Mediation overview

Diameter Mediation helps to solve interoperability issues. Mediation software uses rules to manipulate the header and Attribute-Value Pairs (AVP) in an incoming routable message. When data in the message matches specified condition(s) at a specified point in the message header, then rules are enacted to reroute the message..

Note:

When activated, the Mediation folder and a Rules Template sub-folder appear under Diameter in the left-hand GUI menu. For more information on how to activate the feature, see the Mediation Feature Activation Procedure.

A rule template defines the conditions that must match in a message and the actions applied to reroute the message.

• A condition defines the part of the message used in the comparison, an operator for the type of comparison, and a type that must match in the message part. Up to five (5) conditions in the same rule template are collectively referred to as a Condition Set. The Condition Set can use AND, OR, or it can apply user specified Complex Expression for comparison.
• An action can add, alter, or delete AVPs; and modify the message header Version, Command-Code, or Application-ID Diameter components. Two or more Actions in a Rule Template are collectively referred to as an Action Set.

A Rule Set is generated by moving the rule template to a test or active status (conditions and the actions can be provisioned in one or more rules in the rule set as described in Rule Sets).

Rule sets can be associated with pre-defined Request or Answer Trigger Points in the message processing logic. When a message reaches a Trigger point and the Condition Set in an associated Rule Set is met, the Action set for that Rule Set is applied to the message. The changes to the message content can result in modifying the message behavior and routing decision at that Trigger point. The available Diameter Mediation Triggers Points are described in Triggers.

A designed Meta-Administrator can use the Rules Template and other GUI pages to perform the following tasks:

• Create, modify, delete, copy, import, and export Rule Sets as described in Rules Template.
• Add help text to a Rule Template; the help text is available for the Rule Set generated from the Rule Template as described in Rules Template.
• Change the state of a Rule Template as described in State and Properties:
• Set the Action Error Handling property of a Rule Set as described in State and Properties.
• Enable the Status of Rule Counters to display the Rule Counters as described in State and Properties.
• Import previously exported Rule Templates as described in State and Properties.
• Add, edit, and delete a rule to a Rule Set and provision the actual data used by the rule in the message matching process as described in Rule Sets.
• Import/Export Rules provisioned in the rule templates in the Test or Active State as described in Rule Sets.
• Associate Rule Sets with Triggers and remove Rule Set associations with Triggers as described in Triggers.
• View, create, edit, and delete the Internal Variables used in the rules as described in Internal Variables.
• View, create, edit, and delete the Enumeration types used in the rules as described in Enumerations.
• View, create, edit, and delete the Vendors-specific AVPs used in Rule Templates as described in the Diameter User's Guide.
• Test a Rule Set.

The designed Rule Set Administrator can perform the following tasks:

• Add a rule to a Rule Set, and provision the actual data that used by the rule in the message matching process as described in Rule Sets.
• Edit and delete rules in Rule Sets as described in Rule Sets.
• Delete Rule Sets as described in Rule Sets.
• Change the state of a Rule Template as described in Rules Template.
• Set the Action Error Handling property of a Rule Set as described in Rule Sets.
• Test a Rule Set.

  A Diagnostics Tool is available at the SOAM that allows one to test Mediation rules before exposing the Mediation rules to live traffic. . The Diagnostics Tool logs the rules applied, Actions taken, and other diagnostics information when a test message is processed into the system. The tool generates traffic and sends Diameter messages on a test connection. As a test message traverses the system, the application logic generates diagnostics messages at Trigger points. View the diagnostics log reports in the Diameter > Reports > Diagnostics Tool page as described in the Diameter User's Guide.

• Associate Rule Sets with Triggers, and remove Rule Set associations with Triggers, as described in Triggers.
• Import previously exported Rule Templates as described in State and Properties.
• View the Internal Variables used in the rules as described in Internal Variables.
• View the Enumeration types in the rules as described in Enumerations.
• View the Vendors used in Rule Templates as described in Rules Template.