Wireless 5G Core Network

IP Network Simulation



Webinar - Nov 2024

5G N21 Interface Emulation

MAPS™ 5G-N21 can emulate and test Unified Data Management (UDM) and Short Message Service Function (SMSF) entities in 5G Core Network (5GC) elements via the service-based N21 interface.

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MAPS™ 5G N21 Interface Simulation

Overview

GL's Message Automation & Protocol Simulation (MAPS™) 5G System as a service-based architecture, includes a set of Network Functions (NFs) providing services as defined in 3GPP standards (Release 17). The service-based interfaces use HTTP/2 protocol with JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) as the application layer serialization protocol.

MAPS™ 5G N21 interface can emulate Unified Data Management (UDM), within the 5G Core Network offering services to Short Message Service Function (SMSF) via the service-based N21 interface.

Supports the following services:

  • Nudm_UEContextManagement
  • Nudm_SubscriberDataManagement

GL has enhanced its MAPS™ protocol emulation tool to emulate multi-protocol and multi-interface offering a complete range of test solutions, covering the entire 5G, 4G, 3G and 2G network.

By mimicking real-world customer behavior in lab environments, our solutions allow mobile operators and equipment manufacturers to verify their 5G networks before deployment.

GL also provides a GUI based Multi-Protocol Analyzer for on-line capture and decode of the signaling in real-time both during tests and as a stand-alone tracer for live systems.

Main Features

  • Emulate UDM and SMSF elements
  • Supports Nudm_SubscriberDataManagement Services (Get, Subscribe, ModifySubscription, Unsubscribe and Notification operations) and Nudm_UEContextManagement Services (SMSF Registration and Deregistration operations)
  • Services use REST APIs based on HTTP and JSON data format
  • Supports TLS and TCP transports
  • Supports scripted call generation and automated call reception
  • Supports customization of call flow and message templates using Script Editor
  • Ready-to-use scripts for quick testing
  • Provides Call Statistics and Events Status
  • Generate multiple subscribers using CSV profiles
  • Automation, Remote access, and Schedulers to run tests 24/7

Supported Protocols Standards

Protocols Standards

Protocols Standards

Supported Protocols
Standard / Specification

N21 Interface (UDM-SMSF)

TS29.503 (Release 17)

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)

IETF RFC 8259

HTTP/2

IETF RFC 7231
IETF RFC 7540/RFC 7541

TLS

IETF RFC 8446

TCP

IETF RFC 793

IPv4

IETF RFC 791 [5]
IETF RFC 2460 [6]

Use Cases

MAPS™ N21 Configured as SMSF to Test UDM (DUT)

MAPS™ N21 Configured as SMSF to Test UDM (DUT)

MAPS™ N21 Configured as UDM to Test SMSF (DUT)

MAPS™ N21 Configured as SMSF to test SMF (DUT)

5G N21 Interface Procedures

In 5G N21 interface, MAPS™ acts as either UDM to test SMSF or SMSF to test UDM emulating the Nudm_UEContextManagement and Nudm_SubscriberDataManagement Service Operations.

Nudm_SubscriberDataManagement Service

SMS Management Subscription Data Retrieval

SMS Management Subscription Data Retrieval

Subscription to Notifications of Data Change

Subscription to Notifications of Data Change

Unsubscribe to Notifications of Data Change

Unsubscribe to Notifications of Data Change


Modification of a Subscription to Notifications of Data Change

Modification of a Subscription to Notifications of Data Change


Nudm_UEContextManagement Service

SMSF Registration for 3GPP Access

SMSF Registration for 3GPP Access

SMSF Registration for Non 3GPP Access

SMSF Registration for Non 3GPP Access

SMSF Deregistration for 3GPP Access

SMSF Deregistration for 3GPP Access


SMSF Deregistration for Non 3GPP Access

SMSF Deregistration for Non 3GPP Access



The below figures depict the Call Generation and Reception of 5G N21 interface between UDM and SMSF.

5G N21 interface Call Generation at SMSF Node

5G N21 interface Call Generation at SMSF Node

5G N21 interface Call Reception at UDM Node

5G N21 interface Call Reception at UDM Node

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.