CCN for Dummies

-Ashish Kalgaonkar
 What is CCN?
• Charging Control Node
– As the name suggests CCN is a charging application
on top of a TSP node.
– It is one of the nodes in the ecosystem of the
“Charging System” CS network – currently CS 4.0.
– Used primarily to facilitate real time charging of pre-
paid accounts.
– Now I have used the word “facilitate” i.e CCN itself
does not maintain user accounts nor does it perform
real time charging. That is done by the SDP (Service
Data Point) …. Which brings us to the question -
 Why CCN?
• A little background from the SS7 network
– SDP and SCP form the core of the SS7 network.
– As mentioned Service Data Point (SDP) is the core of the Pre-
Paid Service (PPS) network and holds account data and rating
mechanisms.
– For voice calls a Service Control Point (SCP) with PPS-IN
scripts is used in front of SDP. SCP handles the call control and
interrogates the SDP to check the account level to see if the call
is allowed to start.
– After call establishment, while services are being used, the SCP
interrogates the SDP to deduct money from the account and
again to check the account level to see if the call is allowed to
proceed (real time charging).
– SCP and SDP communicate according to the Charging
Interrogation Protocol (CIP) formerly referred to as INAP CS1+
(Intelligent Network Application Part Capability Set) published by
ITU-T.
 Call Establishment
• MSC-A starts call establishment, as a result of receiving a setup
message over the air interface from the A-party, and it invokes an
IN service in the SCP.
• At service invocation and event notification, the MSC copies
information elements from the signaling message (i.e. the ISUP
message) to the IN control message (CAMEL or INAP). The SCP
decides how to control this call, based on the received
information.
 Why CCN?
• Before Charging Control Node (CCN) was introduced
into the Charging Network with PPS 3.6/Charging
System 1.6, Packet Switched GPRS calls were charged
via CDRs. This was referred to as near real-time
charging – the CDRs were processed after the call, not
in real time but near real time.
• The only traffic charged in real time was circuit switched
voice traffic and SMS (fixed cost per SMS).
 Before CCN
Top right
Slide title
40 pt Charging Network before CCN corner for
field-mark,
customer or
Slide subtitle partner logotypes.
24 pt See Best practice
for example.
Business Support Financial Network
Text
24 pt
Bullets level 2-5
20 pt PPAS
(HVR)
USSD Gw IVR

Before CCN – we had

Multi dynamic charging of CS
Mediation SDP traffic only (Voice and
(BGw) SMS).
INAP/CIP Protocol - INAP CS1+
SMS-C
now referred to as CIP.
SCP
Packet switched calls
INAP/CIP charged via CDRs.
SSF/gsmSSF SRF/gsmSRF gprsSSF
SOG/ HLR MSC/VLR SGSN
PPAS

1/038 13 – LZU 108 6321 Rev E 1-8

 After CCN
Top right
Slide title
40 pt Charging Network after CCN corner for
field-mark,
customer or
Slide subtitle partner logotypes.
24 pt See Best practice
for example.
With CCN – Business
we Support Financial Network
Text introduced dynamic
24 pt
Bullets level 2-5 charging protocols for
20 pt GPRS, SMS, Content PPAS
and EventUSSD
charging. (HVR)
Service
Gw IVR
Network

Multi On-line SCS

Parlay
Mediation SDP CCN Gw
CS1+
CCN functioned
(BGw)as a Diameter MMS
relay for GPRS, SMS,
Content SMS-C
and Event ...
charging towards the SCP CAP 3 CAP 3
Diameter
SDP.

