2.17 Integrated Diameter Intelligence Hub (IDIH)

Integrated DIH is an integrated troubleshooting capability for the DSR that provides detailed information on how specific messages are processed within the DSR. Integrated DIH allows the user to create trace filters on DSR to capture messages needed for troubleshooting service issues, and presenting those traces to the user via the graphical visualization capabilities provided by IDIH. This feature provides the ability to configure and manage traces from the DSR, as well as filtering, viewing, and storing their results with IDIH.

Figure 2-67 IDIH Trace Data

The integration of trouble shooting capabilities into the DSR product provides a high value proposition for customers to be able to troubleshoot issues that might be identified with the Diameter traffic that transits the DSR. These troubleshooting capabilities can supplement other network monitoring functions provided by the customer’s OSS and network support centers to help to quickly pinpoint the root cause of signaling issues associated with connections, peer signaling nodes, or individual subscribers.

The capabilities provided by this feature are distributed between the DA-MP(s) and an instance of Integrated DIH. The DSR plays the role of determining which messages should be captured, based on trace criteria that are created and activated by the user. The trace criteria identifies the “scope” as well as the “content”. “Scope” refers to the non-protocol-related elements (such as connections or peers) that are used to select messages for trace content evaluation. “Content” refers to the protocol-related elements (such as command codes, AVPs, so on.) that are used to refine the trace criteria. Any trace filter, regardless of scope and content, can be defined as either a “site trace” or a “network trace”. A site trace is the default behavior. A network trace results in capturing TTRs that meet the trace filter criteria on any DA-MP within the network. As request and answer messages are processed by the DSR, they are analyzed for matching any of the active trace definitions, and if so, transfer message components along with supplemental information to the IDIH called trace data. A network trace also captures the path that both the Diameter request and answer take as they traverse through multiple DA-MPs within the network. The IDIH can assemble the trace data, and present it to the user leveraging graphical visualization interfaces for additional filtering and analysis. There are three options for then exporting the trace: export the TTR in HTML, export the TTR in PCAP, or export the trace in PCAP.

This feature provides the ability to manage the processing resources associated with capturing trace information as well as the bandwidth for communicating trace data between the DSR and IDIH so that it does not impact the rated signaling capacity of the DSR.

Figure 2-68 IDIH Visualization GUI