IP/VoIP Protocol Simulators

Core Network Simulators

MAPS™ GSM Abis Interface Emulator

GSM Abis Interface Emulation over IP and TDM

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MAPS™ GSM Abis Interface Emulator

Background

GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication and is an open, digital cellular technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services.

A GSM network is made up of multiple functional entities and interfaces that facilitate sending and receiving of signaling and traffic messages. It is a collection of transceivers, controllers, switches, routers, and registers.

The GSM network can be divided into following broad parts.

  • The Mobile Station (MS)
  • The Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
  • The Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
  • The Operation Support Subsystem (OSS)

The MS and the BSS communicate across the Um interface, also known as the air interface or radio link. BTS and BSC will communicate across Abis interface and The BSS communicates with the Network Service Switching center across the A interface.

The Abis interface is used between the BTS and BSC. At this level, the radio resources at the lower portion of Layer 3 are changed from the RR to the Base Transceiver Station Management (BTSM). The BTS management layer is a relay function at the BTS to the BSC.

The RR protocols are responsible for the allocation and reallocation of traffic channels between the MS and the BTS. These services include controlling the initial access to the system, paging for MT calls, the handover of calls between cell sites, power control, and call termination. The RR protocols provide the procedures for the use, allocation, reallocation, and release of the GSM channels. The BSC still has some radio resource management in place for the frequency coordination, frequency allocation, and the management of the overall network layer for the Layer 2 interfaces.

Overview

GL’s MAPS™ is an advanced protocol simulator/tester for GSM Abis interface emulation over TDM and IP that can emulate BTSM messages and signaling specification as defined by 3GPP standards. The application supports testing network elements BTS and BSC, Error tracking, regression testing, conformance testing, load testing/call generation and generation of high volumes of GSM traffic. It is able to run pre-defined test scenarios against GSM Abis interface test objects in a controlled and deterministic manner.

MAPS™ emulator for GSM Abis protocol over TDM (with XX693 license) and over IP (with PKS134 license) supports powerful utilities like Message Editor, Script Editor and Profile Editor, which allow new scenarios to be created or existing scenarios to be modified using BTSM messages and parameters.
MAPS™ GSM Abis over TDM supports TRAU traffic with additional licenses.  The TRAU Traffic commands includes Transmit TRAU DTMF Digits (Send TRAU File, Send TRAU Tones), Receive Actions (Monitor TRAU Digits, Rx TRAU File, Monitor TRAU Tones), and Stop Traffic Actions.

GL has enhanced the MAPSprotocol emulation tool to emulate multi-protocol and multi-interface offering a complete range of test solutions, covering the entire 2G, 3G, and 4G network.

By mimicking real-world customer behavior in lab environments, our solutions allow mobile operators and equipment manufacturers to verify their wireless networks before deployment. In other words, one can setup a virtual real-time network emulating all the network elements using MAPS™ 2G Wireless Lab Suite. The test suite supports emulation of GSM Abis, GSM A, C/D/E, Gb, and GnGp interfaces.

MAPS™ GSM Abis over IP supports CS Domain RTP traffic with additional PKS102 licenses. Supported RTP traffic types include – Auto Traffic Tx Rx File, Tones, Digits, FAX, User-defined traffic, and IVR.

With the purchase of RTP Core license (PKS102), MAPS™ GSM Abis supports transmission and detection of CS Domain RTP traffic such as, digits, voice file, single tone, dual tones, IVR, FAX*, and Video*. With regular RTP traffic, the maximum Simultaneous Calls up to 2500, and Calls per Second up to 250 is achievable. Almost all industry standard voice codec supported.

** Some of these traffic types requires additional licenses – contact GL for more information

GL also provides an independent GUI based GSM protocol analyzer for TDM interfaces (optional application – XX150) and PacketScan™ for IP interfaces (optional application – PKV100) for online capture and decode of the signaling in real-time both during tests and as a stand-alone tracer for live systems.

