IMS Architecture and

interfaces

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 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
IMS Basic Idea

3
IMS Basic Concept

4
 Access Support
• IMS supports different access types.
• IMS Access networks are called IP Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN).
• IP-CAN provides the multimedia signaling connection as well as the bearer
connection.

2G/3G Core

LTE Core

WLAN/WIMAX Core
IP Multimedia
IP-CAN Subsystem
Fix Core

xDSL Core
IMS Architecture

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 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
 Proxy-CSCF
• Statfull SIP proxy server.
• Entry point to IMS cloud from any Access network.
• All the signaling messages goes through it.
• contains the AF that is a logical element for the PCC concept
• Establishes a number of IPsec security associations toward the IMS terminal, and Perform the integrity protection
• Asserts the identity of the user to the rest of the nodes in the network.
• Verifies the correctness of SIP requests
• Compression and decompression of SIP signaling messages.
• It includes a PDF that authorizes bearer resources.
• Generates charging information
• Collocated with the BCF PDF

Rx

Gm Mw
P-CSCF I/S-CSCF
IMS Client IP-CAN Ia

BGF
 P-CSCF discovery
• The mechanism by which the UE retrieves these addresses is called “P-CSCF discovery”.
• Different mechanisms for P-CSCF discovery have been standardized in 3GPP:
 the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol’s (DHCP) DNS procedure.
 The GPRS procedure: UE includes the P-CSCF address request flag in the PDP context
activation request (or secondary PDP context activation request) and receives the IP
address(es) of the P-CSCF in the response.
 The EPC procedure: UE includes the P-CSCF address request flag in the Default Bearer
Create request (APN=IMS) and receives the IP address(es) of the P-CSCF in the
response.
 P-CSCF name or IP address can be stored in the UE (ISIM).
• It’s possible to use P-CSCF LB.
 Interrogating-CSCF
• Statless SIP proxy server.
• First Contact Point in home network.
HSS AS
• Performs S-CSCF and AS selection.
• Performs network topology hiding (THIG).

ISC,
Ma
Cx

Mw Mw

P-CSCF I-CSCF S-CSCF

Dx

SLF
 S-CSCF Selection
HSS

UAA
UAR (S-CSCF
Capabilities)

SIP: Register SIP: Register

I-CSCF S-CSCF

S-CSCF Capability Priority Weight Random

Set Number
S-CSCF A 1;2;3 1 100 12
Example:
S-CSCF Capabilitites: S-CSCF B 2;3 2 50 45
2;3 S-CSCF C 1;3;4 1 70 98

S-CSCF D 1;2;3;5 2 100 23

 Serving-CSCF
• The S-CSCF is the central node of the IMS cloud.
• Statefull SIP proxy providing session control.
• SIP registrar. AS MRFC
• Performs subscriber authentication
• Download user profile from HSS.
• Allocated to IMS user during one registration.
• Invokes the AS using Initial filter criteria.
Mr
BGCF
ISC
HSS Cx

Mi

Mw Mj

P/I-CSCF S-CSCF
Mg
Dx
MGCF

SLF
 Emergency-CSCF
• Handles emergency calls
• Can be collocated with S-CSCF
• Always exist in the same network as the P-CSCF
LRF PSAP
• Retrieves user location from the LRF
• can perform offline charging
• Selects the PSAP according to the user location

Le
BGCF
Ml
Cx
HSS
Mi

Mw Mj

P-CSCF E-CSCF
Mg
Dx
MGCF

SLF
 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
HSS-IMS Environment

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Data in the HSS

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 Subscription Locator Function
• The SLF is used as a DIAMETER redirect server. Thus the mechanism to use it is as follows.
• If a CSCF wants to send a DIAMETER request message to an unknown HSS of a subscriber it
simple directs the request to its local SLF. The SLF will analyze the routing information of the
DIAMETER request. This covers elements like HSS realm and possibly public and private user
identities. The SLF derives from these elements the HSS host name and/or address. But the SLF
will not forward the DIAMETER request, instead it will reject it and indicate a response code
'REDIRECTION INDICATION' with the HSS address or name. Then the CSCF can re-send the
request to the indicated destination.
• SLF support the Dx interface toward the I/S-CSCF, and Dh interface toward the AS.

