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Modeling and Simulation of 3G

UMTS in OPNET
Xi Li, Carmelita Grg
TZI, Institute of Communication Networks
University of Bremen, Germany
xili@comnets.uni-bremen.de
27. Treffen der VDE/ITG-Fachgruppe 5.2.4, Stuttgart
June 19, 2008

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Outline
Introduction and motivation

`
y
y
y

Modeling Framework

`
y
y

Modeling scope
Requirements and challenges

Modeling of UMTS and its evolution in OPNET

`
y
y

`
`

Introduction to UMTS networks

Goal of simulations
OPNET Simulator

Rel99 ATM-based UTRAN

Rel5 IP-based UTRAN

Performance Evaluation
Future Work
2

Introduction

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Iub Interface
- Transmission resources is limited and costly
- Economic factor of UMTS network design

External network
(Internet, PSTN)
Core Network

RNC

RNC

UTRAN
Node B
Node B

Node B

Node B

Node B

Node B
UE

Uu Air Interface:
- WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple
Access)
- Data sent at every TTI
- Invokes strict delay requirements of transport
of radio frames on Iub interface

Performance Evaluation
- Delay and jitter
-Connection reject ratio
- Packet discarding due to
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congestion and excessive delay

Why Simulations?

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` Performance Evaluation by simulations

` New feature modeling and testing
` Parameter and network optimization
` Traffic generation and characterization
` Network capacity planning and dimensioning
y Derive the dimensioning rules from the simulations
y Validate the analytical dimensioning models

` Focused on the UTRAN Iub interface

y Transport resources management
y Dimensioning of the Iub interface

OPNET Simulator
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Outline
Introduction and motivation

`
y
y
y

Modeling Framework

`
y
y

Modeling scope
Requirements and challenges

Modeling of UMTS and its evolution in OPNET

`
y
y

`
`

Introduction to UMTS networks

Goal of simulations
OPNET Simulator

Rel99 ATM-based UTRAN

Rel5 IP-based UTRAN

Performance Evaluation
Future Work
6

Modeling Scope

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UE

Corresponding
Node

UE

Air Interface

NodeB

Corresponding
Node

Core Network

Iub

RNC

UTRAN

`
`
`
`

Groups of UEs and their corresponding nodes as traffic source and sink
Air interface: WCDMA
UTRAN: NodeBs, RNC, Iub interface, underlying transport technology
(e.g. ATM, IP/Ethernet)
Core network: Packet Switched (PS) and Circuit Switched (CS) domains
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Modeling Requirements (1)

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` Physical Layer
y WCDMA

` Traffic QoS classes in UMTS network

y
y
y
y

Background
Conversational
Interactive
Streaming

` Network Architecture
y
y
y
y

UE: User Equipment

NodeB: Base stations
RNC: control and serve multiple base stations
Core network: provide gateways to UTRAN

` Transport Technology
y ATM
y IP

Modeling Requirements (2)

` Logical Channels

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y Dedicated channel (DCH)

y Common channel (RACH, FACH)

` Protocol modeling
y
y
y
y

Radio Link Control (RLC)

Medium Access Control (MAC)
Frame Protocol (FP)
Transport network layer, e.g. AAL/ATM, IP/Ethernet

` Resource management
y
y
y
y

Radio Access Bearer (RAB) setup/release

Call Admission Control (CAC)
Channel Type Switching (CTS)
Bit Rate Adaptation (BRA)

` Traffic management
y
y
y
y

Packet classification
Buffer management
Scheduling
Shaping
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Challenges for modeling

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` Quality of Service (QoS) provision and differentiation

y ATM defines five QoS classes: CBR, UBR, VBR-rt, VBR-nrt, ABR
y IP: e.g. DiffServ, IntServ, RSVP

` Traffic Engineering
y Congestion control, flow control

` Traffic Separation
y Rel99 with HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)

` UMTS Evolution
y HSDPA/HSUPA
y LTE (Long Term Evolution)

` Mobility Modeling
y Soft/Softer HO
y Hard HO
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ikom - ComNets

Outline
Introduction and motivation

`
y
y
y

Modeling Framework

`
y
y

Modeling scope
Requirements and challenges

Modeling of UMTS and its evolution in OPNET

`
y
y

`
`

Introduction to UMTS networks

Goal of simulations
OPNET Simulator

Rel99 ATM-based UTRAN

Rel5 IP-based UTRAN

Performance Evaluation
Future Work
11

UTRAN Model Concept

UE Traffic
Applications
TCP/UDP

Traffic
Traffic from
from the
the
remote
servers
remote servers
or
or terminals
terminals via
via
core
core network
network

