Cisco Service Control Mobile Solution Guide, Release 3.6.x

Capturing and Reporting Subscriber Attributes

Introduction

Vendor Specific Attributes (VSA) are RADIUS or Diameter attributes that are sent mostly in mobile environments. They can be captured from the traffic processed by the SCE and then reported to the billing server. They can also be sent to the Collection Manager in various RDRs to be used to generate a number of common mobile reports.

Figure 6-1 shows a high level diagram of the Cisco Service Control mobile solution including capturing and reporting subscriber attributes.

Figure 6-1 System Block Diagram

Capturing Subscriber Attributes

VSAs can be captured by either of the following entities :

•SCE platform

•RADIUS Login Event Generator (LEG)

Only the VSAs that you select are captured. You can choose which attributes are relevant, and store and process only those attributes. You can select a maximum of 20 attributes from the list of available VSAs. The list of attributes to capture can be modified while the system is running.

The following data structures are used to capture and store VSAs:

•Dictionary table—A table that contains all the supported attributes, with the following information for each attribute:

–Attribute name

–Protocol (RADIUS/Diameter/GTP-C)

–Input type

–Type used in the database (usually the same as input type)

–Attribute ID

–VSA (yes/no)

–Vendor ID (if used by VSA)

The local attribute table reads the attribute details from this table.

•Local attribute table—A global table (for all the subscribers and all the packages) that holds all the details for the selected attributes and parameters.

The Gx interface , Gy interface, and the subscriber database use this table to obtain information for each configured attribute.

•Subscriber attribute database— A table of captured attributes per subscriber. A subscriber attribute database is maintained in both the SCE and the SM. Information captured by either entity is provisioned from that entity to the other entity so that the subscriber attribute database is always current in both the SCE and the SM.

Constraints and Limitations

•Only one session per subscriber is supported. A subscriber with multiple Access Point Names (APN) or multiple devices used at the same time can be separated into separate subscribers by adding the APN or device into the subscriber ID.

•Scale limitations—When supporting VSAs, the system would support approximately 256K subscribers per SCE platform.

•Up to 20 subscriber attributes can be selected.

Note By default, the SCE platform converts the 3GPP-SGSN-Address-Code-6 VSA sent by Gx to 3GPP-SGSN-Address VSA. Therefore, when using the SGSN address, both these attributes should be selected. The same behavior applies to the GGSN address VSA pair (3GPP-GGSN-Address-Code-7 and 3GPP-GGSN-Address).

Capturing Subscriber Attributes Using the SCE

Capturing Subscriber Attributes

Attributes are received only from the Gx interface. The attributes selected by the CLI command are stored in the local attribute table and also copied to the SM. Any time one of these attributes is input for a subscriber by Gx, it is stored in the subscriber database for that subscriber.

When an attribute is deleted from the attribute table, all the entries for that attribute are also removed from the subscriber database.

Transmitting Subscriber Attributes

Attributes are transmitted only on the Gy interface. Three modes of output are supported:

•Always—Output the subscriber attributes on all the messages.

•On-change—Output the subscriber attributes any time a change is detected in at least one of the attributes.

•On-initial (default)—Output the subscriber attributes only on the first Gy message.

Subscriber Attribute CLI Commands

Table 6-1 lists the CLI commands used to configure and monitor the capture and sending of subscriber attributes.

Example for showing the VSA dictionary:

show sub-attribute dictionary 

     VSA name                                 Vendor-ID  Attr-ID  Data Type Protocol 
Interfaces

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Acct-Multi-Session-ID                          -            50    UTF8String     Radius    

Acct-Session-ID                                -            44    UTF8String     Radius    

Acct-Session-Time                              -            46    Uint32         Radius    

Called-Station-ID                              -            30    OCTETString    Radius    

Calling-Station-ID                             -            31    OCTETString    Radius    

Class                                          -            25    OCTETString    Radius    

CUI                                            -            89    UTF8String     Diameter  

Framed-IP-Address                              -             8    Address        Radius    

NAS-Identifier                                 -            32    OCTETString    Radius    

NAS-IP-Address                                 -             4    Address        Radius    

NAS-Port-Type                                  -            61    Uint32         Radius    

User-Name                                      -             1    OCTETString    Radius

3GPP-Charging-Characteristics                  10415        13    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-Charging-Gateway-Address                  10415         4    Address        Diameter  

3GPP-Charging-ID                               10415         2    Uint32         Diameter  

3GPP-GGSN-Address-Code-7                       10415         7    Address        Diameter 

3GPP-GGSN-Address                              10415       847    Address        Diameter  

3GPP-GGSN-MCC-MNC                              10415         9    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-GPRS-Negotiated-QoS-Profile               10415         5    UTF8String     Diameter

3GPP-IMEISV                                    10415        20    UTF8String     Diameter 

3GPP-IMSI                                      10415         1    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-MS-Timezone                               10415        23    OCTETString    Diameter

3GPP-NSAPI                                     10415        10    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-PDP-Type                                  10415         3    Uint32         Diameter  

