GPRS Architecture

Objectives

After this module, the participant will be able to:

• Name the GPRS specific network elements and their most important
functions
• Name the five important open interfaces in the GPRS network
• Explain the principles of the GPRS Tunnelling Protocol
• Describe the Nokia GPRS Release 1 and Release 2 functionality
• Describe the PoC service
without using any references.
 PLMN layout
• GPRS provides mobile users worldwide access to
– Value-added WAP services and
– Different external packet networks (e.g. Internet or intranets)
• GSM-BSS provides the radio interface
Radio Resource Switching/routing,
& Radio Link mobility & connection
Management management

BSS NSS External

Packet
GSM (cs) Networks
Core Network

Value-Added
GPRS (ps) Services
Core Network (WAP)
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
MS BTS

EIR HLR AC

BTS TRAU
BSC
BTS classical
circuit
BSS switched
GSM
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
We have to transfer
BTS user data between
GPRS-MS and external
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
Packet Data Networks
BSC ISDN
(PDN).
MS BTS
What kind of network
elements are required? EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network

BSC PDN
GPRS BTS
MS
WAP
BSS
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
MS BTS

EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS network
TRAU
BSC GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS
MS
BSS WAP

GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node

 What are the functions of GGSN?
GMSC GGSN Gateway
Gateway GPRS
Mobile services Support Node
Switching Centre
• signalling evaluation (SS7) • signalling evaluation (IP header)
• switching (cs traffic) • routing (ps traffic)
• operational tasks incl. • operational tasks incl.
- collection of traffic statistics - collection of traffic statistics
- alarms - alarms
- generation of charging records - generation of charging records
• interrogation of HLR • interrogation of HLR
• often interfacing external networks, • interfaces external IP networks
such as PSTN, ISDN
• Interfaces internal IP network (IP BB)
• Allocates dynamic or static IP addresses to
mobiles either by itself or with the help of a
DHCP or a RADIUS server
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS
MS
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network

BSC SGSN GGSN PDN

GPRS BTS
MS
WAP
BSS

SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node

 What are the functions of SGSN?
(V)MSC/VLR SGSN
Visited MSC/ Serving
Visitor Location GPRS Support
Register Node
• signalling evaluation (SS7) • signalling evaluation (IP header)
• switching (cs traffic) • routing (ps traffic)
• operational tasks incl. • operational tasks incl.
- collection of traffic statistics - collection of traffic statistics
- alarms - alarms
- generation of charging records - generation of charging records
• Mobility Management, incl. • GPRS Mobility Management, incl.
authentication, authorisation, location authentication, authorisation, routing area
area updates updates
• Connection Management, • Session Management,
incl. call control, SMS, incl. PDP context management and SMS
supplementary services
• Protocol conversion between IP backbone
and BSS protocols
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
GPRS subscriber PSTN/
TRAU must be stored
profiles MSC/VLR GMSC
BSC ISDN
in the HLR
MS BTS =>
HLR must be extended
(upgrade) EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS network
TRAU
BSC SGSN GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS
MS
WAP
BSS

HLR Extensions
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS
MS
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS
MS
internal transmission WAP
BSS
network based on IP
protocol; L1 and L2 are
not specified
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS PCU
MS
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS
WAP
BSS

PCU Packet Control Unit

 What are the functions of the PCU?
PCU
Decides dynamically, which
resources are allocated to cs and
ps usage, based on
• load situation
• priority, and
• operator set rules

cs resources ps resources

BSC PCU
cs Radio Resource ps Radio Resource
Management Management
Um
Where can the PCU unit be located?
Gb
BTS BSC site SGSN site
CCU
PCU
CCU

Abis
BTS BSC site SGSN site
CCU
PCU
CCU

BTS BSC site SGSN site

CCU
PCU
CCU

CCU Channel Codec Unit Gb

 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BTS upgrade for new coding
BSS NSS
scheme, level measurements
BTS
CCU
and timing advance.
TRAU
(SW upgradeMSC/VLR
for coding GMSC PSTN/
BSC schemes CS-1 and CS-2) ISDN
MS BTS PCU
CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU
WAP
BSS

CCU Channel Codec Unit

 GPRS charging data records
(CDR) are generated by SGSNs
BSS NSS and GGSNs, and sent to the CG
BTS via interface Ga (using GTP’
CCU (GTP Prime))
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC The Charging Gateway ISDN
•collects all this data together
BTS PCU
MS CCU
•processes it
•passes it on to the Billing
System EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS network
CCU
TRAU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU CG WAP
BSS
Billing
CG Charging Gateway Centre
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
CCU
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS PCU
MS CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU CG
BSS WAP

