Vedicis and 6WIND Launched Virtual PCEF and TDF

Vedicis and 6WIND announced they have launched  "virtual Policy Control Enforcement (vPCEF) and virtual Traffic Detection Function (vTDF) appliances to support mobile operators in their move towards Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) architecture. 

The Vedicis solution runs on a standard Intel server and includes:

• Red Hat OS with KVM hypervisor
• Open vSwitch
• 6WINDGate NFV Infrastructure (NFVI)
• Vedicis Content Smart Switch

.. vPCEF and vTDF are required to provide DPI-based advanced charging, bandwidth and congestion control, and traffic visibility for data usage knowledge .. 6WIND’s Fast vNIC driver is integrated into Vedicis’ Content Smart Switch running as a Red Hat KVM guest to exchange packets (external traffic and VM to VM communication) with faster virtual input/output (I/O) technologies". 

See "vPCEF & vTDF Platform" - here.

TM Deployments [292]: MTN [Congo] Deployed Comviva PCEF/PCRF

Mahindra Comviva announced that its "Mobile Data Platform (MDP) [a package of PCEF, PCRF and Mobile Internet Gateway - see chart below] has gone live with MTN in Congo B. MTN will now be able to offer an unrivalled number of personalized data plans to its subscribers in Congo B. A holistic broadband management platform, MDP will also help MTN to manage, optimize and monetize its data infrastructure. It will provide enriched user experience by employing intelligent bandwidth management techniques, such as dynamic bandwidth throttling. It will provide real-time advice for charges, notifications and credit/usage limits to subscribers on home and roaming networks for bill shock management over all communication channels such as SMS, USSD, Web application".

MTN Congo has more than 1M subscribers.

See "Mahindra Comviva's Mobile Broadband Solution goes live at MTN CONGO B" - here.

Sandvine Adds PCRF Functionality

Sandvine is now offering its own PCRF.

The vendor announced the release of its "..latest Service Delivery Engine (SDE) platform version with new Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) functionality to roll out revenue generating services faster than ever before, such as roaming notifications, bill shock prevention, family plans and data bundles.

Sandvine’s SDE is LTE standards-compliant, conforming to 3GPP Release 11, and offers an open architecture that closes the gap between the control and data planes. Sandvine’s SDE is a fully-compliant PCRF product. It can work in conjunction with Sandvine’s Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) to provide a unified platform for network policy control in fixed, mobile and converged operator networks, or alternatively the SDE interfaces with third party Policy and Charging Enforcement Functions (PCEFs)".

See "Sandvine’s Service Delivery Engine Strengthens PCRF-PCEF Interface" - here.

Stoke: New Application-aware, PCEF Capable, Offload Gateway

  

Stoke announced the immediate availability of its ".. wireless offload gateway, the Wi-Fi eXchange .. the solution opens the door for operators to offset the escalating costs of capacity increases through revenues from advertising and other premium services. The Wi-Fi eXchange also reduces traffic carrying costs by giving operators granular control over subscriber sessions, enabling them to balance traffic costs with traffic value".

"The product support Up to 12 Gbps (Full Duplex) data plane capacity and up to 180,000

simultaneously attached users per system. It integrates a Policy Control Enforcement Function (PCEF) which can be used to apply policies on a per subscriber basis. Various QoS management, session gating and application reporting functions can be exercised in order to streamline and improve the quality of experience of Wi-Fi access".

"Intelligent traffic handling capabilities provided by Stoke's Wi-Fi eXchange provide the traffic insight and steering capabilities required to make Wi-Fi offload commercially viable for operators. For example, Wi-Fi eXchange allows mobile broadband operators to apply policy to route some sessions to the mobile core, while Internet bound sessions bypass core network elements. This granular, dynamic traffic control gives operators a comprehensive view of Wi-Fi-connected user activity, and also guards against mobile core cost escalation while keeping a door open for mobile services over Wi-Fi"

See "Stoke Announces Boost to Operators' Ability to Connect and Monetize Wi-Fi Attached Subscribers with Immediate Availability of New Solution" - here.

NI Announcements: Movik's RAN Intelligence and Control

 
Most traffic management/DPI solutions for mobile networks (PCEFs) do not have location, or mobile awareness. As a result, they have to make some  assumptions as for the actual load on network elements in order to manage traffic where it is really needed ("reasonable traffic management").

Simply put - these solutions cannot track when subscribers move to a different cell or backhaul link - the expensive and congested elements of the network. Recently, several vendors added some technology to support subscriber location/mobile/cell awareness including Sandvine and CommProve to their traffic management solutions.

