Leliwa Technical Bulletin

SGSNs in Pool

Date:
Date: 23.08.2009
Revision: 005/SGP/004
Author: Jakub Bluszcz
Copyright 2010 Leliwa. All Rights Reserved.

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

Table of contents

Topic Page

Introduction.....................................................................................................3
Network Resource Identification .....................................................................5
Node Selection Function.................................................................................7
Mobility Management....................................................................................10
Combined MM procedures............................................................................12
Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................17
References ...................................................................................................18
Disclaimer.....................................................................................................19

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

Introduction
The SGSN in Pool, as a part of Intra Domain Connection of RAN Nodes to
Multiple CN Nodes solution, overcomes the strict hierarchy, which restricts
the connection of a BSC node to just one SGSN. This restriction results from
routing mechanisms in the BSC which differentiate only between information
to be sent to the SGSN (PS domain) or to the MSC (CS domain) and which
do not differentiate between multiple CN nodes in each domain. The SGSN in
Pool solution introduces a routing mechanism and other related functionality,
which enables the BSC to route information to different CN nodes within the
CS or PS domain, respectively.

SGSN1 SGSN2 SGSN3

BSC1 BSC2 BSC3 BSC4 BSC5 BSC6

Figure 1 SGSNs in Pool (logical view)

The fact that the BSC can co-operate with the several SGSN does not implies
that the separate physical interfaces are required since the IP network can be
used between BSCs and SGSNs to switch the traffic delivered on the same
physical interfaces to different recipients connected to that network.

SGSN1 SGSN2 SGSN3

IP network

BSC1 BSC2 BSC3 BSC4 BSC5 BSC6

Figure 2 SGSNs in Pool (physical view with Gb/IP)

The SGSN in Pool solution introduces further the concept of pool-areas

which is enabled by the routing mechanism in the BSC. An SGSN pool-area
is comparable to an SGSN service area as a collection of one or more BSC
service areas. In difference to an SGSN service area a pool-area is served by

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

multiple SGSNs in parallel which share the traffic of this area between each
other. Furthermore, pool-areas may overlap which is not possible for the
SGSN service areas. From a BSS perspective a pool-area comprises all RAs
of one or more BSC that are served by a certain group of SGSN nodes in
parallel. One or more of the SGSNs in this group may in addition serve RAs
outside this pool-area or may also serve other pool-areas. This group of
SGSNs is also referred to as SGSN pool.
The SGSN in Pool enables a few different application scenarios with certain
characteristics. The service provision by multiple SGSNs within a pool-area
enlarges the served area compared to the service area of one SGSN. This
results in reduced inter SGSN RA updates and it reduces the HLR update
traffic. The configuration of overlapping pool-areas allows to separate the
overall traffic into different MS moving pattern, e.g. pool-areas where each
covers a separate residential area and all the same city centre. Other
advantages of multiple SGSNs in a pool-area are the possibility of capacity
upgrades by additional SGSNs in the pool-area or the increased service
availability as other SGSNs may provide services in case one SGSN in the
pool-area fails.

SGSN7
SGSN2 SGSN4
SGSN6
SGSN1 SGSN3
SGSN5

BSC3
BSC7
BSC2 BSC4 BSC5 BSC8
BSC6
BSC1

Pool-area 1 Pool-area 2 Pool-area 3

Figure 3 Pool area configuration example

An MS is served by one dedicated SGSN node of a pool-area as long as it is

in radio coverage of the pool-area. Fig. 13-3 shows most of the possible pool-
area configurations. It contains Pool-area 1 (BSC area 1, 2 and 3 served by
SGSNs 1 and 2), Pool-area 2 (BSC area 4 and 5 served by SGSNs 3 and 4)
and Pool-area 3 (BSC area 5, 6 and 7 served by SGSNs 5, 6 and 7). In
addition the BSC areas 8 is served by SGSN 7 without any usage of the
SGSNs in Pool feature. The possibility to configure overlapping pool-areas is
shown by the Pool-areas 2 and 3. The Pool-areas 1 is configured non-
overlapping with any other Pool-area. The number or capacity of SGSNs is
configured independently for each pool-area. The usage of SGSNs in Pool

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

may be configured in parts of the network only and can co-exists with other
areas not using this feature.

