core network optimization: the control plane, data plane & beyond
DESCRIPTION
This presentation takes you through the challenges network operators are facing as they bring in more and more bandwidth-intensive applications to their network. There are ways to optimize the network from the RAN to the Core -- and improve QoS.TRANSCRIPT
1
Welcome!
October 4
Mobile Data Offloading Optimization
November 1
Core Network Optimization: The
Control Plane, Data Plane and Beyond
December 6
Optimizing Value Added Services (VAS)
for Greater Revenue Generation
2
Core Network Optimization: the Control Plane, Data Plane
and Beyond
Presenters:
Karl Wale, Director, Product Marketing
Prashant Sharma, Systems Architect (CTO Office)
Dikshit Sawhney, Product Manager
James Radley, Systems Architect (CTO Office)
November 1, 2012
Today’s Topic & Presenters
3
Agenda
Overview
• Core network optimization strategies
• Monitoring, optimization, policy & offloading
Optimizing Network Probe & DPI Systems
• Traffic handling, stateful loading, DPI
Signaling Plane Challenges & Solutions
• Managing growth in signal plane traffic
• Diameter routing & network offloading
Impact of Future Trends
• SDN Networks
4
Application
Server
Media
Resource
Function
IMS
Internet
Policy &
Charging
Routing
Function
Policy &
Charging
Enforcement
Function
Mobility
Management
Entity
LTE Security
Gateway
Serving
Gateway
Packet
Gateway
eNodeB
User
Equipment
Equipment
75+ Customer Wins
Macro Small Cells
Audio Video Conf
~65% Market Share
10G 40G ATCA
~40% ATCA Share
Traffic Management
Dumb Smart Pipes
Home eNodeB
User
Equipment
Equipment
Radio Access Network Evolved Packet Core Policy Control IP Multimedia Subsystem
End-to-End LTE Infrastructure
5
Mobile Traffic Profile
P2P, Voice Etc.
Audio Stream
Video Stream
Web/Internet
Web/Internet
Audio Stream
P2P, Voice Etc.
Video Stream
2x
7x
3x
2012 2016
More users using more of their
data allowance
More sessions…more
applications…more signaling
Video flooding radio &
transport network
Overall
50% CAGR
Until 2016
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Optimization vs. Customer Need
Poor Call Quality
Why ?
Churn
Poor Data
QoS
Why ?
Churn
Voice Era Data Era
Dropped calls
Poor quality
Coverage ?
Handovers ?
Leave voice…
… promote
coverage and voice
quality
Slow / no internet
Poor video streaming
Cant get email
Capacity – RAN or core?
Bearer or signaling ?
Internet or access network
Policy setting ?
Churn due to data
…promote based
on data capabilities
Solution needed for 3G today, not only LTE problem
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Optimization Goals
Core Network
Optimization
Cost Reduction
Efficiency
QoS
Improve Service Revenue
Services
Plans
Plan Deploy Optimize
What you invoke and when depends on problem and lifecycle of network
Opex Reduction
Efficiency to defer Capex
Augment to offload etc.
Avoid Churn…
Tiered Services
Content Based Pricing
Tailored Plans
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Core Network Optimization Tools
DPI & Policy
Video Optimization
& Gateways
Intelligent Switch
& Load Balancer
LTE & 3G
Network Core
Traffic
Offload
Network
Probes
Market For Network Optimization Products Growing by 25% CAGR
Strong growth in DPI, Web & Video Optimization
Network Optimization Needs Blended Approach
…No ‘One Size Fits All’ Solution
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3G Networks: Efficiency…
Packet Core Radio Access Network
Control
Plane
SGSN GGSN PCEF RAN
User
Equipment
Femto
User
Equipment
PCRF
Network
Probe
Signaling
Probe
KPI Voice Data
Call Sessions
Bandwidth QoS/latency etc.
Protocol Analysis Correlation across signaling & bearer
Application & QoS KPI awareness
Attributes Layer 7 Awareness
Tapped vs Bump in Wire
Temporary vs Permanent Installations
10
3G Networks: Capacity…
Packet Core Radio Access Network
Control
Plane
SGSN GGSN PCEF RAN
User
Equipment
Femto
User
Equipment
PCRF
Offloading Video
Optimization
RF & Transport …bandwidth mgmt
RF & Transport …transcoding
…local content re-direct
…tailored packages
Transport …direct around core network
…local content access
11
New LTE Networks
Packet Core Radio Access Network
MME
SGW PGW PCEF EnodeB
User
Equipment
HeNB
User
Equipment
PCRF
Offloading Video
Optimization
How Differ ? RF probe planning
Policy ?
SON
…then optimize
12
Poll Question #1
Which do you consider the most important network
optimization tool? (Select all that may apply)
a. Stand-alone DPI
b. Video optimization
c. Local content caching & CDN
d. DPI capable network probe (L4-7)
e. 3G offload
f. Small cell / wifi offload
g. SON (Self Organizing Network)
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Role of Stateful Load Balancer
Load Balancer Value Adds
Scalability
Extended
Product
Life
Topology
Hiding
Fault
tolerance
Scalability: how to scale up
and down? Does it need re-
architecting?
