IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS):

Concepts and Architecture

Instructor: Hamid R. Rabiee

Spring 2013
Outlines

 Introduction

 IMS Concepts
 Introductory concepts and IMS general terminology

 Functional Entities and their Roles

 Major nodes/entities

 Roles and functions provided

 Architecture associated with major functional entities

 Overall Architecture

 Summary
Introduction-1
 Service providers are looking

 To migrate voice services to VoIP for cost and revenue generating advantages.

 To provide more revenue generating new services to have competitive advantage.

 These new services include

 Instant Messaging

 Push to Talk

 NetMeeting

 Presence Services

 Real Time Multimedia Services

 To implement these converged and new classes of services, the network must have a
consistent and robust architecture to ensure QoS.
 Introduction-2

 The solution must include next-generation Voice & data systems, software and professional
services to meet of both wire line and wireless operators.

 The requirement to have that kind of solution includes:

 Separation of Access and Transport Layer from Service layer.

 Session Management across multiple real time communication services.

 Transparent interworking with legacy TDM networks.

 Consistent mechanism for sharing user profile across network.

 Consistent mechanism for authenticating and billing end users.

 Open standard interfaces and APIs for new service providers and 3rd parties.

The answer is IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to get above features and services.
Introduction-3

 IMS is a technology that defines how to set up advanced services for 3G

cellular networks.

 IMS provides a service control platform that allows creation of new

multimedia and multi-session applications utilizing wireless and wireline
transport capabilities.

 IMS-based services enable communications in variety of modes including

voice, text, location, pictures, video or any combination of these
What is IMS?

 IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a Service Delivery Architecture

Standardized architecture to provide Internet Protocol

(IP)-based mobile and fixed multimedia services
 IMS architecture has evolved over the past few years

 Today, IMS could allow operators who own different types of networks
with varying architectures to offer the same services to all of their
customers
How did we arrive at IMS?
Technology Evolution

IMS
IP 3G Wireless  3G wireless + IP ++
PSTN
Wireless
 Internet  W-CDMA – Standard Services
Platform
 Circuit switched Circuit switched – VoIP  GPRS/UMTS

 Analog – Instant Messaging

– Converged
 Analog Applications &
 Digital – Web Applications Content
 SS7  Digital
– Access
 ISDN
 2G (GSM Independence
& CDMA
ANSI-41)
 IMS Benefits

Benefits for the User Benefits for the Operator

 Single sign on  Fast and flexible service creation (1 SIP client)

 Application bundling in realtime (e.g.  Innovative realtime multimedia service offers

simultaneous usage of voice and data
 Full control of services by operator
applications)

 Realtime messaging without store & foreward  Service differentiation by flexible bandwidth
allocation and guaranteed QoS
 Multiparty communication services (e.g.
chatting, conferencing)  Fixed / mobile convergence

 Enrichment and personalization (e.g.  Common service control infrastructure for PS

realtime multimedia, buddy lists, presence, domain for cost optimization and easy service
introduction
push services, subscriber self administration)

 Anywhere service access from various  Longterm CS migration by shifting voice traffic
towards PS domain
access networks
 IMS Concepts

 How Did We Arrive At IMS?

 Definition of IMS

 UE (User Equipment)

 User Identities

 IP Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN)

 IP Multimedia Sessions

 Transition to IMS Architecture

IMS Architecture

 Today, IMS could allow operators who own different types of networks
with varying architectures to offer the same services to all of their
customers
IMS Concepts
User Equipment (UE)

 UE: A device that has IP connectivity and is able to request an

IP address from the network
 Examples: SIP phone, PC, PDA

 UE negotiates its QoS requirements and other capabilities

during a session setup

 UE negotiates items, such as:

 Media Type

 Direction of traffic

 Bit rate, packet size, bandwidth adaptation

 IMS Concepts - IMS User Identification
 An IMS user is allocated one or more Public User Identities by the home operator

