Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SGSN Pool
SGSN Pool
SGSN Pool
GBSS12.0
Feature Parameter Description
Issue 01
Date 2010-06-30
and other Huawei trademarks are trademarks of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
All other trademarks and trade names mentioned in this document are the property of their respective
holders.
Notice
The purchased products, services and features are stipulated by the contract made between Huawei and
the customer. All or part of the products, services and features described in this document may not be
within the purchase scope or the usage scope. Unless otherwise specified in the contract, all statements,
information, and recommendations in this document are provided "AS IS" without warranties, guarantees or
representations of any kind, either express or implied.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made in the
preparation of this document to ensure accuracy of the contents, but all statements, information, and
recommendations in this document do not constitute the warranty of any kind, express or implied.
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................1-1
1.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.2 Intended Audience ........................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.3 Change History.............................................................................................................................. 1-1
2 Overview .....................................................................................................................................2-1
3 Technical Description ..............................................................................................................3-1
3.1 Routing of an MS to an SGSN ...................................................................................................... 3-1
3.2 SGSN Selection Based on Load Balancing Algorithm .................................................................. 3-2
3.3 Load Adjustment in an SGSN Pool ............................................................................................... 3-2
4 Parameters .................................................................................................................................4-1
5 Counters ......................................................................................................................................5-1
6 Glossary ......................................................................................................................................6-1
7 Reference Documents .............................................................................................................7-1
1 Introduction
1.1 Scope
This document describes routing of an MS to an SGSN, SGSN selection based on load balancing
algorithm, and load adjustment in an SGSN Pool in the SGSN Pool feature.
This section describes the feature GBFD-119701 SGSN Pool.
Document Issues
The document issues are as follows:
01 (2010-06-30)
Draft (2010-03-30)
01 (2010-06-30)
This is the first release of GBSS12.0.
Compared with issue Draft (2010-03-30) of GBSS12.0, issue 01 (2010-06-30) of GBSS12.0 incorporates
the changes described in the following table.
Draft (2010-03-30)
This is the draft release of GBSS12.0.
2 Overview
SGSN Pool, also known as Gb Flex, enables multiple SGSNs to form a SGSN pool. A BSC belonging to
an SGSN pool area is connected to all SGSNs in the related SGSN pool. The resources and load are
shared by all the SGSNs in the pool, thus balancing the traffic load and reducing inter-SGSN handovers.
According to 3GPP 23.236-630, the functions of SGSN Pool are as follows:
When more SGSN capacity is required, the SGSNs can be added without the replanning of the radio
network. Therefore, a lot of configuration efforts can be avoided.
The SGSN Pool feature supports SGSN redundancy. If an SGSN in the SGSN pool is faulty, the
remaining SGSNs will keep serving the MSs located within the SGSN pool area. In a non-pooled case,
the complete SGSN service area is lost in case of an SGSN failure.
An SGSN in the SGSN pool serves all the routing areas (RAs) in the SGSN pool area. This means that
no inter-SGSN RA update is needed, because an MS is registered in the same SGSN as long as it is
located within the SGSN pool area. This increases the QoS of GPRS for the end-user.
The capacity dimensioning for an SGSN pool can be made according to the busy hour traffic of the
whole SGSN pool area. This is in contrast to a non-pooled case where each SGSN has to be
dimensioned according to the busy hour traffic of the area served by the specific SGSN. As the busy
hour traffic may occur at different time for different SGSNs, more SGSN capacity may be needed in
total for the non-pooled case. Therefore, SGSN Pool helps to improve network capacity and save
capital expenditure (CAPEX).
An SGSN pool is defined as a group of SGSNs serving MSs in one SGSN pool area. A BSC belonging to
an SGSN pool area is connected to all SGSNs in the related SGSN pool. As shown in Figure 2-1,
SGSN1, SGSN2, and SGSN3 form SGSN Pool1, and BSC1, BSC2, and BSC5 form SGSN Pool Area1;
whereas, SGSN4, SGSN5, and SGSN6 form SGSN Pool2, and BSC2, BSC3, and BSC6 form SGSN
Pool Area2.
