Cisco 3G small cells: products and
architecture
Djordje Vulovic
Consulting Systems Engineer
CCIE #16582
Small Cell Market Drivers
Growth in
Mobile Data
Presentation_ID
Lack of
Spectrum
Attractive
Economics of
Offload
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Anytime
Anywhere
Access to
Data
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Increase in
Indoor
Consumption
3
Solving the Mobile Broadband Challenge
2.3/2.6GHz
1800MHz
2100 MHz
700 MHz
900 MHz
10
2100 MHz
20
1800MHz
30
900 MHz
MHz
40
2.4GHz (WiFi)
MORE SPECTRUM
2x
17x
DEMAND
OVER 5
YEARS
SPECTRUM
0
Today - 80MHz
2015 - 160MHz+
EVOLVED TECHNOLOGY
LTE
1.5
1.5x
HSPA
1
SPECTRAL
0.5
GPRS
0
1
2
3
4
5
G
SMALLER CELLS
QPSK
16QAM
QPSK
64QAM/
MIMO
6
EFFICIENCY
16QAM
64QAM/
MIMO
6x
QPSK
EBytes / Month
SE bps/Hz
2
4
3
2
1
16QAM
64QAM/
MIMO
QPSK
16QAM
DENSIFY
64QAM/
MIMO
1 km
0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Data/Web (35%->28%)
File sharing (11%->5%)
Video (52%->63%)
M2M (3%->4%)
Cisco VNI, Global Mobile Traffic Forecast
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4
Gaining Capacity: “Outside-In” vs “Inside-Out”
Classic “Outside-In”
Deployment
…indoor users are cell
edge users
…only 30-35% traffic
served outdoors
…cell sites are now scarce
and costly
“Inside-Out” deployment
…65-70% usage indoors
…users well served
…costs low
…backhaul/site cheap
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Small Cells: Evolving Terminology to Match Demand
Indoor
Location >
Home
Outdoor
Enterprise
Urban
Office, campus,
hotel
City centres
Rural
Before the mobile data revolution
Primary
driver >
Old name >
Coverage
extension
and end user
experience
Voice
coverage
Femtocell
Picocell
Coverage and capacity
Voice
coverage
Microcell
After the mobile data revolution
Primary
driver >
New name >
Coverage
extension
and end user
experience
Coverage
(voice and
data)
Femtocell
Enterprise
Small Cell
Data capacity
Data capacity
Voice
coverage
Metro SC
Indoor
Metro SC
Outdoor
Rural
Small Cell
SMALL CELL TECHNOLOGY
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MACROCELL TECHNOLOGY
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Where are Metro Indoor Hotspots
Restaurant
Supermarket
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Café/Shop
Station
Shopping Mall
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7
Cisco Small Cells Solutions
Comprehensive,
Intelligent
3G/LTE/Wi-Fi Small
Cells
3G
• Built on industry standards; 3GPP
architectures
• Innovative features and capabilities solving
coverage & capacity challenges
Minimize deployment
OPEX with zero/low
touch provisioning
• Proven optimization & monetization models
with robust Policy & Subscriber services
• End-to-end, validated, carrier-grade network
solutions (radio, access, backhaul, core,
policy/charging)
Best of breed SON
solution ensuring Macro
radio co-existence
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Cisco Small Cells: Built on Unrivaled Expertise
• Most widely deployed small cells in the world
• Over 18 million Wi-Fi APs deployed, 55%+
share
• 200+ Service Providers using Cisco SP Wi-Fi
• Over 2 million Licensed Small Cells deployed
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Standards Bodies Involved in Small Cells
 Market representative organization pushing femto as the de
facto solution for in home coverage for all technologies
(WCDMA, CDMA, WiMAX)
www.smallcellforum.org
 3G/LTE standardization Body
– Defining standards femtocell architecture and interface for 3G and LTE
www.3gpp.org
– R8 contains initial set of standards published. Follow-on functionalities being
specified in R9/10/11.
