NTHLR INTRODUCTION

&
OVERVIEW

By
Rahul Kumar Gupta
INDEX
• Legacy HLR functional architecture
• Generic HLR interfaces
• HLR Functions
• NT HLR System Overview
• NT HLR Architecture
• NT HLR Functionalities (PCC, HLRFE, EIR)
• Network Setup
• System Interfaces
• Legacy versus new HLR architecture
• SS7 routing considerations for NT HLR
• NT HLR System Redundancy Concepts
• CALL FLOW
• System Management
Legacy HLR functional architecture

SS7 Stack Provisioning

 Database and application
co-located
HLR O&M  Single signaling point
application
code and global title
 “Closed” database
• HLR subs-
criber data Limited scalability
HLR DataBase

3
Generic HLR interfaces
• Provisioning – all subscribers in the HPLMN are provisioned to the
HLR
• SS7 – the accepts and sends MAP messages to other NSS network
elements via the SS7 interface (e.g. narrowband, HSL, SIGTRAN)
• O&M – HLRs send alarms and statistics to monitoring systems via an
O&M interface. A backup and restore mechanism may also use
such an interface

4
HLR Functions
• Authentication – Provides AuC functionality within a GSM network
• Mobility Management – stores subscribers’ current location, provides
subscriber data to VLRs/SGSNs
• Call Handling – Single point of contact for all terminating calls
• SMS Handling
• GPRS – provides PDP context data to SGSNs
• Supplementary Service function (CF, CB, CW, CH, etc)
• Operator Determined Barring – Allows operators to restrict services to a
subscriber
• CAMEL support

5
NT HLR System Overview

SS7, SIGTRAN
Provisioning

SS7 SNMP,
MAP FTP, OAM
SSH, ....

NetAct
NT HLR-FE NT HLR-FE NT HLR-FE
HSM
HSM
HSM
Redundant
IP based internal
IP network interface to HSM-Pool

SPML LDAP, SNMP,

(Provisioning) SOAP (Trigger) FTP,
SSH, ....
OneNDS

Common Repository
NT HLR System Overview Contd…
• NT HLR Front Ends – The FEs provide the HLR application logic and
SS7 stack. Also has interface to O&M system
• Hardware Security Modules – The HSMs (optional) provide secure
environment for the authentication function
• One-NDS – Provides the subscriber database, provisioning interface
(PGW), O&M interface (System Monitor)

7
The NT HLR is designed to survive substantial problems
with all elements of the system including the operating
system software, application software, servers and
network outages without a loss of service.

NT HLR System
The system has five layers of protection to ensure
continuity of service as described in the backup material
including:

Overview Contd..
Process replication
Server replication
Site redundancy
Data replication
Distributed database

The One-NDS and NT HLR products have a proven and

reliable track record.
NT HLR architecture

NT HLR FE NT HLR FE NT HLR FE NT HLR FE NT HLR FE NT HLR FE

Install Server

LDAP Notification Manager

LDAP
LDAP
Traffic Manager

Install Server

Routing DSAs Provisioning Gateway

NetAct System
Monitor

One-NDS BE DSAs Administrator

NT HLR Front End
• Provides SS7 connectivity
• Processes MAP requests/responses with other n/w elements
• Runs HLR application logic
• Optionally hosts Soft AuC function
• Based on Advantage platform

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Hardware Security Module (optional)
• Stores transport and storage keys for system
• Decrypts and re-encrypts Ki during subscriber provisioning
• Generates vectors (triplets or quintuplets) during Authentication
processing
• Secure h/w environment

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Functionalities
All the HLR-FE’s and the SNR in one region will have the same point code
• Maximum number of HLR-FEs with one point code is 64
• Reduction in the number of Point Codes will help in making the number of
visible addresses in the signaling network lesser.
• The HLR-FEs for a given point code and the SNR will be referred to as logical
HLR
• Each HLR-FE will have a unique ASP-ID(0-63) which would distinguish the HLR-
FEs within the region
EIR Application FE
• Two EIR FEs are arranged in logical cluster called ‘Directory
Server Agent’ (DSA)
• One will be on Primary and the other in Primary standby.
• Both should be in Synchronization.
• Traffic will be handled by both the FEs on load sharing.
• Data will be stored on memory to provide fast querying and
updating of data.
EIR Management Server
• IS+MS+SM
Install Server + Management Server + System Monitor
Install Server:
RHEL OS, defining required packages, services and configuration.
Installation of One-EIR FE application, System Monitor, Management
Server.
Basic configurations for starting up of the system.
Management Server:
Management Server provides a web based interface to the One-EIR FE for
maintenance access to configuration data.
System Monitor:
System Monitor 2.0 provides the integration of One-EIR FE into NetAct for
Fault and Performance Management
The One-EIR supports both the 15 digit IMEI and 16 digit IMEISV
that identifies devices uniquely.

