SPS Solution Training Flashcards
SPS
Smart Plan Suite
SPS refers to a single instance that supports PCRF operation. For T-Mobile, we are using the SPS Policy module.
SPS is made up of two VNFs
Service Manger (SM) SPS and/or Managed Element (ME)
Functions of SM
Service Manager (SM) provides the management functions for the installed SPSs.
Manages all MEs in the network.
Highly scalable frontend access to network of MEs.
Hosts GUI, Provisioning, and external API access.
Functions of SPS
Policy application providing 3GPP PCRF capabilities.
Provides Diameter interface for network elements.
Highly customizable policies via Agile Rules Technology.
What VMs comprise an SM?
SM App, OAME, IOHO, AUX, DB
SM App
Responsible for hosting GUI, provisioning, and external API access.
N+K redundancy
OAME
Pair of VMs working in Active-Standby operation.
Single point of contact for all OAME interactions such as logs, SNMP alarms, KPIs or scripts.
OAM VMs from both the SM and SPS Policy will connect to the T-Mobile NMNET network.
1+1 redundancy
IOHO
Load balances the HTTP and TCP traffic for policy to the application nodes.
IOHO VM handles connection to LDAP DB.
1+1 redundancy
AUX
Auxilary
Distributed key value store that provides a reliable way to store data on a cluster.
N+K redundancy
DB
All persistent information is held in the database nodes (Aerospike NoSQL)
N+K redundancy
What VMs comprise an SPS?
Diameter App, OAME, IOHO, AUX, DB, ComSvcs, IOHD, CDR
Diameter App
Carries out all of the application processing logic for the policy component.
N+K redundancy
ComSvcs
Common Services
Responsible for carrying out all the provisioning activities on SPS.
N+K redundancy
IOHD
Control point of the SPS network and provides Diameter and RADIUS load balancing.
1+1 redundancy
CDR
Stores all the Call Data Records (CDRs) generated by the SPS applications like call detail records, charging data records, and event data records.
N+K redundancy
SM in SPS within regional network architecture
SM manages the entire network of SPS Policy nodes. Deployed in 1+1 active/active geo-redundant mode.
SPS Policy nodes within regional network architecture
SPS Policy nodes are deployed in 1+1 active/active geo-redundant mode. This geo pair of ‘sites’ makes up a ‘region’.
PLF provides three interfaces of interest:
Interface to SPS (REST/XML) on IOHO VM on SM.
LDAP interface to external clients (myAccount, IAM).
XML interface to external clients (NAP).
PLF serves two functions for SPS:
- Receives LDAP queries and translates them to getIPCANSession REST API queries towards SM.
- Receives NAP (i.e. Ud) notifications from NAP and forwards to SM.
Geo Redundancy
- SM and SPS are deployed in a mated-pair configuration.
* 1+1 (active/active) redundancy model.
Geo Redundancy – Service Manager
- REST API or NAP notification can be sent to either SM site.
- SM will process the request and forward (if necessary) to the correct SPS site.
Geo Redundancy – Communities
- A geo-community is a group of SPS servers (SMs and MEs)
- Each SM and ME is considered a member of the geo-community in the context of the heartbeat
- A single SPS region is shown. At T-Mobile, SM1/SM2 would belong to six different communities (one for each region)
Geo Redundancy – Heartbeat (HB)
All sites in the community exchange HB over OAM network. ME’s have an additional HB over the DIAMETER network.
HB is used to communicate status about:
• An ME’s own connectivity and state
• An ME’s view of other known sites
Geo Redundancy – Heartbeat (HB) - failure
• HB is used to determine whether an SPS site should take over for its peer (i.e. site failure)
• To confirm a geo-mate SPS is down:
○ ME HB’s to geo mate must be failed (OAM + Diameter)
○ Another member of the community in a different physical location must confirm that the geo mate is down (i.e. SM1 or SM2 in the example)
One-NDS
An external SPR. It communicates with SPS via LDAP.