 A Public User Identity is either a SIP URI or a TEL URL

 When the Public User Identity contains a SIP URI, it typically takes the form
of sip:[email protected]

 When the Public User Identity contains a TEL URL representing a phone
number in international format it typically takes the form of tel:+1-212-555-
0293
 It is possible to include a telephone number in a SIP URI using the following
format:
sip:[email protected];user=phone
 TEL URLs are needed for inter-working with PSTN phones

 In IMS, Public User Identities are used to route SIP signaling

 IMS Concepts - IMS User Identification (contd.)
 Each IMS subscriber is assigned a Private User Identity by the home operator
 Unlike Public User Identities, Private User Identities are not SIP URIs or TEL URLs
 They take the format of a NAI (Network Access Identifier)
 The format of a NAI is [email protected]
 Private User Identities are exclusively used for subscription identification and authentication
purposes
 This identity shall use for NAI (Network Access Identity)
 Private User Identities are not used for routing SIP requests
 Characteristics of Private user identities:
 It will not use for routing SIP messages.

 It will be used for all registrations (including de-registration and re-registration)

 It will be a unique Global identity

 It will be used to identify the user’s information (for example user authentication) stores in
HSS
 Relationship between Public & Private User Identity

 The home network operator is responsible for defining private

and public user identities. (other user identities which are not
defined by operator may also exist)
 The IMS Service profile is a collection of services and user data.
 The IMS service profile is defined and maintained by HSS.
 The service profile is downloaded from HSS to S-CSCF (like HLR
to VLR).
 S-CSCF can have only one public user identity at a time. One
public user identity can use only one service profile while one
service profile can be given to many public user identities.
Relationship Between User Identities

Sip:[email protected]

tel:+17324567888
[email protected]

IMS Subscriber Sip:[email protected]

Private User Identity

tel:+88028112347

Public User Identities

IMS Concepts
3GPP IP-CAN

IP-CAN
(GPRS IMS Nodes
-based)
UE
RAN
SGSN
GGSN

•IMS network utilizes IP-CAN to transport

multimedia signaling and bearer traffic
•It is the network that connects the UE to the
IMS network
IMS Concepts
IP Multimedia Session (contd.)
IMS
IP-CAN
IP-CAN
UE1
Session control signaling

UE2
Media (data) Flow

•An IP Multimedia Session is comprised of session management control connections

and media flow connections between two or more users
•IMS users are able to mix and match a variety of IP-based services in a way they
choose during a single communication session
IMS Concepts- Transition Public Land Mobile
Network (PLMN)

SCP
HLR SCP HLR
SS7/
ISUP

MSC MSC

Carrier A Carrier B
GSM / ANSI Network GSM / ANSI Network
IMS Concepts-Transition
IMS Architecture: High Level View

HSS

SIP
HSS ASs
ASs
UE1 UE2
CSCFs CSCFs

IMS Network
IMS Network Carrier B
Carrier A
IMS Concepts-Transition
Interoperability: High Level View

HSS

SIP
HSS ASs
UE ASs UE

CSCFs CSCFs
Interworking IMS Network
Functions Carrier B
IMS Network
Carrier A ISUP

SCP SSP
ISPs
PSTN
Functional Entities

 IMS Architecture Planes or Layers

 Various Functional Entities and their Roles

Functional Entities
IMS Architecture Planes

Application

Application

Application
Server

Server

Server
Services plane
(Application Layer)

Session Control Plane Centralized

(Session and DB Layer) Session Control Databases
DB

Media Control Plane

(Media Control
Media Control
& Gateway Layer)
& Gateways

Network Plane
(Access and Transport)
Wireline Wireless 2G/3G PSTN
Broadband Broadband Mobile
Res./ Enterprize
Functional Entities
Network Plane: Access and Transport