IMEI Format:

IMEISV Format:
Network Setup
Network

STP (PC=X)

M2PA/M3UA

SNR Cluster (PC=Y)

M3UA M3UA

HLR-FE – 1 (ASP-ID=1) HLR-FE – 64 (ASP-ID=64)

C-NTDB
LAN Configuration
• PCC have total 5 LANs configured

Site 1 Site 2
• OAM VLAN 505 • OAM VLAN 515
• External Sigtran-A VLAN 501 • External Sigtran-A VLAN 511
• External Sigtran-B VLAN 502 • External Sigtran-B VLAN 512
• Internal Sigtran-A VLAN 503 • Internal Sigtran-A VLAN 513
• Internal Sigtran-B VLAN 504 • Internal Sigtran-B VLAN 514
LAN Configuration Contd..

• HLRFE have total 4 LANs configured

Site 1 Site 2
• APPLICATION VLAN 500 • APPLICATION VLAN 510
• OAM VLAN 505 • OAM VLAN 515
• Internal Sigtran-A VLAN 503 • Internal Sigtran-A VLAN 513
• Internal Sigtran-B VLAN 504 • Internal Sigtran-B VLAN 514
LAN Configuration Contd..

• EIRFE have total 5 LANs configured

Site 1 Site 2
• APPLICATION VLAN 500 • APPLICATION VLAN 510
• OAM VLAN 505 • OAM VLAN 515
• External Sigtran-A VLAN 501 • External Sigtran-A VLAN 511
• External Sigtran-B VLAN 502 • External Sigtran-B VLAN 512
• DB LAN 506 • DB LAN 516
SystemInterfaces
NTHLR-FEInterfaces

CORBA/SNMP/UDP/HTTPS/ssh

IP High Security
MTP or NT
NT HLR-FE
HLR-FE
High
HighSecurity
Security
NT HLR-FE Module
Module(HSM)
SS7 core IP Application
Application Module(HSM)
(HSM)
network elements Application Client
Client
Client
(MSC, VLR, SGSN,
SCP, SMLF, HSS) SOAP
SIM card
management

SOAP LDAP

OneNDS (CNTDB)
System Interfaces Contd..
Customer Subscriber
Relation Authentication
Management System
Core Network
SOAP/HTTP SOAP/sFTP

SS7/
NT-HLR System SIGTRAN
PGW
https O&M
LDAP http
prop. https/
ssh
HSM IP HLR-FE soap
PGW-DSA snmp
HSM HLR-FE trigger
Backup
ntp &
LDAP soap ldap Restore
LDAP trigger
LDAP, prop.
Routing-DSA ssh sFTP
Install
LDAP
DAP
ssh
ADM Server

BE-DSA

22
SS7 routing considerations for NT HLR
• 3 types of routing to a HLR
• IMSI (E212) / Mobile GT (E214)
• MSISDN (E164)
• HLR GT (E164)
• Most legacy HLRs have a single Point Code (PC) and single Global Title
• NT HLR has several Front Ends nodes, each FE has its own PC and GT (this GT is
used in SCCP CgPA)
• A separate GT is associated with each Back End DSA (used in MAP layer)
• MGT, MSISDN and BE GTs should be loadshared across all available FE nodes
(depends on SCCP loadsharing capability of MSCs/STPs etc)

23
Legacy versus new HLR architecture
Integrated DB HLR architecture
 HLR includes database
 Each HLR hosts subscriber range
GTT TC_BEGIN Subscriber  Dedicated routing of MAP messages
HLR 1 range 1
PC1 HLR 1
SEP  HLRs are redundant (2N)
PC2
Subscriber
HLR 2 range 2
HLR 2

Separated DB HLR architecture  HLR and database are separated

 Each HLR can serve any subscriber
Load sharing of TC_BEGIN OneNDS  De-coupling of IMSI and HLR
HLR 1
 N+K redundancy of HLR servers
PC1
SEP PC2 HLR 2  Requires dynamic load sharing
PC3
HLR 3

24
System Redundancy
Servers are located in different locations for
Geo Redundancy (standard 3 sites)
Modes of a One-NDS server:
Application-FEs • Primary:
is responsible for controlling the application and
replication of updates to the database.
• Secondary Synchronized:
DS is up-to-date with updates replicated from the
Primary mode server.
DS DS • Secondary Unsynchronized:
FE-DSA
is not receiving updates from the Primary mode
server e.g.: due to a network fault.