Network Resource Identification

An SGSN pool-area is an area within which an MS roams without a need to
change the serving SGSN. A pool-area is served by one or more SGSNs
nodes in parallel. The complete service area of a BSC belongs to the same
one or more pool-area(s). An BSC service area may belong to multiple pool-
areas, which is the case when multiple overlapping pool-areas include this
BSC service area. If RAs span over multiple BSC service areas then all these
BSC service areas have to belong to the same pool-area.

BSC3

SGSN3

SGSN2 BSC1

SGSN1

BSC2

An SGSN pool-area is an area within which an MS roams

without a need to change the serving SGSN.
Figure 4 Pool-area definition

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

The Network Resource Identifier (NRI) identifies uniquely an individual SGSN

out of all SGSNs, which serve in parallel a pool-area. The length of the NRI is
the same in all SGSNs in one pool-area. In areas where pool-areas overlap
the NRI identifies uniquely an SGSN out of all SGSNs, which serve all these
overlapping pool-areas, i.e. an NRI identifies uniquely an SGSN within a
BSC. In case of overlapping pool-areas the NRI length is configured to be the
same in all the nodes serving these pool-areas. More than one NRI may be
assigned to an SGSN.
The NRI is part of the P-TMSI, which is assigned by the serving SGSN to the
MS. The P-TMSI allocation mechanism in the SGSN generates P-TMSIs
which contain a configured NRI in the relevant bit positions. The NRI has a
flexible length between 10 and 0 bits (0 bits means the NRI is not used and
the feature is not applied).
The NRI is coded in bits 23 to 14 of P-TMSI. Regardless of the NRI length the
most significant bit of the NRI is always in bit 23 of P-TMSI.

octet 4 octet 3 octet 2 octet 1

31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

NRI

NRI - Network Resource Identification

Figure 5 Structure of P-TMSI

The BSC node derives the NRI from the TLLI. The BSC masks the significant
bits out of the TLLI to determine the NRI, which identifies the SGSN. It is
configured in the BSC which bits out of TLLI provided by the MS are
significant for the NRI.
The change of a pool-area is not visible to the MS. In general there is no
need to detect a pool-area change. It may be advantageous for load
balancing purposes to detect pool-area changes in the network to distribute
MSs entering a pool-area to SGSNs with an appropriate load status. MSs
changing a pool-area may be detected by configuration of different NRI
values for adjacent pool-areas.

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

Node Selection Function

This function is used in BSC and potentially in SGSNs. In the BSC the
function selects the specific SGSN to which LLC frames are routed. The NRI
identifies the specific SGSN. If the Node Selection Function has an SGSN
address configured for the NRI derived from the LLC frame then this frame is
routed to this address. If no SGSN address is configured for the derived NRI
or if no NRI can be derived (e.g. the MS indicated an identity which contains
no NRI) then the Node Selection Function selects an available SGSN (e.g.
according to load balancing) and routes the LLC frame to that SGSN.
The MS sends the TLLI to the BSC. The NRI is part of the P-TMSI and
therefore also contained in the local TLLI or in the foreign TLLI.
A local TLLI indicates to the BSC that the TLLI is derived from a P-TMSI
which was assigned for the current RA, i.e. the local TLLI contains an NRI
which is valid for routing to an SGSN. A foreign TLLI indicates to the BSC
that the TLLI is derived from a P-TMSI which was assigned for another RA
than the current RA. The BSC does not know whether the other RA and
therefore the related P-TMSI belongs to the same pool-area or not unless this
is configured in the BSC (which is not intended). Consequently, the BSC
assumes, that the foreign TLLI contains a NRI which is valid for routing to an
SGSN.

SGSN1
(NRI=1)
P-TMSI (NRI=2) BSC1

SGSN2
(NRI=2)
P-TMSI (NRI=2) BSC2

 SGSN3

Node Selection Function (NSF) (NRI=3)
 P-TMSI/NRI allocation
 NRI routing
Figure 6 Use of NRI

If no SGSN address is configured in the BSC for the requested NRI, which
may happen for NRIs masked out of a 'foreign TLLI', or if the BSC received a

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

'random TLLI' which contains no NRI at all then the BSC routes the uplink
LLC frame to an SGSN selected from the available SGSNs. The selection
mechanism is implementation dependent.
As more than one SGSN may send downlink data at the same time for a cell
or a BVCI, the BSC has to share the total possible downlink traffic between
the SGSNs that can access a cell. The BSC should use the existing flow
control procedure on cell level to control each of the SGSNs in a way not to
violate the total possible traffic for the cell. How the BSC decides to share the
downlink traffic between each of the SGSNs is an implementation specific
issue; e.g. the possible downlink traffic can be equally shared between the
SGSNs, or the share of each SGSN can be proportional to the capacity of the
SGSN.

