Abstract:
System and method for identifying interfaces and channels in a network using messages passing through the network. An embodiment comprises detecting components of a network, comprises capturing a message from the network, extracting a network node identifier from the captured message, comparing the network node identifier to a database of known network nodes, and, if the network node identifier is not associated with a known network node, then adding an entry for a new network node to the database, wherein the new network node entry includes the network node identifier.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/909,267, filed on Mar. 30, 2007, entitled System and Method for Real-Time Iub and Iur Link Detection and AAL5 Channel Detection in UTRAN, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a system and method for detecting communication links in a network and, more particularly, to a system and method for detecting Iur and Iub interfaces and AAL5 channels in a UTRAN. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third-generation (3G) mobile phone technology standardized first by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and now by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). UMTS carries both circuit switched (CS) and packet switched (PS) traffic using Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) as its air interface. The description of the network components and protocols used in UMTS are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are available to the public from 3GPP, ETSI, and other sources. The UMTS network architecture consists of three domains: Core Network (CN), UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), and User Equipment (UE). 
         [0004]    The UTRAN provides the air interface access to subscribers&#39; UE. Base stations in the UTRAN are referred as Node-Bs, and the control equipment for the Node-Bs is called a Radio Network Controller (RNC). The UMTS User Equipment communicates via the WCDMA air interface to the Node-Bs. The UE may be attached to either the PS domain or CS domain or both. The UE is capable of simultaneously using PS services and CS services. 
         [0005]    The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is used for data transmission in UMTS. The ATM layer multiplexes and demultiplexes and routes ATM cells, and ensures their sequence from end to end. The ATM Adaptation Layers (AAL) are responsible for the creation and reception of payloads through the lower layers of ATM on behalf of different applications. ATM Adaptation Layer type 2 (AAL2) is used in the transmission of short and variable length packets in time-delay sensitive applications. AAL2 is used to transport multiple data streams and is used for both signalling and user payload packets. The Connection identifier (CID) is used to identify the different streams. ATM Adaptation Layer type 5 (AAL5) supports frames and is used for transmission of control information, namely signaling information. 
         [0006]    UMTS defines several interfaces, channels and protocols for exchanging data between network components to set up calls to the UE. Each call comprises numerous messages that pass across various interfaces. In order to fully analyze a call, all of the messages for the call must be collected and correlated. One disadvantage of the prior art is that there can be numerous nodes in a UMTS network and that each of these network nodes must be known in order to accurately monitor the network. Each node will have one or more interfaces linking it to other nodes in the network. 
         [0007]    A second disadvantage of the prior art is that the network nodes are continually changing as components, such as Node Bs, are added, moved, upgraded, serviced or deleted. Accordingly, the service provider must manually update a network configuration map each time such a change takes place. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    These and other problems are generally solved or circumvented, and technical advantages are generally achieved, by embodiments of the present invention in which RNC identifiers are extracted from messages in the UTRAN to identify interfaces between RNC components. Node B identifiers are also extracted to identify new Node Bs and associated interfaces. The virtual channel identifiers are extracted to identify new channels in the UTRAN. 
         [0009]    In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a method for detecting components of a network, comprises capturing a message from the network, extracting a network node identifier from the captured message, comparing the network node identifier to a database of known network nodes, and, if the network node identifier is not associated with a known network node, then adding an entry for a new network node to the database, wherein the new network node entry includes the network node identifier. The method may further comprise identifying a recipient node for the captured message, wherein the recipient node is a known network node, and adding a new network interface entry to the database, wherein the new network interface entry corresponds to a new network interface connecting the recipient node at a first endpoint and the new network node at a second endpoint. The new network node, the recipient node, and the new network interface to a user. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the new network node is a Radio Network Controller (RNC) in a UTRAN network; and the network node identifier is an RNC identifier. In another embodiment, the recipient node and the new network node are both Radio Network Controllers (RNCs), and the new network interface is an Iur interface in a UTRAN network. The new network node may be a Node B in a UTRAN network, and the network node identifier may be a Node B identifier. The recipient node may be a Radio Network Controller (RNC), the new network node a Node B, and the new network interface an Iub interface in a UTRAN network. The captured message may be a radio link setup message, and the network node identifier may be a transport layer address parameter. 
