GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP)

The GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) software from Aricent enables communication between GPRS Support Nodes in a GPRS network (both GSM Phase 2+ and UMTS).

GTP is defined for the Gn interface, i.e. the interface between GSNs within a PLMN, and for the Gp interface between the GSNs in different PLMNs. In addition, the GTP software at the SGSN provides the user data transmission on the IuPS interface.

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GTP Stacks

Aricent provides protocol stack software packages for GTP-C/U on SGSN and GGSN, GTP-U on RNC and for GTP on GSN and Charging Gateway. The GTP-C module is for signaling while the GTP-U is for user data transport. GTP is used to transfer Call Data Records (CDRs) from the SGSN/GGSN to the Charging Gateway.

GTP Offerings

The Aricent's GTP stack is available for SGSN, GGSN and CGF. Separate packages are available for:

• 3G GGSN GTP-C/U with backward compatibility to 2.5G across Gn and Gp interface
• 2.5G SGSN GTP-C/U across Gn and Gp interface
• 3G SGSN GTP-C/U with backward compatibility for 2.5G across Gn and Gp interface
• GTP for SGSN/GGSN across Ga interface
• GTP for Charging Gateway Functionality (CGF) across Ga interface
• GTP-U for RNC across Iu-PS Interface

GGSN

Aricent has GTP-C/U and GTP' available for the GGSN. The GTP stack on GGSN is complaint with Release-99 (GTPv1) and is backward-compatible with the Release-98 (GTPv0) version of the 3GPP technical specifications

This package provides well-defined APIs for GTP-C users in GGSN such as:

• MAP - for location management information
• DHCP and RADIUS client - to obtain dynamic addresses
• Packet Data Network Application Entity - to supply raw IP packets to the GTP-U entity at GGSN
• Charging Agent - for collection of CDRs
• Administrative Function - Support for Lawful interception of Intercept-Related Information (IRI) and Content of Communication (CC)
• UDP/IP - for tunnel messages
• System Management Entity (which is responsible for)

• Initialization and provisioning
• Configuration
• Collecting statistics
• Error reporting
• Redundancy management
• Enabling traces

SGSN

Separate packages of GTP-C/U are available for 2.5G and 3G SGSN. The GTP entity has the following external interfaces:

• 
• SM (Session Management) - PDP context activation etc
• GMM (GPRS Mobility Management) - Inter-SGSN context transfers
• Charging Agent - for collection of CDRs
• UDP/IP - for tunnel transport

• System Management Entity (which is responsible for)

• Initialization and provisioning
• Configuration
• Collecting statistics
• Error reporting
• Redundancy management
• Enabling traces

Features

• Protocol Features
  • Path management
  • Tunnel management
  • Maintain tunnels between GSN
  • Create/delete/modify PDP contexts
  • Support secondary PDP contexts
  • Plug-in QoS negotiation
  • Interface to DHCP and RADIUS client for dynamic address allocation and authentication
  • Location Management
  • Network-initiated PDP context activation
  • Support for MNRG flag at the GGSN
  • Mobility management
  • Reliable signal information transfer
  • Backward compatible with GSM Phase 2+ GTP
• Support for lawful Interception at the GGSN
• Detailed statistics collection
• Error checking on protocol messages
• Support for redundancy
• Portable, system-independent, C code
• Message based interface
• Interface to a charging agent for G-CDR collection
• Debug support with multi-level traces and message dumps
• Separate GTP-C and GTP-U packages for SGSN side and GGSN side
• GTP-U package for RNC side

Conformance to Standards

GTP-U for RNC

• 3GPP TS 29.060 V5.9.0 March 2004
• 3GPP TS 29.060 V4.4.0 June 2002
• 3GPP TS 29.060 V3.d.0 June 2002

GTP-C/U for SGSN (Gn, Gp interface)

• 3GPP TS 29.060 V 5.3.0 September 2002 Release 5
• 3GPP TS 29.060 V4.6.0 December 2002 Release 4
• 3GPP TS 29.060 V3.f.0 Release 99
• 3GPP TS 09.60 V7.10.0 December 2002 Release 98

GTP Prime for GSN (Ga interface) and GTP Prime for CGF (Ga interface)

• - 3GPP TS 32.215 V 5.1.0 June 2002 Release 5
• - 3GPP TS 32.215 V 4.3.0 June 2002 Release 4
• - 3GPP TS 32.015 V3.9.0 March 2002 Release 99

GTP for GGSN (Gn interface)

• - 3GPP TS 29.060 V4.6.0 December 2002 Release 4
• - 3GPP TS 26.060 V3.f.0 December 2002 Release 99

Conformance to AAPE™

• 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
• Debugging support

Deliverables

• C source code for GTP-C and GTP-U and GTP
• User manual
• API reference manual
• Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS)
• Warranty and optional annual support plans
• Training and on-site consultancy
• Turnkey integration and porting services