Movik Networks, unveiled its "REACH (Report, Export, Act, Control, HetNet) architecture, the foundation of its intelligent RAN solution. Exposing real-time intelligence from the RAN, the part of the network that can impact efficiency and QoE the most ,.. With Movik’s REACH architecture each individual element of the access network, down to the sector" 

"Movik’s REACH architecture provides the following key functions: REPORT: Movik extracts intelligence from multiple sources including the RAN, UE, circuit and packet networks, content types and deep application awareness .. EXPORT: trigger real-time actions on an operator’s existing policy, content optimization, and traffic management platforms ..ACT: autonomously with a broad range of capabilities from admission control to relevant content delivery. As an active PCEF, Movik can be used to simultaneously reduce traffic to congested sectors while turbo-boosting subscriber connections in unloaded regions .. CONTROL: provide input into multi technology heterogeneous networks (HetNets) including SON (Self Organizing Networks) deployments and HetNet: delivers a multi RAT heterogeneous overlay network that is optimally loaded across disparate wireless verticals in real-time, based on UE demands to drastically lower an operator’s CAPEX and increase subscriber QoE".
 
See "Movik Introduces REACH™ Architecture, the Foundation of the Intelligent RAN" - here.

TM Forum's “Real-Time Charging for High Volume Mobile Data" Architecture to be Exposed

 
MATRIXX Software announces it will 'demonstrate a TM Forum Catalyst project at Management World 2012 to show how mobile broadband data traffic can be cost-effectively monetized .. The project, called “Real-Time Charging for High Volume Mobile Data" will demonstrate how high volumes of data traffic being driven by Smartphones and tablets can be profitably handled by Communications Service Providers (CSPs)"

".. The Catalyst project is championed by France Telecom-Orange and includes participants Capgemini, DigitalRoute and Vedicis .. Demonstrating a new reference architecture for integrated DPI, policy and online charging, the project offers new opportunities for carriers to reduce OPEX, monetize broadband with tiered services, and create interactive customer experiences".

According to the TM Forum project page (here) the project "demonstrates real time user feedback and policy enforcement on user mobile data consumption that integrates innovative solutions covering:

• Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) and Deep Packets Inspection (DPI) for user bandwidth control, usage metering and APPs classification
   
• Active mediation and Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for portal integration, multi network and policy orchestration
    
• Online Charging System for customer and offer management

With the following Demonstration Scenarios:

• Scenario 1 – User once authenticated on the portal, accesses contents and follow his consumption in real time on the web portal or the Smartphone application.
   
• Scenario 2 – User is notified when his quota is over, he can purchase in real time data package, within the same session.

See "MATRIXX Software demonstrates mobile data Catalyst project at Management World 2012" - here.

[Update 52: Volubill-Ipoque] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

   
Volubill and ipoque announced that "..the companies have partnered to provide PCRF and PCEF solutions for fixed and mobile operators. The partnership will create a best-of-breed solution that gives network operators a better understanding of network traffic required to deliver more dynamic and contextualized data service plans .. Volubill's VBS policy and charging control is integrated with ipoque PRX Traffic Manager for Policy Enforcement .. The pre-integrated solution, which is already integrated within key Volubill and ipoque customer accounts".

The DPI-PCRF matrix (here) was updated, and now includes ipoque as a DPI vendor. The company updated me that in addition to Volubill, they also interoperate with Comverse (related post - here), and "..there will likely be two to three more announced within the next couple of months".

See "Volubill and ipoque Partner to Deliver Real-Time Policy Management and Policy Enforcement Engine for Communications Service Providers" - here.

[Update 51: Procera Integrates with Aptilo and Tibco; Joint Customer Tests with BroadHop ] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

Procera Networks announced "the availability of its 3GPP Interoperability Laboratory in Malmo, Sweden. The lab provides an environment for Procera’s Professional Services Team to aid its customers to rapidly test new personalized services using the 3GPP PCC Ecosystem, focusing on interaction between PCEF, PCRF and OCS systems".

The release presents two new PCC eco-system partners - Aptilo and Tibco (former Kabira product - here), as well as an existing one - BroadHop (here). My interoperability matrix (here) was updated to reflect the new relations.

Ian Campbell (pictured), CTO of BroadHop said: "BroadHop and Procera have successfully completed several joint customer IOTs of our flagship PacketLogic and Quantum Network Suite solutions"

See "Procera Networks Unveils Personalized Services Interoperability Lab for Network Operators" - here.

Resource: Diameter Gy Interface Tutorial

     
If you found the 3GPP Gx tutorial interesting (here), you probably want to learn also about its companion, Gy. Bart Barton explains Gy in his "LTE and Beyond" blog.

"Gy is between Online Charging System (OCS) and PCEF. In most cases PCEF is based inside PDN GW (Packed Data Network Gateway) or just short PGW. Gy interface allows online credit control for service data flow based charging"

See "Gy interface - sitting between OCS and PCEF" - here.

