Cisco Systems 4 Monitoring the Foreign Agent (FA)

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Cisco Prime Network 4.0 User Guide

OL-29343-01

Chapter 25 Monitoring Mobile Technologies

LTE Networks

Monitoring the Foreign Agent (FA)

A Foreign Agent (FA) is basically a router on a mobile node’s visited network that provides routi ng

services to the mobile node. The FA acts as a mediator between the m obil e no de and it ’s home agent

(HA). When the mobile node moves out of its home network, the FA registers the mobile node with a

Care of Address (CoA). It also facilitates routing information to the mobile node’s home agent, which

contains the permanent address of the node.

When a node tries to communicate with a mobile node that is roaming, it sends packets to the permanent

address. The HA interacts with the FA and delivers the packets to the mobile node using the COA.

Figure 25-10 depicts the function of a foreign agent in a network and the different components tha t it

interacts with.

Figure 25-10 Foreign Agent Architecture

To view the Foreign Agent configuration details:

Step 1 Right-click the required device in Prime Network Vision and choose Inventory.

Step 2 In the logical inventory window, choose Logical Inventory > Context > Mobile > FA. The list of

Foreign agents configured in Prime Network are displayed in t he c on tent pa ne .

Step 3 From the FA node, choose a FA service. The FA service details are displayed in th e cont en t pa ne a s

shown in Figure 25-11.

Radio

Towe r

Radio Access Network (RAN)

BSC/PCFMN

320489

PDSN/FA

PPP

Foreign AAA

R-P Interface

HA CN

Home AAA

Internet

or PDN

IP in IP or GRE Tunnel