dsTest® supports both server emulation and client simulation with the Gx Diameter application. Test PDN Gateway Gx interfaces in LTE networks and GGSN Gx interfaces in UMTS networks with our Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) Emulator. Use the Gx Interface application to simulate the Policy Control Enforcement Function (PCEF) function to test the capacity and performance of a PCRF. Use the PCRF Emulator and Gx Interface application in tandem to test Diameter Proxies, Relay Agents, and Redirect Agents.
A rich set of operational measurements is collected at specified intervals and stored in a SQLite database on the dsTest server. Real-time measurements may be retrieved through our dsClient™ CLI interface or graphed via our dsClient GUI interface.
Read more about our Testing Policy Management capabilities.
Implementation
The Gx Interface application implements the following procedures:
- Request for Policy Control and Charging (PCC) rules
- Provisioning of PCC rules
- Provisioning of event triggers
- Provisioning of charging related information
- Provisioning of authorized Quality of Service
- Indication of IP-CAN session termination
- Request of IP-CAN bearer termination
- Request of IP-CAN session termination
- Bearer control mode selection
- PCC rule error handling
- Time of day
Server Emulation
The PCRF Emulator provides policy and charging control services for the Gx interface—all of the functionality required by a PGW or a GGSN. The PCRF Emulator executes procedures based on configurable subscriber profiles and service profiles, responding to requests and reports from PCEFs and eliminates the need to dedicate a production server to lab activities. You can execute a test event chain with a run-time command or during an automated test to request IP-CAN session terminations for specified subscribers or to simulate changing network conditions. Reconfigure your subscriber database in seconds rath
er than hours by simply loading a new configuration file.
One PCRF Emulator can support any mixture of up to 1000 simultaneous interfaces. When both the Gx and Rx interfaces are present, IMS-initiated bearer activation is supported.
Multiple PCRF Emulators can be instantiated on a single server. In this mode each emulator can support multiple interfaces, up to an aggregate of 1000 client connections across all emulators. The emulators are fully independent and their subscriber databases may also be independent, overlap, or be duplicated.
Multiple PCRF Emulators can run simultaneously, emulating roaming scenarios or testing capacity and performance of Diameter agen
ts.
Use cyclical event chains to trigger PCRF-initiated procedures with a run-time command or during an automated test.
- Install, modify, or remove dynamic PCC rules in the PCEF
- Activate or deactivate predefined PCC rules in the PCEF
- Request session terminations
You can also use the control interface to change the emulator’s behavior. Simulate a non-responsive server by pausing the emulator or simulate intermittent issues by pausing and resuming. Modify subscriber profiles during run time, simulating administrative policy or subscription changes in active sessions.
When the Gxx interface is present, complete policy control for non-3GPP access is possible and session binding is supported. When the Rx interface is also present, IMS-initiated dedicated bearer activation is supported. Alternatively, you can simulate IMS interaction or other conditions in the test network with run-time commands that result in PCC rule installation, modification, or removal.
Read more about our PCRF Emulator.
Client Simulation
The Gx Interface application can be used to simulate PGWs or GGSNs to test the PCRF. The Gx Interface application allows users to validate PCRF performance and capacity in a realistic network environment, replicating the deployment configuration.
Execute timed chains of test events with a run-time command or during an automated test to trigger client-initiated procedures.
- Start and stop specified subscriber sessions, simulating real-world subscriber activity
- Request policy decisions for UE-initiated dedicated bearer activations
- Notify the PCRF that dedicated bearers have been modified or terminated
- Accept event trigger registrations and simulate event reporting with timed events
Multiple PGW and GGSN nodes can be instantiated on a single server, each with scalable subscriber loads and transaction rates. In this mode, up to 1000 independent nodes may be simultaneously simulated. The nodes are fully independent and their subscriber configurations may also be independent, overlap, or be duplicated.
Read more about our Capacity and Performance.
Read more about our Testing Policy Management capabilities.
Advanced Testing Features
Enhance your testing with Developing Solutions™ advanced testing features:
Define a set of message templates against which all messages will be validated with our complete Diameter Dictionary. Every Diameter message is validated, even under load conditions.
Insert, delete, or replace AVPs in your messages with our SmartAVP™ solution. SmartAVP enables you to define proprietary signaling or to corrupt AVPs to facilitate negative testing.
Configure commands to define the series of actions and rates that each subscriber takes. Advanced profiles can be created using SmartEvents™ to define a mix of traffic based on probability assignments. With SmartEvents, you can specify when your SmartAVPs are used.
Read more about our SmartEvents feature.
Read more about our Advanced Diameter Testing Features.
Supporting Standards
- Gx – 3GPP TS 23.203 and 29.212
- Diameter – RFCs 6733, 3588 and 5516
- SCTP – RFC 2960 (RFC 3309 checksum)
- TCP – RFC 793