Configuring M-SBC

This section describes how to create the initial, basic configuration on a media SBC (M-SBC) SWe Cloud cluster using the EMS and the SBC Configuration Manager. One SBC node within the cluster, referred to as the "Headend" node, is used for creating the configuration, and the EMS is used for distributing the configuration across the cluster. For more information on how an SBC cluster interacts with the EMS for configuration, refer to Configuring an SBC SWe Cluster using the EMS.

Prior to following these procedures you must have created an SBC SWe cluster in the EMS for the M-SBC cluster. Refer to Creating an SBC SWe Cluster in EMS documentation. You must then instantiate the M-SBC cluster. After instantiation, the SBC nodes register with the EMS, but since there is no configuration yet for the cluster, its nodes start with a blank configuration. 

Accessing the SBC Configuration Manager

Begin the process to initially configure a new M-SBC cluster by accessing the SBC Configuration Manager on behalf of the cluster.

1. Log on to the EMS.

2. Click Network > Cluster Management. The Cluster Management / Manage VNFs window opens listing the SBC clusters registered with the EMS.

   Cluster Management / Manage VNFs window

   

3. Click the radio button adjacent to the name of the M-SBC cluster you want to configure. The Details tab for the selected cluster opens. 

4. Click the Configurations tab. 

   Cluster Configurations Tab

   

5. Ensure the option selected for Create Candidate Configuration From is Headend. This is the default. A Headend node must be active, online, and registered with the EMS.

6. Click Create. The SBC Configuration Manager opens against the Headend node.   

   SBC Configuration Manager Window

   

Configure the SBC using the SBC Configuration Manager

Use the following procedures and examples to configure basic M-SBC parameters using the SBC Configuration Manager.

1. To validate the meta variable table, see Validating the Meta Variable Table.
2. To create an address context, see Create an Address Context.

3. To create IP interface groups and IP interfaces, see Create IP Interface Groups and IP Interfaces.

4. To create a static route, see Create a Static Route.
5. To create the D-SBC signaling port, see Create the D-SBC Signaling Port.
6. To create a DNS group and a DNS server, see Create a DNS Group and a DNS Server.
7. To create an NTP server, see Create an NTP Server.

8. To create a load balancing service, see Create a Load Balancing Service.
   
   

Validating the Meta Variable Table

To validate the values assigned during instantiation, review the meta variable table, click All > System > Meta Variables. The Meta Variable window opens showing the Meta Variable list.

Meta Variables

Create an Address Context

Some of the following procedures require that you specify an address context in which to create configuration objects. The following procedures use an example address context named AC1 as a placeholder. In actual practice you can specify your own address context name or use the default address context. The following steps create an address context named AC1. 

1. Click Configuration > System Provisioning > Category: Base Provisioning > Address Context. The Address Context window opens.
2. Click New Address Context. The Create New Address Context window opens.
3. Enter AC1 as the name of the address context (the name must be between 1-23 characters in length). 
4. Click Save.

Create IP Interface Groups and IP Interfaces

Create IP Interface Groups

1. Select Address Context > IP Interface Group. The IP Interface Group window opens.

2. Select AC1 from the Address Context drop-down menu.

3. Click New IP Interface Group. The Create New IP Interface Group window opens.

4. Enter an IP interface group name. Example: MLIG1
   

5. Click Save.

   IP Interface Group

   
    

   Repeat the previous steps to create another interface group. Example: MLIG2. The two new interface groups are listed.

New IP Interface Groups

Create IP Interfaces

1. On the navigation pane, click Address Context > IP Interface Group > IP Interface. The IP Interface window opens. 

2. Select AC1 from the Address Context drop-down list.
3. Select an interface group from the IP Interface Group drop-down list. For example, MLIG1.
4. Click New IP Interface. The Create New IP Interface section opens.
5. Enter a name for the interface. For example, MLIF1.
6. Enter IP Meta keys in the IP Var V4, Prefix Var V4, IP Public Var V4, IP Var V6, IP Prefix Var V6, IP Public Var V6, and IP VLAN Tag Var fields.
7. Select the Mode as In Service.
8. Select the State as Enabled.
9. Enter the CE Name.
10. Select the pkt0 port from the Port Name drop-down list.