CG Charging Gateway Billing

Centre
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
CCU
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS PCU
MS CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU BGs are to interconnect BG CG
BSS
operators' GPRS backbone WAP
networks via a secure
BG Border Gateway connection to support Inter-PLMN
Network Billing
roaming Centre
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
CCU
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS PCU
MS CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU LIG BG CG
BSS WAP
LIG Lawful Interception Gateway Inter-PLMN
LEA Law Enforcement Agency LEA Network Billing
Centre
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
CCU
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
BTS PCU
MS CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN PDN
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU used to convert DNS LIG BG CG
IPBSS
names into IP WAP
addresses, e. g.
DNS Domain [Link] Inter-PLMN
LEA Network Billing
Name Service to [Link] Centre
 GSM/GPRS PLMN network entities
BSS NSS
BTS
CCU
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN/
BSC ISDN
MS BTS PCU
CCU
EIR HLR AC
corp.
BTS TRAU network
CCU IP-
BSC SGSN backbone GGSN F PDN
W
GPRS BTS PCU
MS CCU DNS LIG BG CG
BSS WAP
Inter-PLMN
FW Firewall Network Billing
LEA
Centre
 GPRS interfaces
SMS- SCP HLR
MSC/ EIR GMSC Signalling and data
VLR Signalling

Gf Ge
Gd Gr Gc
Gs

GGSN External
Gi packet
BSC SGSN network
Gn
Gb Ga
Ga
CG
Gn
Air (Um) Gp
BG Inter-PLMN
SGSN Gp GPRS
backbone
• E
x How is GPRS seen by an external network?
t
e• External point of view, GGSN is a router to an IP network
r• When the GGSN receives data addressed to a user in the mobile network, it first

n
checks if the address is active

a
– If it is, GGSN forwards the data to the SGSN serving the mobile
– If the address is inactive, the data is discarded

l GPRS subnetwork Corporate subnetwork

[Link] [Link]

p
Host
Internet [Link]

o Router

i
Host Router LAN
[Link]

n
t
 Container

User User
SGSN packet packet GGSN
User
packe
t t
cke User
r pa
Use pack
et

The stream of containers

forming a tunnel.
 Tunnelling
IP (+TCP/UDP)
THE GTP PACKET
GSN IP- Tunnel End
address Point ID: User packet

E.g. a TCP/IP packet

carrying e-mail
Identifier that identifies
a tunnel endpoint in the
To which GSN? receiving GSN? Answers:
What user?
Which connection?
 Tunnelling
user data using 'public' IP addresses
IP IP

GTP Tunnel GTP

IP backbone data using hidden IP addresses IP

MS SGSN GGSN
 GPRS Tunnelling Protocol (GTP)
GTP tunnel between SGSN and GGSN
• Carrying signalling and user traffic
• Hiding backbone from Internet and the MSs
BTS BSC • Mobility management
SGSN • Tunnel Endpoint Identifier TEID= 32 bit
value
BTS BSC
SGSN

Gn Gi
APP
USER GPRS
PAYLOAD TCP/UDP Backbone
IP IP Network
GTP L2
UDP L1 GGSN Internet
IP
L2 FW
L1

Gn Gi
Backbone Internet
 GGSN functionalities
HLR
MSC/
VLR
BTS BSC
SS7

SGSN

GPRS
Core GGSN Server
Network Internet

Application Layer
APP Transport layer
USER Tunnelled
PAYLOAD TCP/UDP Network layer
payload
IP
GTP L2 Public
UDP GPRS tunnel L1 Data Network
IP Layers 1 & 2
GPRS
Backbone L2 Transport layer
Layers 1 & 2 L1 Network layer
 Key points
• The Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN):
– acts as the interface between the GPRS network and external networks
– collects charging data and traffic statistics
– can allocate IP addresses for users
– routes packets coming from external networks towards the correct SGSN and
vice versa
• Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN):
– converts protocols used in the IP backbone to protocols used in the BSS and
the MS
– takes care of authentication and mobility management
– routes data to the relevant GGSN when connection to an external network is
required
– collects charging data and traffic statistics
 Key points
• The most important open interfaces in the GPRS network are:
– Gb - SGSN to BSS
– Gn - between GSNs (GTP)
– Gr - between SGSN and HLR (MAP)
– Gs - SGSN to MSC (BSSAP+)
– Gi - GGSN to external data networks
– Gf - SGSN and the EIR (MAP)
– Gd - SGSN and the GMSC (SMSC)
– Gp - between GSNs of different PLMNs
– Ge - SGSN-SCP
• The user packets are transported encapsulated using the GPRS Tunnelling
Protocol (GTP) over the GPRS backbone. The backbone is an IP network.
Gb Interface: Frame Relay
Gb interface using point-to-point FR
Gb interface using point-to-point FR