Know the Unknown®
NetMobility™
Monitor Performance and Security in Next Generation Mobile Networks
Monitor all LTE/EPC, IMS &
CDMA2000 components
and sessions in real-time
Send alarms when
performance or security
thresholds are breached
DATASHEET
Features & Benefits
~~
Monitoring support for EPC:
S1-U, SGi, S1- MME, S11, S5,
S8, S6a & IMS: Gm, Mw, Cx, Dx
~~
Monitoring support for CDMA
2000: A10, A11, A12
~~
Monitor load and
performance of network
entities - eNodeB, MME, SGW,
P-CSCF, S-CSCF, HSS
~~
Network layer KPIs, such as
handoff latency, call set up
delay, bearer set up delay
~~
Service layer KPIs, such as
top talkers, registration rates,
failed sessions, handoff rates
~~
End user application and
device profiling to study user
behavior & traffic patterns
~~
Predefined and user
configurable displays, alarms
and reports for EPC and IMS
~~
Drill down from EPC and
IMS sessions to packet level
details in order to rapidly
troubleshoot performance
and security problems
~~
Deep Packet Inspection
support for mobile
applications
~~
Network forensics for
application reconstruction
Analyze and correlate
security events to track
down each root cause
View summaries of
all key performance and
security metrics
Observe usage trends
and prepare for future
capacity growth
When migrating from 3G networks to 4G LTE networks, service providers face complex
needs and challenges, such as the efficient use of spectrum to address the exponential
growth of smartphone usage, enhanced real-time control to maximize ROI, and
sophisticated security capabilities to protect the network from malicious high volume
mobile users. Some of the world’s largest providers have resolved these challenges
– all in a single device, with NIKSUN. Only NIKSUN’s NetMobility monitors multiple
aspects of the LTE network with the industry’s most comprehensive network insight,
including in-depth visibility to all end user activities, enabling operators to optimize
critical spectrum utilization. NetMobility seamlessly integrates with NIKSUN’s uniquely
powerful, highly scalable cybersecurity and network performance solution, combining
real-time and deep forensic analytics to deliver unprecedented ROI.
LTE Challenges
Performance: LTE/EPC and IMS introduce new models of Quality of Experience (QoE)
to service providers. Traditional circuit switched networks guaranteed QoE by reserving
bandwidth. Packet switching utilizes available resources more efficiently, but preserving
high QoE levels becomes increasingly challenging. To maintain QoE levels, service
providers have to diligently monitor and track several new key performance metrics,
like SGW and eNodeB traffic rates, failed sessions and transactions, average setup and
response times, etc. Under normal operating conditions, metrics that are consistently
close to threshold limits indicate potential problems that should be mitigated, perhaps
by adding capacity.
Security: The fact that the LTE/EPC and IMS infrastructure natively uses IP makes it a
tempting target for attackers, both from the public Internet and from subscribers that
use IP-enabled smart phones. Traditional 2G and 2.5G networks never had to contend
with such threats. In addition to firewall and other traditional security devices, carriers
need solutions that detect specialized attacks like IMS proxy bypass, denial of service,
address spoofing, and theft of service. These security concerns are all addressed in
NetMobility.
NIKSUN’s Holistic Solutions
NetMobility gives service providers an integrated holistic security and performance
solution to deal with the increasing threats and challenges in the new 4G environment,
while still addressing 3G legacy networks. Load statistics display network utilization
in real-time. Performance metrics show how the system is responding to the load.
Advanced security metrics go beyond just matching signatures on packets - they
include detection of anomalous usage patterns and multi-step attacks. Analytics enable
operators to reduce infrastructure costs by eliminating malicious traffic based on configurable security parameters.
For example, an operator that notices a security or performance anomaly while watching a summary dashboard can analyze the
situation further by drilling down - all the way to the packet level. All relevant packets are preserved to provide the necessary
context for “post mortem” analysis. The operator can slice the collected data in different ways to easily see complex patterns or
connections between events that are not initially apparent including related data and transaction flows at the LTE/EPC, IMS, TCP,
and UDP layers.
All metrics are associated with alarms that can send notifications when a defined threshold is breached. Trend reports show how
indicators change over a longer period of time, which is highly insightful for capacity planning. Comprehensive, customizable
weekly or nightly reports provide management with critical information - right “out-of-the-box”.
Unique NetMobility Capabilities
NetMobility offers two product modules for LTE service providers -- NetMobility-EPC and NetMobility-IMS. NetMobility-EPC shows
the most used network elements, peak and mean setup delays, error rate distributions, etc. Alarms can be generated when the
network load or the number of failures on an MME, SGW or eNodeB exceeds a pre-configured threshold. Blacklisted DNS sites can
be uploaded and then reported on via proactive alerts. A drill down of the failed authentication by UEs provides the root cause
for the failure. Network load data on a specific interface (for example, S1-U) facilitates capacity planning and load balancing. IMSI
correlation provides the information for operators to hone their network based on user traffic.
For IMS based systems, NetMobility-IMS shows
the peak rates of SIP methods (REGISTER, INVITE,
etc.), the most heavily used network components
(P-CSCF, S-CSCF, etc.), and identifies the most
talkative users (IMs and INVITEs). It monitors rates of
failed authentication and reports the corresponding
NAIs. Excessive user registration alarms can be
researched through ad hoc investigative methods
to pinpoint the faulty network component or
components that are causing network congestion.
Similar metrics are provided for CDMA2000
networks. NetMobility provides a summary of top
applications, top domains, top NAIs, and other key
statistics that provide a comprehensive view of
CDMA2000 network activity in order to provide details on network loads, usage profiles, and other key performance metrics. Outof the-box signaling views display metrics related to the A11 and A12 (RADIUS) interfaces for deep insight to activity in 3G cellular
networks.
Technical Information
Supported interfaces/protocols: LTE/EPC: S1-U, S1-MME, S11, S5, S8, S6A, SGi, GTP
IMS: Gm, Mw, Cx, Dx, RTP, SIP, DIAMETER; CDMA2000: A10, A11, A12, MIP, RADIUS, GRE
Compatibility: Standards from 3GPP, 3GPP2, IETF, ETSI
Base Software Models: NIKSUN NetVCR, NIKSUN NetDetector, NIKSUN NetBlackBox
100 Nassau Park Blvd
Princeton • NJ 08540
USA
t: +1.609.936.9999
toll free: +1.888.504.3336
f: +1.609.419.4260
[email protected]
www.niksun.com
About NIKSUN: NIKSUN is the recognized worldwide leader in making the Unknown Known. The company
develops a highly scalable array of real-time and forensics-based cyber security and performance
management solutions for large enterprises, government & intelligence agencies, service providers and
financial services companies. NIKSUN’s award winning enterprise solutions deliver unprecedented flexibility
and packet capture power. The company’s patented real-time analysis and recording technology is the
industry’s most comprehensive solution for secure and reliable network infrastructure and services. NIKSUN,
headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, has sales offices and distributors throughout the US, Europe, the Mid
East and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit www.niksun.com.
NIKSUN, NetDetector and NetVCR are either registered trademarks or trademarks of NIKSUN, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. NIKSUN, Inc. shall not be liable for
damages of any kind for use of this information. Copyright© 2013 NIKSUN, Inc. All rights reserved. NK-DS-NM-0113-1.0