Resource: Diameter Gx Interface Tutorial

   
If you need to better understand 3GPP's "LTE, 4G, MME, PGW, SGW, Interfaces and beyond" visit Bart Barton's "LTE and Beyond" blog.

 

His recent post covers the Gx signaling protocol - "The Gx reference point is used for provisioning and removal of Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rules from the PCRF to the PCEF and the transmission of traffic plane events from the PCEF to the PCRF. The Gx reference point can be used for charging control, policy control or both by applying AVPs relevant to the application",

See "Gx interface - sitting between PCRF and PCEF" - here.

Resource: Overview of PCRF

  

A very-well articulated general overview of PCRF and its Gx interface with PCEF presented by Chris Reece from LTE University.

See "EPC Overview Extended Edition: PCRF" - here.

Volubill: "We have chosen to restructure our product suites"

 

Yesterday I reported Volubill's launch of new PCRF and PCEF product lines (here). As Volubill already had such products before the announcement, I asked the vendor for clarification.

The response I got is as follows:

 

".. having sold CHARGE-IT (our charging solution), and CONTROL-IT (our policy solution), for the last 3 years, we have had lots of opportunity to work with our customers to figure out what works and what doesn’t work in terms of structure, functionality etc. It’s also provided 3 years for the market to shake itself down and for the telcos to gain a clearer picture of what they want to buy, in order to solve specific problems, and how they want to buy it. In addition to this, Volubill’s USP is that the company bridges the business and network. We wanted to better communicate this value proposition. 
 Based on these decisions, Volubill has chosen to restructure our product suites to create a more definitive split between a business and network focus. The new product suites VBS and VNS will incorporate our solutions as follows: 

• VBS (Volubill Business System) will incorporate Volubill Policy Manager and Volubill Converged Charging.
    
• VNS (Volubill Network System) will incorporate Core Controller, PCEF, DPI etc.

Volubill Announces new PCRF and 47 Gbps PCEF/DPI System

      

Volubill launched "Volubill Business System (VBS) and Volubill Network System (VNS). Two integrated policy management, enforcement and real-time charging systems for communications service providers (CSPs), which will allow business decision makers greater control in the creation and management of new mobile data pricing strategies within increasingly complex networks".

• VBS is a policy and charging control system, also available in two separate modules - VBS Policy Manager and VBS Convergent Charging.

• VNS (datasheet - here) is a ".. high-capacity 3GPP PCEF compliant system in respect to service flow detection, user plane traffic handling, triggering control plane session management, QoS handling and service data flow management".

  
  The product's DPI function supports "Protocol detection of over 1000 protocols and applications".

Hardware and performance data are:

See "Volubill Unveils Business and Network solutions for Service Provider Policy Management and Charging" - here.

ALU Positions the 7750-SR as a DPI based Mobile Application Assurance Gateway

    

Alcatel-Lucent published a new, very detailed, application note (here), presenting its 7750 Service Router (known by many as an access router for fixed networks) as a mobile gateway, with DPI capabilities and PCRF control.

This is direct competition to Cisco's ASR-5000 "inline services" (here) and Ericsson's SSR (here).

The note focuses on the merits of using DPI ("L4-L7 DPI") in a mobile service and presenting the 7750 as a PCEF working in conjunction with ALU's 5780 PCRF (covered here) and a mobile gateway supporting "Mobile Application Assurance (AA)".

"Mobile AA leverages MG-ISM hardware capability to identify different network applications by comparing traffic patterns extracted from real-time, stateful traffic inspection of traffic payload against a library of digital signatures, which is kept locally on the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 SR Mobile Gateway. Once a particular network application is identified, the MG-ISM can promptly perform additional actions in accordance with policies that are locally configured on the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 SR Mobile Gateway".

DPI Announcements: Vedicis Adds OEM Policy Control S/W Platform

   

Vedicis targets the OEM market, in addtion to end-cusotmer solutions. The vendor announced "the release of its new Open Traffic Management Software platform. Built upon its DPI-PCEF solution [See "Vedicis' DPI Based PCEF" - here] this new platform is designed for vendors and telecom system integrators who intend to propose a full end-to-end Policy Control & Charging solution to Mobile and Fixed operators .. the Vedicis Open Traffic Management Software platform delivers advanced PCEF features with Applications/protocols/content and user control with bandwidth steering, and volume metering .. in a full software package aimed at deployment on Intel based systems (Blades or 2U servers) and ATCA hardware". 

See "Vedicis unveils its new software platform for end-to-end Policy Control & Charging solutions" - here.