Possible applications include:

  • Setup a virtual real-time network emulating 2G-GSM GPRS network elements using ‘MAPS™ 2G Wireless Lab Suite
  • Multi-protocol, Multi-interface emulation
  • Provides fault insertion, and erroneous call flows testing capability.
  • Performance testing, Load Testing, Function al testing, Regression testing and Conformance testing of network elements.
  • Ready scripts makes testing procedure simpler, less time consuming and hence time to market products.
  • Test response of network against protocol message modification, or corruption
  • Inter-operability testing of networks
  • Wrap-around testing (WAT)
  • SMS Testing from within the Wireless Infrastructure using MAPS™

Supported Protocols Standards

Supported Protocols Standards
Available Standards Supported Protocols Standard / Specification Used
GSM Abis 900 BTSM 3GPP TS 08.58 V8.6.0
  MM 3GPP TS 04.08 V7.17.0
  CC 3GPP TS 04.08 V7.17.0
  RR 3GPP TS 04.18 V8.13.0
  SMS 3GPP TS 03.40 V7.5.0 &
3GPP TS 04.11 V7.1.0 GSM 03.38 version 7.2.0 Release 1998

Location Updating Call Procedure

LUC Procedure

LUC Procedure


LUC Generation and Reception
The MAPS™ GSM Abis is considered to act as Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and initiating the call flow by sending Location Updating Request to the BSC (Base Station Controller). The DUT (BSC) on receipt of a LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST message initiates authentication process by sending AUTHENTICATION REQUEST. Also, simulates the complete call flow as in typical Location Updating Call (LUC) procedure.

LUC Call Generation

LUC Call Generation

LUC Call Reception

LUC Call Reception

Mobile Originating Call Procedure

MOC Procedure

MOC Procedure

MOC Generation and Reception
MAPS™ GSM Abis interface includes inbuilt scripts (*.gls) that allows itself to act as BTS initiating Mobile Originating Call and test BSC in the network. The MAPS™ GSM ABis sends Channel Required message to the BSC in the network. The DUT (BSC) on receipt of a Channel Required message, sends a Channel activation and channel activation acknowledgement message in response. Also, emulates the complete call flow as in typical Mobile Originating Call (MOC) procedure.

MOC Call Generation

MOC Call Generation

MOC Call Reception

MOC Call Reception

Mobile Terminating Call Procedure

MTC Procedure

MTC Procedure

MTC Generation and Reception
MAPS™ GSM Abis is located at the network as Base Station Controller (BSC) initiating the call flow by sending the Paging message to the Mobile Station (BTS). The DUT (BTS) on receipt of a Paging message, sends a Paging Response message back to BSC. This can be observed in Call Reception window at BSC node. Also, emulate the complete call flow as in Mobile Terminating Call (MTC) call flow.

MTC Call Generation

MTC Call Generation

MTC Procedure Paging Response

MTC Procedure Paging Response

MTC Call Reception

MTC Call Reception

Resources

Please Note: The XX in the Item No. refers to the hardware platform, listed at the bottom of the Buyer's Guide, which the software will be running on. Therefore, XX can either be ETA or EEA (Octal/Quad Boards), PTA or PEA (tProbe Units), XUT or XUE (Dual PCIe Express) depending upon the hardware.

Item MAPS™ for TDM Network
(requires T1 or E1 Hardware and Basic Software)
XX693 MAPS™ GSM Abis Emulator
XX692 MAPS™ GSM A Emulator
XX694 MAPS™ MAP Emulator
XX696 MAPS™ CAP Emulator
XX649 MAPS™ SS7 Emulator
XX647 MAPS™ SS7 Conformance
XX652 MAPS™ MC-MLPPP Conformance
XX648 MAPS™ ISDN & LAPD Emulator
XX642 MAPS™ ISDN & LAPD Conformance Emulator
XX651 MAPS™ CAS Emulator
XX656 MAPS™ INAP Emulator
XX682 MAPS™ IUP Emulator
XX624 MAPS™ FXO FXS Emulator (only for tProbe)
  Related Hardware
FTE001

ETE001
QuadXpress T1 E1 Main Board (Quad Port– requires additional licenses) 

