Adding a Connection

Use this task to create a new Connection. The fields and configuration considerations are described in Connection configuration elements.

  1. Select Diameter > Configuration > Connections.

    The Diameter > Configuration > Connections page appears.

  2. Click Insert.

    The Diameter > Configuration > Connections [Insert] page appears.

    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.

  3. Enter a unique name for the Connection in the Connection Name field.
  4. Select the radio button for either SCTP or TCP in the Transport Protocol field.

    The Transport Protocol that you select for your Connection must match the protocol supported by both the Local Node and the Peer Node for the Connection.

  5. Select a Local Node for the Connection from the pulldown list.

    The Local Node must use the same IP protocol as the Peer Node you select. If you do not see the Local Node you want to use, you might need to create a new Local Node. See Adding a Local Node.

  6. Select the Connection Mode for this Connection from the pulldown list. See Connection configuration elements.
  7. If you set up the Connection Mode for Initiator Only, you can optionally enter a Local Initiate Port number in the field.
  8. Select the Primary Local IP Address of this Connection from the pulldown list.
  9. If the Transport Protocol is set to SCTP, select the Secondary Local IP Address of this Connection from the pulldown list.
  10. Select a IPFE Initiator DAMP from the pulldown list.

    This step is only needed for IPFE Initiator connections.

  11. Select a Peer Node for the Connection from the pulldown list.

    Initiator port ranges are divided into user-assigned and DCL-assigned sub-ranges. Depending on the type of initiator connection, fixed or IPFE, there are two or more user/DCL sub-ranges. The Peer Node must use the same Transport Protocol as the Local Node that you selected. If you do not see the Peer Node you want to use, you might need to create a new Peer Node. See Adding a Peer Node.

    DCL (Diameter Transport Layer) is the software layer of the stack which implements diameter transport connections.

  12. Select the radio button for the type of Peer Node Identification to be used for this Connection.
  13. If needed, select the Primary Peer IP Address of this Connection from the Primary Peer IP Address pulldown list.
  14. If needed, select the Secondary Peer IP Address of this Connection from the Secondary Peer IP Address pulldown list.
  15. If needed, enter a Transport FQDN for this Connection.
  16. Select a Connection Configuration Set for this Connection from the pulldown list.
  17. If one is needed, select a CEX Configuration Set for this Connection from the pulldown list .
  18. If the Per Connection Ingress MPS Control feature is active in the system, select a Capacity Configuration Set for the Connection from the pulldown list.
  19. Specify the Transport Congestion Abatement Timeout.
  20. Select a Remote Busy Usage setting from the pulldown menu.
  21. If you selected Enabled or Host Override for Remote Busy Usage, set the Remote Busy Abatement Timeout value.
  22. Identify the source of Message Priorities for incoming requests by selecting a Message Priority Setting.
  23. If you selected User Configured as the Message Priority Setting, select a Message Priority Configuration Set from the pulldown menu.
  24. If you want this Connection to be a test Connection, click the Test Mode check box (the box is checked).
  25. Click:
    • OK to save the data and return to the Diameter > Configuration > Connections page.
    • Apply to save the data and remain on this page.
    • Cancel to return to the Diameter > Configuration > Connections page without saving any changes.

    If OK or Apply is clicked, and any of the following conditions exists (which includes some of the considerations in the Connection Capacity Validation section [Connection Capacity Validation]), an error message or warning message appears:
    • The maximum number of Connections per Network Element already exists in the system. The maximum number is the lesser of:
      • 12,000
      • The sum of the Maximum Connections allowed for all DA-MPs. See the MP Profiles information in Diameter Common User's Guide.
    • The maximum number of Connections per Peer Node (64) already exists in the system
    • Any required field is empty; no value was entered or selected
    • The entry in any field is not valid (wrong data type or out of the valid range)
    • The Connection Name is not unique; it already exists in the system
    • A selected pulldown list entry no longer exists (has been deleted by another user)
    • The selected Transport Protocol is not supported by the selected Local Node or Peer Node
    • The Connection Mode is set to Initiator Only or Initiator & Responder, a Peer IP Address is not selected, and a Primary DNS Server IP Address is not configured
    • The Connection Mode is set to Initiator Only or Initiator & Responder, and the selected Local IP Address (or pair for Multi-homing), Local Initiate Port, and Transport Protocol combination is the same as the Local IP Address (or pair for Multi-homing), Listen Port, and Transport Protocol combination of one of the Local Nodes
    • The Connection Mode is set to Initiator Only or Initiator & Responder, and the selected Local IP Address (or pair for Multi-homing), Local Initiate port, and Transport Protocol combination is the same as the Local IP Address (or pair for Multi-homing) and Local Initiate port combination of another Connection
    • For Uni-homed and Multi-homed Connections with various Connection Mode and Peer Node Identification combinations, the element combinations that must be unique are not unique (see the Connection Mode element description in Connection configuration elements)
    • The selected Primary and Secondary Local IP Addresses and the selected Primary and Secondary Peer IP Addresses are not all of same type (IPv4 or IPv6)
    • The Peer Node Identification is set to IP Address and no IP Address has been selected
    • The Peer Node Identification is set to Transport FQDN and no Transport FQDN has been specified
    • Two IP addresses that are equal have been configured for either the Local IP Addresses or Peer IP Addresses.
    • The Connection that is being added is a non-IPFE Connection and uses a Capacity Configuration Set with a non-zero Reserved Ingress MPS value and the addition of the new Connection would cause the MP server that hosts the Connection to have Reserved Ingress MPS totaling more than the MP Server's Engineered Ingress MPS capacity. See the MP Profiles information in Diameter Common User's Guide.
    • The Connection that is being added is a non-IPFE Connection and its addition would exceed the maximum number of Connections supported by the MP server that owns the specified Local IP Address(es). See the MP Profiles information in Diameter Common User's Guide.
    • The Connection Mode is set to Initiator & Responder or Responder Only, the Transport Protocol is set to SCTP, the SCTP Listen Port matches the SCTP Listen Port of a Local Node used in another Initiator & Responder or Responder Only Connection and the Local IP Address conflicts with the Local IP Address of that other Connection.
    • The maximum number of Test Connections (2) already exists in the system
    If OK or Apply is clicked, and the following condition exists, the indicated Warning appears:
    • Two IP Addresses have been configured for the Local Node and only one IP Address is configured for the Peer Node

      Warning - " It is recommended that a Secondary IP address also be configured for the Peer Node. The Peer's Secondary IP address is used as a fallback for the initiation of the SCTP Connection establishment if the Peer's Primary IP address is unreachable, and for the validation of the IP addresses advertised by the Peer in the INIT/INIT_ACK SCTP chunk."

  26. Use the Enabling Connections procedure to enable the new Connection.
Parent topic: Connection configuration