SSF/gsmSSF SRF/gsmSRF gprsSSF

SOG/ HLR MSC/VLR SGSN
PPAS
GGSN

1/038 13 – LZU 108 6321 Rev E 1-9

 Why CCN
• CCN enables Realtime Charging of Packet Switched Data (GPRS)
and Short Message Service (SMS) using CAPv3.
• For GPRS and SMS, CAPv3 messages are relayed into CIP
messages.
• Realtime Charging of Content & Services is provided using
Diameter Service Charging Application Protocol (SCAP) messages
relayed into CIP messages.
• The relay function consists of:
- checking barring lists
- normalizing numbers
- mapping and converting parameters
- and finding the right SDP to forward the message.
• CCN is also required for Flexible Bearer Charging (FBC).
• Online charging of circuit switched calls and SMS is done using
Ericsson RTC Protocol (ERTC).
 Integration of SCP and CCN
• The removal of the SCP and the use of CCN as a relay is an integral part of the move towards converged charging (Voice &
Data).

Top right
Slide title
40 pt Charging Network at CS 3.0 CP5 corner for
field-mark,
customer or
Slide subtitle partner logotypes.
USSD Gw PPAS IVR
24 pt (HVR)
See Best practice
for example.

Text
SDP
24 pt Multi
Bullets level 2-5 Mediation
20 pt (BGw) Service
CIP Network

On-line
MAP Gw Parlay
CCN
Diameter
CS1+/CAP
SMS-C PSL
INS RTC CAP
CAP v3
v1 - 3 Diameter

CS1+/
CAP
gsmSSF gprsSSF
HLR MSC/VLR SGSN GGSN

1/038 13 – LZU 108 6321 Rev E 1-10

 So What is CCN?
• CCN is a charging application based on the Ericsson
Telecom Server Platform (TSP) implemented on Dicos
operating system.
• It’s main function is to relay charging messages to the
SDP (Remember SDP can only talk CIP i.e INAP CS1+)
• However for packet switched and other services the
different nodes in the charging ecosystem can talk various
kinds of protocols
– Diameter, RTC, CAPv1, CAPv2, CAPv3, SCAP etc.
• The different protocols terminate at the CCN and CCN
acts as a protocol converter and packet forwarder.

• Besides this, CCN also offers other important services.

(See slide on CCN Functions and Services)
CCN Traffic Interface Protocols
CIP DNS Account
SDP Finder
CAPv1-v3/CS1+ CDR/FTP Multi-
MSC
(GSM) ERTC V Mediation
I
CAPv3 P Diameter SRAP GGSN
SGSN
R
CCN Content
MAPv3 O Diameter SCAP
FNR Service
U Provider
T
MAPv3 E
HLR
R
 CCN Traffic Interface Protocols
• CAPv3 protocol for Online Charging of GPRS Service and SMS
service
• MAP protocol for FNR (Flexible Numbering Register) and HLR
(Home Location Register).
• ERTC protocol for MSC.
• A VIP based Diameter/SRAP interface for communication with users
of the Flexible Bearer Charging Service, e.g. GGSN.
• A VIP based Diameter/SCAP interface for communication with users
of the Online Charging of Content Service and Online Charging of
Event Service, for example GGSN, MMS.
• A VIP based DNS interface for interrogations towards the Account
Finder.
• An FTP based CDR interface for sending CDRs to Ericsson Multi
Mediation node.
 CCN Protocols & Services
Relay On-line Charging of Voice DCC SCAPv2
Relay On-line Charging of Voice
Cap v1/SS7 CCN Relay On-line Charging of SMS
Relay of Service Based Charging
Relay On-line Charging of Voice
Control
MAP
MAPv3/SS7
FNR
Cap v2/SS7
Relay On-line Charging of SMS DCC SCAPv2
Relay On-line Charging of Voice
CS1+/SS7 Relay of Service Based Charging

