Product Bulletin No. 2704
Introduction
This product bulletin provides content and delivery information for Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.3(11)YF, which is the release vehicle for the Cisco® Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) and Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent Release 2.1. It is also the migration vehicle for Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)XW, the initial release vehicle for the Cisco PDSN and Mobile Wireless Home Agent 2.0. This release is focused on the Cisco 7206VXR Router, the Cisco 7600 Series routers, and the Cisco Catalyst® 6500 Series switches. The Cisco 7600 Series and Catalyst 6500 Series use the Multiprocessor WAN Application Module (MWAM). The features delivered with this new release will be incorporated into the Cisco IOS Software Release 12.4(5th)T, but Release 12.3(11)YF represents a release vehicle that provides these features sooner. For more information about the Cisco IOS Software release process, please see Product Bulletin Number 537.
Migration Guide
Figure 1 displays Cisco IOS Software 12.3(11)YF functionality relative to the 12.3 and 12.3T releases. This figure also identifies the migration path.
Figure 1
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF Migration Path
This is also the migration path for the Cisco IOS Software Early Deployment Release 12.3(8)XW.
New Features in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF Features (PDSN)
Table 1 lists the new features in the initial release of Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF for the Cisco PDSN.
Table 1. New (PDSN) Features in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF
|
New Feature |
Cisco 7206VXR |
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series (MWAM) |
Cisco 7600 Series (MWAM) |
|
PPPoGRE (SyncPPP Support) |
X |
X |
X |
|
Closed R-P Interface |
X |
X |
Please see the following section for details about these new features. Any Early Deployment software release should be used first in a test network before being deployed in a production network.
Feature Details
PPPoGRE (SyncPPP support)
The PPPoGRE R-P interface is based on the Third-Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) TIA/EIA/IS-835 standard for the control and bearer data transport capabilities. This interface is used to support interfaces to specific packet control functions (PCFs) requiring these changes.
Closed R-P
The Closed R-P interface is based on Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) with support for the Connection and Call Management aspects of this standard. The Closed RP interface definition extends the Call Management messages with some additional attribute-value pairs (AVPs) to provide bearer connection to mobile stations. Note that the proper system is also required to enable this feature. See the Product Numbers section for details.
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)XW Features (PDSN)
The following features were delivered in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)XW and will be maintained in Release 12.3(11)YF (Table 2).
Table 2. (PDSN) Features in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)XW
Please see the following section for details about these new features. Any Early Deployment software release should be used first in a test network before being deployed in a production network.
Feature Details
On-Demand Address Pools
The Cisco On-Demand Address Pool (ODAP) feature supports the capability of a large IP address pool per chassis. Each separate PDSN processor will request a subnet of IP addresses from the large IP address pool. Local pools per member would not require configuration; one main pool is configured on a centralized server. The benefits include more efficient use of IP addresses, centralized management, and simplified operational procedures.
Prepaid Billing per IS-835C
The prepaid feature provides Cisco PDSN-to-AAA server support of the prepaid vendor-specific attributes (VSAs), as defined in IS-835C. It provides real-time metering of Simple IP, Proxy Mobile IP, and virtual private dialup network (VPDN)-based services. It also provides undifferentiated real-time metering of Mobile IP services. "Undifferentiated" means that all the Mobile IP flows for a single user will be rated equally. Metering can be based on data volume or call duration. Note that the authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server must support the defined VSAs and be integrated with a prepaid billing server.
Resource Revocation per IS-835C
This feature allows the Cisco PDSN to clean up a home agent binding (for example, when a call drops) and allows a home agent to clean up a PDSN session (for example, on handoff). This is the implementation of the standardized Cisco binding update feature available in Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent Release 1.2 with an additional enhancement.
Packet of Disconnect per IS-835C
This provides a trigger mechanism to cancel sessions on the Cisco PDSN and/or Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent. The trigger can come from an AAA server billing mediation, etc. (whatever is controlling the access). It can be used alone or in conjunction with the Resource Revocation feature to clean up the session/binding to avoid wasting resources.
Always-On per IS-835B
The always-on service maintains a subscriber's packet data session irrespective of the PPP inactivity timer value for the user. At the same time, by making use of a finite PPP inactivity timer value, this feature provides a compromised approach to keep a session only as long as the user is reachable.
Cisco IOS Release 12.3(7)XJ Features (Home Agent)
The following features (Table 3) were initially delivered in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(7)XJ and will be maintained in Release 12.3(11)YF.
Table 3. (Home Agent) Features in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(7)XJ
Please see the next section for details on these new features. Any Early Deployment software release should be used first in a test network before being deployed in a production network.
Feature Details
On-Demand Address Pools (ODAP)
Cisco On-Demand Address Pool (ODAP) feature supports the capability of a large IP address pool per chassis. Each separate HA processor will request a subnet of IP addresses from the large IP address pool. Local pools per member would not need to be configured at all; one main pool would be configured on a Centralized Server. The benefits include more efficient use of IP addresses, centralized management benefits, and simplified operational procedures.
