dsTest® supports both server emulation and client simulation with the S9 Diameter application. Test policy interworking between domains to a Visiting Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (V-PCRF) in 3GPP LTE networks with our PCRF Emulator. Use the PCRF Emulator and S9 Interface application in tandem to test Diameter Proxies, Relay Agents, and Redirect Agents. Simulate a V-PCRF with the S9 Interface application to test the capacity and performance of an H-PCRF.
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.
Implementation
The S9 application implements the following procedures:
- Initiate an Initial Request message from an idle transaction.
- Initiate a rule install for an active transaction.
- Initiate a rule remove for an active transaction
- Initiate an Application Detection and Control (ADC) rule install for an active transaction.
- Initiate an ADC rule remove for an active transaction.
- V-PCRF Initiated Event Trigger
- V-PCRF Indication of IP-CAN Service Establishment or Resource Addition
- V-PCRF Indication of IP-CAN Service or Resource Modification
- V-PCRF Indication of IP-CAN Service Termination or Resource Deletion
Server Emulation
The S9 Interface application can be used as part of the PCRF Emulator to test the reaction of a V-PCRF to PCC rule
installation, modification, and removal or ADC rule installation and removal. Test capacity and performance of your V-PCRF nodes while you verify that the nodes correctly interact with the PCRF Emulator, sending indications of establishment/modification/termination of IP-CAN services and resources.
Multiple V-PCRF 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 PCRF Emulator.
Client Simulation
The S9 Interface application can be used to simulate the impact of new PCRF features and standards before they are 
deployed in a network. The S9 interface, in conjunction with the Rx, Gx and Gxx interfaces, allow users to fully validate PCRF performance and capacity in a realistic network environment, replicating a deployment configuration.
Read more about our Testing Policy Management capabilities.
Advanced Diameter 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
- 3GPP TS 23.203, 29.212, and 20.215
- Diameter – RFCs 6733, 3588
- SCTP – RFC 2960 (RFC 3309 checksum)
- TCP – RFC 793