laforge-slides/2016/netdevconf-osmocom/running-foss-gsm.adoc

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Running FOSS Cellular Networks on Linux
=======================================
:author: Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
:copyright: sysmocom - s.f.m.c. GmbH (License: CC-BY-SA)
:backend: slidy
:max-width: 45em
//:data-uri:
//:icons:
== What this talk is about
[role="incremental"]
* Implementing GSM/GPRS network elements as FOSS
* Applied Protocol Archeology
* Doing all of that on top of Linux (in userspace)
* If you expeccted kernel stuff, you'll be disappointed
== Running your own Internet-style network
* use off-the-shelf hardware (x86, Ethernet card)
* use any random Linux distribution
* configure Linux kernel TCP/IP network stack
** enjoy fancy features like netfilter/iproute2/tc
* use apache/lighttpd/nginx on the server
* use Firefox/chromium/konqueor/lynx on the client
* do whatever modification/optimization on any part of the stack
== Running your own GSM network
Until 2009 the situation looked like this:
* go to Ericsson/Huawei/ZTE/Nokia/Alcatel/...
* spend lots of time convincing them that you're an eligible customer
* spend a six-digit figure for even the most basic full network
* end up with black boxes you can neither study nor improve
[role="incremental"]
- WTF?
- I've grown up with FOSS and the Internet. I know a better world.
== Why no cellular FOSS?
- both cellular (2G/3G/4G) and TCP/IP/HTTP protocol specs are publicly
available for decades. Can you believe it?
- Internet protocol stacks have lots of FOSS implementations
- cellular protocol stacks have no FOSS implementations for the
first almost 20 years of their existence?
[role="incremental"]
- it's the classic conflict
* classic circuit-switched telco vs. the BBS community
* ITU-T/OSI/ISO vs. Arpanet and TCP/IP
== Enter Osmocom
In 2008, some people started to write FOSS for GSM
- to boldly go where no FOSS hacker has gone before
[role="incremental"]
** where protocol stacks are deep
** and acronyms are plentiful
** we went from `bs11-abis` to `bsc_hack` to 'OpenBSC'
** many other related projects were created
** finally leading to the 'Osmocom' umbrella project
== Classic GSM network architecture
image::Gsm_structures.svg[width=850]
== GSM Acronyms, Radio Access Network
MS::
Mobile Station (your phone)
BTS::
Base Transceiver Station, consists of 1..n TRX
TRX::
Transceiver for one radio channel, serves 8 TS
TS::
Timeslots in the GSM radio interface; each runs a specific combination of logical channels
BSC::
Base Station Controller
== GSM Acronyms, Core Network
MSC::
Mobile Switching Center; Terminates MM + CC Sub-layers
HLR::
Home Location Register; Subscriber Database
SMSC::
SMS Service Center
== GSM Acronyms, Layer 2 + 3
LAPDm::
Link Access Protocol, D-Channel. Like LAPD in ISDN
RR::
Radio Resource (establish/release dedicated channels)
MM::
Mobility Management (registration, location, authentication)
CC::
Call Control (voice, circuit switched data, fax)
CM::
Connection Management
== Osmocom GSM components
image::osmocom-gsm.svg[width=850]
== Classic GSM network as digraph
[graphviz]
----
digraph G {
rankdir=LR;
MS0 [label="MS"]
MS1 [label="MS"]
MS2 [label="MS"]
MS3 [label="MS"]
BTS0 [label="BTS"]
BTS1 [label="BTS"]
MSC [label="MSC/VLR"]
HLR [label="HLR/AUC"]
MS0->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS1->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS2->BTS1 [label="Um"]
MS3->BTS1 [label="Um"]
BTS0->BSC [label="Abis"]
BTS1->BSC [label="Abis"]
BSC->MSC [label="A"]
MSC->HLR [label="C"]
MSC->EIR [label="F"]
MSC->SMSC
}
----
== Simplified OsmoNITB GSM network
[graphviz]
----
digraph G {
rankdir=LR;
MS0 [label="MS"]
MS1 [label="MS"]
MS2 [label="MS"]
MS3 [label="MS"]
BTS0 [label="BTS"]
BTS1 [label="BTS"]
MS0->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS1->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS2->BTS1 [label="Um"]
MS3->BTS1 [label="Um"]
BTS0->BSC [label="Abis"]
BTS1->BSC [label="Abis"]
subgraph cluster_nitb {
label = "OsmoNITB";
BSC
MSC [label="MSC/VLR"]
HLR [label="HLR/AUC"]
BSC->MSC [label="A"]
MSC->HLR [label="C"]
MSC->EIR [label="F"]
MSC->SMSC;
}
}
----
which further reduces to the following minimal setup:
[graphviz]
----
digraph G {
rankdir=LR;
MS0 [label="MS"]
BTS0 [label="BTS"]
MS0->BTS0 [label="Um"]
BTS0->BSC [label="Abis"]
BSC [label="OsmoNITB"];
}
----
So our minimal setup is a 'Phone', a 'BTS' and 'OsmoNITB'.
