MAPS™ Gn Gp Interface Emulator(Scripted UMTS Gn and Gp Interface Emulation)

MAPS™ Gn Gp Interface Emulator
(Scripted UMTS Gn and Gp Interface Emulation)

Background

GPRS and UMTS are evolutions of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks. GPRS is a 2.5G mobile communications technology that enables mobile wireless service providers to offer their mobile subscribers with packet-based data services over GSM networks. Common applications of GPRS includes: Internet access, intranet/corporate access, instant messaging, and multimedia messaging. GPRS is standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Program (3GPP).

		Reference User Manual
		Product Brochure
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The GPRS/UMTS packet core is primarily composed of two major network elements:

Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) — A gateway that provides mobile cell phone users access to a public data network (PDN) or specified private IP network. The GGSN feature provides both the 2.5G GPRS and 3G UMTS GGSN functions.
Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) — connects the Radio Access Network (RAN) to the GPRS/UMTS core and tunnels user sessions to the GGSN. The SGSN sends data to and receives data from mobile stations, and maintains information about the location of a mobile station (MS). The SGSN communicates directly with the MS and the GGSN.

GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol) allows multi-protocol packets to be tunneled through the UMTS/GPRS Backbone between GGSN and SGSN.

Overview

GL’s MAPS™ Gn Gp Interface Emulator is an advanced protocol simulator/tester for GTP simulation over Gn, Gp interfaces that can simulate GTP messages and signaling specification as defined in 3GPP TS 29.060 GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) standard. The tester supports testing network elements SGSN and GGSN, error tracking, regression testing, and load testing/call generation. It can run pre-defined test scenarios against GTP interface test objects in a controlled & deterministic manner.

GTP Interface Emulator supports powerful utilities like Message Editor, Script Editor, and Profile Editor which allow new scenarios to be created or existing scenarios to be modified using GTP messages and parameters.

GL’s MAPS™ Gn Gp software benefits Network Equipment Providers of SGSN, and GGSN entities, with -

Accelerated time to market
Reduced development costs
Reduced project risk of internally-developed GTP applications

The product also supports Mobile traffic core – GTP (ETH101) simulation for user-plane packet transmission and reception services between any two nodes in LTE and UMTS networks. Mobile Traffic Core – Gateway (ETH102) module allows simulation of Gateway Traffic to test media gateway telephony interfaces over IP. These modules also support generation and verification of data traffic such as Email, FTP, Web (HTTP), Video, and more.

Supported Protocol Standards

Gn Interface Protocol Standards

Supported Protocols	Specification Used
GTP	TS 29.060 V9.2.0 (2010-03)

Main Features

Simulates SGSN and GGSN.
Supports GTP Control plane.
Generates hundreds of Control Signaling (Load Testing).
Generates and processes GTP messages.
Supports GTP Traffic (GTP User Plane Data) which includes: verification like BERT testing, HTTP traffic generation capability, GGSN can actually be connected to real IP network to simulate Gateway testing
Insertion of impairments to create invalid messages.
Supports customization of call flows and message templates using Script and Message editors.
Supports scripted call generation and automated call reception.
Script based & protocol independent software architecture.
Provides Call Statistics and Events Status.

Applications

Complete analysis and simulation capability on par with any protocol tester in the market.
Provides fault insertion, and erroneous call flows testing capability.
Functional testing, Regression testing and Conformance testing of network elements.
Ready scripts makes testing procedure simpler, less time consuming and hence time to market products.
QoS requests for greater or lesser bandwidth.

Test Configuration

The test configuration window allows users to configure the necessary parameters in order to establish communication between MAPS™ and the DUT. It includes UDP Source and Destination IP and port parameter configuration. Once the UDP layer is configured properly, GTP messages can be transmitted and received over the layer. Default profile is used to configure MAPS™ GnGp with SGSN or GGSN parameters.

Screenshot of Testbed Setup

Call Generation

Call Generation option allows the user to simulate outgoing communications where an outgoing call is initiated by sending call control messages using proper scripts and profiles. The profile allows necessary parameters of call control messages to be changed during runtime.

The UMTS Gn Interface Emulator simulates GTP signaling messages between the SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node), and GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) nodes.

A typical scenario is illustrated as below.