Session Circuit Switched

Controllers Gateways

Network Plane
Access and Transport SS7
IP 2G
Mobile/ PSTN
PLMN
IP EO/
MSC SSP
Wireless
Wireline
Broadband/
Broadband
3G
Res./ Enterprize
Functional Entities
Network Plane: Access and Transport
 This layer initiates and terminates SIP signalling to setup sessions and
provide bearer services such as Voice/Media Streaming over IP packets
using RTP (Real Time Protocol).
 This also provides Media Gateways for converting VoIP bearer streams
to PSTN TDM format.
 These Media Servers provides many media related services including
conferencing, playing announcements, collection of in-band signalling
tones, speech recognition, etc.
 The Media Server resources are shared with all applications.
Consequently, each application that requires playing announcements,
collecting digits, etc can use a common server. These applications may be
voicemail, advance 800, interactive VXML services, etc.
 The Media Server can also support non-telephony function like Push-to-
talk. So, using common pool of media servers across multiple services,
service operators do not have to forecast or engineer media resource for
each application.
Functional Entities
Session Control Plane

CSCF HSS
CX
DB
Functional Entities
Session Control Plane
 It is also called CSCF (Call Session Control Function) layer.
 The function of this layer to provide registration of the end points and routing
of the SIP signalling messages to appropriate application server.
 The CSCF interworks with transport layer to guarantee QoS across all
services.
 The call session layer also includes HSS (Home Subscriber Server) database,
which maintains unique service profile for each end user.
 HSS includes end users registration information (i.e. IP address), roaming
information, telephone services (i.e. call forwarding), voice mailbox options,
etc.
 To have this central database of subscribers, applications can share
information to create unified personal directories, multi client type presence
information and many more other services.
 The Call Session Control Layer also includes Media Gateway Control Function
(MGCF). MGCF interworks the SIP signalling with the signalling used by
Media Gateway (i.e. H.248/Megaco). The MGCF manages the distribution of
sessions across multiple media gateways.
Functional Entities
Session Control Plane: CSCF

Call Session Control Function

HSS
Cx DB

P-CSCF I-CSCF S-CSCF

ISC ISC

UE’s first Interrogating to UE session

point of load balance management
contact
Functional Entities Session Control Plane: P-CSCF
Roles

Proxy- CSCF

UE’s first point of contact

Authenticates and asserts an identity to the
UE
Manages QoS, resource allocation, and
controls charging function
May contain a PDF which
Manages resource allocation and QoS
May reside in the visited or home network
PDF
Functional Entities Session Control Plane: I-CSCF
Roles

Interrogating- CSCF
HSS
DB

Determines UE location by
communicating with the HSS
Finds the appropriate S-CSCF
Performs load balancing
Typically resides in the home
network
Functional Entities Session Control Plane: S-CSCF
Roles

HSS
Serving- CSCF
DB
Responsible for all session management
activities
Retrieves user profile and authentication
information from the HSS
Enforces the policy of the network operator
Finds the appropriate AS
Provides SIP routing
Always resides in the home network
Functional Entities
Session Control Plane: HSS

 Home Subscriber Server (HSS) is the main data storage for all subscriber
and service-related data of the IMS subscriber

 The HSS contains all the user-related subscription data required to handle
multimedia sessions

o All the data related to a particular user are stored in a

single HSS
 The HSS is always located in the home network

 Although the functionalities are the same, 3GPP and 3GPP2 HSSs are
described differently
Functional Entities Session Control Plane: HSS
(3GPP)

Home Subscriber Server

CSCF Contains a user profile - bound
to a Private User Identity and to
the collection of Public User
Identities
•IMS Functionality
The user profile contains a
•HLR/AUC Function for PS number of service profiles
•HLR/AUC Function for CS
The service profile is divided
PDF into three parts:
•a collection of one or
more public identifications
•an optional service
authorization
zero or more filter criteria•
 Relationship Between User Identities and Service
Profiles

Sip:[email protected]

tel:+17324567888 Service
Profile1
[email protected]
om
Public User Identities

IMS Subscriber Sip:[email protected]

