TSP Lab	Sga-8N-5 - Call Trace module	Sga-8N-5

The GPRS Call Trace module
`("Sga-8N-5")`

Features

Provides Call Trace function based upon the value of IMSI or TLLI
Trace is done during in an adjustable time interval

Basic operation

Connects to the Sga-GPRS server to give a username and a password for authentication (IP address of the server can be adjustable in the configuration (Sga-8N-5.ini) file)
Gets sl.dat file from the server after a successful authentication
Uses sl.dat file to determine which link belongs to which monitor
Sends call trace requests to the Sga8NPol module which handles these requests and collects the corresponding PDUs from the monitor units
Writes received PDUs into a GPRS file

User interface

The Call Trace module can be started by double clicking on its icon (as usual in Windows environment).

First the User Authentication window appears, where it is needed to give a user name and the password for this username and also needed to give a reason for using this module.

After the successful authentication the main window appears

The parts of the user interface

Trace…
- it can be defined a time interval when the call trace is done. The time interval is between …from and …to value
- !: this button fills the fields with the actual date and time
Set trace parameters as…
- SigLink Filter: with this button the needed signaling links can be selected which needs to be call traced. In the appearing Signaling links window it can be choose what links needed:
  - In this window a group of signaling links can be selected by holding the Shift key and marking the first and last link with the mouse or they can be marked separately by holding the Ctrl key and clicking on the needed links by the mouse (as usual in Windows environment)
  - Select All: all signaling links are selected from the list
  - Clear All: all signaling links are deselected
  - Save Profile#N: there is a possibility to save four different selections of the signaling links.
  - Load Profile#N: saved selections can be loaded with these buttons
- IMSI based: this radio button selects the IMSI based call trace. When it is checked the Call trace module looks for messages containing the given value
  - If Do re-request for TLLIs found is checked IMSI's are searched first, then TLLI hits are sorted and re-requested for the validity intervals incremented by +/-dwRerequestPrereadMSec on both ends. (Defined in the Sga-8N-5.ini configuration file.)
- TLLI based: When this radio button is selected the Call trace module looks for messages containing the given TLLI value
- CellID based: Looks for PDU's containing the given CellID then search for BVCI's that are from the results
- BVCI based: Simple BVCI search with optional searching for PDU's with BVCI=0
- Hex search: When this is checked messages are being looked for hexadecimal string
- InvBCD search: it is possible to search for a pair inverse binary coded decimal (BCD) values (the IMSI is coded in this format), for example a part of the IMSI
Save PDUs into file as…
- local filename can be defined with its full path
- Sort this button sorts results based on timestamps
- Sort + dd: this button sorts results based on timestamps and drops duplicated entries. It drops subsequent duplicated signal units even if they were seen on different signaling links.
- Browse...: target file can be selected by browsing the local file system. The selected file must be an existing gprs file
- View: if there is a decoder assigned for gprs files this button opens the gprs file in the decoder
Status
- indicates the status of the trace under the tracing process
  - Fetching request: this message is appearing when a call trace is in progress
  - Ready: this message shows that the call trace is stopped (after the Stop button is pressed)
- PDU count: shows the number of captured PDUs which is matching the conditions above
- Earliest seek time: with the Get button it can be known what the earliest message under examining is. If its value is the current time the process is on-line and observes the brand-new messages
Start
- Sets the call trace going
Stop
- Interrupts the call trace
Exit
- Shuts down the main window and exits from the program
Restart
- stops and starts again the Remote Capture module with four options
  - Re-authenticate with the same user info: Restarts the module and logs in with the same username/password/reason values
  - Reload signaling link data: without restart it request again the SL.dat information (for example when information was changed at the server)
  - Logon as a different user: Logs out and gives the authentication window again to log in with a new user
  - Logon with a different reason: Gives the authentication window to type the new reason for logging on
Error & warnings only
- Only error and warning messages will appear in the results list box
Include all details
- The screen log includes irrelevant results. (Unchecking this can be useful when there is a huge amount of results so irrelevant ones will be filtered out.)
Include seek-time info
- The module auto-gets for earliest seek-time amongst the queried monitors at every 5 seconds after last activity (if end-time is set). If this box is checked seek-time requests and answers with monitor units' IP address are logged. Earliest seek-time" result is shown for a given Monitor unit only if at least one of its links is selected.
Auto-scroll to end of the list
- The log book scrolls to the end of the list when it is checked.

