ovokpus
commented
2 years ago I there any new status to this issue?
Open Kaleem-Wavelabs opened 2 years ago
ovokpus
commented
2 years ago I there any new status to this issue?
Overview
Magma core is to support integration of any third party 3GPP compliant Charging Function (CHF) through N40 (Nchf_ConvergedCharging) interface. It leverages the existing charging framework present for LTE to support 5G Converged Charging System (CCS).
Elevator Pitch
As service providers around the world are working on their plans for 5G, one question is absolutely critical: how do they make sure the cash flow is guaranteed? Current networks have a mature and stable Business Support System (BSS) architecture and operators are asking how does this need to change to support the new 5G Charging Function?
The standards for the new 5G Core define a 5G Converged Charging System (CCS), containing a 5G Charging function (CHF), which provides converged charging and spending limit controls in the new service-based architecture that is introduced with 5G Core. This system includes balance management, rating, generation of both rated and unrated call detail records (CDRs), and CDR export to billing and other back-office systems.
Currently Magma AGW supports integration of MNO OCS for LTE. The main goal of this proposal to leverage on the existing framework to support 5G converged charging features.
Magma Sessiond acts as a Charging Transfer Function (CTF). The CTF generates charging events towards the Charging Function (CHF), which is responsible for generating Charging Data Records (CDRs).
The 5G system supports converged charging for offline and online charging scenarios.
The Sessiond performs converged charging for each of the following:
• Charging data that is related to PDU session.
• Charging data that are related to service-data flows within a PDU session.
Figure 01: Architecture to integrate 3rd party CHF with Magma AGW
Project Details
Magma AGW is integrated with the MNO core network by using federation gateway through standard 3GPP interfaces. It acts as a proxy between the Magma AGW and MNO’s network and facilitates core functions, such as authentication, data plans, policy enforcement, and charging.
While offline and online charging were separately implemented in previous wireless technologies, in 5G the Converged Charging System supports simultaneous online and offline charging through the Nchf_ConvergedCharging Service. The Nchf_OfflineOnlyCharging service provides session-based and event charging. In addition, PCFs can now use the Nchf_SpendingLimitControl service to subscribe to notifications of policy counter changes that influence the policy decisions.
Sessiond which acts as the Charging Trigger Function (CTF) report the chargeable activities of subscribers to the CHF, which in turn delivers Charging Data Record (CDR) files to the operator’s Billing Domain. When offline charging is used the charging data is collected during resource consumption by the subscriber and reported when a threshold is crossed or after the resource is released. Offline charging has no effect on subscribers’ real-time activities or resource consumption.
Conversely, online charging occurs for particular services or events when the service is requested or the event is initiated, and it involves authorization, and possibly re-authorization, of service accessibility or prepaid credit remaining. Service delivery may be curtailed if a subscriber is not authorized to access it, does not have sufficient credit quota to pay for it, or chooses not to pay for it in real time. The same chargeable event can be reported by both online and offline charging, although the type of information reported may differ.
Implementation of service Nchf_ConvergedCharging includes the below messages:
Call Flow:
Delivery Approach
Feature will be delivered in 4 milestones. Each milestone will have the following 5 process gates
Milestone-1
Tasks to be handled on magma AGW NE Implement 5G Services Based Interface (SBI) for Federation Gateway as defined in 3GPP TS 32.291 OpenAPI definitions for all SBI interfaces are provided as YAML files by 3GPP Use openapi-codegen to generate GO types and client definitions for N40 interface
Sessiond side implementation to identify and support the required missing charging attributes from existing framework for N40 interface through GRPC calls. Unit tests will be added for all new functions introduced.
Milestone-2
Feg Relay changes for Converged Charging session create, update, delete through GRPC calls Unit tests will be added for all new functions introduced.
Milestone-3
Implementation of Feg N40 Session Proxy for Nchf_ConvergedCharging create, update, delete through HTTP protocol Unit tests will be added for all new functions introduced.
Milestone-4
Client(CHF) initiated Converged Charging notifications and basic stub implementation to support Nchf_ConvergedCharging messages Unit tests will be added for all new functions introduced. Integration testing using third party mycloudBSS Charging function.
Test Plan
Following is the set of tests or scenarios to verify dual stack Support.
Integration Testing using UERANSIM or equivalent simulator
Feature Roadmap
Feature will be delivered in 4 Milestones.
MS | FUNCTIONAL AREA | DELIVERABLES | -- | -- | -- | M1.0 | Sessiond Implementation | CLI based Converged Charging Output | M2.0 | Feg Relay | CLI based Converged Charging Output | M3.0 | Feg N40 Session Proxy | CLI based Converged Charging Output | M4.0 | CHF Stub SIT & UAT | Final set of CC CDR records. Feature is passing all the tests in Real equipment environment. Feature user / customer runs the conformance tests and accepts the feature. |References
1) https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/132200_132299/132291/15.08.00_60/ts_132291v150800p.pdf 2) https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/132200_132299/132255/16.08.00_60/ts_132255v160800p.pdf 3) https://www.arib.or.jp/english/html/overview/doc/STD-T63v9_30/5_Appendix/Rel4/29/29060-4b0.pdf 4) https://itectec.com/spec/5-1-5g-data-connectivity-charging-principles/ 5) https://docs.magmacore.org/docs/faq/faq_magma