# PPT Changes in Release 14.0

This chapter identifies features and functionality added to, modified for, or deprecated from 14.0 Policy Provisioning Tool (PPT) software release.
Topics covered in this chapter are:

- PPT Feature Changes as of July 31, 2012
- PPT Configuration Management Changes as of July 31, 2012
- PPT Performance Management Changes as of July 31, 2012
- PPT Security Management Changes as of July 31, 2012

IMPORTANT:

Enhancements to Diameter, GTPP, and RADIUS in release x.x are located in the Accounting Management Changes chapter.

Enhancements to SNMP MIB in release x.x are located in the SNMP MIB Changes chapter.

Enhancements to Web Element Manager (WEM) in release x.x are located in the Web Element Manager Changes chapter.

PPT Feature Changes as of July 31, 2012

This section provides information on PPT feature changes in release 14.0.

IMPORTANT:

For more information regarding features in this section, refer to the PPT Administration Guide for this release.

New PPT Features

This section identifies new Policy Provisioning Tool (PPT) features available in release 14.0.

Synchronization of Policy Objects from Multiple IPCF, SSC and PCEF Instances

To create and maintain policies for the network, PPT application needs to synchronize data objects with:

- IPCF instances in the PCC deployment, to get latest values of policy related IPCF data objects such as QoS Profile, Time of Day objects and dynamic rules.
- SSC instances in the PCC deployment, to get latest values of policy related SSC data objects such as data plans, SMS and e-mail notification templates, subscription tires and dynamic profile attributes.
- PCEF instances in the PCC deployment, to get latest values of policy related PCEF data objects such as APN names, ruledef names and rulebase names.

Such data object synchronization allows PPT application:

- Faster access to configurations of all IPCF, SSC and PCEF instances in the deployment.
- Access the changes performed directly by IPCF, PCEF as well as SSC console.
- Reduce network traffic between PPT server and IPCF, PCEF and SSC instances as well as compare configurations of different IPCF, PCEF and SSC instances in the deployment.
- Optimize the condition groups and action sets for policy configuration and maintenance.

Such synchronization can be performed using a script as well as the GUI. A synchronization script can be scheduled to be executed periodically. In the PPT Administration menu, users with administrative privileges can access the Element Summary GUI to perform synchronization as well as view current status of synchronization. The synchronization process can be monitored by accessing SNMP traps related to scheduler and synchronization status.

Viewing Manageability status of IPCF, SSC and PCEF instances

In a PCC deployment, PPT application may need to communicate with multiple IPCF as well as SSC instances. PPT application can be configured to exchange information with various IPCF, SSC and PCEF instances. At any given instance some of these instances may not be in an active state, or reachable from the PPT application. Enhanced PPT architecture provides a mechanism that can monitor and display the current status of all configured IPCF, SSC and PCEF instances using a monitor server process for each such instance. PPT application database is always updated with the current status of each instance.

While configuring connections with existing IPCF, SSC and PCEF instances, their manageable status is indicated by green radio button. PPT application does not connect with an un-manageable IPCF, SSC or PCEF instance. Appropriate SNMP alarms are generated upon status change of any such instance.

Application High Availability (HA) Using VERITAS Cluster

PPT application can monitor processes associated with its components such as:

- Apache Web Server
- PostgreSQL Database Server
- Notification Server
- Monitor Server
- Scheduler

PPT application can re-start a failed process associated with any of the above mentioned components. In an hardware failure scenario, using High Availability (HA) feature, enhanced PPT architecture ensures availability and continuity of PPT application in a transparent manner. This High Availability (HA) feature is implemented using Veritas© Cluster solution.
Main components of a cluster solution are:

- Active Node
- Stand-by Node
- Shared Disk

UCS or Solaris machines can be configured as active or stand-by nodes in a PPT cluster. These nodes share a floating IP address that is used by the PPT application client to securely connect to PPT server. Shared Disk component is used for data storage which is accessible by all active nodes in the cluster.

As each node contains the configuration file for PPT application, PPT administrator must ensure that this file is being synchronized periodically, to avoid inconsistent configuration across the PPT cluster. Same version of PPT application must be installed on all active and stand-by nodes. The administrator account that owns and manages the PPT application must have same UID on all nodes.