Relay On-line Charging of GPRS

Control
MAPv3/SS7 HLR
Relay On-line Charging of SMS

Cap v3/SS7
Relay of Service Based Charging SDP
Control Relay On-line Charging of GPRS
RTC/SS7 Relay On-line Charging of SMS
Relay of Service Based Charging
Policy and Rating Server
Control
Diameter SRAP/IP Online Charging of Content
Online Charging of Event
Online Charging of Content Relay On-line Charging of Voice
Online Charging of Event CIP/SS7
Diameter SCAP/IP DCC SCAPv2
DCC SCAPv2 CIP/IP
Diameter DCC/IP
Protocol = red
Service = blue
 CCN Functions & Services
• Besides acting as a protocol converter and packet
forwarder CCN offers the following services
– Number Normalization
– White/Black Number Lists (checking barring lists)
– Parameter Conversion (e.g. CAPv3 to INAP)
– SDP Routing (finding the right SDP to forward the message)
– Location Lookup
– Mobile Number Portability
– Rating
– CDR Generation
– Call Control
 O&M interface protocols
PC or Unix SSH XML/FTP Performance
Client Management
SNMP
CORBA OSS
V
I CORBA
P Node
HTTP
Management
R LDAP Toolbox
CCN
O
U LDAP
T HTTP RMA
E
R LDAP EMA
 O&M interface protocols
• A VIP based XML/FTP interface for retrieval of
performance data.

• A VIP based SNMP interface for communication with

GSM OSS.

• An IP based SSH interface for O&M

 O&M functions of CCN
• Configuration Management
• Fault Management
• Tracing
• Performance Management
• Logging
– Audit logging
– System Logging
• Rating Management
• Subscriber Provisioning
 Charging System Architecture
GSM/WCDMA Core Network 0..n
DNS update to
Same platform (FDS/Sun) Charging
Account Finder
ISUP
CS1+, NQ
HP IVR CC API (CAI) 0..1 Batch jobs
Co-locatable
System
1..n
MSC
CAP 0..n (if MINSAT) ADM (ftp) 0..n
Batch jobs (ftp) 4
v1-v2 SCP-T XML/http Voucher
IN-IVR 0..n POSI, PAMI
gsmSSF Server VSIP
gsmSRF gsmSCF
SCF PPS-IN
CMS (if ASCS)
(VS)
SSF XML/http
SRF XML/http DR RP
MML CS1+ XML/http
C
CS1+,
0..n CAP v1-2 SMAS 1..n
INS CS1+ Thresh. Batch R
gsmSCF VPN ERTC
Notif. jobs
SMPP AIR Batch jobs
CAPv3-4 CS SMS LDAP (EoC) (ftp)
SCF (ftp) (ftp)
(Community)
0..n DR
0..n RP UGW
SGSN NQ DCC 1..n
SDP C UCIP
LDAP towards
gprsSSF CAPv3-4
ext. system
(PS SMS, GPRS) 0..n (Community) 0..n
R CIP
0..n SBCC
CS1+ DNS Account
SRAP(TCP/IP) R MML
GGSN SASN CIP-IP (lifecycle
update Finder
DCC from ADM
CCN NQ notifications)
LDAP HTTP CAI
IMS Core gsmSCF (TCP/IP) (FaF
Recovery and
Synchronization (ftp) R Ericsson Rating Engine
http (TCP/IP)

DCC (TCP/IP) SCF adm)

EIT MRFC Charging CAI
Open Interface
(barring) MML DR to/from ADM EMAPv1&2
Mgmt (barring)
Account Finder Query
DR
IMS-AS S-CSCF
SCAP (TCP/IP) 0..n
R DR/CDR

Ericsson Multi Mediation

CAI (if MINSAT)

PAMI (if ASCS)
DWS/ABM NQ
Diameter Base

Number Query to FNR

Service Content 0..n
Online R
0..n R
Provider Delivery Charging System
DR
Mediation File & Event Mediation Nodes
Support Support (On-line Gateway)
EMAP New Charging
Function Function v1&v2 System Nodes
Same bundle DR/CDR
0..n
Service Control & Execution NQ Ericsson 1..n Certified Nodes
Parlay (Corba),
DCC + other
Multi MML HLR/HSS
Common Service Enablers 0..n
Verified Nodes

FNR Activation
Service Network Integrated in MINSAT
Release Candidate
for smaller systems
 Terminology
• Here is a list of all the acronyms that I came across for
the Charging System (CS) network while working on
CCN.

CCN Terminology