Location)
- RTR / RTA (Registration Termination)
Components of DIAMETER architecture
- Routing based on DIAMETER
- DIAMETER connections and sessions
- DIAMETER Routing Agent (DRA)
- Specific DIAMETER Agents
- Relay Agent
- Proxy Agent
- Redirect Agent
- Translation Agent
DIAMETER load sharing and redundancy
- SCTP / TCP as layer 4 protocols
- SCTP signalling paths
- DIAMETER gateway functionalities – Signalling Transfer Point
- Routing bases on base and application protocol
- Application protocol translation
- Multi homing and load sharing scenarios
- Redundancy scenarios
- Security aspects
- Signalling example MME – DRA – HSS
Roaming
- DIAMETER non-Roaming / Roaming scenarios
- DIAMETER Roaming Gateway
Quality control overview
- Mobile network architecture, interfaces and protocols
- PCRF as central policy and charging controller
Quality control message structure and message flow
- Example message structure “Credit control request – initial (CCR–initial)”
- Example message flow PDN-GW – PCRF
- Message formats in detail
- CCR / CCA (Credit Control)
- Initial / update / termination
Quality control signalling in LTE
- Complete picture of message exchange
- Gx interface / application
Quality control signalling in IMS
- Complete picture of message exchange
- Rx interface / application
DIAMETER charging overview
- Mobile charging architecture, interfaces and protocols
- Charging in LTE and IMS
- Online charging (Gy interface)
- Charging gateway via Ga interface for offline charging
- Example message flow
Diameter credit control application (DCCA)
- DCCA basics
- DCCA architecture model
- Credit control messages (CCR / CCA)
Session based credit control
- General principles
- Credit control for multiple services within a session
One time event
- Direct debiting
- Balance check
- Refund
Credit control AVPs and result codes
- Credit control AVPS
- Result code AVP values
DCCA supplementary
- Failure handling
- Tariff time change
IMS Charging
- IMS charging network architecture, interfaces and protocols
- Charging control function
- ACR / ACA (Accounting)
Certificates are given to all participants at the end of the course about the successful completion.