Extended life: bridge the
performance/throughput gap
before move to next generation
Topology Hiding: Hide internal
details (blades/servers) from
peers
Fault tolerance: Redirect flow
to new active element
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Stateful Load Balancer
Video optimization gateway
DPI based Filtering: Stop
non–video traffic to be
passed to video processing
blades
Transport offloading:
Offload handling/optimization
of TCP connection that carry
HTTP/video traffic
ATCA Platform
…
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Flows 1 - 10
Flows 11 - 50
Flows 51-55
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Stateful Load Balancer
PGW + PCEF Gateway
I/O Aggregation:
Multiple 10G, 40G
external links
Protocol Awareness
Understand PGW
control and data
plane stacks
QoS offloading:
Node/network level
QoS offload
ATCA Platform
…
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Control Plane
Flows 11 - 50
Flows 1 - 10
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F
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To
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Flows 51-55
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Stateful Load Balancer
Extended life cycle using load balancer
Scalability: Upfront load balancer
to scale existing network
probes/monitoring box
I/O: LB should be able to support
large amount of I/O’s
Protocol awareness: LB should
understand all of wireless protocols
and their transports
Distributed load balancing: LB,
itself, should be scalable to support
variable number of backend
application servers
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Stateful Load Balancers
Carrier Cloud Load Balancers
Scalability: Upfront load balancer
to being efficiency of scale in
carrier cloud
Fault tolerance: Fault tolerance of
LB itself becomes one of the most
critical aspect in the carrier cloud.
This includes fault tolerance at
platform, I/O, blades and
application level
Protocol awareness: LB should
understand all of wireless protocols
and their transports
18
Load Balancer: Key Characteristics
ATCA Platform for load balancer
High number of I/O: A
heterogeneous platform like ATCA
offer variety of I/O solution including
centralized and distributed
Specialized processing: State of
art packet processing and switching
technologies (XLP, OcteonII, NP4,
Trident) for common function
offload
Fault tolerance: Carrier grade
ATCA provides redundancy at I/O,
platform elements, backplane and
blade level
19
LTE Network Overview
Policy &
Charging
Rules
Function
Policy & Charging
Enforcement Function
Mobility
Management
Entity
Serving
Gateway
PDN
Gateway
eNodeB
Internet
Web
Voice
UE
Radio
Bearer
S1
Bearer
S5
Bearer
Home
Subscriber
Server
Service
Data Flows
Packet
Filters
AF
Application
Function
IMS
Network
20
Main Drivers of Signaling Traffic
What is driving the signaling traffic in a LTE network?
• Data Usage
– Multiple connected devices: smartphones, tablets, notebooks, smart
cameras, M2M etc.
• Small Cells
– Future networks will be heterogeneous i.e. a combination of macro
and small cells (femto, pico, micro etc.). The evolved CN has to
manage a lot more base stations than the legacy networks.
• IMS
– VoIP based call control network in LTE provides rich communications
capabilities not limited to just voice conversation
• Policy & Charging Control (PCC)
– Policy and service based charging plays a key role in the LTE
networks. This is causing a tremendous increase in Diameter
signaling traffic with in the EPC that needs to be managed.
21
S1-flex Architecture
• S1-flex architecture uses many-
to-many network architecture
between eNBs and MMEs for
load balancing and redundancy
purpose. eNB selects a MME on
UE registration based on the
current resource utilization at
each of MMEs in the pool area
• MME uses a similar logic to
select a S-GW from a pool of S-
GWs serving the UE area
• Possible to re-direct UEs to new
MMEs in case of overload at one
of the MME in the pool area
• S1-flex is a pre-requisite for the
Network Sharing architecture
discussed in the next chart
MME MME MME
eNB eNB
S1
Pool Area
22
Network Sharing
• This optimization technique
involves sharing RAN and CN
resources among multiple
service providers. It is possible
to share just RAN (MOCN) or
both RAN and CN nodes (GWCN)
• Multiple PLMN-id(s) are
broadcasted on the air interface.
UE selects a candidate PLMN
and RAN assigns the CN node
based on resource utilization
and current loading of the
shared CN elements.
• Applicable to both 3G and LTE
networks
23
LIPA
Local IP Access (LIPA)
• An offload GW is co-located with
the small cell (HeNB/HNB) and
routes the data destined for
home/enterprise network
appropriately bypassing the EPC
• UE uses standard signaling
methods as a regular EPS bearer
to setup the LIPA tunnel
• LIPA can be enabled on per
APN/UE basis
24
SIPTO
Selected IP Traffic Off-load
(SIPTO)
• Network uses DNS or other
mechanisms to select a GW in
close proximity to the UE’s point
of attachment to the access
network and offload the traffic
from there
• Option to enable off-load on a
per UE/APN basis
• Applicable to both small cell &
macro networks providing E-
UTRAN/UTRAN access
25
Multi-mode Small Cells (3G/LTE/WiFi)
Non-3GPP Access
• Use commonly deployed WiFi
access points to offload traffic to
the Internet.