 DSL standardization body
www.broadband-forum.org
– Objective is to reuse TR-069 framework for zero-touch provisioning
of Femtocell Access Point. Femto specific data model (WT-196)
published in April 2009
 Mobile SP organisation defining interoperability and deployment
guidelines
www.ngmn.org
– Published guidelines on Femto security and broadband network reqs
 Mobile SP organization looking at beyond 3G services and
architecture
www.gsmworld.com
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– Fully supporting FemtoForum work on Femtocell for LT
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10
3G HNB Reference Architecture
Refer to TS 25.467 (R10)
 RAN-based achitecture
– i.e. connecting to existing 3G core network
 Multiple access control modes
– Closed, Open, Hybrid
Gi
Gn/S5
Uu
 Mobility
L-GW
HNB
Iuh
Iu
Security
Gateway
Iurh
Iuh
HNB GW
Uu
HNB
Gn/S5
– Full idle mode mobility support (cell
(re)selection)
– Active mode mobility defined over three
releases
 Security (38.200)
– IPSec tunnel mode with IKEv2 for
negotiation
– X.509 based authentication (SIM based is
optional and is complementary to
certificate based authentication)
 Provisioning
L-GW
– TR-069 based interface
Gi
 Management (3G TS 32.581, 582, 583,
584)
HMS
– Standard configuration and performance
management interface(XML based)
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3G Femtocell Functional Split
 Most 3G RNC functions are moved to the HNB
 HNBGW supports
– HNB Aggregation (optionally includes SeGW)
– Connectionless distribution (Paging, Hand-in filtering)
– Iuh termination
Iu control-plane
(RANAP)
HNBGW
Iu user-plane
(CS and PS)
Whitelist Handling
Iuh Termination
Connectionless
handler
Mgmt
CS data
PS data
TR-069
Iuh over IP
RTP
HNB
RRC
Connection
Oriented
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Stats File
GTP
Mgmt
RLC
MAC-hs
MAC
W-CDMA air interface
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Iub vs Iuh Comparison
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Cisco Small Cell Solution
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Small Cell Solution (SCS) Reference Solution
Architecture – 5 Key Domains
Cloudbase
Bootstrap
PKI
Registration, Activation, Care: XML/HTTP
SP OSS
AP
RMS Client
Mgmt
over
TLS
DMZ
ACE 4710
AAA / RADIUS
Whitelists
RMS
TR-069
HTTP
XMPP
PMG
(TR069, CMHS)
Access
Radio Stack
Point
Radio HW
DCC
Remote
UI
Management
System
CAR
CMHS
RAN
BAC
NTP
DMZ
Iuh,
CS, PS
Over
IPSec
SP Firewall or
7600
Upload
Server
DHCP
CNR
ASR5000
Small
Cells
HNB-GW
Gateway
SeGW
IuCS
SP MSC
IuPS
SP SGSN or
GGSN
ASR5K
SGSN, GGSN
Iuh, CS, PS
Alarms
& KPIs
NMS
Alarms
& KPIs
Alarms
& KPIs
Prime Mobility
Network and Element Management
Prime
Prime
Prime
RAN Optimization/SON
Central
Performance
Network
Alarms
& KPIs
SP NMS
Provided by
Operator
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Small Cell Solution Architecture
Platform and SC Alarms
Platform KPIs
NMS Prime
Mobility Suite
Hosted
CloudBase
Prime
Central
Prime
Performance
Platform
PM / FM
Platform
PM / FM
Prime
Network
Platform
PM / FM,
SC FM
Platform
PM / FM
Provisioning / Care,
XML /
HTTP, Bulk Import /
Export, AGPS
RMS
CM, FM, PM, FW
TR069 / HTTPS
Network
Small
Cell
3G
NMS
KPI
(WiFi) Prime
Infrastructure
PKI Bootstrap
HTTP/S
TR-069
AGPS HTTPS
NMS
FM
OSS /
IT
PM
Manager
DHCP for IPSec
Small Cell PM Counters
HNB AAA
Whitelists
RAN GW
S1 & Iuh
IPSec
LTE
CAPWAP
DTLS
WiFi
SeGW
ASR9k
VSM
ASR5000
CAPWAP
Over
DTLS
WiFi
HeNB-GW
S1 / S2a /
STa
SaMOG
WiFi Breakout
LTE
EPC
PMIPv6
WLC
Internet
NTP
Presentation_ID
3G CN
HNB-GW
S1, Iuh
IEEE
1588
Clock
IuCS / IuPS
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16
SON Capabilities of 3G ActiveRadio
Self-Configuring
Zero-Touch Activation
Automatic Carrier & PSC Selection: choices defined by network policies
but selected autonomously by small cell
Automatic Neighbour List Generation: neighbour list (both 2G & 3G)
generated through initial radio environment scan
Continuous Fast Sniff: frequent single frame scan of radio environment
to detect changes for responsive adaptation
Self-Optimising
Cognitive RRM Strategies
Self-Healing
Advanced System Monitoring
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Enhanced Power Adaptation: efficient utilisation of available DL
power & adaptation of maximum allowed UL power to provide
coverage dominance in locality of small cell whilst simultaneously
ensuring served users do not interfere with surrounding 3G macro
network
Cell Faults/Outage Detection & Recovery: system watchdogs monitor
cell status & responses from all internal processes. Factory recovery or
soft restart mechanisms invoked post fault/outage detection
Cell Outage Compensation: quasi co-operative power setting amongst
neighbouring small cells through detecting known small cells in outage
(& presence of new small cells)
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Zero-Touch Activation
control &
1 Download
configuration
2
Initial NWL: Scan
neighbours & read SIB
messages
5
Power Adaptation: Using
UE Measurement Reports
parameters: From
management system
4
Enable Radio: AP is ready
to handle calls
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3
6
(Auto) Configuration:
Select carrier, code &
initial power.