SLF SLF

1. Dx: Request 1. Dh: Request

( HSS realm / ( HSS realm /
HSS host name) HSS host name)
2. Dx: Response 2. Dh: Response
( result= REDIRECT_INDICATION, ( result=
HSS address) REDIRECT_INDICATION,
HSS address)
HSS HSS
I/S-CSCF
3. Cx: Request 3. Sh: Request
( HSS realm / ( HSS realm /
HSS host name) AS HSS host name)
 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
 MRFC
• The Media Resource Function Control (MRFC) controls the MRFP.
• The MRFC can reside in the AS or in S-CSCF.
• The MRFC communicate with MRFP over the Mp’ (H.248) interface, as defined by 3GPP TS
23.218.
• Over the Mr’ interface, MRFC connects to any Media Server, to provide advanced MRF
services, such as video conferencing. The Mr’ interface is compliant with 3GPP TS 24.880.
• MRFC is also connected to External Ringtone Servers (ERS) to provide Customized Alerting
Tone (CAT) services.
• Complying with GSMA PRD IR.92 and IR.94, MRFC provides the following functions:
• announcements
• tones
• transcoding and conference services

MRFC SIP/
Mr SIP-I

S-CSCF
ERS
Mr’ Mp’

MRFP
MS
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 MRFP
• Media server architecture in IMS consists of two entities MRFC and MRFP. These two entities
are connected via the Mp reference point. Over this reference point the MRFC is able to ask
MRFP to do the following things:
 play tone to user or number of users;
 play announcement to user or number of users e.g. ‘person you try to reach is
currently out of coverage or not able to receive multimedia communication’;
 generate speech output from text or annotated text input;
 record audio or multimedia stream(s) and store it into a file. The function can be used
in some services, such as the voice mail box service, conference service, etc;
 collect and report dialed DTMF digits e.g. to get PIN code for voice mail box;
 perform automatic speech recognition and report the results;
 play synchronized audio and video media streams to the user. The function can be
used in the services, such as multimedia announcement, multimedia mail box service,
etc;
 provide conferencing transport plane capabilities for audio and multimedia
conferencing service;
 transcoding of audio and video streams.

Mp
H.248
MRFC MRFP
 Application Server
• The main IMS application server roles
 Multimedia Telephony Application Server (MMTEL-AS)
 Service Centralization and Continuity Application Server (SCC-AS)
 IP Short Message Gateway (IP-SM-GW)
 IP Multimedia Service Switching Function (IM-SSF)
 Media Resource Function Controller (MRFC)

HSS

Sh

ISC ISC,
Ma
S-CSCF AS I-CSCF
Ut

UAC
 MMTel AS Functions
• MMTel AS role manages IMS sessions for voice and video.
• MMTel AS is involved in executing a bundle of services, including supplementary services, network
services, and regulatory services.
• MMTel AS is also responsible for the management of subscriber data and subscriber services.
• MMTel AS triggers the integrated IM-SSF role to:
 communicate with the SCP to provide intelligent network (IN) services.
 generate session and event based online charging data.
• MMTel supports also offline charging.
• User controlled service management is also realized in the MMTel AS: the MMTel AS’s in-built XCAP Server
function allows subscriber service modification to centralized repository from Ut/XCAP capable terminals.

Supplementary services
•
•
Calling Line Identity Presentation & Restriction
Connected Line Identity Presentation & Restriction
MMTel AS
• Call Forwarding Unconditional
•
•
Call Forwarding on Not Reachable, No Reply, Busy
Call Deflection
SCC AS
• Subscriber Controlled Barring categories
• Operator Determined Barring categories IP-SM-GW
• Supplementary Service control with facility codes and Ut interface
• Anonymous Call Rejection
• Private Numbering Plan IM SSF
• Malicious Call Identifier
• Call Hold, Call Resume and Call Switching
• Call Transfer (Explicit, Attended) MRFC
• Call Waiting (client)
•
•
Do not disturb (client)
Multiparty/3-Party voice call Application Server
 SCC AS
• 3GPP defined the Service Centralization and Continuity Application Server (SCC AS) role, in
order to :
- Manage continuous services across LTE and CS domain (SRVCC (R8) / eSRVCC (R10).
- Centralize service execution in the IMS (T-ADS/Homing).
• The SCC AS role follows and fulfills the principles to offer IMS Centralized Services (ICS), as
outlined in GSMA PRD IR.64, and enables service continuity and service centralization, as
specified respectively in 3GPP TS 24.237 and 3GPP TS 24.292.