BSC5 BSC6
An SGSN pool area consists of one or more RAs. All the RAs served by one BSC must belong to the
same SGSN pool area. RA21 and RA22, as shown in Figure 2-1, belong to both SGSN Pool Area1 and
SGSN Pool Area2, that is, overlapping SGSN pool areas. All the SGSNs in an SGSN pool share the
responsibility of handling all the MSs in all the RAs of the SGSN pool area. One or more SGSNs in the
pool may in addition serve BSCs outside this SGSN pool area. As shown in Figure 2-1, SGSN6 serves
RA41 and RA42 of BSC4 that are not in the SGSN pool area.
SGSN Pool is enabled when the parameter SGSNPOOLALLOW is set to Yes. If the SGSN Pool feature
is enabled at the BSC, the P-TMSI reassignment function must be enabled at the SGSN.
Each MS can be registered in any SGSN within the SGSN pool. Once an MS is registered in an SGSN,
the SGSN assigns a 4-bit packet temporary mobile subscriber identity (P-TMSI) to the MS to uniquely
identify the MS within the SGSN pool area. The network resource identifier (NRI) of the SGSN is
contained in the P-TMSI. The MS converts the P-TMSI into the temporary logical link identifier (TLLI).
When the MS accesses the network, it informs the BSC of the TLLI (containing the NRI). Then, the MS is
routed to the correct SGSN by the BSC based on the NRI contained in the TLLI. The MS is served by the
same SGSN as long as it stays within the SGSN pool area. The key technology of the SGSN Pool
feature is the SGSN selection based on the load balancing algorithm.
3 Technical Description
3.1 Routing of an MS to an SGSN
Routing of an MS with a TLLI Containing the network resource identifier (NRI)
Figure 3-1 shows the structure of a P-TMSI or TLLI (containing the NRI). The P-TMSI is assigned to the
MS by the SGSN.
Figure 3-1 Position of the NRI in the TLLI
31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 ... 16 15 14 ...... 1 0
The NRI field in a P-TMSI or TLLI is from bit 23 to bit 14. A maximum of 1024 NRIs can be defined by
setting the NRI length to the maximum length of 10 bits. If the NRI is less than 10 bits, the most
significant bit of the NRI is always stored in bit 23. For example, if the NRI length is set to 4, a maximum
of 16 NRIs can be defined in the pool. In this case, the NRI is defined by bits 20-23 of the TLLI.
The NRI length is specified by the parameter SGSNNRILEN. One NRI corresponds to only one SGSN in
an SGSN pool; therefore, the NRIs must be set in all SGSNs and BSCs related to the SGSN pool.
One SGSN may correspond to multiple NRIs and must be assigned at least one NRI.
The NRI length must be the same in all SGSNs and BSCs related to an SGSN pool.
In case of overlapping SGSN pool areas, the NRI length must be the same in all SGSNs and BSCs
related to the different SGSN pools.
The mapping relation between the NRI and CNID can be configured on the Web LMT.
If an MS accessing the network carries the TLLI containing the NRI, the BSC extracts the NRI from the
TLLI and routes the MS to an SGSN according to the mapping relation between the NRI and the SGSN.
If the SGSN is in normal state, the BSC always routes the MS to the corresponding SGSN.
If the SGSN is faulty, SGSNSTATUS is Prohibited, or the corresponding SGSN is unavailable, the
BSC routes the MS to a normal SGSN in the same SGSN pool based on the load balancing algorithm.
If the null-NRI is contained in the TLLI, it indicates that the MS must be routed to another SGSN. In this
case, the BSC routes the MS to a normal SGSN in the same SGSN pool based on the load balancing
algorithm.
An NRI used in one SGSN pool must not be reused in neighboring pools. For example, when an MS that
is registered in SGSN Pool Area1 of SGSN Pool1 accesses SGSN Pool Area2 of SGSN Pool2, the BSC
routes the MS to an SGSN serving SGSN Pool Area2 according to the NRI. If the NRI configuration of
the two SGSN pools is the same, the BSC routes the MS to the SGSN corresponding to the NRI in
SGSN Pool2. This may lead to overload in the SGSN and load imbalance in the SGSN Pool2.