Populate neighbour list.
Report final configuration
to management system.
Continuous Fast Sniff:
Periodic interference level
checks
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18
Key Highlights of ActiveSON®
Group Management
Small cells assigned to Group ID
Characterisation at first power-up
Self-Organising Network
Small cells sense each through Network Listen & P2P on LAN
Balance power levels & coverage (with overlap)
Build small cell & macro cell neighbour lists
Peer Monitoring
Network Listen & P2P heartbeats
Adjust neighbour & handover lists when units offline
Multicast of changes
Seamless Mobility
Seamless handovers small cell-small cell, hand-out (& hand-in)
No-signalling idle mobility
Bridge units self-detection for “small cell foyer”
High Capacity Solution
Load balancing for small cell network capacity boost
11-12 Erlang for a 16-call grid unit
WiFi-Like Install
Coffee cup radio planning
Wall mounted units, PoE, VLAN over Ethernet
Enable Enterprise IT personnel deployment!
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Cisco SON Differentiation
• Multi-vendor, multi-technology,
multi-layer Het-Net
orchestration
• Automated closed-loop
optimization
• AP SON orchestration
Quantum
Quantum
• Small cell/macro
SON
SON
integration, including
shared carrier
•
•
•
•
Cisco
Hybrid
SON
Small Cell
Quantum
SON
SON
• Dynamic real-time
optimization and selfhealing
• Measurement-based
adaptiveness
• ActiveSON for peering
among small cell groups
• Scalable, simple
installation experience –
just like Wi-Fi
Instant AP deployment with auto planning, initialization & optimization
Enhanced mobility, reduced interference and effective macro offload
Smart SON agent in AP orchestrated by Quantum SON
Optimal Het-Net Quality of Experience
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Shipping
Small Cell Solution Roadmap
Key Themes
Committed
Planning
Solution Key Themes
Solution Release
Solution Releases
Integrated and Tested E2E Cisco Certified Small Cell Solution
SCS 3.0
SCS 4.0
SCS 5.0
EFT: Mar 2014
FCS: June 2014
EFT: Q3 2014
FCS: Q4 2014
EFT: Q1 2015
FCS: Q1 2015
3G Baseline
Solution with
Mobility and
Scale
Enhanced 3G
Mobility
LTE Baseline
Solution with
Mobility
Enhanced LTE
Mobility
Baseline WiFi
Convergence
Baseline SON
Solution
Enhanced SON
SCS 2.0
FCS: Now
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VoLTE
21
Cisco USC Product Segmentation
Quantum SON Suite (Het-Net Manager)
SP Wi-Fi
RMS, CloudBase (RAN Management)
& Prime (EMS)
USC 3000*
Home / SoHo
USC 5000
Enterprise
USC 7000
Public Space,
Venue
USC 9000
Rural Outdoor
Power
7-13 dBm
20 dBm
24 dBm
24-33 dBm
Users
4-8 Users
16 Users
16-32 Users
16-64 Users
Access
3G Closed
LTE Open
3G Closed /
Open
LTE Open /
Closed
3G Open
LTE Open
3G Open
LTE Open
Deployment
Single Unit
1-10+ Units
1-3 Units per site
1-5 Units per
Macro sector
Indoors
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Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC3310 - 3G/HSPA+ Standalone Indoor Access Point for Residential
 4-8 User 3G Closed / Open
Mode
 <20mW Transmit Power
Product Offer – 3G Standalone
Capability
RF
Band I or II/V
RF Power
3G 20mW at Ant. Port
 Mains power
Antenna
3G: 1x1 SISO
 R99 WCDMA Voice Calls
RF BW
5 MHz
 HSDPA+ 21Mbps* / HSUPA
5.76Mbps (Peak Rates)*
 Simple to install. Ethernet and
plug top PSU with zero touch
configuration.
 Committed for 3GPP Band I.
Band 2/5 planned for future
Available Now!
