1. Cloud Native Core Release Notice
  2. Feature Descriptions

2 Feature Descriptions

This chapter provides a summary of each feature released in Cloud Native features release 2.3.1.

Binding Support Function (BSF)

Binding Support Function (BSF) 1.6.0 has below enhancements:
  • XFCC Header Support: With this enhancement, support for BSF as a producer has been added, to check, if SCP which has sent the HTTP request is the same proxy consumer or client, which is expected to send a HTTP2 request. This is achieved by comparing the FQDN of SCP present in the “x-forwarded-client-cert” (XFCC) of http2 header, with the FQDN of the SCPs configured in BSF. For more information on configurable parameters for XFCC header, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function Installation Guide.
  • Aspen Service Mesh Integration: The Aspen Service Mesh integration supports inter-NF communication. The service mesh integration supports the services by deploying a special sidecar proxy in the environment to intercept all network communication between microservices. For more information, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function Installation Guide.
  • OSO Integration: BSF supports OSO integration. For more information on integrating BSF with OSO, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function Installation Guide.
  • Automated Test Suite for BSF: BSF supports Automated Test Suite. For more information, see Automated Testing Suite Guide.
  • Enabling GUI and REST to configure Diameter Settings and Peer Nodes: New GUI configurations and REST APIs have been added to configure Diameter Settings and Peer Nodes. For more information on GUI configurations, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function User's Guide and for REST APIs, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function REST Specification Guide.
  • CNCC Integration with BSF: BSF is now integrated with CNC Console. For more information on integrating BSF with CNC Console, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Binding Support Function User's Guide.

Cloud Native Environment (CNE)

Cloud Native Environment (CNE) 1.7.0 provides the following major features in this release:
  • CNE Sizing and Performance: Pre-deployment sizing for OC-CNE virtualized nodes and improved log file management has been introduced in this release. Refer to OCCNE Installation Guide for more information.
  • TLS Support for Cross-Site Replication: DBTier supports manual procedures to configure TLS for cross-site replication using customer-provided keys. Refer to DBTier User Guide for more information.

Cloud Native Diameter Routing Agent (CnDRA)

There are no new features or updates implemented in CNC 2.3.1 release.

Cloud Native Core Console

Cloud-Native Core Console (CNCC) 1.4.0 has been updated with the following enhancements::
  • Support for Common NF Requirements: Container naming convention is followed in CNCC IAM and CNCC Core helm charts
  • Integration with Aspen service mesh 1.5.7
  • Integration with CnDBTier for validation of CNCC functionality
  • BSF Support - CNCC has enabled BSF GUI, the operator can now perform BSF configurations using CNCC
  • Metrics enhancements to define CNCC specific metrics, KPIs and grafana dashboard
  • Support OCCNE 1.7.0: Validation of CNCC functionality with OCCNE 1.7.0
  • Troubleshooting Tools Container Support: Debug Tool provides third party troubleshooting tools for debugging the runtime issues for lab and production environment. Following are the available tools:
    • tcpdump
    • ip
    • netstat
    • curl
    • ping
    • nmap
    • dig
Refer to CNCC Installation Guide for more information.
  • Support the latest version of NFs:
    • SCP 1.9.0
    • NRF 1.9.0
    • UDR 1.9.0
    • POLICY 1.9.0
    • BSF 1.6.0

CNC NF Data Collector

Cloud Native Core Network Function Data Collector Tool 1.2.0 has below enhancements:

  • Updated content about how to read SCP logs, metrics, and traces inclusion filter keywords. For more information, see the "Appendices" section in the Cloud Native Core Network Function Data Collector User's Guide.
  • Updated helm 3 commands in the procedures to execute the NF Deployment Data Collector Module and to export and load the NF Logs, Metrics, Traces, and Alerts data. For more information, see the Cloud Native Core Network Function Data Collector User's Guide.
  • Added a new section to explain the sequence of tasks to execute the NF Logs, Metrics, Traces, Alerts Data Collector Module. For more information, see the "Execute the NF Logs, Metrics, Traces, Alerts Data Collector Module" section in the Cloud Native Core Network Function Data Collector User's Guide.
  • Added a new section about how to transfer the data collected by Exporter utility. For more information, see the "Transferring the Data Collected by Exporter Utility" section in the Cloud Native Core Network Function Data Collector User's Guide.