Load balancing
The Node Selection Function in the BSC balances the load between the
available SGSNs. This is performed by an appropriate selection of the SGSN
for an MS:
which was not yet assigned to a SGSN, i.e. when there is no SGSN
configured for the NRI indicated by the MS,
when a 'random TLLI' is received,
when no NRI can be derived,
in exceptional cases, e.g. when the SGSN corresponding to an NRI
cannot be reached.
The load-balancing algorithm is implementation specific.

Load Re-
Re-Distribution
There are situations where a network operator wishes to remove load from
one SGSN in an orderly manner (e.g. to perform scheduled maintenance, or,
to perform load re-distribution to avoid overload) with minimal impact to end
users and/or additional load on other entities. The re-distribution procedure
does not require any new functionality in the terminal, that is, all terminals can
be moved.
Re-distribution of MSs is initiated via an O&M command in the SGSN node,
which needs to be off-loaded.
In a first phase (a couple of Periodic RA Update periods long), MSs doing RA
Update or Attach are moved to other SGSNs in the pool. When the SGSN
node receives the, RA Update or Attach request, it returns a new P-TMSI with
a null-NRI, a sufficiently low value of periodic routing area update timer
(recommended value 4 seconds) and sets the force to Stand-by indication.

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

The MS shortly after sends a new RA Update that the BSC then routes to a
new SGSN due to the presence of a null-NRI.

Null-NRI,
Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s, SGSN
Force to Stand-by
(NRI=1)

O&M

 RA Upd. (periodic)
BSC SGSN
 RA Upd. Accept ( )
(NRI=2)

 RA Upd. (periodic)

SGSN
(NRI=3)

Figure 7 Load Re-Distribution (phase 1)

In a second phase, the SGSN requests all MSs trying to set up PDP Contexts
to detach & reattach. When they reattach, the SGSN moves them as in the
first phase described above.

Activate PDP Context Request

 Detach Request SGSN
 Attach Request
(NRI=2)
 Attach Accept ( )
BSC
 RA Upd. (periodic) SGSN

Null-NRI, (NRI=3)
Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s,
Force to Stand-by

Figure 8 Load Re-Distribution (phase 2)

A third phase includes scanning through remaining MSs and initiating a move
of them to other SGSNs by requesting them to detach and reattach, which
causes them to be moved.

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

Detach Request / IMSI paging

SGSN
 Attach Request
(NRI=2)
 Attach Accept ( )
BSC
 RA Upd. (periodic) SGSN

Null-NRI, (NRI=3)
Periodic RA Upd. timer = 4s,
Force to Stand-by

Figure 9 Load Re-Distribution (phase 3)

The MSs being moved from one SGSN are stopped from registering to the
same SGSN again by an O&M command in BSCs connected to the pool. The
MSs moving into a pool area are also stopped from registering into a SGSN
being off-loaded in the same manner.

Mobility Management
An MS performs RA Updates and Attachments, which may result in a change
of the serving SGSN. In these procedures the new SGSN requests from the
old SGSN MS specific parameters. If multiple SGSNs are configured in the
new SGSN for the old RA indicated by the MS then the new SGSN derives
the NRI from the old P-TMSI indicated by the MS. The new SGSN node uses
the old RA together with the NRI to derive the signalling address of the old
SGSN from its configuration data.

old pool
SGSN
(NRI=1)

SGSN
(NRI=2)

 SGSN
 RA Update Request Context Request
(P-TMSI, old RAI)
SGSN
 NRI & old RAI IP @ old SGSN

Figure 10 SGSN change (new SGSN outside old pool)

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

The SGSN addresses are configured in the SGSN (O&M) or in DNS for each
RAI and NRI combination. If a DNS server is used, it is queried using the
logical name, derived from the old RAI and NRI information (see Fig. 13-11).

nriCCCC.racDDDD.lacEEEE.mncYYY.mccZZZ.gprs
SGSN DNS
IP @ old SGSN

Figure 11 DNS query

If the network contains nodes that cannot derive the old SGSN from RAI and
NRI a default SGSN for each RA is used to resolve the ambiguity of the
multiple SGSNs serving the same area.

