3GPP Iu (IuPS and IuCS) Interface

The UMTS Iu interface enables interconnection of Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) with Core Network nodes. Aricent has introduced the communications industry's first distributed and highly scalable Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface software. This software product enables communications equipment manufacturers to build high-capacity 3G nodes faster.

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Architecture

The Aricent Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface product is available in two separate packages: IuPS and IuCS for Packet Switched and Circuit Switched domains respectively. The IuCS interface interconnects the MSC/ VLR and the RNC network nodes, while the IuPS interface provides interconnection between the SGSN and the RNC network nodes in UMTS/3G networks.

Components

The Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface is an integrated offering of protocol stacks comprising the following:

• GMM/SM (for IuPS only)
• RANAP
• SCCP
• M3UA/SCTP (for IuPS only)
• MTP-3b/SAAL-NNI

 All of these protocol stacks are also available individually. The RANAP stack for RNC is currently in the roadmap. The UMTS Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface solution can be used to build the following nodes:

• 3G-SGSN
• 3G-MSC
• RNC (Transport stack for RNC)

 With built-in accordance with the latest 3GPP Release 99 specifications, the Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface ensures ease in interoperability with multi-vendor nodes. The solution is available on reference off-the-shelf VxWorks-based CPCI platform and can be further integrated on any other desired hardware.

Features

• Fully integrated standards compliant stack components
• Distributed architecture support
• Well-defined APIs for third party application development
• Flexible API invocation mechanisms
• Integrated Stack Manager
• Extensive layer management features for initialization, provisioning, statistics collection, error reporting and tracing
• Modular and easy to customize
• Reference implementation available on Vx Works-based CPCI platform
• Portable to a wide range of operating environments

Ports

• Solaris
• VxWorks
• Windows 2000
• Other ports such as Linux etc., can also be provided within 3-4 weeks

Conformance to AAPE™ (Advanced Architecture for Protocol Engineering)

• Modularity - Layered architecture
  • Stack data structures are hidden from the outside world
  • Compile time exclusion of functionality
• Multiple configuration options - multi-tasking/single-thread and message-based/functional interface
• Porting effort restricted to modules involving operating system interface; error handling/reporting, external interfaces
• Customization of task architecture, custom event handlers and communication between modules
• Statistics collection and reporting
• Debugging support with extensive tracing

Component Functionality

• GMM/SM - Encoding and decoding of protocol messages
  • Full GMM/SM implementation available as an option
• RANAP - ASN.1 decoding of protocol messages into structure based API buffer for the User application
  • ASN.1 encoding of received API buffer into protocol message
  • Parsing of incoming protocol messages and support for error indication procedure
  • Iu signaling connection management
  •  Enhanced implementation for Reset, Reset Resource and Overload procedures
• SCCP - Data transfer through connectionless service
  • Data transfer through connection-oriented service
  • Management services for signaling point and subsystem status management
• MTP3-B - Discrimination and distribution for point-to-point link
  • Load sharing
  • Changeover/back between link sets
• SCTP - Support for
  • Ordered and unordered delivery
  • Multiple network paths
  • Congestion avoidance and control
  • Bundling
  • Segmentation and re-assembly
• M3UA - IPSP to IPSP communication
  • Address translation and mapping
  • SCTP stream mapping and congestion control
  • Seamless network management interworking
• SAAL-NNI - SSCF-NNI and SSCOP functionality
  • SAAL connection management
  • Link status and remote processor status management

Conformance to Standards

• GMM,SM: 3GPP TS 24.008 V 3.4.1, release 1999
• RANAP: 3GPP TS 25.413 V 3.5.0, release 1999
• SCCP: Q.711 - Q.714, 1996, ETS 300 009 1996, T1.112 1996, GR 246
• MTP3-B: ITU-T Q. 2210, 1996
• SSCF-NNI: ITU-T Q.2140
• SSCOP: ITU-T Q.2110
• M3UA: Version 5
• SCTP: RFC 2960
• ALCAP: Q.2630.1 & Q.2150.1 & Q.2150.2
• GTP-U: 3G TS 29.060 Version 3.5.0 Release 1999

Deliverables

• Source Code for Iu (IuPS and IuCS) interface containing:
  • Core stack build
  • OS wrappers: Solaris, VxWorks and Windows
  • Simulators for RNC
• User and API documentation Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS) documents
• Release notes
• Reference Acceptance Test Plan using test simulators
• Warranty and optional annual support plans
• Training and on-site consultancy
• Turnkey integration and porting services

These are not active products. However, they can be made available on specific customer requests. These frameworks are derived from active products and are close to complete solution, so they can offer significant time-to-market advantages to OEMs