5G Core Network Setup

Introduction

A 5G network can contain the following products: YateNRF, YateUDM and YateUCN5G.

  • YateNRF is equivalent of YateSTP or YateDRA for 5G networks.
  • YateUDM is equivalent of YateHSS/HLR for 5G networks. YateUDM has similar features like YateHSS/HLR. It allows SS7 Support and Diameter support, but more than an usual YateHSS/HLR, the YateUDM allows 5G support. When this new feature is disabled your YateUDM works like an YateHSS/HLR, but when 5G support feature is enable two more wizard steps will be displayed: CAPIF and UDM/AUSF settings.
  • YateUCN5G is like an YateUCN but with some new features. YateUCN5G allows: SMF support, AMF support and SMSF support. If these new features are disabled, your YateUCN5G works like an YateUCN. But when at least one of these features is enabled some new wizard steps are displayed. These new wizard steps are: CAPIF, SMF, AMF,SMSF. The CAPIF wizard step is displayed when at least one of the new features is enabled.

My Network

Network settings

If the installed MMI version allows 5G configuration, then ‘5G support’ field will be displayed in My Network -> Network Settings.

In order to set any 5G equipment, please make sure  5G Support is checked.

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Equipment

As a tip, if the message “You need to configure network NRF before any other network equipment.” is displayed in Equipment -> Core tab, you should know that the 5G support was activated in your network.

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YateNRF

As you have seen above, the first equipment that has to be added to the network is YateNRF. Without a configured YateNRF, you are not allowed to add other 5G equipment: YateUDM and/or YateUCN5G. 

The YateNRF equipment default wizard step is ‘NRF’. Additionally you can set SEPP support and CAPIF support features if interconnect is needed.

The checkbox ‘Auto generate connection to it from all equipment‘ is displayed if there is an already configured YateUDM/YateUCN5G equipment. When this option is checked, connections to current NRF and its SEPP (if SEPP support is active) are automatically generated from each configured YateUDM/YateUCN5G.

 

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NRF step

It is mandatory to set API Root on the NRF step. This is used to create connections to NRF from other equipment.

Ex – API Root: http://localhost

External NRFs is a list of external NRFs along with SEPP(s) to use.

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SEPP steps: SEPP Route table & SEPP N32c

If you choose to enable SEPP support, two more steps will be displayed:  SEPP Route table and SEPP N32c (SEPP security negotiation interface) settings that apply to SEPP node.

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Optional, you can set SEPP Base URL (ex: http://localhost) in SEPP Route table step. This is used to build the connection from other 5G equipment to the SEPP of the YateNRF. If SEPP Base URL is not set and SEPP support is active, connections to SEPP are built using the URL set in API Root from NRF step.

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CAPIF step

If you choose to enable CAPIF support, CAPIF step will be available to be configured.

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Notes

Until now the YateNRF equipment was added as a custom equipment.

Before performing any configuration changes, please save the /etc/yate/nrf folder in an archive somewhere, in case something goes wrong.

 

Step 1

  • First see if the YateNRF is added as Node type : Custom

MMI -> Equipment -> Core -> YateNRF (+) -> Edit -> Node type (field)

  • From MMI, delete existing YateNRF equipment if it is added as custom:

MMI -> Equipment -> Core -> YateNRF (+) -> Delete

 

Step 2

  • Next, add the YateNRF equipment, as Node type: YateNRF

MMI -> Equipment -> Core -> “Add Core equipment”

‘Add NRF’ step:

Name: YateNRF

Node type: YateNRF

Management Interface IP: 127.0.0.1

Hostname and Serial number should be filled up by API.

On the “Enable equipment features” section leave both “SEPP support” and “Capif support” as disabled for now (you can activate them later if needed)

‘NRF’ step:

API Root: http://127.0.0.1/capif.php

Served PLMN(s):         (You can add more here separated by , ex: 00101,00103 …)

Strict discovery parameters: (checked)

  • Finish, save the changes and restart the equipment.

YateUDM

YateUDM is the equivalent of YateHSS for 5G networks. In case you disable 5G support for YateUDM the ‘CAPIF’ and ‘UDM/AUSF settings’ steps won’t be displayed, so in this scenario, your YateUDM will work like an YateHSS/HLR.

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If Network allows 5G support, you can also upgrade an existing YateHSS/HLR equipment type to a YateUDM equipment type, and set 5G features using button displayed below:

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CAPIF & UDM/AUSF settings

‘Connections to YateNRF/SEPP’ is only available for YateUDM/YateUCN5G. Options are displayed based on YateNRF configuration.

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What is configured in ‘UDM/AUSF settings’ step will be set in hss config file along with the other common settings.