DS DS

DS DS DS DS DS
Location 1

BE-DSA=Partition 1 BE-DSA=Partition 2 Location 2

DS

DS Location 3
One logical
partition
Redundancy Contd..

• SNR could be configured in cluster mode to support

redundancy
• The communication between the cluster is on inter-CE LAN
• If one node of the cluster goes down the other node will be
able to handle the complete traffic
• Maintenance activities on the SNR can be done on one node
without interrupting the traffic
CALL FLOWS
• Location Update
• MT Call
• SMS MT
• PCC-HLRFE
• EIR Process
 (point codec concentrator
MS VLR PCC HLR FE ONE NDS

Location Update Request Update Location ( IMSI )

CdPa GT = MGT address ,
(IMSI,LAI) CgPa GT = VMSC address

Update Location ( IMSI )

CdPa GT = MGT address
CgPa GT = VMSC address

LAPD search

Insert Subscriber Data (IMSI,

Insert Subscriber Data (IMSI, provisioning data )
provisioning data ) LAPD search_resp
CdPa GT = VMSC address
CdPa GT = VMSC address Subscriber data
CgPa GT = PCC GT address
CgPa GT = PCC GT address

ISD ACK
ISD ACK

LU ACCEPT
CdPa GT = VMSC address
LU ACCEPT
CgPa GT = PCC GT address
CdPa GT = VMSC address
(HLR Address in MAP)
CgPa GT = PCC GT address
(HLR Address in MAP) LAPD Modify_req UPDATE
( New VLR Address) (New VLR Address)

LU Call Flow
 GMSC VLR PCC HLR FE ONE NDS

IAM ( RN +MSISDN ) Send Routing Info (MSISDN )

CdPa GT = HLR address ,
CgPa GT = GMSC address

Send Routing Info (MSISDN )

CdPa GT = HLR address
CgPa GT = GMSC address
LAPD search

Provide Roaming Number ( IMSI )

Provide Roaming Number ( IMSI ) CdPa GT = VMSC address
CdPa GT = VMSC address CgPa GT = PCC GT address LAPD search _response
CgPa GT = PCC GT address VLR ADDRESS , IMSI

Provide Roaming Number ( MSRN )

CdPa GT = PCC GT address
CgPa GT = VMSC address
Provide Roaming Number ( MSRN )
CdPa GT = PCC GT address
CgPa GT = VMSC address

Send Routing Info (MSRN, IMSI )

CdPa GT = GMSC address
CgPa GT = PCC GT address

MT Call Flow
 SMSC STP PCC (concentrator)
point codec HLR FE ONE NDS

SRI_SM REQ ( MSISDN)

CdPa GT = RN+MSISDN address SRI_SM REQ( MSISDN)
CgPa GT = SMSC address CdPa GT = B Party MSISDN ,
CgPa GT = SMSC address

SRI_SM REQ( MSISDN)

CdPa GT = B Party MSISDN
CgPa GT = SMSC address
LAPD search

SRI_SM RESPONSE
VLR ADDRESS , B-IMSI LAPD search_resp
CdPa GT = SMSC address VLR ADDRESS , B-IMSI
SRI_SM RESPONSE CgPa GT = PCC GT address
VLR ADDRESS , B-IMSI SRI_SM RESPONSE
CdPa GT = SMSC address VLR ADDRESS , B-IMSI
CgPa GT = PCC GT address CdPa GT = SMSC address
CgPa GT = PCC GT address

MT FSM
VLR ADDRESS , B-IMSI

MT SMS Flow
 Site 1
SPC FEFE
PCC FEFE

TC-BEGIN

Weighted load sharing

TID range is split
TC-CONT (O-TID) across HLR-FEs
TC-CONT (D-TID)

FE selection per D-TID

TID based routing

•TID: TCAP Transaction ID
•The TID is
• allocated in each peer (Signalling End Point)
• Used for identifying the transaction
• Sent back and forth in all messages of the dialogue
• With the Point Code Concentrator:
• The TID range is split between the HLR-FEs
• The TID identifies the HLR-FE and the transaction

PCC to HLR FE Flow

EIR Process Overview:
System Management
• Configuration Management
• Performance Management
• Fault Management
• SS7 Stack Interrogation
• TID(TCAP ID)
• Load Distribution (Static and Dynamic)
• Addition/Removal of ASPs(HLR-FE)
 Configuration Management
• SW Installation is done via CLI (Red hat Linux)
• SS7 stack configurations are done via CLI using Signalware Enhanced
Terminal (swmml).
Performance Management
• Will have all the counter reports.