Default SGSN and backwards compatibility

SGSNs that can only derive one SGSN from the RAI (e.g. because they do
not support the SGSN in Pool feature, or no detailed knowledge of the NRIs
is configured) are not aware, that multiple SGSNs may serve a RA. These
nodes can therefore contact only one SGSN (default SGSN) per RA.
A default SGSN resolves the ambiguity of the multiple SGSNs per RA by
deriving the NRI from the P-TMSI. The default SGSN relays the signalling
between the new SGSN and the old SGSN.
Note that the default SGSN is configured per RA. So different SGSNs in a
network might have configured different default nodes for a RA. With this
approach more than one of the SGSNs that serve a pool-area can be used as
default SGSN, so load concentration on one SGSN and a single point of
failure can be avoided.
If a default SGSN that is serving a pool-area receives GTP signalling (e.g. to
fetch the IMSI or to get unused cipher parameters) it has to resolve the
ambiguity of the multiple SGSNs per RAI by deriving the NRI from the P-
TMSI. The SGSN relays the GTP signalling to the old SGSN identified by the
NRI in the old P-TMSI unless the default SGSN itself is the old SGSN.

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

old pool
SGSN
(default) 
SGSN  SGSN
Context Request


 RA Update Request
(P-TMSI, old RAI)
SGSN
 RAI IP @ default SGSN
Figure 12 Default SGSN

Combined MM procedures
The Intra Domain Connection of RAN Nodes to Multiple CN Nodes allows for
creation of PS and CS pool areas (i.e. SGSNs pools and MSCs pool). If the
operator is using Network Mode of Operation 1 (i.e. Gs interface) than the
combined MM and GMM procedures are affected.

SGSN1 SGSN2 SGSN

BSC1 BSC2 BSC3 BSC4 BSC5 BSC6

Gs
MSC1 MSC2 MSC3 MSC4

Figure 13 MSCs pools & SGSNs pool with Gs I/F

Attach
In case of combined GPRS/IMSI attach or GPRS attach when already IMSI
attached, the SGSN sends the Location Update Request message to the
MSC/VLR. The SGSN selects an MSC/VLR from the available MSC/VLRs

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

(MSC/VLRs in Pool) which serve the current LA of the MS. The selection
bases on a hash value derived from the IMSI. It is configured in the SGSN
which range of the hash values relates to which MSC/VLR.

MSC

pool (0-4999)

MSC
(4999-9999)
 Location Upd.
Request

Combined GPRS/IMSI Attach
SGSN
 IMSI hash value (0-9999)
hash value & RAI MSC No.

Figure 14 Combined GPRS/IMSI Attach

This selection mechanism avoids a random change of the MSC/VLR for MSs
using combined procedures when an SGSN fails. The new SGSN will select
the same MSC/VLR.

Routing area update

The CN node changes in the following considerations result from pool-area
changes (when pool-areas are configured) or from CN node service area
changes (when no pool-areas are configured). For each domain (PS or CS) it
is configured independently whether pool-areas are used or not.
When neither the MSC nor the SGSN are changed, the association for an MS
between both CN nodes will also not change.
When the MSC changes but the SGSN does not change, the SGSN selects a
new MSC because the new LA is not served by the old MSC/VLR. The
selection mechanism is as described for the attach above.
When the SGSN changes but the MSC does not change, the new SGSN
selects the old MSC to establish a Gs association because the new SGSN
uses the same selection mechanism as described above for the attach with
the same parameters as configured in the old SGSN.

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

 IMSI hash value (0-9999)

hash value & RAI MSC No.

SGSN1 SGSN2 SGSN

 RA/LA Upd.

 Location Upd.
Request
BSC1 BSC2 BSC3 BSC4 BSC5 BSC6

MSC1 MSC2 MSC3 MSC4

(0-4999) (4999-9999)

Figure 15 SGSN change with no MSC change

When both the MSC and the SGSN change, the new SGSN selects a new
MSC to establish a Gs association. The selection mechanism is as described
for the attach above.

CS paging via Gs interface

In case a MSC sends a paging-request with IMSI via Gs-interface the SGSN
has to add the MSC/VLR-identity to the Paging message. The selection
function in the BSC temporarily stores MSC/VLR-identity in order to send the
Paging Response to the MSC that has issued the Paging Request.