Cloud Native Core Policy (CNC Policy)

Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy (CNC Policy) 1.9.0 has below enhancements:

  • Dynamic variable write on Nudr: This feature enables the operator to save Subscriber State information to UDR from the policy product. The architecture and design is flexible enough to support writing the data to a given data-blob in the UDR. For more information, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide and Policy Design Guide.
  • NF Name in all metrics: Policy solution now allows you to use NF FQDN as a parameter in all metrics that are reported with NFInstanceId. This helps to understand the reported data better and in a more readable way in the metrics for the operator, achieve consistency across NF for metrics ,KPI names and defining filters. A new tag, nf_name, has been added in the metrics to implement this. For updated CNC Policy Metrics, see Cloud Native Core Policy Metrics in Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide.
  • Phase- 2 of "Retry On Alternate SCP, Producer and Consumer": Session Retry feature introduced in Release 1.8.0 has been enhanced in this release to include retry on NRF, AMF, AF/NEF and not selecting the producer/consumer when retry after header is present in the previous response. To implement this enhancement, new parameters, “Retry Profile for Initial Messages” and “Retry Profile for Subsequent Messages” have been added for SM service and User Connector service. For more information on these parameters, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide.
  • Manually Delete Session from Policy: Policy solution enhances its existing query service to allow operators to delete session(s) for a subscriber manually using the Session Viewer screen on CNC Console. For more information, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide.
  • Consistent Logging level configuration: Policy solution now supports configuration of consistent log level for different Policy services through Cloud Native Core Console and REST API. For more information about configuring through CNC console, see Configuring Consistent Level Configuration section in Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide. For more information, about configuring through REST API, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy REST API Specification document.
  • Asynchronized access to Nchf: Policy solution now supports asynchronized access of subscriber related information from data sources like CHF. For more information, see Asynchronized access to Nchf section in Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy User's Guide.
  • Integrated with cnDBTier: Policy solution is now integrated with cnDBTier 1.6.0.0.1 and supports OSO 1.6.1 and 1.7.0 for common operation services on a previously installed Kubernetes cluster. For more information, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy Installation Guide.
  • Helm Test Support: Policy solution is now integrated with helm test application. To implement this, a new docker image, oc-helm-test has been added. For more information, see Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Policy Installation Guide.

Inter-Working Function (IWF)

There are no new features or updates implemented in CNC 2.3.1 release.

Service Communication Proxy (SCP)

SCP 1.9.2 has been updated with the following enhancements:
  • Preventive Audit before Last NF Deletion: SCP can control NRF failure scenarios in the network by performing the preventive audit. This audit is performed with all the configured regional NRFs before removing the last NF instance of a particular NF type. If any NRF returns the success discovery response with NF profiles, SCP creates the routing rules based on the discovery response. SCP raises an alert to notify operators about such NRF failure scenarios. This feature uses the preventiveAuditOnLastNFInstanceDeletion flag defined under the global parameter section in the ocscp_custom_values.yaml file. For information about enabling and disabling this flag, see the Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Service Communication Proxy (SCP) Installation Guide.
  • Audit enhancement to ignore serving scope from NF Profile Hash calculation: SCP supports including or excluding serving scope in NF profile hash calculation. This feature uses the ignoreServingScopeforNFProfileHash parameter defined under the global parameter section in the ocscp_custom_values.yaml file. For information about enabling and disabling this flag, see the Oracle Communications Cloud Native Core Service Communication Proxy (SCP) Installation Guide.

SCP 1.9.0 has been updated with the following enhancement:

  • Inter-SCP Routing between regions of the same PLMN: SCP learns the network topology by interacting with NRFs in different regions and also discovers other SCPs in the network. Consumer's SCP in a region is aware of the producer's SCP in all other regions to enable routing towards the producer NF instances in other regions. Refer to SCP Installation Guide for more information.
  • SCP Integration with cnDBTier: Supports cnDBTier in a containerized Cloud Native Environment. Refer to SCP Installation Guide and cnDBTier Installation Guide for more information.
  • Helm test Support: Helm Test feature validates successful installation of SCP and determine if the NF is ready to take traffic. Refer to SCP Installation Guide for more information.
  • Support for LifeCycleManagement of the CRDs using crdLCMViaHelm flag has been introduced in this release. Refer to SCP User's Guide for more information.
  • Metrics Enhancements: Refer to SCP User's Guide for more information. The What's New in This Guide section of SCP User's Guide mentions all the updated list of metrics.
  • Support for Debug Tool (per pod): Debug Tool provides third party troubleshooting tools for debugging the runtime issues for lab and production environment. Following are the available tools:
    • tcpdump
    • ip
    • netstat
    • jq
    • curl
    • ping
    • nmap
    • dig
    Refer to SCP Installation Guide for more information.

