WebSphere brand IBM WebSphere IP Multimedia Subsystem Connector, Version 6.2

Ro online charging Web service

Ro online charging Web service provides an IMS™ Application Server application with a Diameter messaging interface to enable the application to send credit control messages to online charging servers. The IMS Application Server application is referred to as a client of the Web service application.

The IMS Application Server communicates with the online charging server through Ro online charging Web service using either a session or event online charging method as shown here:

The Ro online charging Web service also provides subscription and notification operations for an IMS Application Server to subscribe to receive notifications when the Charging Trigger Function (CTF) (the IMS Application Server application) must reauthenticate with the Online Charging System (OCS) or when a reauthorization subscription expires.

The choice of using session charging versus event charging will depend on the applications using this interface. The actual accounting functionality is based on other network elements, such as billing, and is not part of the Ro online charging Web service. The Ro interface defines several high level Web service methods used for online charging including sendCCInitial(), sendCCUpdate(), and sendCCTermination() for session handling and event charging with unit reservation. The sendCCDirectDebit(), sendCCRefund(), and getCCServicePriceEnquiry() are used for event charging without unit reservation. And, the subscribeCCReAuth(), unsubscribeCCReAuth, and notifyCCReAuth() are used for subscribe and notify requests. The notify request (notifyCCReAuth()) is sent as a Web service request from the Diameter Enabler to the Application.

Application overview

The following is a brief overview of the applications used with Diameter:
  • IMS Application Server Application: The IMS Application Server Application uses WSDL and/or helper classes to prepare a Web service request to be sent to one of the Diameter Enabler Web service applications.

    If the Diameter Enabler Web service supports notifications, the IMS Application Server application must use the WSDL and/or helper classes to implement the client Web service that receives notifications. The URL of the client Web service is provided to the Diameter Enabler Web service through the subscribeCCReAuth() request.

  • Diameter Enabler base: The Diameter Enabler is capable of receiving Web service requests and converting them into Diameter request packets. The Diameter Enabler receives the Web service request, validates its contents, converts it to a Diameter request packet, and routes it to the correct Diameter Server. The Diameter Server responds with a Diameter response packet, which is returned as a Web service response object to the IMS Application Server application that performed the request.

    The Diameter Enabler is also capable of receiving notifications requests from a Diameter Server. The Diameter Enabler validates the contents of the Diameter request packet and responds to the peer with a Diameter answer packet. If the IMS Application Server Application has created a subscription to receive the notifications, the Diameter Enabler opens an outbound Web service request to a Web service endpoint provided in the subscription data, and passes the reauthorization notification information accordingly.

  • Diameter Server: The Diameter Server is a peer connection to the Diameter Enabler base and is capable of sending and receiving Diameter request and answer packets.

Application deployment

Ro online charging Web service is deployed in a WebSphere® Application Server environment. Prior to installing Ro online charging Web service, you must install Diameter Enabler base. Any application with the appropriate access and security may invoke these functions. The supported transport is SOAP over HTTP. The Ro online charging Web service is stateless and supports multiple simultaneous calls.



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