MSC

pool
MSC

Paging Req. (IMSI)

 Paging Res. (IMSI)

BSC SGSN
 Paging  Paging
Req. (IMSI) (IMSI + MSC/VLR-
identity)

Figure 16 CS paging via Gs interface

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

MSC Load Re-

Re-Distribution
Redistribution of MSs is initiated by O&M command in the SGSN providing
the Gs interface to the MSC to be off-loaded. The corresponding IMSI Hash
table is reconfigured to reflect the redistribution. If the SGSNs are also
configured in a pool, this is repeated for any SGSN connected to that MSC.
The IMSI Hash table have a consistent configuration in all SGSNs in the pool.
The redistribution is done in two phases. During the first phase, the MSs that
are performing combined RA/LA updates are moved to a new MSC. When
the SGSN receives a Routing Area Update Request (combined RA/LA
updating), it checks if the particular MS shall be moved (i.e. it has a Gs
association with the MSC being off-loaded). If the MS shall be moved, the
SGSN invokes the MSC selection function (IMSI Hash) to decide where the
MS should be distributed. SGSN sends the (BSSAP+) Location-Update-
Request (IMSI attach) to the new selected MSC where the MS is registered.
Stationary MSs (i.e. MSs not performing RA/LA updates) are not moved
during this first phase.

MSC1 MSC2 MSC3

 Location Upd.
Request
 RA/LA Upd.
SGSN
O&M

(0-3332) MSC1
(3333-6665)+(0-1666) MSC2
(3333-6665) MSC2 
(6666-9999)+(1666-3332) MSC3
(6666-9999) MSC3

Figure 17 MSC Load Re-Distribution (phase 1)

During the second phase, the SGSN scans its Gs associations to find out
which MSs shall be moved. For each MS with an association to the MSC
being off-loaded, the SGSN sends a Detach Request (indicating IMSI
detach). The MS is forced to re-attach to non-GPRS service (note that there
is no impact on PDP contexts in this case). The MS sends a RA Update
Request (combined RA/LA updating with IMSI Attach). SGSN checks if the
MS shall be moved. If the MS shall be moved, the SGSN invokes the MSC
selection function (IMSI Hash) to select another MSC. SGSN sends the
(BSSAP+) Location Update-Request (IMSI attach) to the new MSC where the
MS is registered.

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 Leliwa Technical Bulletin SGSNs in Pool

MSC1 MSC2 MSC3

 Location Upd.
Request

Detach Request (IMSI)
SGSN
 RA/LA Upd (IMSI Attach)

Figure 18 MSC Load Re-Distribution (phase 2)

During the redistribution, incoming IMSI Detach messages are (as during
normal operation) routed to respective existing associated MSC. That is, the
reconfigured IMSI Hash doesn't affect the routing of IMSI Detach messages.

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SGSNs in Pool Leliwa Technical Bulletin

Acronyms and Abbreviations

BSC Base Station Controller

BSS Base Station System
BSSAP BSS Application Part
CN Core Network
CPICH Common Pilot Channel
CS Circuit Switching
CS Convergence Sublayer
EHPLMN Equivalent Home PLMN
FDD Frequency Division Duplex
GMM GPRS Mobility Management
GPRS General Packet Radio Service
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
GTP GPRS Tunelling Protocol
HLR Home Location Register
HPLMN Home Public Land Mobile Network
IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity
IP Internet Protocol
LA Location Area
LLC Logical Link Control
MM Mobility Management
MS Mobile Station
MSC Mobile services Switching Centre
NRI Network Resource Identifier
NSF Node Selection Function
PDP Packet Data Protocol
PDP Policy Decision Point
PS Packet Switching
PS Presence Service
P-TMSI Packet TMSI
RA Routing Area
RAI Routing Area Identification
RAN Radio Access Network
SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node
TLLI Temporary Logical Link Identifier
TMSI Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity Number
VLR Visited Location Register

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References
This section contains the locations of various specifications, document
references and useful information where you can learn more about this
subject.

[1] 23.236 Intra-domain connection of Radio Access Network (RAN)

nodes to multiple Core Network (CN) nodes

[2] 23.002 Network architecture

[3] 23.060 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service description;

Stage 2

[4] 48.008 Mobile Switching Centre - Base Station system (MSC-BSS)

interface; Layer 3 specification

[5] 23.003 Numbering, addressing and identification

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Disclaimer
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