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YateUCN5G

YateUCN5G has more functionalities than a normal YateUCN.

You have the possibility to enable/disable SMF Support, AMF support and SMSF support. If you have at least one of these features enabled, the CAPIF tab will be displayed.
If you have  SMF Support, AMF Support and SMSF Support disabled, your YateUCN5G will work like an YateUCN and CAPIF, AMF, SMF and SMSF steps will be hidden.

When a feature support is disabled, any previous configuration for that feature will also be deleted from equipment.

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If Network allows 5G support, you can also upgrade an existing YateUCN equipment type to a YateUCN5G equipment type, and set 5G features using button displayed below:

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Also, you have the possibility to disable these features from each step (SMF, AMF, SMSF) using Status field. 

If feature support is active but its status (set from within the feature step) is disabled, then feature configuration won’t be deleted from equipment but it will be ignored (act as if feature is disabled).

Below you can see an example of SMF, AMF, SMSF steps:

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NGAP SCTP Listeners 

NGAP SCTP Listeners are set in AMF step. If  AMF feature support is active and AMF module status is active, then it’s mandatory to set a NGAP SCTP Listener, otherwise an error from API will be displayed.

Default Listener status is active. On edit equipment you can disable a listener. Configuration of the disabled listeners won’t be sent to equipment.

The default value of NGAP SCTP Stream is 3. You can change this default value from NGAP SCTP Stream field, that will be applied for all the NGAP Listeners set. You can also specify a different Stream value for each Listener from NGAP Listener Advanced fields.

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CAPIF

CAPIF step is displayed only if equipment has at least one 5G feature active. 
In the CAPIF step you can set:

  • CAPIF nodes (Instances)
  • Connections to NRF/SEPP (this is available only for YateUDM and YateUCN5G)
    •  options are displayed based on configured YateNRF equipment settings
  • Connections / Additional Connections (to nodes NRF, SEPP, AMF, SMF, SMSF, AUSF, UDM)
 
Instances
 
In ‘Common Instances Settings’ you set the common values for all the instances (these values can be also set for each instance). 
 
The ‘Base URL’ parameter shouldn’t contain suffix. The suffix should be specified separately as ‘URL suffix’. If not mentioned ‘capif.php’ is considered to be the URL suffix.
Instances types are based on equipment type:
  • YateUCN5G: AMF, SMF, SMSF
  • YateUDM: AUSF, UDM
  • YateNRF: NRF

Node instance identifier can be generated by clicking on ‘Generate Instance value (UUID V4)’ (this must be unique). 

‘Register to NRF’ is a parameter with bool value. The ‘default’ option in each Instance for this field, is the value set above in Common Instances Settings.

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Connections to YateNRF

Connection to NRF

Connection between other 5G equipment and YateNRF can be built as follows:

  1. automatically when adding a YateNRF equipment (if other 5G equipment are already configured)
        – by checking the “Auto generate connection to it from all equipment” field and specifying the “API root” in NRF step

  2. from CAPIF step of each 5G equipment
    a. by using “Connections to YateNRF/SEPP”
        – check/choose connection to desired YateNRF
           (This option is available only if “API root” parameter was previously set in YateNRF equipment)
    b. by using “Additional Connection”
        – add connection selecting ‘NRF’ node type and specifying the ‘Base URL’
           (Pay attention to advanced fields with default values!)

Connection to SEPP

To set a connection to the SEPP of a YateNRF the following methods can be used:
(In order to set connections to the SEPP of a YateNRF, SEPP support feature should be active.)

  1. automatically when adding a YateNRF equipment (if other 5G equipment are already configured)
        – by checking the “Auto generate connection to it from all equipment” field and specifying the “API root” or ‘SEPP Base URL’ in NRF step (connection will use the URL specified in ‘SEPP Base URL’ if present, otherwise the one set in ‘API root’ field)
  2. from CAPIF step of each 5G equipment
    a. by using “Connections to YateNRF/SEPP”
        – check/choose connection to desired SEPP
          (This option is available only if “API root”/”SEPP Base URL” parameter was previously set in YateNRF equipment)
    b. by using “Additional Connection”
        – add connection selecting ‘SEPP’ node type and specifying the ‘Base URL’
          (Pay attention to advanced fields with default values!)

Attention: “SEPP Base URL” shouldn’t contain suffix! 

Note:
By checking “Auto generate connection to it from all equipment” option, if SEPP support feature is active on YateNRF equipment, on each 5G configured equipment two connections will be automatically added: one to the SEPP and one to the NRF.  The SEPP connection will be built using ‘SEPP Base URL’ if specified, otherwise will be built using the URL specified in ‘API root’. 

Online documentation