MMTel AS
• Session Continuity
SCC AS
• Service Centralization
IP-SM-GW
IM SSF
MRFC
Application Server
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 IP-SM-GW
• The IP-SM-GW role of the AS delivers the SMS over IP solution, as specified by
3GPP.
• This AS role enables centralized service execution by acting as a “router” for
homing terminating messages in a central location, which is the IP-SM-GW.
• It also functions as gateway for the purposes of handling terminating domain
selection, performing the hunting logic, and executing message delivery across the
various access domains.

SMSC
MAP-E or Gd
IP-SM-GW SMS-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC
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 IM-SSF
• The AS implements the Call Control Function (CCF) and the Service Switching Function (SSF)
functional entities in the IM-SSF, which enable the IN service logic by connecting to the
Service Control (SCF) function of the Service Control Point (SCP).
• The AS IM-SSF supports connectivity to the SCP over the CAP and the vendor specific INAP
interfaces, and support the following protocols:
 CAMEL Phase 4 (including all previous CAMEL phases)
 INAP

IMS-SSF SCP
CAP or INAP

CCF SSF SCF

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 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
 Breakout Gateway Control
Function
• BGCF or Break Out Gateway Control Function
• The BGCF is necessary for the establishment of multimedia session between the IMS
and the CS domain.
• In case the S-CSCF is unable to route the SIP Invite message to a terminating I-CSCF, it
forwards it for a session setup to the BGCF. The BGCF than selects a media gateway
control function.
S-CSCF BGCF

BGCF Mx
Mi

Mg Mj

Mj

MGCF
 Breakout Gateway Control
Function
If the breakout happens in the same network, then the BGCF selects a Media Gateway
Control Function (MGCF) to handle the session further. If the breakout takes place in
another network, then the BGCF forwards the session to another BGCF in a selected
network.

S-CSCF ENUM

SIP INVITE (IMPU: sip:[email protected]

Or IMPU: tel:E.164)

ENUM: SIP:[email protected]
 MGCF
• The MGCF provides the control plane for the interconnection point between the packet and
circuit switched networks. It is the signaling unit of the MGW to control this unit and to
convert signaling messages between circuit switched and packet switched networks.
• MGCF convert SIP signalling to ISUP/BICC signalling and control the IMS-MGW.
• The controlling of the MGW is done via MEGACO the media gateway control protocol.
• The MGCF acts as an end point for SIP signaling. so, it negotiates media parameters together
with the IMS UE and, similarly, negotiates media parameters together with the CS entity (e.g.,
with an MSC server)

BGCF
Mj
MGCF SGW MSS
S-CSCF
Mj
Mg
SIP, ISUP or BICC

Mn Mc
H.248 H.248

IMS-MGW MGW
 IMS-MGW
• The IMS-MGW provides the user-plane link between CS CN networks and the IMS.
• It is controlled by a MGCF. MGW can also be used to connect IMS with ISDN/PSTN networks
• A MGW provides functionality and resources to perform:
 switching
 Routing
 transport layer conversion
 media stream processing (e.g. codec conversion)
BGCF

BCF Mj
MGCF SGW MSS
S-CSCF Mj
Mg
SIP, ISUP or BICC

Ia Mn Mc
H.248 H.248 H.248

BGF IMS-MGW MGW

 Contents

IMS Overview
Session management and routing functions
Databases functions
Services functions
Interworking functions
Support functions
 Session Border Controller
In general, SBC components are not incorporated in a single piece of equipment but are
distributed. The signaling controller is collocated with the P-CSCF and controls a media proxy at
the edge of the access network.
SBC is divided to two main functions:
• BCF: controls the access of signaling messages to the IMS core network, and manipulates the
contents of these messages.
• BGF: controls the access of media packets to the network.

BCF
SBC
BGF
 SBC Functions

Pinhole management Forking support

Far-End NAT Support DoS Protection

Near-End NAT Support Support of MSRP

IPv4/IPv6 Inter-working Lawful Interception

 ENUM
ENUM (E.164 Number to URI Mapping) translates telephone numbers into Internet
addresses. You can dial a telephone number and reach a SIP, H.323 or any other
Internet Telephony user.
In IMS, ENUM translates an IMPU containing a telephone number into an IMPU that
don’t contain a telephone number.

