Cisco Cisco ASR 5000
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Serving Gateway Overview
▀ Features and Functionality - Base Software
▄ S-GW Administration Guide, StarOS Release 18
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Online/Offline Charging
The Cisco EPC platforms support offline charging interactions with external OCS and CGF/CDF servers. To provide
subscriber level accounting, the Cisco EPC platform supports integrated Charging Transfer Function (CTF) and
Charging Data Function (CDF) / Charging Gateway Function (CGF). Each gateway uses Charging-IDs to distinguish
between default and dedicated bearers within subscriber sessions.
The ASR 5x00 platform offers a local directory to enable temporary file storage and buffer charging records in
persistent memory located on a pair of dual redundant RAID hard disks. Each drive includes 147GB of storage and up
to 100GB of capacity is dedicated to storing charging records. For increased efficiency it also possible to enable file
compression using protocols such as GZIP.
The offline charging implementation offers built-in heart beat monitoring of adjacent CGFs. If the Cisco P-GW has not
heard from the neighboring CGF within the configurable polling interval, it will automatically buffer the charging
records on the local drives until the CGF reactivates itself and is able to begin pulling the cached charging records.
subscriber level accounting, the Cisco EPC platform supports integrated Charging Transfer Function (CTF) and
Charging Data Function (CDF) / Charging Gateway Function (CGF). Each gateway uses Charging-IDs to distinguish
between default and dedicated bearers within subscriber sessions.
The ASR 5x00 platform offers a local directory to enable temporary file storage and buffer charging records in
persistent memory located on a pair of dual redundant RAID hard disks. Each drive includes 147GB of storage and up
to 100GB of capacity is dedicated to storing charging records. For increased efficiency it also possible to enable file
compression using protocols such as GZIP.
The offline charging implementation offers built-in heart beat monitoring of adjacent CGFs. If the Cisco P-GW has not
heard from the neighboring CGF within the configurable polling interval, it will automatically buffer the charging
records on the local drives until the CGF reactivates itself and is able to begin pulling the cached charging records.
Online: Gy Reference Interface
The P-GW supports a Policy Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) to enable Flow Based Bearer Charging (FBC) via
the Gy reference interface to adjunct Online Charging System (OCS) servers. The Gy interface provides a standardized
Diameter interface for real-time content-based charging of data services. It is based on the 3GPP standards and relies on
quota allocation. The Gy interface provides an online charging interface that works with the ECS Deep Packet
Inspection feature. With Gy, customer traffic can be gated and billed. Both time- and volume-based charging models are
supported.
the Gy reference interface to adjunct Online Charging System (OCS) servers. The Gy interface provides a standardized
Diameter interface for real-time content-based charging of data services. It is based on the 3GPP standards and relies on
quota allocation. The Gy interface provides an online charging interface that works with the ECS Deep Packet
Inspection feature. With Gy, customer traffic can be gated and billed. Both time- and volume-based charging models are
supported.
Offline: Gz Reference Interface
The Cisco P-GW and S-GW support 3GPP Release 8 compliant offline charging as defined in TS 32.251,TS 32.297 and
32.298. Whereas the S-GW generates SGW-CDRs to record subscriber level access to PLMN resources, the P-GW
creates PGW-CDRs to record user access to external networks. Additionally when Gn/Gp interworking with SGSNs is
enabled, the GGSN service on the P-GW records G-CDRs to record user access to external networks.
To provide subscriber level accounting, the Cisco S-GW supports integrated Charging Transfer Function (CTF) and
Charging Data Function (CDF). Each gateway uses Charging-IDs to distinguish between default and dedicated bearers
within subscriber sessions.
The Gz reference interface between the CDF and CGF is used to transfer charging records via the GTPP protocol. In a
standards based implementation, the CGF consolidates the charging records and transfers them via an FTP or SFTP
connection over the Bm reference interface to a back-end billing mediation server. The Cisco EPC gateways also offer
the ability to transfer charging records between the CDF and CGF serve via FTP or SFTP. CDR records include
information such as Record Type, Served IMSI, ChargingID, APN Name, TimeStamp, Call Duration, Served MSISDN,
PLMN-ID, etc.
32.298. Whereas the S-GW generates SGW-CDRs to record subscriber level access to PLMN resources, the P-GW
creates PGW-CDRs to record user access to external networks. Additionally when Gn/Gp interworking with SGSNs is
enabled, the GGSN service on the P-GW records G-CDRs to record user access to external networks.
To provide subscriber level accounting, the Cisco S-GW supports integrated Charging Transfer Function (CTF) and
Charging Data Function (CDF). Each gateway uses Charging-IDs to distinguish between default and dedicated bearers
within subscriber sessions.
The Gz reference interface between the CDF and CGF is used to transfer charging records via the GTPP protocol. In a
standards based implementation, the CGF consolidates the charging records and transfers them via an FTP or SFTP
connection over the Bm reference interface to a back-end billing mediation server. The Cisco EPC gateways also offer
the ability to transfer charging records between the CDF and CGF serve via FTP or SFTP. CDR records include
information such as Record Type, Served IMSI, ChargingID, APN Name, TimeStamp, Call Duration, Served MSISDN,
PLMN-ID, etc.
Offline: Rf Reference Interface
Cisco EPC platforms also support the Rf reference interface to enable direct transfer of charging files from the CTF
function of the S-GW to external CDF or CGF servers. This interface uses Diameter Accounting Requests (Start, Stop,
Interim, and Event) to transfer charging records to the CDF/CGF. Each gateway relies on triggering conditions for
reporting chargeable events to the CDF/CGF. Typically as EPS bearers are activated, modified or deleted, charging
records are generated. The EPC platforms include information such as Subscription-ID (IMSI), Charging-ID (EPS
bearer identifier) and separate volume counts for the uplink and downlink traffic.
function of the S-GW to external CDF or CGF servers. This interface uses Diameter Accounting Requests (Start, Stop,
Interim, and Event) to transfer charging records to the CDF/CGF. Each gateway relies on triggering conditions for
reporting chargeable events to the CDF/CGF. Typically as EPS bearers are activated, modified or deleted, charging
records are generated. The EPC platforms include information such as Subscription-ID (IMSI), Charging-ID (EPS
bearer identifier) and separate volume counts for the uplink and downlink traffic.