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Applications
TCP/UDP
IP

IP
PDCP
PDCP
RLC
RLC
MAC
MAC

Iub
FP
AAL2

PDCP
PDCP

ATM

RLC
RLC

PHY
PHY

NodeB

MAC
MAC
FP
AAL2
ATM
PHY
PHY

RNC
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Modeling of UMTS Rel99 in OPNET

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RNL

TNL

Based on the OPNET ATM library (workstation/server)

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Main Functions

App. layer:
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Each user is represented
by
one app. instance
define Traffic models
e.g. web, voice, ftp

Transport
Layer
TCP, UDP/IP

UE

UE

UE

UE

RAB
Radio Network
Layer (RNL)
RLC/MAC/FP

Air interface modelling, e.g. propagation delay, radio

frame loss due to bad channel conditions, etc.
Core network and Internet delay
Each NodeB serves up to three cells

RRM
(CAC, CTS, BRA)
Channel assignment DCH
(DTCH/DCCH), FACH/RACH
Transport Network Layer (AAL/ATM)
AAL2 QoS prioritization (BE and RT)
AAL2 shaping based on PCR rate
(VP/VC shaping)
limited waiting time at the AAL2 buffer of RNC
ATM VC, VP setup (CBR, UBR, etc.)

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ATM IP based UTRAN

3G Release 99

NodeB

3G Release 5

NodeB

ATM

IP

RNC

NodeB

Based on AAL2 / ATM

RNC

NodeB

Based on UDP / IP
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Rel5 IP-based UTRAN

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Modeling of Rel5 IP-based UMTS

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Multiplexing, e.g. LIPE, CIP, to enhance the transport efficiency

QoS provisioning and differentiation, e.g. DiffServ, IntServ

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ikom - ComNets

Outline
Introduction and motivation

`
y
y
y

Modeling Framework

`
y
y

Modeling scope
Requirements and challenges

Modeling of UMTS and its evolution in OPNET

`
y
y

`
`

Introduction to UMTS networks

Goal of simulations
OPNET Simulator

Rel99 ATM-based UTRAN

Rel5 IP-based UTRAN

Performance Evaluation
Future Work
18

Dimensioning Task

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` The properly dimensioned Iub has to achieve two main targets:

y Ensure a given level of application performance
(guarantee a maximum end-to-end transfer delay)
y Allow only a certain percentage of discarded radio frames or FP PDUs, referred to
as delayed FP PDU ratio, the FP PDU is discarded due to excessive delays

With given Iub bandwidth/configuration

Dimensioning
Targets

Analytical
Analytical Models
Models

Dimensioning
Results

QoS

End-to-end
Transfer Delay
Delayed FP PDU
ratio

delayed FP
PDU ratio

The maximum
acceptable
utilization of the
Iub capacity

E2E
delay
Load 2 Load 1

traffic load

Simulations
Simulations

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Simulation Model
`

`
`

Modeling of RLC (Radio Link

Control), MAC (Medium Access
Control), FP (Frame protocol) for
UMTS
Each user session is assigned to a
specific RAB type
AAL/ATM as the transport layer
Dedicated channels - DCHs
Uplink

Application: FTP
Iub link: e.g. 1 E1 line (2Mbps ATM link)

Downlink

bit rate
(kbps)

TTI
(ms)

bit rate
(kbps)

TTI
(ms)

RAB 1

64

20

64

20

RAB 2

64

20

128

20

RAB 3

64

20

384

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TTI: Time Transmit Interval

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Dimensioning for Elastic Traffic w./w.o. CAC

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2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1
2
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9
0.8

80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%

Delayed FP PDU Ratio

Average File Transfer Delay(s)

Scenario: RAB 128kbps, Iub = 1 E1 line (2Mbps), FTP ( file size: constant 12kbyte)

10%
0%
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Load

`
`
`

file transfer delay (with CAC)

file transfer delay (No CAC)

delayed FP PDU ratio (with CAC)

delayed FP PDU ratio (No CAC)

