Mobile Application Part (MAP) is an application layer protocol used by various elements in GSM, UMTS, and GPRS mobile core networks to provide services to mobile phone users.
MAP can be transported using 'traditional' SS7 protocols in TDM (T1 and E1) or over IP using SIGTRAN.
SIGTRAN is a stack of networking protocols having Stream Control Transport Protocol (SCTP) for stream management over IP, and a bunch of user adaptation (UA) layers over it. Supported adaptation layers are M2PA (MTP2 Peer-to-Peer), M3UA (MTP 3 User), and M2UA (MTP2 User).
As illustrated in the diagram above, some of the GSM/UMTS circuit switched interfaces such as C (between HLR & MSC), D (between HLR and VLR), E (between GMSC and MSC), F (between MSC and EIR), H (between HLR and AuC) and Packet-switched interfaces such as Gc (between GGSN and HLR), Gr (between SGSN and HLR), Gf (SGSN and EIR), Gd (between SGSN & SMS-GMSC) use Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol.
MAP over IP network also includes LCS (LoCation Services) specific elements and entities, their functionalities, interfaces, as well as communication messages, necessary to implement the positioning functionality in a cellular network. LoCation Services (LCS) architecture follows a client/server model with the gateway mobile location centre (GMLC) acting as the server providing information to External LCS Clients.
The "radio" and "core" network partition is shown above for GSM and UMTS networks. Elements and interfaces that comprise the core network are briefly described below. Common services provided by MAP are “Location Services”, "Location Tracking", "Roaming", "Subscription Information", "Short Message Service", and many more.
GL's MAPS™ (Message Automation & Protocol Simulation) product line bearing the same acronym, is used to emulate all the MAP interfaces listed above – both TDM and IP.
MAPS™ is an advanced and versatile protocol simulator/tester that can simulate a variety of protocols encountered in the telecom space, including SIP, MGCP, UMTS, GSM, MLPPP, MEGACO, ISDN, CAS, SS7, and many more. MAPS™ MAP supports emulation of all the GSM and UMTS MAP interfaces. MAPS™ MAP currently supports various procedures emulating MSC (VLR), HLR, EIR, and SMSC entities and H, C, D, E, F interfaces in the network. Supported procedures include Location Update, Retrieve Roaming Number, Remote User Status, Check IMEI Service, and others. The product also supports send/receive SMS (Short Message Service) simultaneously using signaling channel with the voice/data/fax service over GSM network.
MAPS™ MAP is enhanced to simulate LoCation Services (LCS) over Lg and Lh interfaces connecting GMLC <-> MSC and GMLC <-> HLR entities. Supported LCS procedures includes Provide Subscriber Location, Subscriber Location Report, and Routing Info for LCS respectively, as per 3GPP TS 23.271 specifications.
In addition to supporting MAP network elements connected by the interfaces listed, it also supports error tracking, regression testing, conformance testing, load testing, and call generation. It can run pre-defined test scenarios against test objects in a controlled & deterministic manner. MAPS™ MAP Emulator supports powerful utilities like Message Editor, Script Editor, and Profile Editor which allow new scenarios to be created or existing scenarios to be modified using MTP3 layer (over TDM) and M3UA, M2PA layers (over IP) messages and parameters.
MAPS™ supports Command Line Interface (CLI) and when configured as server-side application enables remote controlling of the application through multiple command-line based clients including TCL, Python, VBScript, Java, and .Net, using MAPS™ client-server architecture (requires additional license).
GL also provides various set of protocol analyzers for on-line capture and decode of the signaling in real-time both during tests and as a stand-alone tracer for live systems. Please visit Protocol Analysis page for more details.
Possible applications include:
Multi-protocol, Multi-interface Simulation
Provides fault insertion, and erroneous call flows testing capability.
Performance testing, Load Testing, Function al testing, Regression testing and Conformance testing of network elements.
Ready scripts makes testing procedure simpler, less time consuming and hence time to market products.
Test response of network against protocol message modification, or corruption
Inter-operability testing of networks
Wrap-around testing (WAT)
Real-time applications of location-based services such as up-to-date information for vehicle tracking, stolen assets tracking, temperature, traffic services, emergency services, etc.
