An Introduction to

Diameter Protocol

Saro Velrajan
1st Aug 2009

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 Pre-requisites

Familiarity with the basics of

- TCP/IP networking &
- RADIUS protocol

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 Agenda

Protocol Basics

Functional Nodes

Key Features

Messages

Summary / References

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 Protocol Basics

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 Why Diameter?

Networks have evolved in the last 10 years. Need a

protocol that is flexible enough

Need for more reliability & security

Need a protocol that addresses limitations of

RADIUS protocol

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 What is Diameter?

Provides an Authentication, Authorization &

Accounting framework

Flexible architecture that supports developing a

variety of authentication applications such as
Mobile-IP, NASREQ & ROAMOPS

Addresses limitations of RADIUS protocols

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 Diameter Protocol Architecture

NASREQ Mobile IP SIP

CMS
Diameter Base Protocol
Security

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 Differences between RADIUS & Diameter

Feature RADIUS Diameter

Transport Connectionless (UDP) Connection-Oriented
Protocol (TCP & SCTP)
Ports 1812 & 1813 3868 (Base Protocol)

Security Hop-to-Hop Hop-to-Hop

End-to-End
Capabilities Not Supported Negotiate supported
Negotiation applications and
security level
Peer Static configuration Static configuration and
Discovery dynamic lookup

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 Differences between RADIUS & Diameter
(Contd.)

Feature RADIUS Diameter

Server Initiated Not Supported Supported. for
Message (Extensions available) example, re-
authentication
message, Session
termination
Maximum 255 octets 16,777,215 octets
Attribute Data Size

Vendor-specific Vendor-specific Vendor-specific

Support attributes only attributes and
messages

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 Functional Nodes

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 Diameter Nodes

Diameter Client
Diameter Server
Diameter Proxy/Relay Agent
Diameter Redirect Agent
Diameter Translation Agent

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 Proxy/Relay Agent

1. Request
Diameter
Diameter Proxy/Relay
4. Response
Client Agent

3. Response 2. Request

Diameter
Server

• Proxy/Relay forward messages to appropriate Diameter Server

• Proxy can modify message content and apply rules

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 Redirect Agent

1. Request 2. Request

Diameter Diameter Diameter

Client 6. Response Proxy 3. Response Redirect
Agent Agent

5. Response 4. Request

Diameter
Server

• Redirection agent returns a response with redirection information

• Request routing information maintained in a central location

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 Translation Agent

1. RADIUS Request 2. Diameter Request

RADIUS Diameter Diameter

Client 4. RADIUS Response Translation 3. Diameter Response Redirect
Agent Agent

• Translation Agent converts RADIUS messages to Diameter format and vice versa
• Provides an upgrade path & seamless migration for RADIUS based network
systems

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 Key Features

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 Diameter Features

Peer Detection

Capabilities Exchange

Transport Failure Detection

Failover/Fallback Procedures

Accounting

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 Messages

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 Diameter Message Format

Version Message Length

Message
Header Flags Command Code

Application Identifier

Hop by Hop Identifier

End to End Identifier

Message AVP Code

Body Attribute Value Pairs (AVPs) Flags AVP Length
Vendor-ID (optional)

Data

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 Diameter Messages – Supported by BASE
Protocol

 Capabilities Exchange Request/Response

 Accounting Request/Response
 Re-Auth Request/Response
 Session Termination Request/Response
 Abort Session Request/Response
 Disconnect Peer Request/Response
 Device Watchdog Request/Response

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 Connection Setup & Tear Down

Capabilities Exchange Request

Capabilities Exchange Response

Other Diameter Diameter

Diameter
Message Server
Client
Exchanges

Disconnect Peer Request

Disconnect Peer Response

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 Subscriber Session – With Accounting

Session LOGIN
AA-Request
AA-Response

Accounting-Request
Accounting-Response Diameter
Diameter
Client Server

Session LOGOUT
Accounting-Request
Accounting-Response

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 Subscriber Session – Without Accounting (Stateful)

Session LOGIN
AA-Request
AA-Response

Diameter Diameter
Client Server
Session LOGOUT
Session-Terminate-Request
Session-Terminate-Response

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Subscriber Session – Without Accounting (Stateless)

Session LOGIN
AA-Request
(No Session State Maintained)
Diameter Diameter
Client Server
AA-Response

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 Subscriber Session Termination –
Client Initiated

Session-Terminate-Request
Diameter Diameter
Client Session-Terminate-Response Server

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 Subscriber Session Termination –
Server Initiated

Abort Session Request Diameter

Diameter
Client Server
Abort Session Response

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 Diameter - Summary

Provides an Authentication, Authorization &

Accounting framework

Flexible architecture that supports developing a

variety of applications such as Mobile-IP, NASREQ &
ROAMOPS

Addresses limitations of RADIUS protocol

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 References

Diameter RFC 3588

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3588.html

The Internet NG Project

http://ing.ctit.utwente.nl/WU5/D5.1/Technology/diameter/

Introduction to Diameter

http://docs.hp.com/en/T1428-90011/T1428-90011.pdf
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/wi-diameter/index.html

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 Thank You!

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