IMPORTANT:

It is not possible to upgrade a standalone PPT deployment to a clustered deployment supporting HA feature. Data can be migrated from a stand-alone to clustered PPT deployment using a data migration script.

Differentiated Billing Using Roaming Determination Support

Subscribers can access network services from their home region as well as when they are roaming out of their defined home region. Cisco PCC solution provides a facility to differentiate the billing as per subscriber location while they are consuming the services. This is achieved by defining the area, region and the region lists. PPT application client can be used to configure such area, region and region lists. An area can be defined using:

- Mobile Country Code (MCC)
- Mobile Network Code (MNC)
- Serving GRS Support Node (SGSN) using IP address and subnet mask
- Serving Gateway (SGW) using IP address and subnet mask
- Location Area Code (LAC)
- Routing Area Code (RAC)
- Serving Area Code (SAC)
- Tracking Area Code (TAC)
- Cell Identity (CI)
- E-UTRAN Cell Identity (ECI)

IMPORTANT:

A region is configured using defined areas and a region list is configured using defined regions.

Dynamic Twenty four Hour Allowance for Data Plan Support

PCC solution supports dynamic twenty four hour allowance support for data plans. Such plans:

- Are post-paid plans hence applicable only to post-paid subscribers.
- Support lifetime validity, until terminated by subscriber or operator.
- Support volume quota of 10 Mb that is valid for twenty four hours from the activation. Plans are considered active when first byte of data is consumed. After activation subscriber can consume data until all the volume quota is exhausted or time duration is elapsed.
- After exhaustion of volume quota, the plan can be renewed again automatically. New billing cycle will be activated when the first byte of data is consumed.
- After activation of new billing cycle, if there is still some volume quota remaining from earlier billing cycle, then such quota will not be carried forward to new cycle.
- There is no limit on the number of quota renewals, quota can be renewed perpetually until subscriber opts out of this plan.
- Features such as grace period or prorating are not applicable for this plan category.

Modified PPT Features

This section identifies PPT features modified in release 14.0 and contains two type of modifications: enhancements and behavior changes. Feature enhancements are modifications based on customer change requests. Feature behavior changes are modifications based on software error corrections (bug fixes) that result in a change in the behavior of the feature.

Select Data Plan for Policy User Interface Enhancement

In previous versions, Select Another Data Plan button was available after selection of a data plan by the user. This button was used to configure another data plan. The Previous button always used to be available in the Policy user interface. Intended use of this Previous button was to clear action and condition blocks in the business logic of the policy.

If Previous button was clicked after configuration of multiple data plans, then the PPT application used to delete these data plans.

In the current version, Select Another Data Plan button is replaced by Use Data Plan button. This button is enabled only when at least one data plan is selected. The Previous button deletes condition - action blocks from the policy business logic after accepting the confirmation response.

Time of Day Support - TimeDef Enhancement

In previous versions, the Time of Day support:

- Never allowed to modify the If-then block from the policy business logic, if time of day was included in it.
- Was not a condition but it was possible to use it in the If block of the policy business logic and it used to appear as a condition.

Time of Day support in the PPT application is now implemented using a new data object TimeDef. This object is used to add the Time of Day condition as the first condition in the If-then block of the business logic. The TimeDef object does not allow to add any other condition apart from Time of Day condition. Appropriate alerts are now displayed when TimeDef object is used for constructing the business logic.

PCC Service Configuration Enhancement

In the previous versions, no range and unit information was displayed for the Subscriber Profile Refresh Interval field. Off-line charging information was in the enabled state while accessing the on-line charging information.

In the current version, for PCC service configuration, the range and unit information is displayed for the Profile Refresh Interval field. While accessing the on-line charging information, off-line charging information is disabled and vice versa.

PCC Component Configuration User Interface Enhancement

In previous version, while configuring other components of PCC solution such as IPCF, or SSC in the PPT application:

- If primary IPCF instance was not configured, then in some instances PPT application used to highlight the SSC configuration part of the user interface.
- If primary SSC interface is not configured then in some instances PPT application used to highlight the IPCF configuration part of the user interface

In the current version:

- If primary SSC interface is not configured, then PPT application highlights the SSC configuration part of the user interface.
- If primary IPCF interface is not configured, then PPT application highlights the IPCF configuration part of the user interface.
- If interfaces for primary IPCF as well as SSC instances are not configured then PPT application highlights the IPCF configuration part of the user interface.

