Connection configuration

A connection provides the reliable transport connectivity between Diameter nodes.

A connection:

Can use the SCTP or TCP transport protocol
Can be configured to initiate or respond to a connection to the Peer Diameter Node

For a given Peer Node, one Connection can be configured for each local IP Address/Transport/Listen Port combination. For example, if there is a Local Node that supports two IP Addresses then you can configure two SCTP Connections for the Peer Node - one for each Local Node IP Address and Listen Port.

On the Diameter > Configuration > Connections page, you can perform the following actions:

Filter the list of Connections to display only the desired Connections.
Sort the list by a column in ascending or descending order, by clicking the column heading. The default order is by Connection Name in ascending ASCII order.
Click a field that is shown in blue for a Connection. The blue fields are links to the configuration pages for those types of items.

The Diameter > Configuration > {Item Type} (Filtered) page appears for the selected type of item.
Click Insert.

The Diameter >Configuration > Connections [Insert] page appears. You can add a new Connection.
The Diameter > Configuration > Connections [Insert] will not open if any of the following conditions exist:
- There is no Local Node in the signaling Network Element (NE) to which the Connection can be assigned.
- There is no Peer Node in the signaling Network Element (NE) to which the Connection can be assigned.
Select a "Disabled" Connection, and click Edit.

The Diameter > Configuration > Connections [Edit] page appears. You can change the configuration of the selected Connection.

If the selected Connection is not in the "Disabled" Admin State, the Diameter > Configuration > Connections [Edit] page will not open.
Note: For information on disabling a Connection, see Disabling Connections.
Select a "Disabled" Connection, and click Delete to delete the Connection.

IPFE Initiator Connections

IPFE supports the following diameter connection types:

Responder only
Initiator only

Fixed connections are configured with a static DA-MP IP address, where the connections are established through and bound to the DA-MP. For IPFE Initiator connections, the target set address is the source address. This provides additional flexibility in assigning and using IP address efficiently in your configuration. Generally, diameter server connections are configured as IPFE Initiator only connections. IPFE connections are configured with a public TSA IP address and a static listening port, and IPFE Initiator connections are configured with a static initiator DA-MP and a public TSA IP address and a user-selected or automatically selected static initiator port. The IPFE Initiator port range division depends on the connection type (fixed or IPFE) and the selection method (user-configured or system-selected).

Port ranges for fixed (DA-MP) initiator connections are as follows:

Range for user-configured connections: 16384-24575

Range for system-selected connections: 24576-49151

Port ranges for IPFE initiator connections are 16384-49151. You cannot configure a port range outside of this range; the GUI generates a message and corresponding explanation.

Connection Capacity Validation

The Connection Capacity Validation function validates and limits the configuration of Diameter Connections, to better ensure that the configuration does not violate the Connection Count or Reserved Ingress MPS capacity limitations of the DA-MP servers that handle Connections in real time.

Note: All message types contribute to the ingress MPS rate of the connection. However, only routable request messages are subject to discard or reject actions.

Validation of the number of Connections and of Reserved Ingress MPS occurs in response to the following changes to the configuration of Connections and Capacity Configuration Sets. Such changes reduce the available Connection capacity of a DSR and must be validated before they can be allowed. (Actions that increase Connection capacity rather than reduce it do not require validation.)

Adding a new Connection
Editing or replacing an existing Connection's assigned Capacity Configuration Set (where Reserved Ingress MPS value is specified)
Removing an IPFE Initiator DA-MP from its parent Server Group
Removing a DA-MP from an IPFE Target Set or adding a DA-MP to an IPFE Target Set
Moving a Fixed Connection to a new DA-MP
Moving IPFE Initiator Connection support to a new Target Set
Converting a Fixed Connection to IPFE Initiator Connection support, or vice versa
Assigning a different MP Profile to a configured DA-MP

An error is displayed, stating the reason, when the validation determines that performing the configuration action would cause over-configuration of Connections or Reserved Ingress MPS in a DA-MP or Target Set, or that a configuration action cannot be performed for another reason such as no MP Profile assigned to the subject DA-MP.

A warning is displayed when the validation cannot determine whether the configuration action would cause over-configuration of Connections or Reserved Ingress MPS in a DA-MP or Target Set.

If an error and a warning could apply, the error is displayed.

If a Responder Only connection is created without a Peer Node IP Address and Transport FQDN is selected, Transport FQDN is required even though it is not applicable.

The Diameter > Configuration > Connection Capacity Dashboard page displays the current Connection Count and Reserved Ingress MPS data per DA-MP. The page functions and contents are described in Connection Capacity Dashboard Page.