The DSR reduces the complexity of connecting, provisioning and interoperating essential Diameter-based equipment. Diameter is a key next generation signalling protocol for the all-IP network, carrying policy, charging, mobility management, and authentication, authorisation and accounting (AAA) traffic.
By providing a single connection point for all Diameter traffic, the DSR centralises Diameter routing, signalling traffic management and load-balancing tasks. The DSR also supports the Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) functionality as defined in 3GPP.
Specific use cases include: Providing the framework to manage in-network and out of network roaming (from 2G/3G to LTE or LTE-to-LTE); Scaling any Diameter-based network, including scaling policy, charging, Home Subscriber Service (HSS), and IMS deployments; Diameter message mediation to enable interworking between disparate islands of Diameter implementations; Network defence against potential overloads or attacks of Diameter signalling messages.
The solution has already been selected by MetroPCS, the first US LTE network.
“Diameter traffic will accelerate quickly with the proliferation of LTE and IMS network build outs which could create congestion, scalability and interoperability issues at the signalling layer,” said Brian Partridge, vice president of Yankee Group's Anywhere Network team. “Just as it has with SS7, Tekelec’s goal is to establish a leadership role as a key provider of the next generation of signalling infrastructure.”
DSR also integrates with Tekelec’s performance management solution, the Performance Intelligence Centre, to analyse network, subscriber and service activity. This synergy eliminates the need for extra probes and layers of equipment, while giving operators insight into how subscribers are taking advantage of new IP-enabled devices and applications.
“A full Diameter ecosystem gives operators both the infrastructure and the intelligence to scale and innovate by leveraging a common language with which the network communicates,” said Ron de Lange, executive vice president, Global Product Solutions at Tekelec. “The Diameter Signalling Router enables Tekelec to further expand our footprint in Diameter deployments, building upon our success with the Diameter-based Camiant policy management deployments.”
The Diameter Signalling Router channels all Diameter traffic to and from LTE and IMS endpoints, and will scale to hundreds of millions of subscribers to support the world’s largest networks. Tekelec holds 10 patents related to Diameter control plane session management and routing.