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3G/HSPA
3G Throughput
14.4/5.7 Mbps HSPA+ (peak rate)
3G Feature Set
4-8 Active users; 32 idle ;3GPP
R99 & R7 HSPA ; Iuh / TR-069,
TR-196
Mobility
3G Active CS/PS and Idle Mode
Reselection
SON / HetNet
3G : Network Listen
Power Supply
DC 12V using adapter brick 100240V AC (50-60 Hz)
Size / Weight
183 x 225 x 44.5mm
<500g (complete unit)
Deployment
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Free standing Residential/SoHo
24
Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC5310 - 3G/HSPA+ Plug-in Module for Aironet AP3600/AP3700
Product Offer – 3G + Wi-Fi
 16 User 3G Open Mode
Module
3G HSPA+ - 21Mbps/5.7Mbps
<100mW/20dBm EiRP
16 Active Users
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RF
3G/HSPA + 802.11n
Band II/V or I
802.11n 2.4/5GHz
 <100mW Transmit Power
(same as ETSI 802.11)
RF Power
Antenna
 Compatible with 3600i/3600e
Wi-Fi
1x1 SISO
802.11n 4x4 3SS / Beamforming
RF BW
5 MHz
Base
Platform
USC Software Platform
 Power provided by the Aironet
through PoE+ (IEEE 802.3at)
or external PSU.
 R99 WCDMA Voice Calls
 HSDPA+ 21Mbps / HSUPA
5.76Mbps (Peak Rates)*
Available Now!
Capability
 Available in 3GPP I (Rest of
World) and Band II/V
(USA/LATAM)
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100mW at Ant. Port
3G
Throughput
21/5.7 Mbps HSDPA+ (peak rate)*
3G Feature
Set
16 Active users; 200 idle ;3GPP
R99 & R8 HSDPA+ ; Iuh / TR-069,
TR-196v1, Open Mode
Mobility
3G Active CS/PS and Idle Mode
Reselection
SON /
HetNet
3G : Network Listen
802.11 : Clean Air
Power
Supply
Provided by the Aironet Product
Size /
Weight
1.5L ; 1.4kg (complete unit)
Deployment
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Desk/Wall/Ceiling
25
Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC541x – LTE Plug-in Module for Aironet AP3600/AP3700
 Partner to USC 5310 Module
 Module supports (auto-selects)
– 1x1 SISO with 6W PSU (AP3600/AP3700)
– 2x2 MIMO with 10W PSU (USC5030)
 LTE FDD
 Up to 20 MHz iBW
– 16 Active Users
– 128 RRC Connected Users
 100mW Output Power
 Available in 3GPP I/III/VII (Rest of World) and
Band IV (USA/LATAM)
Target FCS –
December 2014
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Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC5030 - Dual Module Holder
 Module holder only
– 1x GbE RJ45 ports
 Provides 2x10W via Cisco module
connector
 Module Configurations
–
–
–
–
–
1x3G
1xLTE (When available)
2x3G (Planning)
2xLTE (When available)
1x3G + 1xLTE (When available)
 Power PoE+ and/or 48V DC
 Compatible with USC 5310 and USC
541x
Target FCS – May 2014
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Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC7330 – 3G/HSPA+ Standalone Indoor Access Point
Product Offer – 3G
Capability
 Standalone Venue product
RF
 16 User 3G
RF Power
 250mW Transmit Power
3G HSPA+ - 21Mbps/5.7Mbps
<250mW/24dBm EiRP
16 Active Users
3GPP II/V or I
250 mW
Antenna
SISO
RF BW
5 MHz
 R99 WCDMA Voice Calls
Base Platform
 HSDPA+ 21Mbps / HSUPA
5.76Mbps (Peak Rates)*
Data
Throughput
21 Mbps DL*; 5.7 Mbps UL
3G Feature
Set
16 Active users; 200 idle ;3GPP
R99 & R7 HSDPA+ ; Iuh / TR069, TR-196v1, Open Mode
 External PSU or PoE+ support
 Available in 3GPP Band II/V
(USA/LATAM) or I (Rest of
World)
Available Now!