11. Click Save.
    

    Creating an IP Interface

    

Repeat the previous steps to add an interface MLIF2 for the pkt1 port.  The two interfaces are listed.

Create a Static Route

1. Select Configuration > System Provisioning > Static Route. The Static Route window opens.
2. Select the AC1 Address Context from the drop-down list.
3. Click New Static Route. The Create New Static Route window opens.
4. Enter the Destination IP Address (IPv4/IPv6).
5. Enter the Prefix value.
6. Enter the Next Hop IP address (IPv4/IPv6).
7. Select an IP Interface Group Name from the drop-down list.
8. Select an IP Interface Name from the drop-down menu.
9. Enter a Preference value.
10. Click Save. 

Static Route Window

Create the D-SBC Signaling Port

To create a D-SBC signaling port for MLIG2:

1. Select System > Dsbc > Dsbc Sig Port. The Dsbc Sig Port window opens.
2. Select MLIG2 from the IP Interface Group drop-down list.
3. Select AC1 from the Address Context drop-down list.
4. Click Save.

D-SBC Sig Port Window

Create a DNS Group and a DNS Server

Create a DNS Group

1. Select Address Context > DNS Group. The DNS Group window opens.
   
2. Select AC1 from the Address Context drop-down list.
   
3. Click New DNS Group. The Create New DNS Group section opens.
   
4. Enter a DNS group name.
   
5. Select IP from the Type drop-down list.
   
6. Select MLIG2 from the IP Interface drop-down list.
   
7. Select Use Configured Dns Server and Edns Support as Enabled.
8. Click Save.

Create New DNS Group

Create a DNS Server

1. Select Address Context > DNS Group > Server. The Server window opens. 

2. On the Server window, perform the following:

   1. Select AC1 from the Address Context drop-down list.

   2. Select the DNS group you created from the DNS Group drop-down list. 
      

   3. Click New Server. The Create New Server section opens.

   4. In the Create New Server section, perform the following:

      1. Enter a server name.

      2. Select the State as Enabled.
         

      3. Enter the DNS server IP in the IP Address V4 or V6 field.

      4. Click Save.

DNS Server Window

Create an NTP Server

1. Select System > NTP > Server Admin. The Server Admin window opens.

2. Click New Server Admin. The Create New Server Admin section opens.
3. Enter a server IP address.
4. Select the State as Enabled.
5. Select the Version as Version4.

6. Click Save.

   NTP Server Admin

   

7. Select System > NTP > Time Zone. The Time Zone window opens.

8. Select the instance from the list. The Edit Selected Time Zone section opens.

9. Select an appropriate time zone from the Zone drop-down list.

10. Click Save.

Time Zone Window

Create a Load Balancing Service

Configure Intra-Cluster Communication Parameters

Configure Load Balancing Service Parameters

1. Select System > Load Balancing Service. The Load Balancing Service window opens.

   Load Balancing Service

   

2. In Group Name, enter a domain name for the load balancing group. 

3. Enter the Private IP Interface Group Name to use to communicate with the MRF.

4. Click Save.

Saving and Activating the Configuration in the Cluster

Once you have completed making configuration changes:

1. Click Save at the top of the SBC Configuration Manager window. A Save confirmation window opens. 

   SBC Configuration Manager - Save Window

   

2. Click Save and Activate configuration. This copies the configuration from the Headend SBC back to the EMS as the active configuration. This also sets the Headend SBC configuration status as Config-in-sync and all other non-Headend SBCs as Config-out-of-sync. The EMS pushes configuration differences to all of those nodes which are config-out-of-sync unless the nodes are unavailable. 

   Within the Cluster Management / Manage VNFs window, the Cluster Status column for the cluster displays All nodes online and Activation Complete, once the configuration is successfully activated.

   Note:

   The EMS performs the reboot of out-of-sync nodes automatically during initial configuration. However, if the nodes lose synchronization after that point, for example if an activation fails, then you must reboot the nodes to trigger a configuration download to bring the nodes back into sync. To reboot a node, use the Reboot Node option on the Nodes tab.