MARBEN Diameter v4.0 release

This release of the Diameter Signaling C++ Stack introduces new Diameter interfaces and applications.

This section presents what's new in Marben C++ Diameter release 4.0 with regards to the MARBEN C++ Diameter v3.0 release.
Next release is MARBEN C++ Diameter v5.0.

New Diameter Interfaces

The most important set of features this new MARBEN Diameter release brings is the support of new Diameter interfaces.

MARBEN Diameter v4.0 brings is the support of 12 new Diameter interfaces and applications.

New Diameter applications from IETF:

Diameter Network Access Server (NAS)

Diameter application is the Diameter application specified by IETF and used for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) services in access networks. The Diameter NAS Application allows a network access server to query an Authentication server before granting access to a connecting user.

Diameter Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)

is the Diameter interface that carries EAP packets between a Network Access Server (NAS) working as an EAP Authenticator and a back-end authentication server.

New Diameter interfaces from 3GPP.

3GPP Dx

is used in network configuration where there are multiple HSS. X-CSCF query the Subscriber Location Function (SLF) through the Dx interface to locate which HSS is holding a given subscriber profile.

3GPP Dh

is used in network configuration where there are multiple HSS. The IMS Application Servers (AS) query the Subscriber Location Function (SLF) through the Dx interface to locate which HSS is holding a given subscriber profile.

3GPP Dz

is used in network configuration where there are multiple HSS. The IMS Application Servers (AS) query the Subscriber Location Function (SLF) through the Dx interface to locate which HSS is holding a given subscriber profile.

3GPP Ph

allows the Presence Network Agent to query HSS about the state and status of a subscriber.

3GPP Px<

is an intra-operator interface. This interface shall assist locating the Presence Server of the presentity.

3GPP Gy

sits between the GGSN and the On line Charging Server (OCS). It is used for real-time charging of data traffic in 2G and 3G networks.

3GPP Rx

is used to exchange application level session information between the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and the Application Function (AF).

3GPP Gx

allows charging control and policy control between the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF).

3GPP Zh

is the interface between the BSF and the HSS for Bootstrapping in Generic Authentication Architecture. The Zh interface allows BSF and HSS to exchange credential and authentication information for allowing the BSF to establish a secure link between a UE and an application function.

3GPP Zn

is the interface between the BSF and the NAF for GAA applications in Generic Authentication Architecture.

New Diameter interfaces from 3GPP2.

3GPP2 Tx

is the interface between the Application Function (AF) and the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for supporting Service Based Bearer Control.

The design of this new MARBEN Diameter APIs is identical to the design of the existing APIs, i.e.:

• Application, session and message factory for C++
• Each of them has a dictionary for describing its own set of command and AVP which can be extended by application programmers to suit particular need.

This APIs come with sample code of both client and server for quick and easy getting started on the API.