• Access Network Discovery and
Selection Function (ANDSF)
helps UE in selecting the
appropriate access network
based on Operator policies.
• Architecture standardized by
3GPP so inter-access mobility is
covered.
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Misc. Network Optimization Techniques
• Co-located SGW, PGW and
GGSN nodes. This can improve
the packet latency by eliminating
one of the nodes in the data
path. Mainly a deployment
decision governed by network
topology i.e. ratio of SGWs to
PGWs/GGSNs
• Similar colocation is possible for
control plane nodes i.e. MME &
SGSN. Allows for reduction of
signaling traffic during inter-RAT
(3G<->LTE) mobility
• Direct tunnel architecture for
UTRAN. This uses a direct
connection from RNC to S-
GW/GGSN bypassing the SGSN
and thus improving packet
latency
27
Policy and Charging Control Architecture (PCC)
Policy and Charging Rules
Function (PCRF)
Subscription
Profile
Repository
(SPR)
AF
Offline
Charging
System
(OFCS)
BBERF
Gateway
PCEF
Online
Charging
System (OCS)
Sp Rx
Gxx Gx
Gy
Gz
28
Diameter Routing Agent - DRA
Diameter is extensively used as an AAA protocol in the DB, charging,
and policy domains of EPC and contributes to majority of signaling
traffic load in the 4G networks.
Scalability demands multiple PCRF(s)/HSS(s) and Charging
DRA helps with routing, load balancing and session management
of traffic flowing between these Diameter entities.
DRA ensures:
all Diameter sessions established for a given EPS connection
reach the same PCRF when multiple and separately addressable
PCRFs have been deployed in a Diameter realm
A DRA can also incorporate SLF functionality to locate HSS for a
IMS UE when multiple HSSs are deployed.
A DRA can be implemented as a re-direct or a proxy agent.
29
DRA Deployment Architecture
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Diameter Signaling Flows - IMS Call Setup (without DRA)
31
Diameter Signaling Flows – Proxy DRA
32
Poll Question #2
How do you see the opportunity for Software Defined
Networks (SDN) in your organization?
a. Revolutionizes how we architect our networks
b. Has real potential but SDN needs to mature as a
technology before it will be of use in a live network
c. Interesting for some niche functions within the network
but will be restricted to a limited set of element types
d. Irrelevant as we are already able to manage networks in a
way that suites our needs
33
What is a Software Defined Network?
There are two commonly accepted defining attributes
of a Software Defined Network (SDN):
• Decouples network management elements from the packet
forwarding entities. Network intelligence & supporting
protocols are maintained independently of the network nodes
which actually handle the through traffic.
• Provides an API so that application developers can have their
own applications directly configure that part of the overall
network infrastructure which delivers packets on their behalf.
Although not part of the ‘common definitions’ the
abstraction of the various network elements down into
a single virtual switch is seen as an important benefit
of a SDN.
34
Why All the Excitement?
Possibility for single virtual switch/router image
• Facilitates rapid and consistent deployment of new rules across
the entire network
Independence to go beyond vendor provided features
• Network architects can leverage more of the capabilities of the
underlying hardware elements in their network
Promotes innovation
• Separation of function allows both network element hardware
and switch management suite vendors to break into the market
Allows applications control over their network
• Applications get similar control over their ‘virtual slice’ of the
network as they have over their virtual server environment
35
Challenges in growing SDN into Carrier Networks
Topology Management
• Most of today’s SDN management s/w deals well with flat full
mesh network infrastructures – not dynamic hierarchies.
Policy Policing
• How to control how much network resources a management
agent can reserve?
Security
• How to prevent the creation of illicit portals?
• How can a network entity spot a rogue rule?
Traffic Management
• While good at creating traffic flow classification rules not so
good at defining traffic scheduling characteristics
36
Opportunities
De-coupled control & data plane
• allows for independent network scaling
Standardise network management strategy
• while keep flexible hardware choices
Allows innovative network appliances to be created
• Powerful APIs open up market to much wider developer pool
• Applications with integrated control over their network can
deliver better services
• Provides opportunity to support the less common (or even
proprietary) routing/forwarding protocols on Common Off The
Shelf (COTS) network devices
37
Basic Model of a Network Appliance
New packets arriving enable additional detail to be extracted from flow
HTTP GMAIL Metadata
…Username
…Email title
…Content
Apply Rule
Buffered
Packets
e.g. put into correct
priority queue
State Machine
API
Application adds
table entry & rule
Add new entry by default…
…or wait for application
Server Load
…approx 10% packets
User Application
Open Flow
38
Summary Slide
KW to create
MRF covered in webinar 3
39
Q&A
Contact us!
Karl Wale Prashant Sharma
[email protected] [email protected]
James Radley Dikshit Sawhney
[email protected] [email protected]
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