         [0011]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for identifying channels in a network comprises capturing a message from the network, extracting channel identifiers from the captured message, creating a channel key from the channel identifiers, comparing the channel key to a database of known channels, and if the channel key is not associated with a known channel, then adding an entry for a new channel to the database. The channel identifiers may be selected from the group consisting of a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI), a Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI), and an ATM Port. The new channel can be associated to an interface. The interface can be identified using a pointcode in the captured message. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, the interface is an Iur interface in a UTRAN network, the captured message is a Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP) message, and the pointcode is associated with a Radio Network Controller (RNC). The interface may be identified by determining if messages having the channel key are captured from a known interface a predetermined number of times. In another embodiment, the interface is an Iub interface in a UTRAN network, and the captured message is a Node B Application Part (NBAP) or Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) message. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates monitoring equipment coupled to a UTRAN network according to embodiments of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a protocol stack for an Iub interface; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a protocol stack for an Iur interface; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates capturing messages passing across network interfaces according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates capturing messages passing across network interfaces according to another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates capturing messages passing across network interfaces according to another embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flowchart for identifying channels in the network according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a UTRAN portion of a UMTS network comprising Node Bs  101  and Radio Network Controllers (RNCs)  102 . Node Bs  101  communicate with RNCs  102  via Iub interfaces  103 . RNCs  102  communicate with each other via Iur interface  104 . Node B  101  is in communication with User Equipment (UE)  105  via air interface Uu  106 . Whenever UEs  105  make or receive a call, signaling messages are exchanged between Node Bs  101  and RNCs  102  over Iub interfaces  103  and between RNCs  102  over Iur interfaces  104 . Monitors or probes  107  are non-intrusively coupled to RNCs  102  to capture substantially all of the protocol messages traveling to and from RNCs  102  over the Iub and Iur interfaces  103  and  104 . Monitors  107  are coupled to central server  108  which allows an operator to access network information collected by monitors  107 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates the protocol stack used on the Iub interface in a UTRAN network.  FIG. 3  illustrates the protocol stack used on the Iur interface in a UTRAN network. UTRAN implements an ATM infrastructure for the Iub and Iur interfaces. UTRAN uses both AAL2 and AAL5 adaptations on top of the ATM layer. Node B Application Part (NBAP), Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP) and Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP) protocol messages are carried over AAL5 channels. 
         [0024]    An ATM cell is the smallest unit in ATM and contains two address parameters, Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) and Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI). A virtual path is the permanent virtual connection for exchanging NBAP and ALCAP messages between an RNC and a Node B. The virtual path connection is setup once and remains until changed or deleted by a service provider operations and maintenance (O&amp;M) action. To transmit higher-level protocols via ATM, the adaptation layers, such as AAL5, are used. Each AAL5 virtual connection is uniquely identified by: 
         [0025]    ATM Virtual Path Identifier (VPI); 
         [0026]    ATM Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI); and 
         [0027]    ATM Port (the port on which the message arrives). 
         [0028]    The UTRAN may comprise numerous RNCs that are linked to each other. Each RNC may be connected to as many as two hundred Node Bs. AAL5 connections can exist on all of the interfaces between the RNCs and between the RNCs and Node Bs. Accordingly, it is a very complex task to identify all the AAL5 channels that are in use in a UTRAN. The present invention dynamically detects Iub and Iur interfaces and further detects all of the AAL5 channels that are being used to transmit data in the UTRAN network. 
         [0029]    The detection of the Iur interfaces, according to embodiments of the invention, is a two-step process. To dynamically detect an Iur link between two RNCs, first the identifiers for the RNCs (RNC Ids) are detected, and then the RNC Ids are used to draw a link between the two RNCs. This link corresponds to an Iur interface. RNC Ids can be identified in specific NBAP and RNSAP messages. Referring to  FIG. 4 , Common Measurement Report message  401 , a NBAP protocol message, is used by Node B  402  to report the results of measurements requested by corresponding Controlling RNC (CRNC)  403 . Common Measurement Report message  401  contains an RNC Id corresponding to CRNC  403 . The RNC Id is saved to database  404 , which may be located at monitor  107  and/or monitoring system server  108  ( FIG. 1 ), for example. 