== Which BTS to use?
* Proprietary BTS of classic vendor
** Siemens BS-11 is what we started with
** Nokia, Ericsson, and others available 2nd hand
* 'OsmoBTS' software implementation, running with
** Proprietary HW + PHY (DSP): 'sysmoBTS', or
** General purpose SDR (like USRP) + 'OsmoTRX'
We assume a sysmoBTS in the following tutorial
== OsmoBTS Overview
image::osmo-bts.svg[]
* Implementation of GSM BTS
* supports variety of hardware/PHY options
** `osmo-bts-sysmo`: BTS family by sysmocom
** `osmo-bts-trx`: Used with 'OsmoTRX' + general-purpose SDR
** `osmo-bts-octphy`: Octasic OCTBTS hardware / OCTSDR-2G PHY
** `osmo-bts-litecell15`: Nutaq Litecell 1.5 hardware/PHY
== Configuring Osmocom software
* all Osmo* GSM infrastructure programs share common architecture, as
defined by various libraries 'libosmo{core,gsm,vty,abis,netif,...}'
* part of this is configuration handling
** interactive configuration via command line interface (*vty*), similar
to Cisco routers
** based on a fork of the VTY code from Zebra/Quagga, now 'libosmovty'
* you can manually edit the config file,
* or use `configure terminal` and interactively change it
== Configuring OsmoBTS
* 'OsmoBTS' in our example scenario runs on the embedded ARM/Linux system
inside the 'sysmoBTS'
* we access the 'sysmoBTS' via serial console or ssh
* we then edit the configuration file `/etc/osmocom/osmo-bts.cfg` as
described in the following slide
== Configuring OsmoBTS
----
bts 0
band DCS1800 <1>
ipa unit-id 1801 0 <2>
oml remote-ip 192.168.100.11 <3>
----
<1> the GSM frequency band in which the BTS operates
<2> the unit-id by which this BTS identifies itself to the BSC
<3> the IP address of the BSC (to establish the OML connection towards it)
NOTE: All other configuration is downloaded by the BSC via OML. So most
BTS settings are configured in the BSC/NITB configuration file.
== Configuring OsmoNITB
* 'OsmoNITB' is the `osmo-nitb` executable built from the `openbsc`
source tree / git repository
* just your usual `git clone && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make install`
** (in reality, the `libosmo*` dependencies are required first...)
* 'OsmoNITB' runs on any Linux system, like your speakers' laptop
** you can actually also run it on the ARM/Linux of the 'sysmoBTS' itself,
having a literal 'Network In The Box' with power as only external
dependency
== Configuring OsmoNITB
----
network
network country code 1 <1>
mobile network code 1 <2>
shot name Osmocom <3>
long name Osmocom
auth policy closed <4>
encryption a5 0 <5>
----
<1> MCC (Country Code) e.g. 262 for Germany; 1 == Test
<2> MNC (Network Code) e.g. mcc=262, mnc=02 == Vodafone; 1 == Test
<3> Operator name to be sent to the phone *after* registration
<4> Only accept subscribers (SIM cards) explicitly authorized in HLR
<5> Use A5/0 (== no encryption)
== Configuring BTS in OsmoNITB (BTS)
----
network
bts 0
type sysmobts <1>
band DCS1800 <2>
ms max power 33 <3>
periodic location update 6 <4>
ip.access unit_id 1801 0 <5>
codec-support fr hr efr amr <6>
----
<1> type of the BTS that we use (must match BTS)
<2> frequency band of the BTS (must match BTS)
<3> maximum transmit power phones are permitted (33 dBm == 2W)
<4> interval at which phones should send periodic location update (6 minutes)
<5> Unit ID of the BTS (must match BTS)
<6> Voice codecs supported by the BTS
== Configuring BTS in OsmoNITB (TRX)
----
network
bts 0
trx 0
arfcn 871 <1>
max_power_red 0 <2>
timeslot 0
phys_chan_config CCCH+SDCCH4 <3>
timeslot 1
phys_chan_config TCH/F <4>
...
