Services Programming for 3G (and
beyond) Mobile Networks
Stephen Weinstein
NEC USA C&C Research Laboratories
Princeton, N.J., USA
Stephen Weinstein
March, 2000
NEC
Mars
SN
Programmable Service Node in the 3G/4G Mobile Network
Compatibility/extensibility through edge network adaptation and IP internetworking
RNC
Internet
Private Networks
BS
ISP
ISP
SN
BS
BS
Telephony Gateways
Wireless LAN
e.g. IEEE 802.11
BS BS BS
Cellular mobile provider
IP backbone with QoS services
RNC
SN
IP pen
IP
camera
RNC
IP scanner
PDA
IP
appliances IP car
NEC
BS
GSM
IP eyeglasses
BS
SN
RNC
RNC
BS
BS
US TDMA
CDMA
Virtual keyboard
(IP finger accelerometers)
BS
BS
BS
Hot spot
wireless LAN
>25Mbps
Concepts for Future Mobility Services Networks
- Internet-oriented, peer-to-peer architecture with no central mobile switching center.
- IP foundation:
- Almost all applications IP-based.
- IP-based network (which may build reliable links, such as MPLS paths, on ATM
for QoS treatment of voice and other priority traffic).
- Less guaranteed but cheap and convenient extended access through LANs, extranets, etc.
- Both wired and wireless mobility.
- Support of diverse air interfaces.
(more)
NEC
Concepts for Future Mobility Services Networks
(continued)
- Intelligence at the edge (e.g. programmable service node).
- Programmable interworking conversions
example: SS7 - IP network signaling
TDMA frame - IP packet user data
- Programmable services for users
- Support for IP appliances, no longer computer peripherals.
- Location-based services (local “yellow pages”, DNS, printer, navigation, …).
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
- Network adaptation to the visitor rather than the other way around.
- Programmable operator features
- Policy-based traffic treatments (classification, routings, mappings in network services).
- Custom management features (e.g. line interface configurations, traffic measurements).
- Active network features (content-based routing, dynamic cacheing, …)
NEC
Example: GSM-ATM Interworking Function
[Thomas Kuehnel, kuehnel@ccrl.nj.nec.com]
SDL Code Generation
Call control functional specification
Signaling transformation
SS7 Stack
GSM A-Interface
SCCP
MTP3
MTP2
Control
plane
Address
Server
ATM UNI
Q2931
SAAL
ATM
User plane
NEC
Policy-Based Services
An old/new concept:
QoS treatment/choice of core network service for most (not all) communication sessions
determined by policy, not in per-session UNI signaling
UNI
Users
Access router,
mux, PBX, base
station, …
Internet
Public Network
Signaling proxies
Addressing
info and user
data
Policy implementation
(including executables)
Policies
NEC
Policy specifier
(network operator,
systems administrator,
department head, ….)
More accurately:
Invocation of core network services
delegated to an access system-network interface
Example of a Programmed Policy-Based Service: GUEST IP
[Jens-Peter Redlich, redlich@ccrl.nj.nec.com, pat. pending]
- Host network adapts to the visitor, emulating visitor’s home network.
- No reconfiguration of IP parameters in visitor’s device.
- Care/of IP address used for visitor traffic going outside host network.
- Selective (and automatic) access to local resources: printer, DNS, …...
- Supports multiple devices with the same (private) IP address.
Not full mobility: visitor’s location is not (necessarily) registered with home agent.
Will be tested at NOMS 2000 (Honolulu, April 10-14, 2000).
NEC
Guest IP
Host’s
guest
network
IP Address translation
visiting
care/of
device
Visitor’s home
network
(Optional) IP Tunnel
Intelligent
Router
visiting
devices
NEC
Access to
selected local
resources
Internet
IP Tunnel
Firewall
Host’s private network
Firewall
Programming Modes
Pre-installed
Dynamic loading/unloading
Access
Node
Access
Node
Access
Node
Resources API
Resources API
Processor
Processor
Infrequent
installations
& upgrades
Active Network
Network
operator
Processor
Internet
Equipment
vendor
software
Request
NEC
Network
operator
Open-market
software vendor
Open-market
software vendor
Open-market
software vendor
IEEE P1520 Router Resources API (L-Interface)
http://www.ieee-pin.org
Interface in CORBA IDL
Methods: discover(.), get(.), set(.), delete(.), add(.), modify(.), …
Classifier
Forward
Queue
scheduling
CPU cycles
(and others)
NEC
Memory
Programming API: Different from
Switch/Router Control Protocol
IEEE P1520
MSF
Forwarding environment
Line interface card
(configuration, assignment
of execution resources)
Bus or switching fabric
Generic components:
classifier, dropper, shaper,
scheduler
Custom components:
Load/unload executables
NEC
Software
Vendor Y
Software
Vendor X
Software
Vendor Z
API
GSMP
Alternative
…………….
protocols
Switch/router functionalities
Execution environment
CPU allocation to threads
Memory alloc. to threads
Security separations (to
be implemented)
Execution Environment on
a switch or router
API offers:
-Isolation from particular switch control protocol
- Methodology (inheritance) for extension of functionality; legacy software still
usable after API adds new functionality.
Intelligent Router Platform
Mapping into
core network
services
Classified traffic
Alternative core
network services
Internet
MPLS, DiffServ, IntServ
IP Applications
IP
Traffic
mix
Scheduling
IP traffic
Classifier
ATM network
SVCs
Frame Relay
Virtual
Networks
Operator
CORBA
router
object
Special
processing
module
Scheduling
module
Dynamically loadable
and unloadable modules
FTP or HTTP
NEC
Policies
software
repository
Signaling
proxies
Intelligent Router Platform
-PC/Linux on 230MHz and above machines
- Handles traffic of loaded 100BaseT LAN
- (Precompiled) executable modules loaded for operational functions and policy-based
services
Examples implemented or planned: Guest IP, Mobile IP, virtual router slices, VPNs,
signaling proxies and conversions, enroute
processing, IP appliance support protocols,
Radio Node Controller support protocols for
diverse air interfaces
NEC
Conclusions
Programmability for mobile networks supports
- “Home away from home” services for users of phones, computers, IP appliances.
- Protocol and data structuring implementations and transformations
- Accommodation of multiple air interfaces and legacy systems.
- Internetworking extensibility
- Policy-based services set by organizations and users; minimizing signaling
requirements by the end user for typical traffic types.
- An open market in creation of new mobile capabilities and services.
NEC