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3G/HSPA
Mobility
Active and idle mode mobility
SON / HetNet
Auto-configuration, 3GNetwork
Listen, Cisco SON support
Power Supply
15W
Size / Weight
<2L ; <2kg
Deployment
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USC Software Platform
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Indoors (wall or ceiling mount) /
Cisco Standard Accessories
28
Cisco Universal Small Cell
USC9330 - 3G/HSPA+ Standalone Outdoor Access Point
 Rural Outdoor product
 16 User 3G
Capability
 Tx Power 1W
RF
3GPP II/V or I
 Range up to 2km
RF Tx Power
1W (30 dBm)
Antenna Gain
2 dB
 Power Interface: PoE+ or DC
(48V)
 IP67
3G HSPA+ - 21Mbps/5.7Mbps
32dBm EiRP
16 Active Users
Target FCS – May 2014
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Product Offer – 3G
 -30 to +45 ºC Ambient,
+55 ºC with Solar Loading
(1200W/m2)
EIRP
RF BW
Data
Throughput
Mobility
3G/HSPA
32 dBm
5 MHz
21 Mbps DL*; 5.7 Mbps UL
Active and idle mode mobility
SON / HetNet
Auto-configuration, 3GNetwork
Listen, Cisco SON support
 HSDPA+ 21Mbps / HSUPA
5.76Mbps (Peak Rates)*
Power Supply
<20W
Weight
3.2kg
 Available in 3GPP Band II/V
(USA/LATAM) or I (Rest of
World)
Deployment
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Rural Outdoor
29
ASR5K HNBGW/HeNBGW/SeGW
 HNBGW Key Features
HNB
3G Core
HNBGW
HeNBGW
EPC
HeNB
 Integrated SeGW
– Up to 1M IPSec IKEv2 Tunnels
– HNB Authentication (X.509 & EAPSIM/AKA)
– NAT Traversal
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– Iuh Standard compliance (3GPP
R9)
– IuCS/IuPS/IuFlex over IP or ATM
– Full mobility with F2F through core
(pre-Iurh)
– Open/Closed Access mode
– Cell Broadcast Services (Iu-BC
interface)
– Intelligent Paging
– Session Recovery, Congestion
Control
– Comprehensive Bulkstats
 Successful IOT and Commercial
Deployments
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30
Small Cell RMS SW Architecture
Serving Node Components
Central Node Components
Status monitoring heartbeat and CR
XMPP / TLS
CMHS
SP Order
Management
Performance and log
file upload via HTTP
(no TLS)
Cloudbase
PKIBootstrap
XML
over
HTTP
Upload
Server
Config, FW,
Live Data, Diag:
TR-069 & HTTP
(no TLS)
TLS
ACE 4710
DCC UI
SP CSR UI
PMG
BAC DPE
BAC
RDU
SP RAN Databases
HNB
RMS
Client
SP DMZ
Firewall
IPSec
ASR5000
DHCP
CPNR
Radio
Stack
RMS SW Components
RADIUS
AAA
NTP
RAN / DMZ HW
CPAR
SP OSS / BSS
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RMS Solution Components
Name
Full Name
Description
BAC
Broadband Access
Center
A versatile TR-069 management system that provides all essential Femto management
functions including configuration, firmware, data retrieval, troubleshooting. Consists of
DPE (SB services) and RDU (central functions).
PMG
Provisioning &
Management
Gateway
Provides NB API to OSS/BSS/IT. XML/HTTP requests and notifications. Femto
activation workflow with the BAC. Enables automatic assignment of GWs, SAI, Cell ID,
location-specific parameters and whitelist management.
DCC
Device Command
& Control
UI and CLI tools for Femto-specific provisioning functions. Provides Installer / Technician
UI, CSR interfaces and Administration Tools for ops personnel.
CMHS
Cisco
Management
Heartbeat Server
A highly scalable XMPP-based service which is designed for active status monitoring of
Femtocells. This service provides real-time monitoring and management functions not
covered by TR-069 protocols. Currently supported only for IPA devices
US
Upload Server
CPAR
Cisco Prime
Access Registrar
Cisco AAA product. Provides AP authorization on HNB-GW and delivers AP whitelists to
HNB-GW via RADIUS.
CPNR
Cisco Prime
Network Registrar
Cisco DHCP product. Used to allocate IPSec addresses for SeGW via DHCP. The
lease database can then be queried to discover the current AP IP address.
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A high-scale service for receiving uploads from the Femtocells, including periodic
performance data, logs & traces.
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Cisco Service Provider Mobility
Software Enabled End-to-end Network Intelligence
Mobile Packet Core
Enabling the evolution from 3G to
LTE and driving the convergence
with Wi-Fi
Leveraging multivendor SON and
network intelligence into the radio
access network (RAN)
Small Cell
Gateway
SON
Building on Cisco’s experience with
Enterprise IT deploying millions of
small cells
Providing SPs with a
comprehensive solution that
extends an intelligence layer across
the mobile network
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3G
LTE
Cisco Public
Small
Cells