Data Plan Usage Limit Enhancement

PPT application client can be used to provision data plans for the deployment. In the previous version maximum usage limit that can be allowed thru data plan was 4 GB.

In the current version, maximum usage limit that can be allowed through a data plan is to 100 GB.

Copying Notification Messages Across Media Enhancement

In previous version, while configuring notification template it was not possible to copy e-mail notification message to SMS notification message and vice versa. Current version provides appropriate buttons in the notification template configuration user interface to copy the message from e-mail to SMS and vice versa.

PPT Mib Enhancement

In the previous versions, SNMP alarms for the PPT application were implemented using a no – Cisco Management Information Base (MIB). From the current version PPT application uses the standard Cisco MIB to implement the alarms.

Dynamic Rules Support in Out of Credit Condition Enhancement

In previous versions, PPT application used to support pre-defined static rules only. Current version of PPT application supports pre-defined dynamic rules for out of credit condition. It is now possible to select the rule form the rule list or by manually entering the rule name. The options dynamic rule install and dynamic rule un-install now display the name of dynamic rule as a tool tip.

Time of Day Support Enhancement

Timedef is a container that allows configuring time slots using which a policy can be applied. In previous versions, timedef implementation used to allow configuration of only one time period. Hence it was not possible to configure policies involving disjoint time periods. In the current version, timedef implementation allows configuration of multiple time periods.

Duration Based Plans Support Enhancement

Enhanced architecture of PCC solution allows monitoring of subscriber’s service usage based on time or volume as well as both time and volume. Time monitoring over Gx feature allows monitoring of session time for a subscriber. Using this feature it is possible to configure time based thresholds for flow level or session level by the IPCF and then this information can be communicated to PCEF over Gx. This feature also allows configuration of duration based plans, using PPT application.

UE Time Zone Based Condition Enhancement

Current version of PPT application supports policy configuration using a condition based on User Equipment (UE) timezone. Using this condition PPT application can now be used to configure policies that support:

- Timezones
- General Gx compliance

Service Flow Table for Data Service Behavior Change

Previous Behavior: During data service configuration or modification:

- After adding new row in the Service Flow table, even after shifting the field focus, PPT application used to display message for service IP address.
- No proper alert was displayed when a value higher than 65535 is specified for the port number.
- While specifying the source and destination IPs for the service flow appropriate validation was not performed.

New Behavior: When the user exits the editor mode by shifting the field focus, PPT application performs validation for the entire row of the Service Flow table. Alert messages have been modified to indicate the current status of the service flow information.

Search Field Focus Behavior Change

Previous Behavior: When content was entered in the Search field for conditions, actions or user defined conditions and actions, PPT application used to loose the field focus and to regain the focus, user had to click in the field.

New Behavior: This issue was due to third party commercial software. Appropriate upgrade of this software has been incorporated in the current release of PPT application to resolve the field focus issue.

Absolute threshold for Un-limited Usage In Data Plan Behavior Change

Previous Behavior: During data plan configuration, when un-limited usage was specified that is usage limit with no time or volume usage for associated traffic type in the data plan, then PPT application does not allow to add a threshold condition during the policy configuration that involves such data plan.

New Behavior: During data plan configuration, when un-limited usage is specified for the associated traffic type in the data plan, then PPT application allows to add absolute threshold during policy configuration. It does not allows to add percentage threshold.

Postgres Log File Behavior Change

Previous Behavior: In the previous versions the postgres log was:

- Generated as a single file.
- There was no upper limit on the size of this log file.
- It was difficult to search or clean-up the single log file for the troubleshooting purpose.

New Behavior: In the current version the postgres log file is:

- Generated in <ppt_install_dir>`/3rdparty/postgres/pg_log` directory.
- Maximum 10 files can be retained by the PPT application.

PPT Configuration Management Changes as of July 31, 2012

This section provides information on PPT configuration command changes in release 14.0.

None for this release.

PPT Performance Management Changes as of July 31, 2012

This section provides information on PPT performance management changes in release 14.0.

None for this release.

PPT Security Management Changes as of July 31, 2012

This section provides information on PPT security management changes in release 14.0.

None for this release.