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OmniHSS Operations Guide

Introduction​

OmniHSS is a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) implementation designed for 4G LTE (EPC) and IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) networks. As the central database and authentication center for mobile networks, OmniHSS manages subscriber credentials, profile data, and provides authentication and authorization services for both data and voice services.

Built on Elixir and the Erlang VM, OmniHSS delivers high availability, fault tolerance, and scalability required for modern telecommunications infrastructure.

What is a Home Subscriber Server?​

The HSS is a critical component in LTE and IMS networks that:

  • Stores subscriber data - Credentials, profile information, and service subscriptions
  • Performs authentication - Validates subscribers attempting to access the network
  • Manages authorization - Controls which services subscribers can access
  • Tracks location - Maintains current location information for routing
  • Controls roaming - Enforces roaming policies based on visited networks
  • Manages equipment - Functions as Equipment Identity Register (EIR) for device control

Key Features​

Operational Features​

  • S6a Interface - Authentication and location management for LTE/EPC networks
  • Cx Interface - IMS registration and authentication
  • Sh Interface - IMS profile data access and subscription notifications
  • S13 Interface - Equipment Identity Check (OmniHSS functions as EIR)
  • Gx Interface - Policy and Charging control (OmniHSS functions as PCRF)
  • Rx Interface - IMS media policy control (OmniHSS functions as PCRF)
  • Roaming Control - Granular control over data and IMS roaming by PLMN
  • Multiple MSISDNs - Support for multiple phone numbers per subscriber
  • RESTful API - Complete provisioning API for integration (also used by OmniHLR)
  • Web Control Panel - Real-time monitoring and system status

Network Element Integration​

OmniHSS interfaces with the following network elements:

  • MME (Mobility Management Entity) - LTE mobility and session management
  • P-GW (PDN Gateway) - Receives policy from OmniHSS (PCRF function)
  • P-CSCF (Proxy Call Session Control Function) - IMS media authorization
  • I-CSCF (Interrogating CSCF) - IMS routing queries
  • S-CSCF (Serving CSCF) - IMS registration and authentication
  • AS (Application Server) - IMS subscriber data access
  • OmniHLR - Legacy HLR that communicates with OmniHSS via API

Documentation Structure​

This operations guide is organized into the following documents:

Core Documentation​

Operational Guides​

Feature Documentation​

Quick Start for Operations​

Accessing the System​

Control Panel (Web Interface)

URL: https://[hostname]:7443

The Control Panel provides real-time monitoring of subscribers and Diameter peers.

API Endpoint

URL: https://[hostname]:8443

The RESTful API allows provisioning and subscriber management.

Key Configuration Files​

  • config/runtime.exs - Runtime configuration (database, Diameter, network settings)
  • priv/cert/ - TLS certificates for HTTPS and Diameter

Essential Operations​

  1. Check System Status - Access Control Panel Overview page
  2. Monitor Diameter Peers - Access Control Panel Diameter page
  3. Query Subscriber - Use API endpoint /api/subscriber/imsi/:imsi
  4. View Database - Connect to SQL Database at configured hostname

Support and Troubleshooting​

Log Files​

System logs are output to stdout/stderr and can be captured by your process manager (systemd, supervisord, etc.).

Common Checks​

  • Diameter connectivity - Check Diameter page for peer status
  • Database connectivity - Verify database configuration in runtime.exs
  • Subscriber authentication failures - Check subscriber state for failure counts

Health Monitoring​

  • API Health Check - GET /api/status
  • Control Panel - Access any Control Panel page
  • Database - Connect to SQL Database and verify table access

Security Considerations​

  • TLS Required - Both API and Control Panel use HTTPS
  • Certificate Management - Certificates in priv/cert/ must be valid
  • Database Security - Secure database credentials in runtime.exs
  • Network Isolation - Diameter interface should be on management network
  • API Authentication - Consider implementing authentication for production use

Architecture at a Glance​

Next Steps​

For detailed operational procedures, refer to the specific documentation sections:

Document Version: 1.0 Maintained By: Omnitouch Operations Team