GL Enhances 5G Core Network Emulator Suite

25^th, Oct 2019

Welcome to another issue of GL's Newsletter providing information on our 5G Core Network Emulator Suite, which is enhanced to support N4 interface simulation. The Emulator Suite comprises of MAPS™ application, which is a multi-protocol, multi-interface simulation test tool. The N4 interface between SMF (Session Management Function) and UPF (User Plane Function) in the Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) architecture simulation is as per 3GPP Release 15 standards.

Overview

As depicted in the diagram, MAPS™ simulates the 5G N4 interface between the SMF and UPF, implements CUPS in 5G core networks, providing control plane tunnel management and user plane Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions.

The CP function controls the packet processing in the UP function by establishing, modifying or deleting PFCP Session contexts and by provisioning rules in UPF regarding packet handling, forwarding, and usage reporting.

The N4 node-level procedures establish and manage the interface between an SMF and a UPF and items that are not related to specific N4 sessions.

Supported Procedures:

Node Related Procedures:

PFCP Heartbeat
PFCP Association Setup
PFCP Association Update
PFCP Association Release
PFCP Version Not Supported
PFCP Node Report

PFCP Session related messages:

PFCP Session Establishment
PFCP Session Modification
PFCP Session Deletion
PFCP Session Report

User Plane Traffic Simulation:

GL offers multiple products for user plane simulation to meet user requirements.

Mobile Traffic Core - GTP: supports stateful user-plane packet transmission and reception services between any two nodes (GTP-U protocol entity) in the network. It allows simultaneous simulation of multiple sessions per user. Currently, supports generation of stateful HTTP transaction by playing back a pre-canned HTTP files to replicate real time browsing.
Mobile Traffic Core - Gateway : module simulates gateway and transfers user plane data from GTP to IP and vice versa.
PacketLoad appliance supports massive simulation of UEs (up to 500,000) with high density (up to 4 Gbps or 40 Gbps) mobile data traffic simulation by playing back HTTP files or by playing PCAP files.

Use Cases:

MAPS™ 5G N4 Emulator testing SMF (DUT)

MAPS™ 5G N4 Emulator testing UPF (DUT)

Report Generation:

Various statistics are generated including Link level, Per Port, Packet, TCP/IP, PCAP Replay, UDP, URL (connections established). Users can customize the statistics for the generated stateful TCP/HTTP, and PCAP Replay and other mobile data traffic.

Call graph uses the results from statistics to plot the bandwidth on each port, HTTP_latency, TCP_Latency, and UE related statistics in bar/line/pie charts.

Packetload mobile traffic bandwidth

Packetload mobile traffic HTTP latency statistics

Packetload mobile traffic user statistics

Packetload mobile traffic TCP latency statistics

Main Features

Simulates 5G Core network functions - SMF (Session Management Function) and UPF (User Plane Function)
Establishment, modification, and release of PDU sessions
Supports control plane signaling and user plane traffic
Generate and verify traffic over 5G, including FTP, HTTP, and more with additional licenses (Mobile traffic core – GTP) and Mobile Traffic Core – Gateway, and PacketLoad appliance.
Generate ten thousand of UE signaling (Load Testing)
Generate and process PFCP (valid and invalid) messages
Automate with scripting and command line interface with APIs support
Customize call flow and message templates using scripts and message editor
Ready-to-use scripts for quick testing
Automation, remote access, and schedulers to run tests 24/7

Back to Newsletter Index Page