Screenshot of GTP Signal Flow

The MAPS™ Gn Gp acts as SGSN and initiates the GTP signal flow by Create PDP Context Request to the DUT (GGSN). A GTP tunnel is created during the PDP context procedure. The SGSN receives "Request Accepted" message and PDP context is activated as shown in the figure below. Also, simulates the complete GTP signal flow as in the specification (TS 29.060 V9.2.0 (2010-03)).

Call Generation at SGSN Node

Call Reception

Call generated from other entity can be automatically detected in call reception window by pre-setting the required scripts in the Incoming Call Handler window.

This test is performed to ensure that the MAPS™ Gn Gp (GGSN) on receipt of a Create PDP Context Request message from SGSN, sends a Create PDP Context Response message to activate PDP context. A GTP tunnel is created during the PDP context procedure.

Call Reception at GGSN Node

Bulk Call Simulation

MAPS™ supports Bulk Call Simulation and Stress/Load Testing capabilities through Load Generation feature. Load Generation window helps users configure Stress/Load Testing parameters such as Call per second (CPS) or Busy hour call attempts (BHCA), Max Simultaneous Calls and Burst parameters.

Screenshot of Load Generation Parameters

Customization of Call Flow and Messages Using Pre-Processing Tools

Script Editor - The script editor allows the user to create / edit scripts and to define variables for the protocol fields. The script uses pre-defined message templates to build call flow and perform send and receive actions. Script editor provides options to run the test for multiple iterations in sequential or random flow. Commands allow retransmission of messages with specific interval. It also includes traffic commands to send and monitor voice, tones, digits, on the created sessions. It includes raw commands (send/monitor signaling bits, monitor power level, set idle code, and end task) to send WCS commands directly from MAPS™ to the server. .
Screenshot of Script Editor
Profile Editor - Profiles are used to provide the user configured values to the fields in the Messages (i.e., Message Template in MAPS™) through variables which are going to change during the course of a call.
Screenshot of Profile Editor
Message Editor - The Message Template is a *.HDL file that comprises of protocol encoding parameters with preset values. It is required to create a message template for every message in a protocol. The message templates are called within the scripts to perform scenario based testing.
Screenshot of Message Editor

Call Flow & Script Execution Control

Message Sequence - MAPS™ provides protocol trace with full message decoding, custom trace, and graphical ladder diagrams of call flow with time stamp while simulation is running. Call flow graph allows to easily verifying the messages exchanged between MAPS™ and DUT. See Call Generation and Call Reception for details

Script Contents & Script Flow - The Scripts Contents window displays the contents of the script selected for call generation or reception. The Script Flow window displays the set of statements successfully executed by MAPS™ to help users in troubleshooting a particular the call scenario.

Events & Event Profile Editor - User-defined events allow redirection of script execution on-the-go. The custom parameters in the events can also be changed during script execution using Event Profiles.

Screenshot of Script Contents and Script Flow

Screenshot of Event Config

Call Statistics, Events

Call Statistics & Status - By default, all call handling scripts (irrespective of the type of the functions) are assessed by MAPS™ to provide statistical information about Total Calls, Active Calls, Completed Calls, Passed Calls, Failed Calls, and Calls/Sec . It is also possible to characterize the statistical information under different groups of call handling scripts under a unique heading. In addition, Call Generation and Call Reception windows provide useful call status & script execution results.

In addition, Call Generation and Call Reception windows provide useful call status & script execution results.

Screenshot of Call Statistics and Status

Events Reporting – MAPS™ provides Event Log, Error Events, and Captured Errors windows that log the captured events and errors encountered during the progress of the call.

Screenshot of Event Log

Buyer's Guide:

	Related Software
Item No.	Item Description
PKS166	MAPS™ UMTS - Gn Gp Interface Emulation
PKS137	MAPS™ GSM A Emulation over IP
XX692	MAPS™ GSM A Interface Emulator
XX647	MAPS™ ISUP Conformance Test Suite (Test Scripts)
XX648	MAPS™ ISDN Emulator
XX649	MAPS™ ISUP Emulator
XX693	MAPS™ GSM Abis Interface Emulator
XX600	Basic Windows Client/Server Scripted Control Software (Included with Basic Software)
XX120	SS7 Analyzer Software
OLV120	Offline/ Remote SS7 Analyzer Software
XX150	T1 or E1 Real-time GSM Protocol Analyzer
OLV150	Offline T1 or E1 GSM Protocol Analyzer
PKS124	MAPS™ MGCP Emulator

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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