timeslot 7
phys_chan_config PDCH <5>
----
<1> The RF channel number used by this TRX
<2> The maximum power *reduction* in dBm. 0 = no reduction
<3> Every BTS needs need one timeslot with a CCCH
<4> We configure TS1 to TS6 as TCH/F for voice
<5> We configure TS6 as PDCH for GPRS
== What a GSM phone does after power-up
* Check SIM card for last cell before switch-off
** if that cell is found again, use that
** if not, perform a netwok scan
*** try to find strong carriers, check if they contain BCCH
*** create a list of available cells + networks
*** if one of the networks MCC+MNC matches first digits of 'IMSI', this is
the home network, which has preference over others
* perform 'LOCATION UPDATE' (TYPE=IMSI ATTACH) procedure to network
* when network sends 'LOCATION UPDATE ACCEPT', *camp* on that cell
-> let's check if we can perform 'LOCATION UPDATE' on our own network
== Verifying our network
* look at stderr of 'OsmoBTS' and 'OsmoNITB'
** 'OsmoBTS' will terminate if Abis cannot be set-up
** expected to be re-spawned by init / systemd
* use MS to search for networks, try manual registration
* observe registration attempts `logging level mm info`
-> should show 'LOCATION UPDATE' request / reject / accept
* use the VTY to explore system state (`show *`)
* use the VTY to change subscriber parameters like extension number
== Exploring your GSM networks services
* use `*#100#` from any registered MS to obtain own number
* voice calls from mobile to mobile
* SMS from mobile to mobile
* SMS to/from external applications (via SMPP)
* voice to/from external PBX (via MNCC)
* explore the VTY interfaces of all network elements
** send SMS from the command line
** experiment with 'silent call' feature
** experiment with logging levels
* use wireshark to investigate GSM protocols
== Using the VTY
* The VTY can be used not only to configure, but also to interactively
explore the system status (`show` commands)
* Every Osmo* program has its own telnet port
|===
|Program|Telnet Port
|OsmoPCU|4240
|OsmoBTS|4241
|OsmoNITB|4242
|OsmoSGSN|4245
|===
* ports are bound to 127.0.0.1 by default
* try tab-completion, `?` and `list` commands
== Using the VTY (continued)
* e.g. `show subsciber` to display data about subscriber:
----
OpenBSC> show subscriber imsi 901700000003804
ID: 12, Authorized: 1
Extension: 3804
LAC: 0/0x0
IMSI: 901700000003804
TMSI: F2D4FA0A
Expiration Time: Mon, 07 Dec 2015 09:45:16 +0100
Paging: not paging Requests: 0
Use count: 1
----
* try `show bts`, `show trx`, `show lchan`, `show statistics`, ...
== Extending the network with GPRS
Now that GSM is working, up to the next challenge!
* Classic GSM is circuit-switched only
* Packet switched support introduced first with GPRS
* GPRS adds new network elements (PCU, SGSN, GGSN)
* tunnel for external packet networks like IP/Internet
* tunnel terminates in MS and on GGSN
== Extending the network with GPRS support
[graphviz]
----
digraph G {
rankdir=LR;
MS0 [label="MS"]
MS1 [label="MS"]
MS2 [label="MS"]
MS3 [label="MS"]
BTS0 [label="BTS"]
BTS1 [label="BTS"]
MSC [label="MSC/VLR"]
HLR [label="HLR/AUC"]
MS0->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS1->BTS0 [label="Um"]
MS2->BTS1 [label="Um"]
MS3->BTS1 [label="Um"]
BTS0->BSC [label="Abis"]
BTS1->BSC [label="Abis"]
BSC->MSC [label="A"]
MSC->HLR [label="C"]
MSC->EIR [label="F"]
MSC->SMSC
BTS0->PCU
subgraph cluster_gprs {
label = "GPRS Add-On"
PCU->SGSN [label="Gb"]
SGSN->GGSN [label="GTP"]
}
}
----
* 'PCU': Packet Control Unit. Runs RLC+MAC
* 'SGSN': Serving GPRS Support Node (like VLR/MSC)
* 'GGSN': Gateway GPRS Support Node (terminates tunnels)
== GPRS Signalling basics
* GPRS Mobility Management (GMM)
** just like GSM Mobility Management (MM)
*** 'GPRS ATTACH', 'ROUTING AREA UPDATE', 'AUTHENTICATION'
* GPRS Session Management (SM)
** establishment, management and tear-down of packet data tunnels
*** independent from IP, but typically IP(v4) is used
*** 'PDP Context' (Activation | Deactivation | Modification)
== GPRS Protocol Stack
image::gprs_user_stack.svg[width=850]
== GPRS Acronyms, Protocol Stack
* Layer 3
** 'SM': Session Management (PDP contexts)
** 'GMM': GPRS Mobility Management (like MM)
* Layer 2
** 'MAC': Medium Access Control
** 'LLC': Link Layer Control (segmentation, compression, encryption)
** 'RLC': Radio Link Control
** 'SNDCP': Sub-Network Dependent Convergence Protocol
[role="incremental"]
- Scotty to the bridge: 'You have to re-modulate the sub-network dependent convergence protocols!'
