Cisco ASR 5000 Series Instruction Manual

Cisco ASR 5000 Series Mobility
Management Entity Administration Guide
Version 10.0
Last Updated June 30, 2010
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Text Part Number: OL-22987-01

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Cisco ASR 5000 Series Mobility Management Entity Administration Guide
© 2010 Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliated entities. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS
About this Guide ............................................................................................... vii
Conventions Used..................................................................................................................................................viii
Contacting Customer Support .................................................................................................................................. x
MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services ...................................................... 11
Product Description................................................................................................................................................ 12
Product Specification ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Licenses ............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Hardware Requirements .................................................................................................................................... 15
Platforms....................................................................................................................................................... 15
System Hardware Components..................................................................................................................... 15
Operating System Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 16
Network Deployment and Interfaces ...................................................................................................................... 17
MME in the LTE/SAE Network........................................................................................................................ 17
Supported Interfaces .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Features and Functionality - Base Software ........................................................................................................... 20
Subscriber Session Management Features......................................................................................................... 20
EPS Bearer Context Support......................................................................................................................... 20
NAS Protocol Support .................................................................................................................................. 21
EPS GTPv2 Support on S11 Interface .......................................................................................................... 21
Subscriber Level Session Trace .................................................................................................................... 22
Session and Quality of Service Management .................................................................................................... 23
Network Access Control Functions ................................................................................................................... 24
Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) ................................................................................................. 24
HSS Support Over S6a Interface .................................................................................................................. 25
Network Entity Management............................................................................................................................. 25
MME Selection ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) Selection........................................................................................ 26
Serving Gateway (S-GW) Selection ............................................................................................................. 26
3GPP R8 Identity Support ............................................................................................................................ 27
Tracking Area List Management .................................................................................................................. 27
Reachability Management ............................................................................................................................ 28
Network Operation Management Functions ...................................................................................................... 28
Overload Management in MME ................................................................................................................... 28
Radio Resource Management Functions....................................................................................................... 29
Mobile Equipment Identity Check ................................................................................................................ 29
Multiple PDN Support .................................................................................................................................. 29
System Management Features ........................................................................................................................... 29
Management System Overview .................................................................................................................... 30
Bulk Statistics Support.................................................................................................................................. 31
Threshold Crossing Alerts (TCA) Support ................................................................................................... 32
NAS Signalling Security............................................................................................................................... 33
Features and Functionality - Licensed Enhanced Feature Software ....................................................................... 34
Session Recovery Support ................................................................................................................................. 34
License.......................................................................................................................................................... 35
IPv6 Support ...................................................................................................................................................... 35
License.......................................................................................................................................................... 36

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IP Security (IPSec) ............................................................................................................................................ 36
License.......................................................................................................................................................... 37
Lawful Intercept ................................................................................................................................................ 37
License.......................................................................................................................................................... 38
MME Inter-Chassis Session Recovery .............................................................................................................. 38
Web Element Management System................................................................................................................... 39
How MME Works.................................................................................................................................................. 41
EPS Bearer Context Processing......................................................................................................................... 41
Purge Procedure ................................................................................................................................................ 41
Paging Procedure............................................................................................................................................... 42
Subscriber Session Processing .......................................................................................................................... 42
Subscriber Registration Setup Procedure .......................................................................................................... 42
User-initiated Subscriber De-registration Setup Procedure .......................................................................... 44
Service Request Procedure ................................................................................................................................ 45
User-initiated Service Request Procedure .................................................................................................... 45
Network-initiated Service Request Procedure .............................................................................................. 47
Supported Standards............................................................................................................................................... 48
3GPP References............................................................................................................................................... 48
IETF References................................................................................................................................................ 48
Object Management Group (OMG) Standards.................................................................................................. 51
Understanding the Service Operation ............................................................ 53
Terminology........................................................................................................................................................... 54
Contexts............................................................................................................................................................. 54
Logical Interfaces.............................................................................................................................................. 55
Bindings ............................................................................................................................................................ 56
Services ............................................................................................................................................................. 56
MME Service Configuration Procedures ........................................................ 59
Information Required to Configure the System as an MME.................................................................................. 60
Required Local Context Configuration Information ......................................................................................... 60
Required MME Context Configuration Information ......................................................................................... 61
Required eGTP Context Configuration Information ......................................................................................... 62
Required AAA Context Configuration Information.......................................................................................... 62
MME Service Configuration.................................................................................................................................. 64
S1-MME Interface Configuration ..................................................................................................................... 64
Creating and Binding MME Service ................................................................................................................. 65
Configuring Network Id Parameters.................................................................................................................. 65
Associating eGTP Service and MME-HSS Service .......................................................................................... 66
Configuring DNS Client Service....................................................................................................................... 66
Configuring S-GW and P-GW with MME........................................................................................................ 67
Configuring Session and Security Parameters for EPS bearer Contexts ........................................................... 68
Verifying MME Configuration.......................................................................................................................... 68
eGTP Service Configuration .................................................................................................................................. 71
Creation of eGTP Service and Other Parameter Configuration......................................................................... 71
Verifying eGTP Service Configuration............................................................................................................. 72
MME-HSS Service Configuration ......................................................................................................................... 73
Creating MME-HSS Service ............................................................................................................................. 73
Associating Diameter Endpoint with MME-HSS Service................................................................................. 74
Configuring Failure Handling Actions on HSS................................................................................................. 74
Verifying MME-HSS Service Configuration .................................................................................................... 75
Event IDs for MME Service................................................................................................................................... 77
Verifying and Saving Your Configuration ...................................................... 79
Verifying the Configuration ................................................................................................................................... 80
Feature Configuration....................................................................................................................................... 80
Service Configuration........................................................................................................................................ 81