When employing the admission control in the system, the application performance is
stabilized by limiting the number of active user connections simultaneously on the link.
But due to the bursty Internet traffic, the performance of the FP layer is only slightly
improved.
FP layer performance is the more critical restriction.
Source: X. Li, R. Schelb, C. Grg and A. Timm-Giel, "Dimensioning of UTRAN Iub Links for Elastic Internet
Traffic." in Proc. 19th International Teletraffic Congress, Beijing, Aug/Sept. 2005, 2005.
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Validate analytical model via Simulations (I)

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Scenario: RAB 128kbps, Iub = 1 E1 line (2Mbps), FTP ( file size: constant 50kbyte)
5

0.12
0.11

M/G/R/N-PS
Simulation with CAC (50kbyte)

4.8

M/G/R/N-PS
Simulation with CAC (50kbyte)

0.1

4.6

0.09
0.08

4.2

blocking ratio

file transfer delay (s)

4.4

4
3.8

0.07
0.06
0.05
0.04

3.6

0.03

3.4

0.02

3.2
3

0.01

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5
0.6
offered load

0.7

file transfer delay

0.8

0.9

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5
0.6
offered load

0.7

0.8

0.9

blocking probability

Source: X. Li, R. Schelb, C. Grg and A. Timm-Giel, "Dimensioning of UTRAN Iub Links for Elastic Internet
Traffic." in Proc. 19th International Teletraffic Congress, Beijing, Aug/Sept. 2005, 2005.
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Validate analytical model via Simulations (II)

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Constant File Size 12kbyte
3

Multiple RAB Types

M/G/R-PS (RAB 128)

Simulation (RAB 128)

2.8
2.6

M/G/R-PS (RAB 64)

Simulation (RAB 64)

2.4

M/G/R-PS (RAB 384)

Simulation (RAB 384)

file transfer delay (s)

2.2
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

load

`
`
`
`

The transfer delay dependent on the bearer type

Analytical results matches the simulaitons in the low load
In high load, the flows with the small peak rates achieve longer transaction times than calculated with the M/G/R-PS
model, while the high-peak-rate flows experience a somewhat higher QoS than calculated
The delay for a common file size among the different traffic classes tends to converge in the high load as none of them
can utilize its peak rate and thus a fair share of the available resources is available among different RAB types

Source: X. Li, R. Schelb, C. Grg and A. Timm-Giel, "Dimensioning of UTRAN Iub Links for Elastic Internet
Traffic with Multiple Radio Bearers," in Proc. 13th GI/ITG Conference Measuring, Modelling and
Evaluation of Computer and Communication Systems, Nrnberg, March 2006, 2006
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Main Research
` Dimensioning for Iub link for supporting various traffic
scenarios for different UMTS releases (Rel99, IP-based
UTRAN, HSDPA, HSUPA)
y Derive the dimensioning rules from the simulations
y Validate the analytical dimensioning models
` Iub Overbooking in multi-NodeBs scenario
` Combine HSPA and Rel99 traffic with traffic separation

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Future Work
` UMTS Evolution
y Internet HSPA or I-HSPA, a flat architecture that provides the
first step towards Long Term Evolution (LTE)
y 3GPP Long Term Evolution (Evolved UTRA and UTRAN)
accompanied by 3GPP System Architecture Evolution (SAE)

` New Services, e.g. VoIP, IPTV, etc.

` Validate with real word scenario

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References

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` X. Li, R. Schelb, C. Grg and A. Timm-Giel, "Dimensioning of UTRAN Iub

Links for Elastic Internet Traffic." in Proc. 19th International Teletraffic

Congress, Beijing, Aug/Sept. 2005, 2005.

` X. Li, R. Schelb, C. Grg and A. Timm-Giel, "Dimensioning of UTRAN Iub

Links for Elastic Internet Traffic with Multiple Radio Bearers," in Proc. 13th
GI/ITG Conference Measuring, Modelling and Evaluation of Computer and
Communication Systems, Nrnberg, March 2006, 2006

` T. L. Weerawardane, X. Li, A. Timm-Giel and C. Grg, "Modeling and

Simulation of UMTS HSDPA in OPNET," in Proc. OPNETWORK 2006,

September, 2006, Washington DC, USA, 2006

` X.Li, W. Cheng, A.Timm-Giel, and C. Grg, "Modeling IP-based UTRAN for

UMTS in OPNET", distinguished paper award, in Proc. OPNETWORK 2007,

September, 2007, Washington DC, USA, 2007

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Thanks for attentions!

Questions?

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