== Simplified OsmoNITB network with GPRS
[graphviz]
----
digraph G {
rankdir=LR;
MS0 [label="MS"]
BTS0 [label="OsmoBTS"]
BSC [label="OsmoNITB"]
PCU [label="OsmoPCU"]
SGSN [label="OsmoSGSN"]
GGSN [label="OpenGGSN"]
MS0->BTS0 [label="Um"]
BTS0->BSC [label="Abis"]
BTS0->PCU
subgraph cluster_gprs {
label = "GPRS Add-On"
PCU->SGSN [label="Gb"]
SGSN->GGSN [label="GTP"]
}
}
----
* 'OsmoPCU' is co-located with 'OsmoBTS'
** connects over unix-domain PCU socket to BTS
* 'OsmoSGSN' can run on any Linux machine
* 'OpenGGSN' can run on any Linux machine
** `tun` device is used for tunnel endpoints
* circuit-switched and packet-switched networks are completely separate
We need to configure those additional components to provide GPRS
services.
== Simplified OsmoNITB network with GPRS
image::osmocom-gprs.svg[width=750]
//* show IP addresses at nodes
//* show GSM functional elements, Osmocom programs and hardware
== Configuring OsmoPCU
We assume we have obtained and compiled the `osmo-pcu` from
git://git.osmocom.org/osmo-pcu
* 'OsmoPCU' runs co-located with 'OsmoBTS' to access/share the same PHY + Radio
* 'OsmoPCU' is primarily configured from 'OsmoBTS'
* 'OsmoBTS' receives relevant config via A-bis OML
* 'OsmoNITB' sends those OML messages to OsmoBTS
** we thus need to set the PCU configuration in the NITB config file!
== BTS config for GPRS (in OsmoNITB)
----
bts 0
gprs mode gprs <1>
gprs nsei 1234 <2>
gprs nsvc 0 nsvci 1234 <3>
gprs nsvc 0 local udp port 23000 <4>
gprs nsvc 0 remote ip 192.168.1.11 <5>
gprs nsvc 0 remote udp port 23000 <6>
----
<1> enable `gprs` or `egprs` mode
<2> NSEI for the NS protocol layer (unique for each PCU in SGSN)
<3> NSVCI for the NS protocol layer (unique for each PCU in SGSN)
<4> UDP port on PCU side of Gb connection
<5> IP address of SGSN side of Gb connection
<6> UDP port on SGSN side of Gb connection
== Configuring OsmoSGSN (Gb and GTP)
----
ns
encapsulation udp local-ip 192.168.100.11 <1>
encapsulation udp local-port 23000 <2>
sgsn
gtp local-ip 127.0.0.2 <3>
ggsn 0 remote-ip 127.0.0.1 <4>
ggsn 0 gtp-version 1 <5>
apn * ggsn 0 <6>
----
<1> SGSN-local IP address for Gb connection from PCUs
<2> SGSN-local UDP port number for Gb connection from PCUs
<3> SGSN-local IP address for GTP connection to GGSN
<4> remote IP address for GTP connection to GGSN
<5> GTP protocol version for this GGSN
<6> route all APN names to GGSN 0
== Configuring OsmoSGSN (subscribers)
'OsmoSGSN' (still) has no access to the 'OsmoNITB' HLR, thus all IMSIs
permitted to use GPRS services need to be explicitly configured.