Private User Identity

a user profile is bound to a Private

Service
User Identity and to the collection of
Public User Identities tel:+88028112347 Profile2

user profile
Functional Entities
Media Control Plane: MRF

MRFC The MRF (Media Resource

Function) deals with the media in the
IMS network
Signaling Plane  MRFC: The MRFC handles
MRF communication with the S-CSCF and
Media Plane controls the resources in the MRFP
 MRFP: The MRFP in the media
plane implements all the media-related
functions, such as playing media,
MRFP
providing announcements and mix
media
 MRF resides in the home network.
Inter-working Functions
BGCF, SGW, MGCF, & MGW

SGW
 The MGCF receives SIP call
control signal from the IMS network
and performs conversion to
ISUP/IP and sends to SGW. MGCF
BGCF MGCF also controls MGW.
 The SGW performs signaling
conversion in the transport layer
and interfaces with PSTN in the
control plane
 The MGW performs media
conversion and interfaces with
PSTN.
MGW  The BGCF selects another BGCF
OR an appropriate PSTN/CS
gateway
Inter-working Functions
BGCF, SGW, MGCF, & MGW (ctd.)

Signaling (e.g.,
SGW ISUP/MTP)

SIP
BGCF MGCF

Switch

Media (e.g., Voice bit

MGW stream)

IMS Network
PSTN Network
Functional Entities
Services Plane: Applications Servers

SIP AS OSA-SCS IM-SSF

Sh ISC

HSS S-CSCF MRFC

Cx Mr
Functional Entities
Services Plane: Applications
 The application server layer contains the application servers, which provide
the end-user service logic. The IMS architecture and SIP signaling is flexible
enough to support a variety of telephony and non-telephony applications
servers.
 Telephony Application Server (TAS): The IMS architecture supports multiple
application servers for telephony services. The TAS is back-to-back SIP user
agent that maintains the call state. The TAS contains the service logic which
provides the basic call processing services including digit analysis,
routing, call setup, call waiting / forwarding / conferencing, etc.
 TAS provides
 IP Multimedia – Service Switching Function (IM-SSF)
 Supplemental Telephony Application Servers
 Non Telephony Application Servers
 Open Service Access – gateway (OSA-GW)
IMS Architecture (3GPP View)

Dh
Ut
AS Sh, Si HSS SLF
IP-CAN
(GPRS ISC
Mw I-CSCF Cx Dx
-based)

Gm P-CSCF Mw Other
UE Mr IP/IMS
S-CSCF
MRFC
Gq MGCF Mi
RAN Mj
Mk
SGSN BGCF
Go Mp
PDF
GGSN IM- SGW CS
MGW

MRFP Mb
Example: CNAM Call Flow
1 Initiate SIP Invite 7 Apply Service Logic to access IM-SSF AS
2 Retrieve Subscriber Profile (if needed) 8 IM-SSF queries a GSM-SCF if inter-working with PLMN needed
3 Apply Service Logic 9 Forward INVITE to CLD Party
4 Retrieve Address of CLD Party Home Network 10 SDP Negotiation / Resource Reservation Control
5 Identify Registrar of CLD Party and Forward INVITE 11 Ringing / Alerting
12 Answer / Connect
6 Retrieve Subscriber Profile
13 Session Active

Calling Party Called Party LIDB/

Control Home Network HSS ENUM HSS CNAM
Home Network SCF
Bearer 8
2 Diameter 6
Diameter 4
3 7
AS SIP S-CSCF 5 I-CSCF S-CSCF SIP
IM-SSF

9
SIP SIP

Calling Party Called Party

Visited Network P-CSCF P-CSCF Visited Network
11
10
1 Backbone Backbone 12
Packet Packet
UE1 RAN Network
RTP Stream
Network
RAN UE2
13
Summary
IMS Architecture: High Level View

