About the UMTS Application

The basic UMTS test application provides a comprehensive nodal and end-to-end test capability for the packet-switching support nodes in a 3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) core network. The optional Gb/IP Support feature provides nodal and end-to-end test capability in a 2G GSM core network.

When describing a 3GPP network and access models the following definitions are used:

Mobile Node (MN) — The mobile subscriber unit, also referred to as User Equipment (UE).
Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) — The UMTS radio domain, consisting of one or more radio network systems, that provides the interface between the MN and the packet-switched network.
GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) — The GSM radio domain, consisting of one or more Base Station Systems, that provides the interface between the MN and the packet-switched network.
Core Network - Packet-Switched (CN-PS) — The packet switched domain in the UMTS core network that provides the user with IP-based data services.
Packet Data Network (PDN) — An external IP Network that may or may not reside behind a firewall and that may or may not use private IP addresses.
Radio Network Controller (RNC) — An RNC is responsible for controlling one or more Node Bs and serves as the UMTS CN-PS access point via the Iu-PS interface.
Base Station System (BSS) — A BSS is responsible for local radio resource allocation and serves as the GSM CN-PS access point via the Gb interface.
3G Serving GPRS Support Node (3G-SGSN) — The 3G-SGSN serves as the RNC's access point to the CN-PS network and provides the interface between the RNC and the GGSN via the Gn interface. It is primarily responsible for network access control and mobility management. Throughout this documentation, when the term SGSN is used in a UMTS context it refers to a 3G-SGSN.
2G Serving GPRS Support Node (2G-SGSN) — The 2G-SGSN serves as the BSS' access point to the CN-PS network and provides the interface between the BSS and the GGSN via the Gn interface. It is primarily responsible for network access control, mobility management, logical link management, and radio resource management. Throughout this documentation, when the term SGSN is used in a GSM context it refers to a 2G-SGSN.
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) — The GGSN provides the interface between the core network and the PDN via the Gi interface. In addition to packet routing, it is responsible for access control, subscriber authentication, IP address allocation, and GGSN accounting.
Network Host — An application server with which the MN can exchange bearer plane traffic.

The UMTS network control plane supports Ethernet with IPv4 or IPv6 on the Iu-PS interface and Gn interface. In the bearer (user) plane, IP-based application data can run over IPv4 or IPv6 using Ethernet transport on the Iu-PS, Gn and Gi interfaces. The GSM network control plane uses an Ethernet transport with IPv4 or IPv6 on the Gb and Gn interfaces and Ethernet transport on the Gn and Gi interfaces.

Learn more about SGSN testing

The UMTS test case can be used in a nodal configuration to test an SGSN or in an end-to-end configuration to test an SGSN and a GGSN in tandem. In the end-to-end configuration, the test system emulates the MNs, radio network, and an optional Network Host. In the nodal configuration, the test system also emulates a GGSN.

Learn more about the UMTS test case

You can expand the 3GPP testing capability of your test system with the following applications and features:

The GPRS test application provides nodal GGSN testing and an optional GGSN Emulation feature.
The CGF Emulation feature provides the CGF Node test case, which can collect CDRs from SGSNs and GGSNs. Add the SGSN Billing Support feature to enable S-CDR validation.
The AAA RADIUS Server Emulation and AAA Diameter Server Emulation features can provide AAA services for the test network, alleviating the need for physical servers.
The DCCA Server Emulation feature can provide credit control services for the test network and can assist in testing a GSN's credit control procedures and controls.

Protocols

Iu-PS — GMM, SM, RANAP, SCCP
- Ethernet: MT3UA, SCTP, IPv4, IPv6
Gb (optional) — IPv4, IPv6, UDP, NS, BSSGP, LLC, GMM, SM, SMS
Gn — GTP, UDP, IPv4, IPv6
Ga — GTP'
Gi — IPv4, IPv6

Emulators

MN
Control Node (RAN)
User Node (RAN)
GGSN (optional)
Network Host (optional)