----
sgsn
auth-policy closed <1>
imsi-acl add 262778026147135 <2>
----
<1> only allow explicitly authorized/white-listed subscribers
<2> add given IMSI to the white-list of subscribers
== Setting up OpenGGSN
In `ggsn.cfg` we need to set:
----
listen 172.0.0.1 <1>
net 10.23.24.0/24 <2>
dynip 10.23.42.0/24 <3>
pcodns1 8.8.8.8 <4>
----
<1> IP address to bind GSN to.
<2> network/mask of `tun` device
<3> pool of dynamic IP addresses allocated to PDP contexts
<4> IP address of DNS server (communicated to MS via signalling)
== Testing GPRS
* Check if `osmo-pcu`, `osmo-sgsn`, `openggsn` are running
* Check if NS and BSSGP protocols are UNBLOCKED at SGSN
** If not, check your NS/BSSGP configuration
* Check for GPRS registration using `logging level mm info` in SGSN
== Osmocom beyond GSM/GPRS RAN + NITB
* Smalltalk implementation of SIGTRAN + TCAP/MAP
* Erlang implementation of SIGTRAN + TCAP/MAP
* Lots of special-purpose protocol mangling
** `bsc-nat` to introduce NAT-like functionality on A (BSSAP/BSSMAP)
** `mgw-nat` to transparently re-write MAP/ISUP/SCCP
* GSMTAP pseudo-header for feeding non-IP protocols into wireshark
* SIM card protocol tracer hardware + software
* Lots of non-GSM projects from hardware to protocol stacks (TETRA, GMR, DECT, OP25)
* check http://git.osmocom.org/ for full project list
== So... I heard about OpenBTS?
* OpenBTS is completely unrelated to the Osmocom stack
* was independently developed by David Burgess & Harvind Simra
** Kestrel Signal Processing -> Range Networks
* doesn't follow GSM system architecture at all
** no Abis, BSC, PCU, SGSN, GGSN
* is a bridge of the GSM air interface (Um) to SIP
* Osmocom follows classic GSM interfaces / system architecture
* 'OsmoTRX' forked 'OpenBTS' SDR code to use 'OsmoBTS' with SDR hardware
== Outlook on FOSS 2.75G (EDGE)
* EDGE extends GPRS with higher data rates
** 8PSK instead of GMSK modulation
** lots of new MAC/RLC features (larger windows, incremental redundancy)
** No changes required in 'OmsoSGSN' and 'OsmoGGSN'
* 'OsmoPCU' is extended with EDGE support
* First working minimal subset published last week
== Outlook on FOSS 3G (UMTS/WCDMA)
* UMTS very similar to GSM/GPRS in principle
** still, almost every interface and protocol stack has changed
** all elements have been renamed -> more acronyms to learn
* UMTS is ridiculously complex, particular PHY + Layer 2
** however, control plane L3 (MM/CC/CM/SM/GMM) mostly the same
* Implementing all of that from scratch is a long journey
* We've already reached 'Peak 3G'
* Osmocom 3G support strategy
** Implement Iu interface in NITB and SGSN
** Implement HNB-GW to offer Iuh interface
** Use existing femtocell / small cell hardware with proprietary PHY, RLC and MAC
** Status: Started in October 2015, WIP. Overall completion > 50%.
== Outlook on FOSS 4G (LTE)
* LTE has nothing in common with 2G/3G
* various FOSS activities
** 'OpenAirInterface' has some code for a software eNodeB
*** but they switched from GPLv3 to 'non-free' license :(
** 'srsLTE' (main focus on UE side, but large parts usable for eNodeB side)
** 'OpenLTE' is another active FOSS project
* No Osmocom involvement so far
** team is small, project scope of cellular infrastructure is gigantic
** most customer funding currently still on GSM/GPRS/EDGE
** if we'd start, we'd start implementing MME + S-GW and use existing LTE cells
== The End
* so long, and thanks for all the fish
* I hope you have questions!
[role="incremental"]
* have fun exploring mobile technologies using Osmocom
* interested in working with more acronyms? Come join the project!
* Check out http://openbsc.osmocom.org/ and openbsc@lists.osmocom.org
== Thanks to
* Pablo for running netdevconf and inviting me
* the entire Osmocom team for what they have achieved
** notably Dieter Spaar, Holger Freyther, Andreas Eversberg, Sylvain Munaut
* last but not least: CEPT for making the GSM specs English
** (who'd want to read French specs anyway?)