HSS

SIP
HSS ASs
ASs
UE
CSCFs CSCFs
Interworking IMS Network
Functions Carrier B

IMS Network ISUP

Carrier A
SCP SSP

PSTN
Quality of Services

 Although the functionalities are the same, 3GPP and 3GPP2 HSSs are
described differently
Policy-based control
PEP : Policy Execution Point

PDP : Policy Decision Point

COPS : Common Open Policy

UE
Service used for policy data transport
SIP/SDP

P-CSCF

Gq
GGSN

Go
Interface Perpose Protocol

Go Media authorization/charging coreletion COPS

PDF

Gq Transports policy set up information between the application Diameter

function (P-CSCF) and the PDF
Guaranteed QoS

UE Edge router PDF P-CSCF

Conclusion

 The 3GPP has specified the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) for the
provisioning of multimedia services in UMTS Release 5 and later.

 The IMS must be complemented with a guaranteed QoS control

architecture that implements resource admission control, policy control
and makes sure that proper policy enforcement is available in the
network.

 Interconnection at the service layer between 3GPP and LAN networks

requires interworking between IMS and WLAN functionalities.
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 3G Third Generation
 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project
 3GPP2 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2
 AAA Authentication, Authorization and Accounting
 AMF Account Management Function
 ANI Application-to-Network Interface
 ANSI American National Standards Institute
 API Application Programming Interface
 AS Application Server
 ASN Abstract Syntax Notation
 ATIS Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
 ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
 ATP Acceptance Test Plan
 AUC Authentication Center
 BGCF Breakout Gateway Control Function
 BT British Telecom
 CAMEL Customized Applications for Mobile Network
Enhanced Logic
 CAP CAMEL Application Part
 CBF Charging and Billing Function
 CCF Charging Collection Function
 CDF Charging Data Function
 CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 CDR Charging Data Records
 CGF Charging Gateway Function
 CLEC Competitive LEC
 CN Core Network
 COPS Common Open Policy Service
 CPE Customer Premises Equipment
 CS Circuit-switched
 CSCF Call Session Control Function
 CTIA Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association
 DB Database
 DHLR Distributed Home Location Register
 DIAMETER AAA or HSS protocol; successor/upgrade of RADIUS
 DMS Dual Mode Services
 DNS Domain Name System
 DSL Digital Subscriber Line
 E9-1-1 Emergency Services
 ECF Event Charging Function
 EDGE Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution
 EIA Electronics Industry Association
 ENUM Telephone Number Mapping
 GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node
 GPRS General Packet Radio Service
 GSA Global Mobile Suppliers Association
 GSM Global System for Mobile Communication
 HLR Home Location Register
 HSS Home Subscriber Server
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol
 I-CSCF Interrogating Call Session Control Function
 IETF Internet Engineering Task Force
 IM Instant Messaging
 IM-SSF IP Multimedia Services Switching Function
 IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem
 IMS-MGW IMS Media Gateway Function
 IMT-2000 International Mobile Telecommunications 2000
 IN Intelligent Networks
 IP Internet Protocol
 IP-CAN IP Connectivity Access Network
 IPDR Internet Protocol Detail Record
 IPsec IP Security
 IPv4 IP Version 4
 IPv6 IP Version 6
 ISC IMS Service Control
 ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
 ISG Intelligent Services Gateway
 ISO International Organization for Standards
 ISUP ISDN User Part
 IT Information Technology
 LAN Local Area Network
 LEC Local Exchange Carrier
 LNP Local Number Portability
 MAP Mobile Application Part
 MCS Multimedia Communications Server
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 MEGACO Media Gateway Control (protocol)
 MGCF Media Gateway Control Function