• 15Min Interval for PCC and 60Min for HLRFE.

• Measurements will be reflected at NAC

Performance Management Contd..

• Will have all the counter reports.

• 60Min Interval

• Measurements will be reflected at NAC

• /opt/esymac/extras/esymacstarter/results
 Fault Management
•SPCs are directly Integrated with NetAct for Application related
alarms.
•Hardware alarms are sent to TIAMS inturn sent to NetAct
•Login as an rtp user and run RtpDumpLog
• Run RtpDumpLog –s 0000 for only present day log
• Can Import the file if necessary
Fault Management Contd..

• Alarms log :
Stores information about the One-EIR, ADW, Stacks and NDS
alarms.
• Statistics log :
Stores information about the One-EIR, ADW, Stacks and NDS
statistics measurements within the statistics interval.
• One-EIR TAC log:
Stores a record of the number of CheckIMEI messages received for
each TAC code.
• One-EIR log
One-EIR can be configured to log different events for each MAP
response it generates.

/opt/sdf/log/ -- Path for logs

SS7 stack Interrogation
• Login as an rtp user via CLI and go to Signalware Enhanced
Terminal (swmml).
• Use DISPLAY commands for Interrogation.
Signaling Link PCC to External:
Signaling Link HLRFE-PCC
Management Server
Transaction Oriented Message Routing

• Routing based on TID will apply for all TCAP messages, except
TC_BEGIN.
• Each ASP (HLR-FE) encapsulates its ASPID value in the TCAP
Transaction ID (32-bit value
• Bits [31 - 26] correspond to the ASPID) which is used to route
subsequent TCAP messages (TC-CONTINUE, TC-END).
• This would ensure that all messages of a transaction would be
routed to the same HLR-FE although they do not share any context
related information between each other.
Static Load distribution

• Static Load Distribution will be achieved using weighted Load

Sharing.
•
• The weight (1 to 10) of each HLR-FE should be specified during
provisioning or during Routing Key Activation.

• The SNR will distribute load between the HLR-FE’s accordingly.

•
• SET-M3UA-ASP-WEIGHT:WEIGHT=<weight>;
•
• Example:
• HLR-FE1 : SET-M3UA-ASP-WEIGHT:WEIGHT=1
• HLR-FE2 : SET-M3UA-ASP-WEIGHT:WEIGHT=3

• 25% traffic would be routed to HLR-FE1

• 75% traffic would be routed to HLR-FE2
Dynamic Load distribution

• Dynamic load sharing is based on the congestion at HLR-FE

• During congestion HLR-FE’s would inform the SNR through SCON
messages.
• Based on this, the SNR would set the congestion level (1-3) for that
HLR-FE and traffic will be re-routed to other HLR-FE’s
> Congestion Level 1 – 33% traffic to other HLR-FE’s
• > Congestion Level 2 – 66% traffic to other HLR-FE’s
• > Congestion Level 3 – 100% traffic to other HLR-FE’s
•
• DISPLAY-M3UA-ASPID:
• Id Lset Rkey Ssn State Weight
Congestion
• 1 LSETHLR1 RKD0001 6/A ALLOWED 1 0
• 2 LSETHLR2 RKD0001 6/A ALLOWED 1 0
Addition/Removal of ASPs(HLR-FE)

• As the point code is same across a region, the HLR-FEs are hidden from the
network. Routing keys will remain the same across all nodes in a region.

• An HLR-FE has to activate its Routing Key to add itself to the network and
has to Deactivate it to remove.

• ASP_UP message is sent from the HLR-FE to the SNR when it activates its
routing key indicating that its wants to join from the region
• Once the SNR receives this message it would start sending traffic to this
HLR-FE.

• ASP_DOWN message is sent from the HLR-FE to SNR when it deactivates its
routing key indicating that its wants to un join from the region.
• Once the SNR receives this message it would stop sending traffic to this HLR-
FE
Thank You!!!!!

Any Query!!!!!