IPFE Connections and Capacity Validation

You can perform these tasks on an Active System OAM (SOAM).

IPFE Connections

IPFE supports the following connection types:

• Initiator only - indicates that Local Node only initiates the connection to the Peer Nodes.
• Responder only - indicates that Local Node only responds to the connection initiated from the Peer Node.
• Initiator & Responder - indicates that Local Node initiates the connection in addition to responding to connections initiated from the Peer Node.

Note:

Only IPFE Diameter connections are supported at this time.

Fixed connections are configured with a static DA-MP IP address, where the connections are established on a specific DA-MP.

IPFE Initiator connections, the target set address, is the source address. It provides additional flexibility in assigning and using IP address efficiently in your configuration.

The default is Initiator & Responder provides additional flexibility and allows you to use any port within a configurable range on any DA-MP within a TSA to initiate 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 floating IPFE) and the selection method (user-configured or system-selected).

Note:

When overall connection counts are calculated, RADIUS connections are treated like fixed connections.

Port ranges for IPFE initiator connections are 1024-49151. You cannot configure a port range outside of this range; the GUI generates a message and corresponding explanation.

Port ranges for floating IPFE responder connections are 1024-49151.

Note:

You cannot select a port value for IPFE responder, as diameter does not initiate these types of connections.

Port ranges for IPFE initiator and responder connections are 1024-49151 and are fully utilizable by initiator and responder connections. The port range management (port broker) functionality manages ports, which avoids conflicts across Initiator and Responder connections. Only one initiator and responder connection per Diameter Peer Node is supported.

Note:

Port Number flexibility combines the Responder and Initiator Port Ranges into one large port range. It also eliminates per DA-MP port ranges and port ranges set aside for user input or DCL.

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 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 displays, 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 displays 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 displays.

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 Functions.