An Access Point Name (APN) is a unique Packet Data network
identifier. The PCA uses configured Access Point Names to validate APN entries
received in Diameter signaling, and to apply appropriate Stale Session Timeout
values during database audits.
PCRF pool selection allows the APN used by the UE to
connect to the network is used to determine the PCRF pool. This allows multiple
bindings to exist for a single IMSI, one for each PCRF pool. The Origin-Host of
the PCEF sending the CCR-I can then be used to select a PCRF sub-pool. Each APN
is mapped to a PCRF Pool designated to manage policy bindings originated from
that APN. In addition, a stale session timeout is assigned to the APN to
control how long a session from the APN can remain idle before being subject to
audit.
When an APN entry is added, new bindings from that APN are
routed to a PCRF in the specified PCRF Pool (or a Sub-Pool if a matching PCRF
Sub-Pool Selection Rule also exists). When an APN is mapped to a PCRF Pool
using the Access Point Names screen, a check is performed to determine if the
selected PCRF Pool is configured with a PRT mapping at each site. If at least
one site does not have a mapping for the selected PCRF Pool, a confirmation
dialog displays a warning as follows:
- If a PCRF Pool is not mapped to a PRT table for a site,
a confirmation dialog is displayed on the APN GUI warning that Site
X does not have a mapping defined for
this PCRF Pool. You can choose to continue, but with the knowledge that a call
might fail at that site if a binding-capable session initiation request arrives
with an APN that is mapped to that PCRF Pool.
- If a site cannot be reached due to network errors, a
confirmation dialog is displayed on the APN GUI warning that it cannot be
determined whether Site
X has a mapping defined for this PCRF
Pool. You can choose to continue, but with the knowledge that a call might fail
at that site if a binding-capable session initiation request arrives with an
APN that is mapped to that PCRF Pool.
Single PCRF pool support is achieved by using the default
pool, with all APNs mapped to that pool. This results in all bindings pointing
to a single PCRF Pool.
If an APN is successfully deleted from the NOAMP GUI, the
entry is internally marked as retired. Retired entries are not displayed on the
GUI, but cannot be removed from the internal tables because that APN could
still be referenced by any number of bindings. If you add a new APN with the
same name as one that has been retired, the record comes out of retirement, but
with the PCRF Pool and Stale Session Lifetime configured when the record was
re-added.
The fields are described in
Access Point Names elements.
On the
screen on the Active NOAM, you can perform a
variety of actions:
- Filter the list of Access Point Names, to display only
the desired Access Point Names.
- Sort the list entries in ascending or descending order
by Access Point Names or by Stale Session Timeout, by clicking the column
heading. By default, the list is sorted by Access Point Names in ascending
numerical order.
- Work with PCRF Pool Names and Sub-Pools for PDRA APNs.
- Configure settings for Per IMSI Session Limiting.
- Click
Insert.
You can add a new Access Point Name. See
Inserting Access Point Names.
If the maximum number of Access Point Names (2500) already exists in the
system, the
screen will not open, and an error
message is displayed.
- Select an
Access Point Name in the list, and
click
Edit.
You can edit the selected Access Point Name. See
Editing Access Point Names.
- Select an
Access Point Name in the list, and
click
Delete to remove the selected
Access Point Name. See
Deleting an Access Point Name.
On the
screen on the SOAM, you can view the configured
Access Point Names, and perform the several actions:
- Filter the list of Access Point Names, to display only
the desired Access Point Names.
- Sort the list entries in ascending or descending order
by Access Point Names or by Stale Session Timeout, by clicking the column
heading. By default, the list is sorted by Access Point Names in ascending
numerical order.