         [0030]    UMTS allows macrodiversity or soft-handover in which data is sent via multiple Node Bs to a UE. Signals are transferred via multiple routes over the air interface and combined in the UE, thus limiting fading effects and requiring lower power levels. However, the Node Bs may belong to different RNCs  406  and  407 . RNCs  406  and  407  can be in two logical roles. For example, RNC  407  may be logically a Drift RNC (DRNC) and RNC  406  may be logically a Serving RNC (SRNC). An Iur interface connects RNCs  406  and  407 . SRNC  406  controls information transfer to the UE and requests radio resources from DRNC  407 . DRNC  407  only relays information between the UE and SRNC  406 . 
         [0031]    The RNSAP protocol on the Iur interface includes the Radio Link Setup procedure that is used for establishing resources in DRNS  407  for macrodiversity. Radio Link Setup Request message  405  contains an RNC Id that may be captured and sent to database  404  by the UTRAN monitoring equipment. This allows the monitoring equipment to compile a list of the RNC Ids for each RNC in the UTRAN network. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , database  404  has already been updated and is aware that the UTRAN includes DRNC  407  (assigned RNC Id- 1 ) and SRNC  406  (assigned RNC Id- 2 ). When DRNC  407  receives Radio Link Setup Request message  501  with an RNC Id that is not its own, such as RNC Id- 2 , message  501  is forwarded to the monitoring system to let server  108  ( FIG. 1 ) know that an Iur link exists between DRNC  407  and SRNC  406 . If server  108  is not yet aware of this Iur interface, it sets up a new Iur link between DRNC  407  and SRNC  406 . The Iur interfaces may be identified dynamically at run-time. The Iur interfaces and RNCs may be displayed to a user, for example, on a workstation using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). 
         [0032]    The Transport Layer Address (TLA) parameter is carried by radio link setup messages, such as Radio Link Setup Request  601 , Radio Link Setup Response  602 , and Radio Link Reconfiguration Commit  603  as shown in  FIG. 6 . TLA uniquely identifies each Node B in the UTRAN. Whenever a unique TLA is discovered in the network by the monitoring system, it is sent to database  404 . Server  108  determines that the TLA is associated with a new Node B and sets up the new Node B and a new Iub interface for monitoring. The new Node B and Iub interface may be displayed to users along with the RNC on a workstation GUI. 
         [0033]    The monitoring system can identify channels in the UTRAN by monitoring the VPI and VCI parameters in NBAP, RNSAP and ALCAP messages. Whenever a message is captured, the VPI/VCI combination is compared to known VPI/VCI combinations to identify new channels. When new channels are detected, monitoring server  108  is updated with the new VPI/VCI channel information. The channels can be detected in real-time. 
         [0034]    For AAL5 channels on Iur links, the channels are correlated to the correct Iur interface using the pointcode of the RNC. In RNSAP messages, the pointcodes for the RNCs are present in the MTP3 layer. For AAL5 channels on Iub links, no such information is present to correlate the AAL5 channels to the correct Iub links. Instead, the present invention uses a different framework to confirm when new Iub channels have been created. Whenever the same combination of VPI/VCI is seen on a particular Iub link a particular number of times, then the channel is identified as a confirmed new channel and is attached to that Iub interface. The number of times a VPI/VCI match needs to be observed for a new channel is configurable at runtime. 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method for evaluating VPI/VCI combinations to identify new channels. A monitoring processor receives NBAP, ALCAP or RNSAP messages in  701 . The VPI and VCI parameters are extracted from the message in  702 , and the processor constructs a VPI/VCI key. In  703 , the processor compares the VPI/VCI key to known VPI/VCI combinations to validate whether a channel is new. In  704 , if the message is an RNSAP message and the channel is not new, the flow returns to  701  and waits to evaluate the next message. If the VPI/VCI in an RNSAP message is for a new channel, then the flow moves from  704  to  705 . The pointcodes in the RNSAP message are correlated to an Iur interface in  705 . In  706 , the monitoring system server and monitors are updated with new channel information. For NBAP messages, in  707 , if the message is not new, then the flow returns to  701 . If the VPI/VCI combination in the NBAP message is new, then confirmation logic is initiated in  708 . The processor counts the number of times that the same VPI/VCI key is observed on a particular interface. When that VPI/VCI combination have been observed “n” times, then the processor identifies it as a valid new channel. In  706 , the server and monitors are updated with the new channel information, and the process begins again at  701  with the next message. 
         [0036]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.