Home Agent Server Load Balancing
The server load balancing (SLB) function runs on the supervisor and front ends a pool of home agents, providing load balancing across a group of home agents running on the Cisco MWAMs listed in its server farm. Only one virtual IP address must be known to the foreign agent. Note that the proper option is also required on the supervisor image to enable this feature. See the Product Numbers and Ordering sections for details.
Resource Revocation per IS-835C
This feature allows the Cisco PDSN to clean up a home agent binding (for example, when a call drops) and allows a home agent to clean up a PDSN session (for example, on handoff). This is the implementation of the standardized Cisco binding update feature available in Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent Release 1.2 with an additional enhancement.
Packet of Disconnect per IS-835C
This provides a trigger mechanism to cancel sessions on the Cisco PDSN and/or Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent. The trigger can come from an AAA server billing mediation, etc. (whatever is controlling the access). It can be used alone or in conjunction with the Resource Revocation feature to clean up the session/binding to avoid wasting resources.
Home Agent Redundancy Enhancements
This is an enhancement to the existing Home Agent Redundancy feature. It adds support for the feature when local pool IP addressing, or proxy DHCP addressing, is used.
Conditional Debugs
Enhancements have been made to the existing conditional debug feature to add support for Mobile IP.
Hotlining
The Hotlining feature uses standard IS-835C-based care-of address (CoA) messages to change user session profiles at the start of the session or in mid session. Data packets from the subscriber in the upstream can be redirected to a different server that is capable of managing these packets. This provides support for "web steering" statically configured by realm and dynamically configured per user within the realm. For example, a prepaid user who runs out of quota can be redirected mid session.
Virtual Routing and Forwarding
Cisco home agents can have virtual home agents that are using Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) to support address overlapping. Thus, one home agent can provide connection to different corporate users using a different transport.
For more detailed information about the platforms and features being delivered in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF, please reference the following documents:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios123/123newft/123limit/123x/123xw/123xw8/
Support
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF follows the standard Cisco support policy as indicated in the following document: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_end-of-life_policy.html
Note that Cisco Software Application Support (SAS) must be ordered for the Cisco PDSN and Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent; they are not covered under Cisco SMARTnet® support. See the Product Numbers section for details. Cisco SAS includes 24-hour technical assistance from the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) via telephone and the Web, online tools, plus bug fixes, maintenance, and rebuilds of the same release (Release 2.0) of the Cisco PDSN and Cisco Mobile Wirless Home Agent.
Product Numbers
The spare product code is designated with `=' and should be ordered when upgrading to a new release, moving to a different Cisco PDSN or Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent image, or when the platform hardware is not being ordered in conjunction with the software.
There are two Cisco PDSN images available with Release 2.0: Basic and Premium.
• Basic: Includes the basic feature set. 10k session capacity on 7206VXR; 20k session capacity on MWAM.
• Premium: Includes the basic feature set plus Closed R-P* on MWAM, Prepaid. PPPoGRE, 20k session capability on 7206VXR and MWAM.
*There is also a System Feature License (one per customer) required for Closed R-P support. The part number is listed in Table 4.
There are two home agent images available with Release 2.0: Basic and Premium.
• Basic: Includes the basic feature set.
• Premium: Includes the basic feature set plus Hotlining, VRF.
There is also a Feature License on the supervisor required for the HA-SLB feature. Table 4 lists the part number.
There are two options when ordering software for the Cisco MWAM:
• Single image
• Bundled image
Each single image contains one Cisco PDSN image to run on one of the five Cisco MWAM processors; each bundled image contains five Cisco PDSN images that run on each of five Cisco MWAM processors.
When ordering more than one single image, the first one should be ordered as an option to the Cisco MWAM. Any subsequent single images should be ordered as spares.
Table 4. Ordering Information: Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF PDSN Part Numbers
The following part numbers should be used when ordering Cisco SAS for Cisco PDSN 2.1 (Table 5).
Table 5. Ordering Information: Cisco SAS for Cisco PDSN Release 2.1
Table 6. Ordering Information: Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF Home Agent Part Numbers
The following part numbers should be used when ordering Cisco SAS for Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent 2.1 (Table 7).
Table 7. Ordering Information: Cisco SAS for Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent 2.1
Bundle Product Numbers
When ordering multiple Cisco MWAMs with the Cisco PDSN 2.1 Premium image, there is a bundle available that includes:
• Two Cisco MWAMs (WS-SVC-MWAM-1)
• Two bundled images of Cisco PDSN 2.1 Premium (SC-SVC-PD20P)
When ordering multiple Cisco MWAMs with the Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent 2.1 Premium image, there is a bundle available that includes:
• Two Cisco MWAMs (WS-SVC-MWAM-1)
• Two bundled images of Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent 2.0 Premium (SC-SVC-HA20P)
Table 8 provides ordering information for these bundles.