3GPP-RAT-Type                                  10415        21    OCTETString    Diameter 

3GPP-Selection-Mode                            10415        12    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-SGSN-Address-Code-6                       10415         6    Address        Diameter

3GPP-SGSN-Address                              10415      1228    Address        Diameter  

3GPP-SGSN-MCC-MNC                              10415        18    UTF8String     Diameter  

3GPP-User-Location-Info                        10415        22    OCTETString    Diameter

WiMax-Active-Time                              24757        39    Uint32         Diameter  

WiMax-BSID                                     24757        46    UTF8String     Diameter 

Example for selecting a VSA to capture and then showing the attribute configuration.

sub-attribute add-attribute 3GPP-Charging-Characteristics

do show sub-attribute configuration

     VSA name                        Vendor-ID  Attr-ID  Data Type   Protocol Interfaces

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3GPP-Charging-Characteristics          10415      13     UTF8String   Diameter  Gx

Capturing Subscriber Attributes Using the RADIUS LEG

A LEG usually listens to signaling data and provisions subscriber-based attributes. The SCE supports RADIUS Listener and Sniffer LEGs. The subscriber attributes are configurable and customizable in the SM. The LEGs are responsible for providing the configured data to the SM and the SM provisions the data to the SCE platform.

RADIUS Sniffer LEG

Capturing subscriber attributes using the RADIUS sniffer LEG works as follows:

1. The user configures the set of subscriber attributes to extract (up to 20), which are provisioned to the RADIUS sniffer module in the SCE.

2. When the SCE detects a RADIUS accounting message, it extracts the attributes from the message and sends it to the SM in the RADIUS/Login RDR.

3. The RADIUS Sniffer LEG in the SM receives the RADIUS RDR and stores the attribute values in its local database.

4. The SM updates the subscriber attribute table in the SCE with the subscriber attributes learned.

Note The RADIUS sniffer module can be in a different SCE platform from the one that processes the traffic.

Radius Listener LEG

Capturing subscriber attributes using the RADIUS listener LEG works as follows:

1. The user configures the set of subscriber attributes to extract (up to 20).

2. The RADIUS Listener LEG listens to RADIUS accounting messages received in the SM and extracts the attributes configured.

3. The RADIUS Listener LEG in the SM stores the attribute values in its local database.

4. The SM updates the subscriber attribute table in the SCE with the subscriber attributes learned.

Configuring the Attributes to Be Captured

You specify which subscriber attributes to capture by editing the relevant configuration file:

•RADIUS Listener LEG configuration file is at sm-inst-dir/sm/server/root/config/p3sm.cfg

•RADIUS Sniffer LEG configuration file is at sm-inst-dir/sm/server/root/config/rad_snif.cfg

Note For more information about configuring the RADIUS LEGs, see the Cisco SCMS SM LEGs User Guide.

For each attribute you want the LEG to capture, add a section to the appropriate configuration file, as follows:

[Radius.Field.Attribute_name]

radius_attribute = <ID> [(<radius_attribute_vendor_id>, <radius_sub_attribute>)]

radius_attribute_type = <type>

This example shows how to edit the configuration file to add the 3GPP-SGSN-Address (VSA) attribute:

[Radius.Field.3GPP-SGSN-Address]

radius_attribute = 26(10415;6)

radius_attribute_type = integer

Provisioning the SCE with SM Subscriber Attributes

When the SM (RADIUS LEG) captures the subscriber attributes, it provisions them to the SM over the SM-SCE API. The SM provides a list of attributes with the following information for each attribute:

•Attribute code. If attribute is a VSA, this is the VSA code.

•Flags. One bit indicates whether this is a VSA.

•Attribute vendor id (if attribute is a VSA).

•Attribute-type

•Attribute length

•Attribute value

If the SM attribute definition (type, size and so on) does not match the SCE attribute definition, the attribute is discarded and an appropriate error message is sent.

Note The SCE copies into its local database only the attributes from the 20 attributes configured in the SCE and present in the SCE database, regardless of what attributes are defined to be reported in the RDRs.

Generating Mobile Reports

Subscriber attributes that have been captured by either the SCE or the SM can be used to generate mobile reports. The subscriber attributes are appended to the RDRs and sent to the CM, where the reports are generated.

Use a mediation data warehouse device for full flexibility and long period granular data.

Appending Subscriber Attributes to SCE RDRs

SCE provides subscriber attributes as part of the following RDRs:

•Subscriber Usage RDR (TAG: 4042321920)

•HTTP Transaction Usage RDR (TAG: 4042323004)

•Video Transaction Usage RDR (TAG: 4042323072)

You can enable or disable reporting subscriber attributes in these RDRs either from the SCA BB console or by a CLI command.

General Information:

•The SCE reports in the RDRs only the attributes which exist in its local database.

•If an attribute defined for the RDR is not in the database, the attribute is appended to the RDR with a NULL value.

•The attributes structure in the RDR is constant, with each attribute always at the same location, and appearing in the order that they appear in Table 6-3.

•The format of the attributes in the RDR is the same as the "type" specified in the RADIUS attribute (integer or string).