For example, if value V is 404, the BSC selects SGSN2 as the serving node; if value V is 100, the BSC
selects SGSN1 as the serving node.
with the original mapping relation between value V and SGSN shown in Table 3-1 in 3.2 SGSN Selection
Based on Load Balancing Algorithm, the mapping relation is renewed, as shown in Table 3-2.
Table 3-2 Mapping relation between value V and SGSN when SGSN4 is added
Load
SGSN Capacity Sharing
SGSN ID (Number of Users) SGSN State Ratio Range of Value V
SGSN1 400 Normal 30.8% 000-307
SGSN2 300 Normal 23.1% 308-538
SGSN3 300 Normal 23.1% 539-769
SGSN4 300 Normal 23.0% 770-999
Load sharing ratio of the last SGSN = 1 - sum of load sharing ratio of each remaining SGSN
When an SGSN is removed from the SGSN pool, the BSC also automatically adjusts the load sharing
ratio of each remaining SGSN. If SGSN3 in Table 3-2 is removed from the SGSN pool, the mapping
relation between value V and SGSN is renewed, as shown in Table 3-3.
Table 3-3 Mapping relation between value V and SGSN when SGSN3 is removed
Load
SGSN Capacity Sharing
SGSN ID (Number of Users) SGSN State Ratio Range of Value V
SGSN1 400 Normal 40.0% 000-399
SGSN2 300 Normal 30.0% 400-699
SGSN4 300 Normal 30.0% 700-999
The range of value V is changed from 400-699 in Table 3-3 to 364-727 in Table 3-4.
After SGSNSTATUS of SGSN1 is set to Unload, the MSs registered in SGSN1 are reassigned P-TMSIs.
If an MS sends a request for the PS service, the P-TMSI is reassigned as follows:
1. Before the connection is established, SGSN1 assigns the MS P-TMSI1 in which NRI is NULL_NRI
and routing area identity (RAI) is Non-broadcast RAI.
2. The MS initiates RA update immediately on receiving the non-broadcast RAI.
3. The BSC extracts the null-NRI from TLLI1 and routes the MS to a normal SGSN according to the load
balancing algorithm.
4. The SGSN reassigns a P-TMSI to the MS.
When an MS remains standby for a long time, the P-TMSI is reassigned as follows:
1. In the periodic RA update, the MS sends TLLI1 to the BSC. Then, the BSC routes the MS to SGSN1.
2. SGSN1 assigns P-TMSI2 containing the null-NRI and sends the non-broadcast RAI to the MS.
3. The MS immediately initiates RA update on receiving the non-broadcast RAI.
4. When SGSNSTATUS of SGSN1 is Unload and null-NRI is contained in TLLI2, the BSC routes the
MS to a normal SGSN according to the load balancing algorithm.
5. The SGSN reassigns a P-TMSI to the MS.
After an MS is powered off for a long time, it immediately initiates RA update when it is powered on. In
this case, the P-TMSI is reassigned according to the status of SGSN1.
− If
SGSNSTATUS of SGSN1 is Unload, the MS is reassigned a P-TMSI. The reassignment procedure
is the same as that for an MS being standby for a long time.
− If
SGSNSTATUS of SGSN1 is Normal, SGSN1 continues to serve the MS and the MS is not
reassigned a P-TMSI.
After the load is balanced in the SGSN pool, the SGSNSTATUS of SGSN1 must be set to Normal.
Otherwise, subsequent MSs cannot be registered in SGSN1.
4 Parameters
Table 4-1 Parameter description
Parameter ID NE MML Command Description
5 Counters
For the counters, see the BSC6900 GSM Performance Counter Reference.
6 Glossary
For the acronyms, abbreviations, terms, and definitions, see the Glossary.
7 Reference Documents
[1] 3GPP TS 23.236: "Intra-domain connection of Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes to multiple
Core Network (CN) nodes "
[2] BSC6900 Feature List
[3] BSC6900 Optional Feature Description
[4] BSC6900 GSM Parameter Reference
[5] BSC6900 GSM MML Command Reference
[6] BSC6900 GSM Performance Counter Reference