SMS Testing from within the Wireless Infrastructure using MAPS™
Mobile Application Part (MAP) is an application layer protocol used by various elements in GSM, UMTS, and GPRS mobile core networks to provide services to mobile phone users.
MAP can be transported using 'traditional' SS7 protocols in TDM (T1 and E1) or over IP using SIGTRAN.
SIGTRAN is a stack of networking protocols having Stream Control Transport Protocol (SCTP) for stream management over IP, and a bunch of user adaptation (UA) layers over it. Supported adaptation layers are M2PA (MTP2 Peer-to-Peer), M3UA (MTP 3 User), and M2UA (MTP2 User).
As illustrated in the diagram above, some of the GSM/UMTS circuit switched interfaces such as C (between HLR & MSC), D (between HLR and VLR), E (between GMSC and MSC), F (between MSC and EIR), H (between HLR and AuC) and Packet-switched interfaces such as Gc (between GGSN and HLR), Gr (between SGSN and HLR), Gf (SGSN and EIR), Gd (between SGSN & SMS-GMSC) use Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol.
MAP over IP network also includes LCS (LoCation Services) specific elements and entities, their functionalities, interfaces, as well as communication messages, necessary to implement the positioning functionality in a cellular network. LoCation Services (LCS) architecture follows a client/server model with the gateway mobile location centre (GMLC) acting as the server providing information to External LCS Clients.
The "radio" and "core" network partition is shown above for GSM and UMTS networks. Elements and interfaces that comprise the core network are briefly described below.
Common services provided by MAP are “Location Services”, "Location Tracking", "Roaming", "Subscription Information", "Short Message Service", and many more.
GL's MAPS™ (Message Automation & Protocol Simulation) product line bearing the same acronym, is used to emulate all the MAP interfaces listed above – both TDM and IP.
MAPS™ is an advanced and versatile protocol simulator/tester that can simulate a variety of protocols encountered in the telecom space, including SIP, MGCP, UMTS, GSM, MLPPP, MEGACO, ISDN, CAS, SS7, and many more. MAPS™ MAP supports emulation of all the GSM and UMTS MAP interfaces. MAPS™ MAP currently supports various procedures emulating MSC (VLR), HLR, EIR, and SMSC entities and H, C, D, E, F interfaces in the network. Supported procedures include Location Update, Retrieve Roaming Number, Remote User Status, Check IMEI Service, and others. The product also supports send/receive SMS (Short Message Service) simultaneously using signaling channel with the voice/data/fax service over GSM network.
MAPS™ MAP is enhanced to simulate LoCation Services (LCS) over Lg and Lh interfaces connecting GMLC <-> MSC and GMLC <-> HLR entities. Supported LCS procedures includes Provide Subscriber Location, Subscriber Location Report, and Routing Info for LCS respectively, as per 3GPP TS 23.271 specifications.
In addition to supporting MAP network elements connected by the interfaces listed, it also supports error tracking, regression testing, conformance testing, load testing, and call generation. It can run pre-defined test scenarios against test objects in a controlled & deterministic manner.
MAPS™ MAP Emulator supports powerful utilities like Message Editor, Script Editor, and Profile Editor which allow new scenarios to be created or existing scenarios to be modified using MTP3 layer (over TDM) and M3UA, M2PA layers (over IP) messages and parameters.
MAPS™ supports Command Line Interface (CLI) and when configured as server-side application enables remote controlling of the application through multiple command-line based clients including TCL, Python, VBScript, Java, and .Net, using MAPS™ client-server architecture (requires additional license).
GL also provides various set of protocol analyzers for on-line capture and decode of the signaling in real-time both during tests and as a stand-alone tracer for live systems. Please visit Protocol Analysis page for more details.
Possible applications include:
- Multi-protocol, Multi-interface Simulation
- Provides fault insertion, and erroneous call flows testing capability.
- Performance testing, Load Testing, Function al testing, Regression testing and Conformance testing of network elements.
- Ready scripts makes testing procedure simpler, less time consuming and hence time to market products.
- Test response of network against protocol message modification, or corruption
- Inter-operability testing of networks
- Wrap-around testing (WAT)
- Real-time applications of location-based services such as up-to-date information for vehicle tracking, stolen assets tracking, temperature, traffic services, emergency services, etc.
- SMS Testing from within the Wireless Infrastructure using MAPS™
