The flexibility of the Diameter product results in many possible configurations for IP networking. This section focuses on IP network configurations that separate OAM functions from signaling functions such that signaling can continue to function normally if the OAM network is somehow disabled.
IP traffic is divided into categories called “Services”. For each Service, a network can be specified for both intra- and inter- Network Element IP traffic. Table 1 illustrates a possible Services configuration for enabling signaling traffic from OAM traffic. In Table 1, there are two physical networks, one for OAM traffic and one for signaling traffic. The signaling network is divided into two VLANs for separation of Diameter signaling from C-level replication and stack event signaling.
The OAM network is divided into intra-NE and inter-NE networks. Both signaling and OAM networks include a secondary path for HA heart-beating. (The secondary path for HA heart-beating was added to improve robustness for HA heart-beating going across WANs.) The primary path for HA heart-beating is always the same as the network used for replication.
| Traffic Type | Service Name | Intra-NE Network | Inter-NE Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signaling Traffic | |||
| Diameter signaling | Signaling | Signaling VLAN 5 | Signaling VLAN 5 |
| Stack events sent between DA-MPs, between DA-MPs and SBRs, and between SBRs | ComAgent | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |
| Replication of data among DA-MPs | Replication_MP | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |
| Replication of data among SBRs | Replication_MP | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |
| HA Heartbeating among SBRs (Primary Path) | Replication_MP | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |
| HA Heartbeating among DA-MPs (Primary Path) | Replication_MP | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |
| HA Heartbeating among SBRs (Secondary Path) | HA_MP_Secondary | OAM VLAN 3 | OAM VLAN 3 |
| HA Heartbeating among DA-MPs (Secondary Path) | HA_MP_Secondary | OAM VLAN 3 | OAM VLAN 3 |
| OAM Traffic | |||
| Replication of configuration data from NOAMs to SOAMs and from SOAMs to MPs | Replication | IMI | OAM VLAN 3 |
| Merging of measurements, events, and alarms from MPs to SOAMs and from SOAMs to NOAMs | Replication | IMI | OAM VLAN 3 |
| SNMP traps | Replication | IMI | OAM VLAN 3 |
| SOAP Signaling | OAM | IMI | OAM VLAN 3 |
| File Transfers to/from the File Management Area | OAM | IMI | |
| HA Heartbeating among OAM servers (Primary Path) | Replication | IMI | OAM VLAN 3 |
| HA Heartbeating among OAM servers (Secondary Path) | HA_Secondary | Signaling VLAN 4 | Signaling VLAN 4 |