How to Integrate FALCO TDM/IP Converter in Oracle Communications Performance Intelligence Center

Asset ID:	1-79-2025425.1
Update Date:	2017-11-27
Keywords:

Solution Type Predictive Self-Healing Sure

Solution 2025425.1 : How to Integrate FALCO TDM/IP Converter in Oracle Communications Performance Intelligence Center

Applies to:

Oracle Communications Performance Intelligence Center (PIC) Software - Version 7.1 and later
Information in this document applies to any platform.

Purpose

The main features of Falco product are:

E1 SS7 (F353) or GPRS Gb (F352) traffic to IP converter.
Monitors up to 128 bidirectional E1 links.
- Up to 2 input modules, 128 E1 ports each (64 bidirectional E1 / module).
Generates IP traffic on up to 4 Gigabit ports.
- Copper or optical SFPs.
Manages up to 1024 streams.
- 1 stream per link direction.
CLI/SSH/GUI management.
System status/statistics.
Generates TRAP events for standard E1 alarms (LOS, LFA etc.).
Firmware and FPGA upgrade through TFTP.
Optional power supply redundancy (AC or DC).
2U - 19" chassis.

More information can be found on Microtel Inovation site http://microtelinnovation.com/falco.html

PIC version Falco support:

7.1 : Falco product support for SS7 LSL.
7.1.2 : The patch xMF 70.1.2-6.2.0 was delivered to keep compatibility with existing builders behavior. (see the method of configuration in this doc).
7.5 : Falco product support for SS7 HSL and Gb.
10.0 :Bug 19096439 allow ladder diagram to displays PC instead of IP addresses if configuration is done as described in this document.

Details

Falco SS7 to IP Sigtran : Falco 353E

On the Falco SS7, all the configured LSL/HSL links are concentrated into a single Sigtran M2UA association. Each LSL/HSL link is associated to a couple of stream Id (one per direction). This stream Id information is copied into the Interface Id field of the M2UA.

E1 SS7 to IP Sigtran conversion:

E1 SS7 to IP Sigtran Conversion

Stream configuration example:

Stream configuration example

The PMF is not able to filter traffic based on the Interface Id information. The builders are not using the Stream Id information either. In order to keep compatibility with existing builders behavior, it would be useful to have several associations (multiple IP addresses) on the Falco. As it is not possible on the Falco, this operation is performed at the entry of the PMF:

A table is configured with : IP source, stream ID ---> new IP source, new IP destination
- When a packet enters the Falco, if the IP source address match the entry and if the protocol is SCTP and if it is M2UA, the stream Id shall be searched and the IP addresses of the packet changed accordingly.
- If not, no change on the packet.
- Stream Id are ranging from 1 to 1023 and it shall be possible to configure IP address source for up to 4 Falco (total 4x 1023 max entries).
Configuration file is in csv format.
No other CCM interface than the possibility to upload the csv file to the PMF

Configuration

The falco configuration to change the IP addresses based on Falco source IP address is done by a CSV file loaded on PMF.

Until release 7.1.2 this CSV file must be copied in directory /tmp and its name is falco.conf.

Since release 7.5 this CSV file must be copied in directory /opt/TKLCmf/prod and its name is falco.conf.

Each modification inside the falco.conf file will be detected by pmiaMonitor process and will be automatically taken into account.

You can check that the configuration was properly taken into account by checking tr.tail pmiaMonitor logs.

Each time a configuration is loaded, the following line is logged:

Until 7.1.2 "Falco CSV file /tmp/falco.conf has been loaded"
Since 7.5 "Falco CSV file /opt/TKLCmf/prod/falco.conf has been loaded"

If an error is detected, the following line is logged: "Error during loading of Falco CSV file"

Until release 7.1.2, in case the PMF server is rebooted, the configuration file must be reloaded.

falco.conf file format

The character used to separate the CSV column is ';' (other separators are not supported).

1st column: source IP address used by the Falco to send the MSU to PMF,
2nd column: stream Id (named in wireshark: Interface Identifier, inside M2UA protocol layer)
3rd column: source IP address used to overwrite the source IP address used by the Falco to send the MSU to PMF
4th column: destination IP address used to overwrite the destination IP address used by the Falco to send the MSU to PMF
In order ladder diagram displays PC and not IP address (feature available in PIC 10.0), it is mandatory to configure source IP @ 1.1.*.* and destination IP@ 2.2.*.* in both ways

Example of format of CSV file:

10.10.10.10;1;1.1.1.1;2.2.2.2

10.10.10.11;2;2.2.2.2;1.1.1.1

10.10.10.10;3;1.1.3.3;2.2.4.4

10.10.10.11;4;2.2.4.4;1.1.3.3

10.10.10.10;5;1.1.5.5;2.2.6.6

10.10.10.11;6;2.2.6.6;1.1.5.5

Known limitation about CSV file usage:

If the configuration file is created on Windows, it must be converted to Linux format using the command “dos2unix” so the last line of the file is not deleted
Don't insert comments or empty lines in CSV file. Modification will be ignored. Error message will be displayed.
Don't insert a ';' at the end of a line. Modification will be ignored. Error message will be displayed.
Inversion of parameters inside the CSV file won't generate any error and configuration will be applied with wrong configuration value

Missing parameters inside the CSV file won't generate any error and configuration will be applied with wrong configuration value

Falco GPRS Gb to Gb over IP : Falco 352E

On the Falco Gb, all the configured Gb links are concentrated into Gb over IP links.

E1 GPRS-Gb to Gb over IP converter:

E1 GPRS to Gb over IP Converter

Stream configuration example:

Gb Stream Configuration example

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