OctalXpress T1 E1 Main Board plus Daughter Board (Octal Port– requires additional licenses)
PTE001 tProbe™ Dual T1 E1 Laptop Analyzer with Basic Analyzer Software
XTE001
Dual T1 E1 Express (PCIe) Boards (requires additional licenses)
Item No. MAPS™ for Wireless Network
  Related Software
PKS140 MAPS™ LTE S1 Emulator
PKS142 MAPS™ LTE eGTP (S3, S4, S5, S8, S10, S11 & S16) Emulator
PKS141 MAPS™ LTE X2 AP Emulator
PKS146 MAPS™ SGs Interface Emulation
PKS160 MAPS™ UMTS IuCS IP Emulator
MAPS™ UMTS IuH IP Emulator
PKS164 MAPS™ UMTS IuPS Emulator
PKS166 MAPS™ UMTS Gn Gp Emulator
LTS220 MAPS UMTS IuCS ATM Emulator over OC-3 / STM-1
requires LTS214 + LightSpeed1000™ Hardware; optional LTS217
LTS214 OC-3 / STM-1 SSCOP Server
LTS320 MAPS UMTS IuCS ATM Emulator over OC-12 / STM-4
requires LTS314 + LightSpeed1000™ Hardware; optional LTS317
LTS314 OC-12 / STM-4 SSCOP Server
PKS131 MAPS™ Gb Emulator over IP for BSC & SGSN
  Related Hardware
LTS100 Lightspeed1000™ - Dual OC-3/12 STM-1/4 PCIe Card
 Item No. MAPS™ for IP Network
PKS151 MAPS™ CAMEL IP Emulator
PKS122
PKS123
MAPS™ MEGACO Emulator
MAPS™ MEGACO Conformance Test Suite (Test Scripts)
PKS124
MAPS™ MGCP Protocol Emulation with Conformance Test Suite
PKS120
PKS121
MAPS™ SIP Emulator
SIP Conformance Test Suite (Test Scripts)
PKS126 MAPS™ SIP I Emulator
PKS130 MAPS™ SIGTRAN Emulator
PKS132 MAPS™ MAP IP Emulator

PKS147

MAPS™ Lb Interface Emulator

PKS148

MAPS™ SLs Interface Emulator

PKS153

MAPS™ IuPC Interface Emulator

PKS135 MAPS™ ISDN SIGTRAN (ISDN IP)
PKS134 MAPS GSM Abis IP Emulator
PKS137 MAPS™ GSM A IP Emulator
PKS155 MAPS™ BICC IP Emulator
PKS136 MAPS™ INAP Emulator (ANSI, ITU)
PKS139 MAPS™ Diameter Emulator
Item No. Traffic Options
XX610
XX620
XX646
File based Record/Playback
Transmit/Detect digits (Place Call/ Answer Call)
Multi-Channel TRAU Tx/Rx Emulation and Analysis
PKS102 RTP Soft Core for RTP Traffic Generation
PKS200 RTP Pass Through Fax Emulation
ETH100

ETH101

ETH102

ETH103
PacketCheck™ - Packet GTP Traffic Simulation

Mobile Traffic Core-GTP


Mobile Traffic Core-Gateway

Mobile Traffic Core - GPRS Gb
LTS217 OC-3 / STM-1 AAL2 Traffic Core
LTS317 OC-12 / STM-4 AAL2 Traffic Core
Item No. Related Software
XX120 SS7 Analyzer Software
OLV120 Offline/ Remote SS7 Analyzer Software
XX100 ISDN Analyzer Software
OLV100 Offline/ Remote ISDN Analyzer Software
XX150 T1 or E1 Real-time GSM Protocol Analyzer
OLV150 Offline T1 or E1 GSM Protocol Analyzer
XX165 T1 or E1 Real-time UMTS Protocol Analyzer
PKS120 MAPS™ SIP Emulator
PKV100 PacketScan™ (Online and Offline)
PKB100
PKB105
RTP Toolbox™
G.168 Echo Canceller Test Compliance Suite
PKV105 SIGTRAN Analyzer (requires PKV100)
PKV107 LTE (Long Term Evolution) Analyzer (Optional with PacketScan™)