 MGF Media Gateway Function
 MGIF Mobile Gaming Interoperability Forum
 MGW Media gateway
 MPLS Multi-Protocol Label Switching
 MRF Media Resource Function
 MRFC Media Resource Function Controller
 MRFP Media Resource Function Processor
 MSF Multiservice Switching Forum
 MSO Multi-Service Operator
 MTP Message Transfer Part
 NAI Network Access Identifier
 NANP North American Numbering Plan
 NE Network Element
 NGN Next Generation Network
 NNI Network Node Interface
 OAM&P Operations, Administration, Maintenance and Provisioning
 OCF Online Charging Function
 OCS Online Charging System
 OMA Open Mobile Alliance
 OSA Open Service Access
 OSI Open Systems Interconnection
 OSS Operations Support System
 PC Policy Controller
 P-CSCF Proxy Call Session Control Function
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 PDA Personal Digital Assistant
 PDF Policy Decision Function
 PDS Packet Data Subsystem
 PDSN Packet Data Service Node
 POTS Plain Old Telephone Service
 PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
 PLMN Public land Mobile Network
 QoS Quality of Service
 RAN Radio Access Network
 RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial In User Service
 RF Rating Function
 RTP Real-Time Transport Protocol
 RTCP RTP Control Protocol
 SBC Session Border Controller
 SCCP Signaling Connection Control Part
 SCF Session Charging Function
 SCIM Service Capability Interaction Manager
 SCP Service Control Point
 S-CSCF Serving Call Session Control Function
 S-CSCF Serving CSCF
 SCTP Stream Control Transmission Protocol
 SCF Service Control Function
 SCP Service Control Point
 SCS Service Capability Server
 SDO Standards Development Organization
 SDP Session Description Protocol
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 SGF Signaling Gateway Function
 SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node
 SGW Signaling Gateway
 SIGTRAN Signaling Transport
 SIP Session Initiation Protocol
 SLA Service Level Agreement
 SLF Subscriber Locator Function
 SMS Short Message Service
 SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
 SOA Service Oriented Architecture
 SS7 Signaling System 7
 SSL Secure Sockets Layer
 SSF Service Switching Function
 SSP Service Switching Point
 TAS Telephony Application Serer
 TBCP Talk Burst Control Protocol
 TCAP Transaction Capabilities Application Part
 TCP Transmission Control Protocol
 TDM Time Division Multiplexing
 TIA Telecommunications Industry Association
 TSG-CT TSG Core Network and Terminals (3GPP)
 TSG-GERAN TSG GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (3GPP)
 TSG-RAN TSG Radio Access Network (3GPP)
 TSG-SA TSG Service and System Aspects (3GPP)
 UDP User Datagram Protocol
IMS White Paper
Acronyms
 UE User Equipment
 UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
 UNI User-to-Network Interface
 URI Universal Resource Identifier
 URL Uniform Resource Locator
 UTRA Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
 UWB Ultra-Wideband
 VCC Voice Call Continuity
 VoIP Voice over IP
 VPN Virtual Private Network
 VSP Virtual Service Provider
 WCIT World Conference on International Telecommunications
 WIN Wireless Intelligent Network
 WG Working Group
 WiFi 802.11x wireless technology
 WiMAX 802.16x wireless technology
 WIN Wireless Intelligent Network
 WLAN Wireless LAN
 WTSC Wireless Technologies and Systems Committee (ATIS)
 xDSL Variations of DSL
IMS Architecture
References
1. The 3G IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Merging the Internet and the
Cellular Worlds, by Gonzalo Camarillo and Miguel A. Garc´ıa-Mart´ın,
2006
2. IP Multimedia Concepts and Services by Mikka Poikselka, Georg Mayer,
Hisham Khartabill, Aki Niemi, 2006
3. 3GPP TS 23.228: Technical Specifications Group Services and System
Aspects; IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), Stage 2, 12/2005
4. 3GPP2 X.S0013-000-A: All-IP Core Network Multimedia Domain,
Overview , 11/2005
5. 3GPP2 X.S0013-002-A: All-IP Core Network Multimedia Domain, IMS,
Stage 2 , 11/2005