Control Field

A control field is defined in the RDR providing the following information:

•Indicating that subscriber attributes are appended

•SPECIFYING which of the attributes in the message are valid

The control field comes after the original RDR parameters and before the first VSA data.

Each bit in the control field corresponds to one of the subscriber attributes listed in Table 6-3. Bit "0" corresponds to Acct-Multi-Session-ID, bit "1" corresponds to Acct-Session-ID, and bit "10" corresponds to WiMax-BSID.

Value "0" means that the data is not present and value "1" means that the data of corresponding VSA is present and valid. (See the control fields in the two examples in Examples: Reporting Subscriber Attributes in RDRs Enabled)

Configuring Reporting Subscriber Attributes in RDRs from the SCE

Examples: Reporting Subscriber Attributes in RDRs Enabled

Subscriber usage RDR with all 11 VSA fields presented:

#4042321920:

rdrParty       // Subscriber ID

10             // Package ID

1              // Service Usage counter ID

0              // Breach State

1              // Reason

60             // Configured Duration

60             // Duration

1275330073     // End Time

100            // Upstream Volume

100            // DownStream Volume

5              // Sessions

5              // Seconds

1              // Up VLink

1              // Down VLink

2047           // Control Field (0b11111111111 - all fields are valid)

Subscriber1    // Acct-Multi-Session-ID   (bit 0)

lkjhgfdsa      // Acct-Session-ID         (bit 1)

10.1.2.3       // Framed IP Address       (bit 2)

abcdefg        // Called Station ID       (bit 3)

000000000000   // 3GPP-IMEISV             (bit 4)

000000100000   // 3GPP-IMSI               (bit 5)

700300100050   // 3GPP-RAT-Type           (bit 6)

10.1.1.1       // 3GPP-SGSG-Address       (bit 7)

mhutexcfvkli   // 3GPP-SGSN-MCC-MNC       (bit 8)

abc            // 3GPP-User-Location-Info (bit 9)

3p3p3          // WiMax-BSID              (bit 10)

Subscriber usage RDR with partial VSA fields presented:

#4042321920:

rdrParty       // Subscriber ID

10             // Package ID

1              // Service Usage counter ID

0              // Breach State

1              // Reason

60             // Configured Duration

60             // Duration

1275330073     // End Time

100            // Upstream Volume

100            // DownStream Volume

5              // Sessions

5              // Seconds

1              // Up VLink

1              // Down VLink

1017           // Control Field (0b01111111001 - Acct-Session-ID, Framed IP Address, and 
				 WiMax-BSID are not valid)

Subscriber1    // Acct-Multi-Session-ID   (bit 0)

               // Acct-Session-ID         (bit 1)

0              // Framed IP Address       (bit 2)

abcdefg        // Called Station ID       (bit 3)

000000000000   // 3GPP-IMEISV             (bit 4)

000000100000   // 3GPP-IMSI               (bit 5)

700300100050   // 3GPP-RAT-Type           (bit 6)

10.1.1.1       // 3GPP-SGSG-Address       (bit 7)

mhutexcfvkli   // 3GPP-SGSN-MCC-MNC       (bit 8)

abc            // 3GPP-User-Location-Info (bit 9) 

               // WiMax-BSID              (bit 10)

Configuring Reporting Subscriber Attributes in RDRs from the SCA BB Console

You can enable appending VSA fields in RDRs from the SCA BB console.

Step 1 Choose Configuration > Policies > System Settings > Advanced Options.

Step 2 Click Advanced Service Configuration Options..

Step 3 Scroll down to the Reporting section.

Step 4 Set the value of `Enable VSA Fields for Subscriber, Http Transaction and Video Transaction RDRs' (first line) to `True'. (See Figure 6-2.)

Figure 6-2 Enabling VSA Fields in RDRs

Step 5 Click OK.

Step 6 Click OK in the System Settings dialog box.

Supported Mobile Reports

The following information is derived from specific attributes sent to the CM in RDRs and used to generate mobile reports:

•Device type:

–RADIUS device type—Located as part of the 3GPP-IMEI (RADIUS attribute 20)

–Diameter device type—Encoded in the User-Equipment-Info AVP (code 458)

•APN—Mapped from the RADIUS/Diameter Called-Station-ID field

•User location—Mapped from 3GPP-User-Location-Information

•Network type—Mapped from 3GPP-RAT-Type

Based on the above attributes, the common mobile reports are generated in the CM/Reporter (see Table 6-5). Examples of some of the reports it is possible to generate are displayed in Mobile Report Examples.

Mobile Report Examples

Device Type Distribution

Figure 6-3 Device Type Distribution by Unique Subscribers (bar)

Figure 6-4 Device Type Distribution by Unique Subscribers (pie)

Usage Per Network Type

Figure 6-5 Usage per Network Type (bar)

Figure 6-6 Usage per Network Type (table)

Application Usage for Specific APN

Figure 6-7 Application Usage for Specific APN (stacked area)

Figure 6-8 Application Usage for Specific APN (pie)