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Context Configuration ....................................................................................................................................... 82
System Configuration ........................................................................................................................................ 82
Finding Configuration Errors ............................................................................................................................ 82
Saving the Configuration........................................................................................................................................ 84
Saving the Configuration on the Chassis................................................................................................................ 85
Monitoring the Service ..................................................................................... 87
Monitoring System Status and Performance .......................................................................................................... 88
Clearing Statistics and Counters............................................................................................................................. 91
Configuring Subscriber Session Tracing....................................................... 93
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 94
Supported Functions .......................................................................................................................................... 95
Supported Standards............................................................................................................................................... 97
Supported Networks and Platforms........................................................................................................................ 98
Licenses.................................................................................................................................................................. 99
Subscriber Session Trace Functional Description ................................................................................................ 100
Operation ......................................................................................................................................................... 100
Trace Session .............................................................................................................................................. 100
Trace Recording Session............................................................................................................................. 100
Network Element (NE) .................................................................................................................................... 100
Activation ........................................................................................................................................................ 100
Management Activation.............................................................................................................................. 101
Signaling Activation ................................................................................................................................... 101
Start Trigger..................................................................................................................................................... 101
Deactivation..................................................................................................................................................... 101
Stop Trigger..................................................................................................................................................... 101
Data Collection and Reporting ........................................................................................................................ 101
Trace Depth................................................................................................................................................. 102
Trace Scope................................................................................................................................................. 102
Network Element Details................................................................................................................................. 102
MME........................................................................................................................................................... 102
S-GW .......................................................................................................................................................... 102
P-GW .......................................................................................................................................................... 103
Subscriber Session Trace Configuration .............................................................................................................. 104
Enabling Subscriber Session Trace on EPC Network Element ....................................................................... 104
Trace File Collection Configuration ................................................................................................................ 105
Verifying Your Configuration.............................................................................................................................. 106
Troubleshooting the Service ......................................................................... 109
Test Commands.................................................................................................................................................... 110
Using the PPP Echo-Test Command ............................................................................................................... 110
Using the eGTPC Test Echo Command .......................................................................................................... 111
Using the DHCP Test Command..................................................................................................................... 111
Engineering Rules........................................................................................... 113
APN Engineering Rules ....................................................................................................................................... 114
DHCP Service Engineering Rules ........................................................................................................................ 115
Lawful Intercept Engineering Rules..................................................................................................................... 116
Service Engineering Rules ................................................................................................................................... 117

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About this Guide
This document pertains to features and functionality that run on and/or that are related to the Cisco® ASR 5000 Chassis,
formerly the Starent Networks ST40.

