The DCCA Server Node test case provide a virtual DCCA server that can be used in conjunction with a nodal test to test a DCCA client SUT such as a GGSN, or it can be used in standalone mode to provide simple Credit Control services for a test network. This topic will guide you through configuring a virtual server.
You should have a basic understanding of the test system:
You should also know which optional and vendor-specific AVPs the client expects to receive in answer messages.
To configure a DCCA Server Node:
The goal for the first test is to add a DCCA Server Node to an existing test session and configure the virtual server to support the test.
Open a test session... containing a nodal test case with Data Traffic that you have successfully executed with the SUT.
Add a DCCA Server Node test case... from the Basic library. If your test system has more than one test server, select a test server that is not used by the nodal test case. The Test Case Settings window... opens to the General tab.
Define the DCCA server emulator on the Emulator Configuration tab.
On the Mobile Subscriber pane, enter the Number of Sessions supported by the server. This value should equal or exceed the number of MNs in the nodal test case.
If the client requires that IPSec is used, check the IPSec box and configure the parameters on the DCCA IPSec tab following the instructions in Adding IPSec to a Test.
On the Network Devices>Primary DCCA Node sub-tab, select a Physical Interface for the emulator and the first address in the interface's address pool is selected for the IP Address. You can accept the default address or enter another address from the pool. If the node and nodal test cases share the same test server, make sure that this address is not used in the nodal test case.
Diameter Parameters — Define the basic Diameter configuration.
Enter an Origin Realm... and Origin Host... for the server.
Modify the default Product Name if you like. The name is normally assigned by a vendor and a client should accept any value.
Accept the default Application ID as it is correct for DCCA.
Modify the Vendor ID... if necessary.
Enter a Watchdog Time... if you want the node to send DWR messages. It will always respond to requests received.
Adjust the Wait Response Time... if desired.
If the client directs Diameter traffic towards a proxy server, check the Connected to Proxy Server box.
Credit Control Parameters — Configure Credit Control support.
Select the CCF-Handling... mode that will be required of clients.
Set the session timer (Tcc)...
Enter a starting MSISDN... for the MN sessions.
On the MSCC tab, enter the Rating Group... for the credit service.
Credit quotas can be granted by time units, volume units, or both with the Enable Time Quota... and Enable Volume Quota... checkboxes. When you check one of the boxes, you can define the account balance and the amount of units granted with every CCA.
Add any other attributes required by the client to the AVP Configuration. Click the View/Edit button and follow the instructions in Using Optional Attributes.
Automation Control
The virtual server should be running and ready to respond to requests when a nodal test case starts, and it should continue to run until all nodal test cases reach the Stopped state. If the virtual server stops before a nodal test case, it is unable to respond to any final request messages. Use Automation Control to define the test sequence. See Adding Automation Control for detailed instructions.
If the test session already uses Automation Control, insert a step above the first test case.
In Step1, select the DCCA Server Node from the Test Case drop-down list and set the Activity to Start.
In Step 2, select a nodal test case, set the Activity to Start, and the Predecessor to the DCCA Server Node. RUNNING should appear in Predecessor State, indicating that the nodal test case will not start until the node reaches the Running state and is ready to accept requests.
Add the remaining nodal test cases, if necessary, and set start activities. These test cases do not need to use the DCCA Server Node as a predecessor, they will execute sequentially or according to whatever predecessors or delay times you have defined.
If you have not defined a sequence that stops the nodal test cases, add a Wait step. When you run the test, it will execute this step until you hit the Continue button. Add new steps for each nodal test case and set the Activity to Stop. You can define predecessors, stopping each test case when the previous test case has stopped. If no predecessors are defined, the nodal test cases will all begin to stop at the same time just as if you had clicked Stop.
Add the final step and select the DCCA Server Node. Set the Predecessor to the last nodal test case that will reach the Stopped state, and STOPPED should appear in Predecessor State. If you are using more than one nodal test case and have not defined predecessors in the other stop steps, select the test case that will take the longest to stop — typically the test case with the most MN sessions.
You are now ready to test your configuration. The parameters that have not been addressed control optional behaviors that do not affect basic services. Click OK to accept the test case. If any parameters fail validation, you will receive an error indicating the problem parameter. Correct the problem and when the definition is accepted, the test case is listed in the Test Session window.
Run the test session, and a validation check is performed on the test session. This validation ensures that the IP addresses used by the test case do not conflict with any other test sessions that may be running on the test server, and that the test definition does not violate rate and volume limits. You will also receive an error if you attempt to run the test session on a test server that is already running at capacity or is otherwise unable to accept a test session. See Running a Test Session for more information on handling these types of errors.
Select the Reports tab when it becomes available. Ideally, your MN sessions are connecting and Data Traffic is successful. Explore the new DCCA measurements displayed on the DCCA Server, Diameter Server Node and IP Instance tabs.
If this is your first test session with Automation Control, notice that the Session Status bar displays the amount of time remaining when a step with a delay time is executing, and that the current step is highlighted on the Automation Control tab. You can watch the test run or Continue the test session when you are ready to stop.
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TROUBLESHOOT: Make sure that the server node is receiving requests. Check Total Packets Received on the IP Instance tab. If you see that packets are being received and you are using IPSec, check IPSec Failures (detailed IPSec errors are on the IPSec tab). The virtual server may be rejecting requests from the client because it does not recognize the MN credentials or because it is otherwise unable to handle the requests. Look for errors on the DCCA Server tab and correct MN identifiers in your test cases or the client configuration as necessary. |
Finally, customize the optional behaviors to tailor the test case to your purpose.
Configure the test case to emulate a secondary server or one or more proxies with the Node Configuration... drop-down list. When a secondary device is emulated, you can also enable Failover support and simulate transport level failure.
Generate RAR messages for all CC sessions with Re-Authorization Test. You can also choose a negative CCA response to test client compliance.
Support multiple clients with Number of Peers... Increase Number of Sessions if the node will also be supporting more CC sessions.
Inject errors at the IP layer with the Advanced settings on the DCCA Server Node Address sub-tab. Inject errors at the Credit Control message level or MSCC level with the Enable Message-Level Result-Code Modification and Enable MSCC Level Result-Code Modification checkboxes.
Grant quotas for all defined unit types regardless of the type of units requested with the Preemptive Quota Allocation checkbox.
The Reset Quota on Session Idle checkbox allows an MN's account balance to be reset after its session is terminated.
Save your test session and save the test case to your library for use in other test sessions.