1. technology and computing

Policy Traffic Switch: Overview
The Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) embeds the Sandvine Policy Engine in the data plane of any
network, be it physical or virtual, with any combination of access technologies, and scales
higher with better performance efficiency than any other PCEF/TDF solution
The Sandvine Policy Engine can be thought of as a black box into which information about measured conditions and
provisioned subscriber entitlements flows, and out of which charging updates, management actions, and business
intelligence emerge. Embedded within the PTS, the Policy Engine makes policy decisions locally, without needing to
interact with a PCRF unless additional context is required; this design prevents unnecessary signaling, reduces the load
on PCRF elements, and delivers faster decisions - all achieved without sacrificing standards compliance.
Specialized Software That Goes Beyond Policy Enforcement
PTS software performs vital functions and provides information for the Policy Engine, going far beyond even an
advanced PCEF/TDF:
• Deep packet inspection (DPI) technology provides the Policy Engine with real-time information about the identity
and measured characteristics of network traffic
• The PTS provides standard interfaces (including Gx) through which the Policy Engine can acquire additional
information, when required for decision-making
• In a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) deployment, the PTS measures subscriber usage in real-time and provides
the interfaces through which the Policy Engine communicates with online (via real-time Diameter Gy) and offline
(via the Sandvine Service Delivery Engine) charging systems to enable prepaid and postpaid charging use cases
Real-World Performance in Any Network
The PTS product line includes three hardware models, the PTS 22000, PTS 24000, and PTS 32000, and the PTS Virtual
Series, each of which is available in a range of variants. With communications service providers (CSPs) worldwide
looking to rein in operations costs, performance density is as important a consideration as top-line performance and
the PTS provides the best of both worlds: industry-leading port and performance density complemented by clustering
technology that efficiently delivers massive scale.
Metric
PTS 22000
PTS 24000
PTS 32000
Rack Space
2 RU
4 RU
2 RU
Intersection Capacity
40 Gbps
160 Gbps
375 Gbps
Inspection Capacity
40 Gbps
160 Gbps
375 Gbps
Max Throughput in a Cluster
280 Gbps
720 Gbps
8 Tbps
New Flows/Second
200 K
2M
2.5 M
Concurrent Flows
16 M
72 M
90 M
100GE Data Ports/RU
N/A
N/A
2
40GE Data Ports/RU
N/A
N/A
2
10GE Data Ports/RU
11
4
22
Intersection/RU
20 Gbps
40 Gbps
187.5 Gbps
Inspection/RU
20 Gbps
40 Gbps
187.5 Gbps
New Flows/Second/RU
100 K
500 K
1.25 M
Concurrent Flows/RU
8M
18 M
45 M
Detailed specifications are available in:
Policy Traffic Switch 22000: Datasheet, Policy Traffic Switch 24000: Datasheet, Policy Traffic Switch 32000: Datasheet, and Policy Traffic Switch Virtual Series: Datasheet
Standards-Compliance for Deployment Versatility and Predictability
Network
Interface
Standards
•
•
•
Gigabit Ethernet
10 Gigabit Ethernet
IEEE 802.1q and 802.1ad
Tunnel &
Encapsulation
Support
•
•
•
GTP
MobileIP
MPLS
•
•
•
GRE
VLAN
IPinIP
•
•
•
L2TPv2
EoMPLS
6rd
•
CAPWAP
Access
Technologies
•
•
DOCSIS
2G
•
•
DSL
3G
•
•
FTTx
4G
•
•
WiMAX
LTE
IP Versions
•
IPv4
•
IPv6
Network
Integration
Support
•
•
•
•
•
3GPP TS
3GPP TS
3GPP TS
3GPP TS
BGPv4
32.299
29.212
29.061
32.225
version 9 (Diameter Gy)
version 9 (Diameter Gx)
version 7.9 (3GPP RADIUS)
and 3GPP TS 32.299 (Rf)
•
•
•
•
•
•
SNMPv2: RFC 1905, 2578, 3418
SNMPv3: RFC 3411-3418
RADIUS: RFC 2865, 2866, 2869
Diameter: RFC 3588
TACACS+: RFC 1492
NTP: RFC 1305
Centralized
Management
•
Yes – refer to Control Center: Management
Simplified
High
Availability
•
Yes - via clustering, unit redundancy and
N:N+1 deployment redundancy
•
Compliant with international standards
for product safety and electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC)
NEBS Level 3 Certified
RFC Support
Regulatory
Compliance
•
Differentiators That Make the Difference
PTS Differentiator
Description and Operator Benefits
3GPP Compliant Gy Interface
By connecting the PTS directly to the OCS (in real-time, as defined in the 3GPP standard), operators avoid
revenue leakage and incorrect metering, protecting revenue and avoiding billing errors
Deployment Versatility
Tunnel and interface support enables deployment in any IP network and unlocks unique use cases
Massive RAM
Supports more policy logic, more use cases, more business intelligence, more concurrent subscribers, etc.
Orthogonal Policy Definition
Users can build network management policies and business intelligence measurements from a vast library
of possible conditions and actions, and there is no limit to the number of dimensions that can be included.
More information is available in SandScript: Linking Any Condition to Any Action
Port and Performance Density
Ensures efficient use of rack space by intersecting more ports and inspecting more traffic in minimum space
Clustering
Ensures cost-effective scaling, efficiently use of rack space and N:N+1 redundancy
Hardware-Based Load Distribution
Since PTS performance is maintained when more ports are enabled, deployment scaling is linear
Software Bypass Capability
Enables PTS deployments in which multiple copies of traffic are observed without duplicating processor load
Comprehensive Tunnel Support
Can apply policy based on a tunnel header and tunnel content simultaneously for unique use cases
Stateful Traffic Redirection
Flows can be redirected and reinserted for value-added services enablement on the basis of true protocol
recognition, rather than unreliable heuristics, and within tunnels
Centralized Management
Control Center provides a single interface to manage all Sandvine elements, reducing operations costs
Consistent OS and Architecture
Across Product Line
All PTS models share common behavior and feature-sets, with software updates unlocking new features
across the entire product line; operators gain new capabilities and use cases without forklift upgrades
Headquarters
Sandvine Incorporated ULC
Waterloo, Ontario Canada
Phone: +1 519 880 2600
Email: sales@sandvine.com
www.sandvine.com
European Offices
Sandvine Limited
Swindon, UK
Phone: +44 (0) 1793 512946
Email: sales@sandvine.co.uk
Copyright ©2014 Sandvine
Incorporated ULC. Sandvine and
the Sandvine logo are registered
trademarks of Sandvine Incorporated
ULC. All rights reserved.
Revision: 2014-12-17