Security Edge Proxy Protection (SEPP)

Security Edge Proxy Protection (SEPP) 1.4.0 provides the following major feature in CNC 2.3.1 release.

  • Support for N32 Interface with TLS protection mode
    • N32-C Interface support
    • N32-F Interface support
    • 3GPP-Target-SBI-API-Root header support
  • API for Roaming Partner Profile Configuration
  • NRF Registration Support
  • Logging, Alerts and Metrics support: Metrics and Alerts support has been updated. For more information on the metric details, see Cloud Native Security Edge Proxy Protection (SEPP) User's Guide.

Network Exposure Function (NEF)

There are no new features or updates implemented in CNC 2.3.1 release.

Network Repository Function (NRF)

OCNRF 1.9.0 has been updated with the following enhancements:
  • Integration with CnDBTier: This enables operator to use CnDBTier in OCNRF. Refer to OCNRF Installation and Upgrade Guide for more information.
  • In Service Software Upgrade support (ISSU) for Geo Redundant NRF: This enables the operator to perform ISSU from OCNRF 1.9.0 onwards for both standalone and Geo-Redundant OCNRF deployment. Refer to OCNRF Installation and Upgrade Guide for more information.
  • Support for Helm Test: This enables the operator to validate the OCNRF deployment post Install/Upgrade. Refer to OCNRF Installation and Upgrade Guide for more information.
  • Redesign of NRF Configuration APIs: With this feature OCNRF has broken one big configuration API to small logically grouped APIs. This give the flexibility to the operator to read/configure only a small set of configuration. This also significantly enhanced the usability of OCNRF CNCC GUI. Refer to OCNRF User's Guide for more information.
  • Support for consistent logging fields across NRF Micro-Services: OCNRF now supports a consistent common set of logging fields across all micro-service logs. Refer to OCNRF User's Guide for more information.
  • Support for NF Consumer FQDN in NRF Metrics: NF Consumer FQDN in NRF Metrics that are currently reported with NFInstanceId. Refer to OCNRF User's Guide for more information.
  • SLF Feature Enhancement: Following SLF feature enhancements has been introduced in this release:
    • Support to avoid SLF query if GroupId is already present in the discovery request
    • Support for returning successful discovery response if Subscriber is not provisioned in SLF
    Refer to OCNRF User's Guide for more information.
  • Troubleshooting Tools Container Support: Debug Tool provides third party troubleshooting tools for debugging the runtime issues for lab and production environment. Following are the available tools:
    • tcpdump
    • ip
    • netstat
    • jq
    • curl
    • ping
    • nmap
    • dig
    Refer to OCNRF Installation Guide for more information.

Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF)

There are no new features or updates implemented in CNC 2.3.1 release.

Unified Data Management (UDM)

There are no new features or updates implemented in CNC 2.3.1 release.

Unified Data Repository (UDR)

UDR 1.9.0 has been updated with the following enhancements:
  • SOAP/XML support using ProvGw for Converged Policy DB Solution: For information on this feature, refer to Provisioning Gateway Interface Specification Guide.
  • On-demand migration of 4G policy data to 5G UDR: Using this feature, 4G subscribers can be migrated to 5G UDR on demand. For information on this feature, refer to UDR User's Guide.
  • Disaster Recovery Procedures - DB-Backup and Restore: UDR data backup and restore procedures are covered in Disaster Recovery Guide.
  • Integrated with cnDBTier: This enables operator to use CnDBTier in UDR. For more information, refer to UDR Installation and Upgrade Guide.
  • Integrated with debug tool - Introduction to debug tool and its usage to UDR operators is covered in the UDR Installation and Upgrade Guide.