DPI Announcements: Qosmos and 6WIND Offer Integrated OEM Solution

    

Qosmos and 6WIND announced "a technology partnership between the two companies. With tight integration between the companies’ products, network equipment providers can add Qosmos’ real-time NI capabilities and 6WIND’s advanced, multicore packet acceleration to their solutions .. Networking applications such as intrusion prevention and detection systems, mobile video compression, and 4G policy and charging enforcement (PCEF) require advanced DPI technology accelerated by high-performance packet processing. These functions need to be performed at wire-speed (10Gbps or 40Gbps today, with higher speeds in the future), requiring the use of highly-integrated solutions optimized for system-level performance".

See "Qosmos and 6WIND Partner on High-Performance Real-Time Network Intelligence Solutions" - here. 

See also "DPI Announcements: Continuous Computing Packages Qosmos, 6WIND and Wind River Packet Processing" - here.

DPI Announcements: Vedicis' DPI Based PCEF

 

Vedicis announced this month the ".. launch of its policy and charging enforcement solution for Mobile and fixed telecom operators. This software DPI – PCEF delivers policy control for user profile enforcement and real time charging to create usage-based service billing .. Vedicis Content Policy & Charging Enforcer identifies user traffic type and applications, enforces usage policies (access to services, bandwidth limitations…) from the policy server and trigger real time charging from the charging solution (quota, top-up offer…)."

See the vendors' news section - here. There aren’t too many details on the product itself, such as performance, H/W or PCRF interoperability.

Vedicis "provides policy enforcement and traffic intelligence solutions for telecom carriers to manage and monetize broadband for better user experience and new revenue streams .. [and] is headquartered in Paris, France".

The company lists Qosmos in its partners page (here).- a year ago Qosmos announced that "Vedicis chooses Qosmos for converged policy and traffic management solutions" (here) - see also a video interview with Vedicis CEO, Theodore Martin - here.
 

 

Blog News: Permanent Link to the PCRF-PCEF Compatibility Matrix

Due to the popularity of the PCRF-PCEF (DPI) Compatibility Matrix, I added a permanent link, just below the header, providing direct access to the most recent revision of the table (see below).

  

See also a recent piece by Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, LightReading - "Who Is Packing a PCRF?" - here (note the comment made by Ray referencing to my table - thanks, Ray).

[Update 28: Allot - Openet] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

     

Allot and Openet announced PCRF-PCEF interoperability, reflected now in the table below.

See "Allot and Openet Partner to Provide Innovative Online Policy Management Solutions for Mobile Broadband" - here (Allot) and here (Openet).  

“This alliance allows Allot and Openet to enable operators to provide even more highly personalized services,” said Apollo Guy, global VP of business and market development for Openet. “With this joint solution, sophisticated policy capabilities will help solve network congestion issues [see "'Cell Congestion Management Solutions from Openet and Sycamore" - here] and enhance the subscriber experience. This is the ultimate goal of all operators, and this partnership provides industry-leading policy capabilities to address their most pressing needs.”

See also "Openet: Recent Trends in Policy Management" - here

PCRF Vendor	PCRF Product	Allot	Arbor	Cisco	Procera	Sandvine
Alcatel-Lucent	5780 Dynamic Services Controller (DSC)					●
Alepo	3GPP Policy and Charging Rules Function
Aptilo Networks	4G service management platform
Aradial Technologies	Aradial Mobile/APC	●		●
BandWD	BwDRC - Dynamic Resource Control	●		●		●
Bridgewater Systems	Policy Controller/PCRF	●	●	●		●
Broadhop	Quantum Policy Server	●	●	●	●
Comability	ComAbility neXus			●
Comptel	Comptel Policy Control™			●	●
Cisco (Starent)	Policy and Charging Control
Digital Route	MediationZone Policy Control
EliteCore – NetVertex	Netvertex (PCRF)
Ericsson	Service-Aware Policy Controller (SAPC)
Flash Networks	POLICY MANAGER
FTS	Leap™ Policy Control	●		●		●
HP	HP Subscriber, Network and Application Policy	●
Huawei	Open Control & Charging Gateway	●
Kabira (Tibco software)	Policy Server			●
Mobixell (724)	X-treme  Framework Platform (XF)	●		●
Nokia Siemens Networks	PCS 5000	●		●		●
Openet	FusionWorks™ Policy Manager	●		●		●
Orga Systems	Next Generation Control Point
Redknee	Policy Manager (PCRF)			●		●
Roox	Smart Traffic Management
Tango Telecom	iAX™ Data
Tekelec (Camiant)	Multimedia Policy Engine	●	●	●	●	●
Telcordia	Telcordia Bandwidth Manager
Volubill	CONTROL-IT Policy Manager
ZTE	ZXUN RCP	●