ENUM: SIP:[email protected] ENUM: TEL:E164

ENUM: SIP:[email protected] ENUM: SIP:[email protected]

ENUM ENUM
 IBCF
The Interconnection Border Control Function (IBCF) provides application specific functions at the
SIP/SDP protocol layer to perform interconnection between two operator domains, e.g. it:
 enables communication between IPv6 and IPv4 SIP applications,
 network topology hiding
 controlls transport plane functions,
 screens of SIP signalling information,
 selecting the appropriate signaling interconnect (TrGW)
 generation of charging data records.

I-CSCF
IBCF
IBCF

P-CSCF
IBCF
S-CSCF
Visited network Home network Other network
 LRF
The Location Retrieval Function (LRF) assists E-CSCF in handling IMS emergency
sessions by delivering location information of the UE that has initiated an IMS
emergency session and/or address of Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) where the
session should be sent.
To provide location information the LRF may contain location server or have
interface towards external location server (e.g. GMLC). To resolve appropriate PSAP it
may contain Routing Determination Function (RDF) which is used to map the user’s
location to address of PSAP.
LRF
The LRF may provide other emergency
session parameters according to local
regulations: GMLC
 Emergency Service Query Key,
 Emergency Service Routing Number,
 Last Routing Option (in North America) Ml
 location number (in EU)
Cx
 PSAP SIP URI or Tel URI. HSS Le

Mw PSAP

P-CSCF E-CSCF
 TrGW

The Transition Gateway (TrGW) is located within the media path and controlled by an IBCF. It
provides functions like network address/port translation and IPv4/IPv6 protocol translation.
TrGW is controlled by the IBCF via the Ix reference point.

Ix
H.248
TrGW IBCF
 Diameter Routing Agent
• Diameter Routing Agent The DRA consists of 2 functions:
 the Edge Agent, which protects the operator’s NNI (Network-Network Interface) in case
of roaming subscribers
 the Diameter Load Balancer, which balances the Diameter traffic, e.g. between different
HSS-FEs according to their performance capabilities. It also simplifies the network
architecture (not requiring a fully meshed network) thus improving the scalability and
manageability of the network.
AS
AS

HSS
HSS I/S-CSCF
I/S-CSCF

Fully meshed
network
 DRA-Edge Agent
• The Edge Agent is used to secure the traffic between different peer networks. A common way
to connect peer networks makes use of the IPX (IP eXchange) network. IPX is an isolated
network offered by several IPX operators. The Edge Agent operates at the edge to the IPX and
supports the following functions:
 Network Security (IPsec, DoS Protection, Traffic separation, Topology Hiding,
 Roaming Agreement Support.
 Admission Control.
 Service Level Agreement (SLA)
 Accounting
I/S-CSCF
AS
HSS

I/S-CSCF
IPX Peering
DRA-LB
Operator
HSS DRA-EA

I/S-CSCF
PCRF
 DRA-Load Balancer
• The DRA can be used in the operator’s network as Diameter Load Balancer to simplify the
network topology. It improves the network scalability, availability and maintainability. For
example, HSS-FEs can be included and taken out of operation without impacting other network
components. In the geo-redundant mated pair configuration the DRA achieves > 99.999%
availability.
• Due to its flexibility to configure the protocols (IPv4v6 dual stack; TCP, SCTP) that are to be
applied on the link level, the DRA is able to simplify the multi-vendor deployments as well as
the network upgrades.

•Destination Realm
•Destination Host DRA-LB
•Origination Realm
•Origin Host Weighted
•Application ID Load-balancing
•IMSI range
•Session-ID
 Policy and Charging Rule
Function
• The PCRF hosts the following functions:
– Binding mechanism, associates a service data flow
to the EPS bearer deemed to transport the service
PCRF
data flow. Rx
Gx
– Reporting or
S7
– Credit Management
SGi IMS/PDN
– Event Trigger

– Policy Control PGW

– Service (data flow) prioritisation and conflict

handling

– Standardised QoS characteristics

– Termination Action

– Handling of packet filters.

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