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▀Conventions Used
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Conventions Used
The following tables describe the conventions used throughout this documentation.
Icon
Notice Type
Description
Information Note
Provides information about important features or instructions.
Caution
Alerts you of potential damage to a program, device, or system.
Warning
Alerts you of potential personal injury or fatality. May also alert you of potential
electrical hazards.
Electro-Static Discharge
(ESD)
Alerts you to take proper grounding precautions before handling a product.
Typeface Conventions
Description
Text represented as a screen
display
This typeface represents displays that appear on your terminal screen, for example:
Login:
Text represented as commands
This typeface represents commands that you enter, for example:
show ip access-list
This document always gives the full form of a command in lowercase letters. Commands
are not case sensitive.
Text represented as a command
variable
This typeface represents a variable that is part of a command, for example:
show card slot_number
slot_number is a variable representing the desired chassis slot number.
Text represented as menu or sub-
menu names
This typeface represents menus and sub-menus that you access within a software
application, for example:
Click the File menu, then click New
Command Syntax
Conventions
Description
{ keyword or
variable }
Required keywords and variables are surrounded by grouped brackets.
Required keywords and variables are those components that are required to be entered as part of the
command syntax.

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Command Syntax
Conventions
Description
[ keyword or
variable ]
Optional keywords or variables, or those that a user may or may not choose to use, are surrounded by square
brackets.
|
With some commands there may be a group of variables from which the user chooses one. These are called
alternative variables and are documented by separating each variable with a vertical bar (also known as a
pipe filter).
Pipe filters can be used in conjunction with required or optional keywords or variables. For example:
{ nonce | timestamp }
OR
[ count number_of_packets | size number_of_bytes ]

About this Guide
▀Contacting Customer Support
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Contacting Customer Support
Use the information in this section to contact customer support.
For New Customers: Refer to the support area of http://www.cisco.com for up-to-date product documentation or to
submit a service request. A valid username and password is required to this site. Please contact your local sales or
service representative for additional information.
For Existing Customers with support contracts through Starent Networks: Refer to the support area of
https://support.starentnetworks.com/ for up-to-date product documentation or to submit a service request. A valid
username and password is required to this site. Please contact your local sales or service representative for additional
information.
IMPORTANT:For warranty and repair information, please be sure to include the Return Material Authorization
(RMA) tracking number on the outside of the package.

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Chapter 1
MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services
The Cisco® ASR 5000 chassis provides LTE/SAE wireless carriers with a flexible solution that functions as a Mobility
Management Entity (MME) in 3GPP Long-Term Evolution/System Architecture Evolution wireless data networks.
This overview provides general information about the MME including:
Product Description
Product Specification
Network Deployment and Interfaces
Features and Functionality - Base Software
Features and Functionality - Licensed Enhanced Feature Software
How MME Works
Supported Standards

MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services
▀Product Description
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Product Description
This section describes the MME network function and its postion in LTE network.
The MME is the key control-node for the LTE access-network. It works in conjunction with Evolved NodeB (eNodeB),
Serving Gateway (SGW) within the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or LTE/SAE core network to perform the following
functions:
Involved in the bearer activation/deactivation process and is also responsible for choosing the serving gateway
(SGW) and for a UE at the initial attach and at time of intra-LTE handover involving Core Network (CN) node
relocation
Provide PDN Gateway (P-GW) selection for subscriber to connect to PDN.
Provide idle mode UE tracking and paging procedure including retransmissions
Responsible for authenticating the user (by interacting with the HSS)
Work as termination point for the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling
Responsible for generation and allocation of temporary identities to UEs
It checks the authorization of the UE to camp on the service provider‟s Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
and enforces UE roaming restrictions.
The MME is the termination point in the network for ciphering/integrity protection for NAS signaling and
handles the security key management.
Besides above mentioned functions the Lawful interception of signaling is also supported by the MME. The MME also
provides the control plane function for mobility between LTE and 2G/3G access networks with the S3 interface
terminating at the MME from the SGSN. The MME also terminates the S6a interface towards the home HSS for
roaming UEs.

MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services
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Figure 1. Architecture of LTE/SAE Network
Internet
Enterprise
e-NodeB
SGSN
HSS
MME
MME
P-GWS-GW
PC RF
S6a
S1-U
S10
S5/S8
S4
S3
S11
GERAN
SGi
S12
Gx
Gxc
E-UTRAN
Evolved Packet Core (EPC)
Another EPC UTRAN
In accordance with 3GPP standard, the MME provides following functions and procedures in LTE/SAE network:
Non Access Strutum (NAS) signalling
NAS signalling security
Inter CN node signalling for mobility between 3GPP access networks (terminating S3)
UE Reachability in ECM-IDLE state (including control and execution of paging retransmission)
Tracking Area list management
PDN GW and Serving GW selection
MME selection for handover with MME change
SGSN selection for handover to 2G or 3G 3GPP access networks
Roaming (S6a towards home HSS)
Authentication
Bearer management functions including dedicated bearer establishment
Lawful Interception of signalling traffic
Warning message transfer function (including selection of appropriate eNodeB)
UE Reachability procedures
Interfaces with MSC for Voice paging
Interfaces with Gn/Gp SGSN for interconnecting to legacy network
MAP based Gr interface to legacy HLR

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IMPORTANT:Some of the features may not be available in this release. Kindly contact your local Cisco
representative for more information on supported features.

MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services
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Product Specification
This section describes the hardware and software requirement for MME service.
The following information is located in this section:
Licenses
Hardware Requirements
Operating System Requirements
Licenses
The MME is a licensed product. A session use license key must be acquired and installed to use the MME service.
The following licenses are available for this product:
MME Software Bundle License, 10K Sessions, 600-00/01-7646
MME Software Base License, 1K Sessions, 600-00/01-7648
For more information on supported features, refer Features and Functionality sections.
Hardware Requirements
Information in this section describes the hardware required to enable the MME service.
Platforms
The MME service operates on the following platform(s):
ASR 5000
System Hardware Components
The following application and line cards are required to support MME services on the system:
System Management Cards (SMC): Provides full system control and management of all cards within the ASR
5000 platform. Up to two SMC can be installed; one active, one redundant.
Packet Services Cards (PSC/PSC2): Within the ASR 5000 platform, PSCs/PSC2s provide high-speed, multi-
threaded EPS Bearer context processing capabilities for MME services. Up to 14 PSCs/PSC2s can be installed,
allowing for multiple active and/or redundant cards.

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Switch Processor Input/Outputs (SPIOs): Installed in the upper-rear chassis slots directly behind the
SPCs/SMCs, SPIOs provide connectivity for local and remote management, central office (CO) alarms. Up to
two SPIOs can be installed; one active, one redundant.
Line Cards: The following rear-loaded line cards are currently supported by the system:
Ethernet 10/100 and/or Ethernet 1000 Line Cards: Installed directly behind PSCs, these cards
provide the physical interfaces to elements in the LTE/SAE network. Up to 26 line cards should be
installed for a fully loaded system with 13 active PSCs/PSC2, 13 in the upper-rear slots and 13 in the
lower-rear slots for redundancy. Redundant PSCs/PSC2s do not require line cards.
Quad Gig-E Line Cards (QGLCs):The 4-port Gigabit Ethernet line card is used in the ASR 5000
system only and is commonly referred to as the Quad-GigE Line Card or the QGLC. The QGLC is
installed directly behind its associated PSC/PSC2 to provide network connectivity to the packet data
network.
10 Gig-E Line Cards(XGLCs): The 10 Gigabit Ethernet Line Card is used in the ASR 5000 system
only and is commonly referred to as the XGLC. The XGLC supports higher speed connections to
packet core equipment, increases effective throughput between the ASR 5000 and the packet core
network, and reduces the number of physical ports needed on the ASR 5000.
The one-port XGLC supports the IEEE 802.3-2005 revision which defines full duplex operation of 10
Gigabit Ethernet.
The XGLC is configured and monitored via the System Management Card (SMC) over the system‟s
control bus. Both SMCs must be active to maintain maximum forwarding rates.
Redundancy Crossbar Cards (RCCs): Installed in the lower-rear chassis slots directly behind the SPCs/SMCs,
RCCs utilize 5 Gbps serial links to ensure connectivity between Ethernet 10/100/Ethernet 1000/Quad Gig-E/10
Gig-E line cards and every PSC/PSC2 in the system for redundancy. Two RCCs can be installed to provide
redundancy for all line cards and PSCs/PSC2a.
IMPORTANT:Additional information pertaining to each of the application and line cards required to
support LTE/SAE services is located in the Hardware Platform Overview chapter of the Product Overview
Guide.
Operating System Requirements
The MME is available for ASR 5000 platforms running StarOS™ Release 9.0 or later.