Table 8. Ordering Information: Premium Software Image Bundles
Download Information
Customers can download Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF for the Cisco 7206VXR from the Software Image Library on Cisco.com: http://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Software/Iosplanner/Planner-tool/iosplanner.cgi?majorRel=12.3
Customers can download Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)YF for the Cisco MWAM from the Software Image Library on Cisco.com: http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/sw-wireless.shtml
Special Note to Customers
The following are additional ordering guidelines and sample configurations for a Cisco PDSN and Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent. Note that the configurations are provided for guidance only and do not include Cisco SMARTnet hardware support or ancillary equipment such as cables, rack mount kits, or high-speed fan trays. Please discuss your desired configuration with your Cisco representative prior to ordering.
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN 2.1 on the Cisco 7206VXR
The Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN images operate on a Cisco 7206VXR Router; it can be used on the Cisco NPE-400 Network Processing Engine, providing backward compatibility to Release 1.2, and on the newer Cisco NPE-G1 Network Processing Engine. The NPE-G1 is the recommended platform for new orders.
Table 9 shows the recommended hardware configuration for a Cisco 7206VXR to support Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent or Cisco PDSN 2.1.
Table 9. Recommended Hardware Configuration for Cisco 7206VXR
Note: This is the configuration as tested in the Cisco lab. Any variations to this configuration should be discussed with your Cisco representative prior to ordering.
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN R2.1 on 7206VXR with 3DES Encryption
The Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) images operate on a Cisco 7206VXR; they can be used with the NPE-400 and the Cisco Integrated Services Adapter (SA-ISA), providing backward compatibility with Release 1.2, and on the NPE-G1 with the Cisco VPN Acceleration Module 2 (SA-VAM2).
Because the SA-ISA has reached end of sale, any new Cisco 7206VXR configurations with IPSec will require use of the NPE-G1 with SA-VAM2. One SA-VAM2 is required per chassis. IPSec operation is supported only with hardware acceleration.
Table 10 shows the recommended hardware configuration for a Cisco 7206VXR to support Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent or Cisco PDSN Release 2.1 with IPSec.
Table 10. Recommended Hardware Configuration for Cisco 7206VXR to Support IPSec
Note: This is the configuration as tested in the Cisco lab. Any variations to this configuration should be discussed with your Cisco representative prior to ordering.
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN 2.1 on the Cisco 7600 Series
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN operate on separate Cisco MWAMs. They can be licensed by MWAM (five processors) or by processor (single image). Note that Cisco PDSN and home agent images cannot coexist on the same Cisco MWAM, though a home agent MWAM and a PDSN MWAM can coexist in the same chassis.
The 12.2.18-SXDx software version must run on the supervisor engine. Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN on the Cisco MWAM are supported with the Cisco Catalyst 6500/7600 Series Supervisor Engine 2 and the Multilayer Switch Feature Card (MSFC2), and the Cisco Catalyst 6500/7600 Series Supervisor Engine 720-3B and 720-3BXL. The Supervisor Engine 720-3BXL is recommended for new orders.
Table 11 shows the recommended hardware configuration for a Cisco 7613 Router to support Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and/or Cisco PDSN 2.1. Recommended supervisor software is also included.
Table 11. Recommended Hardware Configuration for Cisco 7613 Router
If the HA-SLB feature is desired, the following part number must also be ordered as an option to the Supervisor Engine image, S762Z-12218SXDx:
Depending on network configuration, a Fast Ethernet interface card can be ordered instead of Gigabit Ethernet interface. In this case, the following could be ordered instead of WS-X6408A-GBIC:
Note: This is the configuration as tested in the Cisco lab. Any variations to this configuration should be discussed with your Cisco representative prior to ordering.
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN 2.0 on the Cisco 7600 Series with DES3 Encryption
Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN operate on one Cisco MWAM. They can be licensed by MWAM (five processors) or by processor (single image). Note that Cisco PDSN and Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent images cannot coexist on the same Cisco MWAM, though a home agent MWAM and a PDSN MWAM can coexist in the same chassis.
The 12.2.18-SXDx DES3 software version must run on the supervisor engine. The Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN on MWAM are supported with the Supervisor Engine 2 and MSFC2, and the Supervisor Engine 720-3B and Supervisor Engine 720-3BXL. The Supervisor Engine 720-3BXL is recommended for new orders.
One IPSec VPN security module is required per chassis. IPSec operation is supported only with hardware acceleration.
The same Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and Cisco PDSN images support both non-IPSec and IPSec operation.
Table 12 lists the recommended hardware configuration for a Cisco 7613 Router to support Cisco Mobile Wireless Home Agent and/or Cisco PDSN 2.1 with 3DES encryption. Recommended supervisor engine software is also included.
Table 12. Recommended Hardware Configuration for Cisco 7613 Router with 3DES
If the HA-SLB feature is desired, the following part number must also be ordered as an option to the supervisor engine image, S762Z-12218SXDx:
Depending on network configuration, a Fast Ethernet interface card can be ordered instead of Gigabit Ethernet interface. In this case, the following could be ordered instead of WS-X6408A-GBIC:
Note: This is the configuration as tested in the Cisco lab. Any variations to this configuration should be discussed with your Cisco representative prior to ordering.
