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Mobility Management: Subscribe Data Management at MSC/VLR

Mobility management in GSM networks allows the system to keep track of mobile subscribers as they move. It is implemented through mobility management (MM) sub-layer procedures that manage subscriber data and authentication, provide communication between layers, and ensure smooth handovers between networks. MM procedures are classified as either common procedures like TMSI reallocation, authentication, identification, IMSI detach, and ciphering, or specific procedures that can only run when no other is active.

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35 views3 pages

Mobility Management: Subscribe Data Management at MSC/VLR

Mobility management in GSM networks allows the system to keep track of mobile subscribers as they move. It is implemented through mobility management (MM) sub-layer procedures that manage subscriber data and authentication, provide communication between layers, and ensure smooth handovers between networks. MM procedures are classified as either common procedures like TMSI reallocation, authentication, identification, IMSI detach, and ciphering, or specific procedures that can only run when no other is active.

Uploaded by

sde
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mobility Management in GSM

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MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
Mobility management entails the GSM system keeping track of the mobile while on
the move. The mobility management is implemented through mobility management (MM)
sub-layer which is present in layer 3 of the protocol stack at MS and MSC. The functions
performed by the mobility management are:

Subscribe Data management at MSC/VLR-

Subscriber data from HLR are retrieved by MM at the time of first location updating
of the subscriber. Dynamic data change for a subscribe are also managed by the MM.

Services provided to upper layers-

MM provides basic means of transportation of upper CM sub-layer messages between


MS and the network Handover procedures ensure smooth transition from one radio network
to another.

Subscriber Authentication and confidentiality Management –

MM procedures ensure data confidentiality of a subscriber MM procedures provide a


means for to ensure data confidentiality at radio interface.

Mobility management is implemented through MM procedures, which are broadly


classified in to two groups –

i) MM Common Procedure

ii) MM Specific Procedure

A MM specific procedure can only be started if no other MM specific procedure is


running or no MM connection exists between the network and the mobile station. The end of
the running MM connection has to be awaited before a new MM specific procedure can be
started.

During the lifetime of a MM specific procedure, if a MM connection establishment is


requested by a CM entity this request will either be rejected or be delayed until the running
MM specific procedure is terminated (this depends upon implementation).

Any MM common procedure (except IMSI detach) may be started during MM


specific procedure.

MM Common Procedure.

TMSI reallocation procedure_


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Mobility Management in GSM
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The purpose of the TMSI reallocation procedures is to provide identify confidentiality
i.e. to protect a user against being identified and located by an intruder. TMSI is used for
identification within the radio interface signaling procedures instead of IMSI. Usually the
TMSI reallocation is performed at least at each change of a location area. The reallocation of
TMSI can be performed explicitly after predetermined no. of accesses by MS to the network
or implicitly by a location updating procedure . TMSI reallocation can be initiated by the
network at any time whilst R R connection exists between the network and the mobile station.

In case of TMSI reallocation procedure initiated by the network, network sends TMSI
reallocation command message to the MS containing new TMSI/LAI MS on receiving the
message stores new TMSI and LAI in SIM and deletes the older entries and sends TMSI
reallocation complete message to the network.

AUTHENTICATION PROCEDURE-

Authentication Triplets.

At network side, authentication procedure requires authentication triplets.


Authentication triplet consists of:

 Random number RAND (128 bits)

 Signed response SRES (32 bits)

 Ciphering key (64 bits).

While initiating authentication procedure, if network has no authentication triplet or


all triplets have been used, it requests AuC for the same. The index of currently used triplet is
known as CKSN. (Ciphering key sequence number).

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Mobility Management in GSM
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IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURE.
The identification procedure is used by the network to request a MS to provide
specific identification parameters to the network e.g. IMSI, IMEI.

In case MS update location in the system using TMSI, but due to data base failure,
TMSI at network end is no more available; network initiates identification procedure and
asks for IMSI.

If network is unable to receive identity response, it clears all the ongoing MM


connections and releases radio resources.

IMSI Detach procedure.

The purpose of this procedure is to indicate the network that MS has switched off.
This enables the network not to page for the subscriber and invokes other applicable
supplementary service (e.g. call forwarding etc).

CIPHERING PROCEDURE
Ciphering procedure is needed to encrypt data transmission over radio interface.

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