MME in LTE/SAE Wireless Data Services
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Network Deployment and Interfaces
This section describes the supported interfaces and deployment scenario of MME in LTE/SAE network.
The following information is provided in this section:
MME in the LTE/SAE Network
Supported Interfaces
MME in the LTE/SAE Network
The following figure displays simplified network views of the MME in an LTE/SAE network with GPRS/UMTS
network as neighboring network.
Figure 2. The MME in LTE/SAE Networks and Interfaces
Supported Interfaces
In support of both mobile and network originated subscriber UE contexts, the system MME provides the following
network interfaces:

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S1-MME Interface: This interface is the reference point for the control plane protocol between eNodeB and
MME. S1-MME uses S1- Application Protocol (S1-AP) over Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) as
the transport layer protocol for guaranteed delivery of signaling messages between MME and eNodeB (S1).
This is the interface used by the MME to communicate with eNodeBs on the same LTE Public Land Mobile
Network (PLMN). This interface serves as path for establishing and maintaining subscriber UE contexts.
One or more S1-MME interfaces can be configured per system context.
S3 Interface: This is the interface used by the MME to communicate with SGSNs on the same Public PLMN for
interworking between GPRS/UMTS and LTE network access technology. This interface serves as both the
signalling and data path for establishing and maintaining subscriber UE contexts.
The MME communicates with SGSNs on the PLMN using the GPRS Tunnelling Protocol (GTP). The
signalling or control aspect of this protocol is referred to as the GTP Control Plane (GTPC) while the
encapsulated user data traffic is referred to as the GTP User Plane (GTPU).
One or more S3 interfaces can be configured per system context.
S6a Interface: This is the interface used by the MME to communicate with the Home Subscriber Server (HSS).
The HSS is responsible for transfer of subscription and authentication data for authenticating/authorizing user
access and UE context authentication. The MME communicates with the HSSs on the PLMN using Diameter
protocol.
One or more S6a interfaces can be configured per system context.
S10 Interface: This is the interface used by the MME to communicate with MME in same PLMN or on different
PLMNs. This interface is also used for MME relocation and MME to MME information transfer or handoff.
One or more S10 interfaces can be configured per system context.
Note: This interface will be supported in future release.
S11 Interface: This interface provides communication between MME and Serving Gateways (SGW) for
information transfer using GTPv2 protocol.
One or more S11 interfaces can be configured per system context.
S13 Interface: This interface provides communication between MME and Equipment Identity Register (EIR).
This interface is not supported in this release.
One or more S13 interfaces can be configured per system context.
Note: This interface will be supported in furture release.
S101 Interface: This interface provides communication between MME and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD)
access node in a 3GPP2 network. It uses an application layer protocol S101-AP to enable interactions between
Evolved Packet System (EPS) and HRPD access node to allow for pre-registration and handover signalling
with the target system. The S101 interface supports procedures for pre-registration, session maintenance, and
active handoffs between E-UTRAN and HRPD networks.
One or more S101 interfaces can be configured per system context.
Note: This interface will be supported in furture release.
DNS Interface: MME supports DNS interface to locate the S-GW in EPS core network. The MME uses the
Tracking Area List as fully qualified domain name (FQDN) to locate the address of the S-GW to establish the
call with.
One or more DNS interface can be configured per system context.
Gr Interface: This is the interface used by the MME to communicate with the Home Location Register (HLR)
via a eGTP-to-MAP (Mobile Application Part) protocol convertor. This interface is used for network initiated
UE contexts.

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For network initiated UE contexts, the MME will communicate with the protocol convertor using eGTP. The
convertor, in turn, will communicate with the HLR using MAP over Signalling System 7 (SS7).
One or more Gr interfaces can be configured per system context.
Note: This interface will be supported in furture release.
IMPORTANT:MME Software also supports additional interfaces. For more information on additional interfaces,
refer Features and Functionality - Licensed Enhanced Feature Software section.

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Features and Functionality - Base Software
This section describes the features and functions supported by default in base software on MME service and do not
require any additional license to implement the functionality with the MME service.
IMPORTANT:To configure the basic service and functionality on the system for MME service, refer
configuration examples provide in MME Administration Guide.
Following features and supports are discussed in this section:
Subscriber Session Management Features
Session and Quality of Service Management
Network Access Control Functions
Network Entity Management
Network Operation Management Functions
System Management Features
Subscriber Session Management Features
This section describes following features:
EPS Bearer Context Support
NAS Protocol Support
EPS GTPv2 Support on S11 Interface
Subscriber Level Session Trace
EPS Bearer Context Support
Provides support for subscriber default and dedicated Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer contexts in accordance with
the following standards:
3GPP TS 36.412 V8.4.0 (2008-12): 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio
Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Access Network (E-UTRAN); S1 signaling transport (Release
8)
3GPP TS 36.413 V8.4.0 (2008-12): 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio
Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); S1 Application Protocol
(S1AP) (Release 8)
IETF RFC 4960, Stream Control Transmission Protocol, December 2007