Configuration (`Sga-8N-5.ini`) file settings

This file has to be placed in the Windows or Winnt directory! Only keys are described here that can be changed by the user.
The other keys are updated from the main window when Exit button is pressed.
Before changing these keys below the Call Trace module has to be closed.

Section Entry Example Meaning
[Authentication]
sUserName username Default username which appears in the username field of the User Authentication window. User can change it here or in the User Authentication window.
bApplyDefaultRole True It stores the state of "Apply default role" option of Authentication dialog
[Position]
iHeight 700 The initial height of the Call Trace screen, in pixel
[Settings]
sCellIDNumber 2211 The last used CellID is saved in this field between sessions
sBVCINumber 01F2 The last searched BVCI is saved in this field between sessions
bBVCIInclude0 0 State of "Include common signaling messages with BVCI=0" option is saved between sessions
bResultIncludeSeekTime True The last state of "Include seek-time info" option is saved here
bResultIncludeAllDetails 0 State of "Include all details" checkbox is saved in this entry.
[Combo 'IMSI']
sRecentValueN 216303009* Last ten recently used IMSI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the IMSI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'CellID']
sRecentValueN 2211 Last ten recently used CellID's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the CellID combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'BVCI']
sRecentValueN 0248 Last ten recently used BVCI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the BVCI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'TLLI']
sRecentValueN ABCD1234 Last ten recently used TLLI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the TLLI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Advanced]
sPollerIPAddress 111.22.33.555 The IP address where the Sga8NPol and SgaAutho modules are running
dwMaxSignalUnitCount 100000 This setting is used only when sorting, this amount of data will be sorted, the remains will be dropped (Warning message appears in the log windows)
dwRerequestPrereadMSec 1 In the case of IMSI-based trace IMSI's are searched first, then TLLI hits are sorted and re-requested for the validity intervals incremented by +/-dwRerequestPrereadMSec on both ends

Section	Entry	Example	Meaning
[Authentication]
	sUserName	username	Default username which appears in the username field of the `User Authentication` window. User can change it here or in the `User Authentication` window.
	bApplyDefaultRole	True	It stores the state of "Apply default role" option of Authentication dialog
[Position]
	iHeight	700	The initial height of the Call Trace screen, in pixel
[Settings]
	sCellIDNumber	2211	The last used CellID is saved in this field between sessions
	sBVCINumber	01F2	The last searched BVCI is saved in this field between sessions
	bBVCIInclude0	0	State of "Include common signaling messages with BVCI=0" option is saved between sessions
	bResultIncludeSeekTime	True	The last state of "Include seek-time info" option is saved here
	bResultIncludeAllDetails	0	State of "Include all details" checkbox is saved in this entry.
[Combo 'IMSI']
	sRecentValueN	216303009*	Last ten recently used IMSI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the IMSI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'CellID']
	sRecentValueN	2211	Last ten recently used CellID's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the CellID combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'BVCI']
	sRecentValueN	0248	Last ten recently used BVCI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the BVCI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Combo 'TLLI']
	sRecentValueN	ABCD1234	Last ten recently used TLLI's are saved in these keys and they are loaded from here into the TLLI combobox at startup (N goes from 0 to 9)
[Advanced]
	sPollerIPAddress	111.22.33.555	The IP address where the `Sga8NPol` and `SgaAutho` modules are running
	dwMaxSignalUnitCount	100000	This setting is used only when sorting, this amount of data will be sorted, the remains will be dropped (Warning message appears in the log windows)
	dwRerequestPrereadMSec	1	In the case of IMSI-based trace IMSI's are searched first, then TLLI hits are sorted and re-requested for the validity intervals incremented by +/-dwRerequestPrereadMSec on both ends

Version history

v1.16

(c) Length of a password can be at most 31 characters.

v1.15

(f) Searching interval was badly calculated in rare cases.

v1.14

(n) Inactivity time -- dimming of result window (forcing password)
(n) Inactivity time -- logout (forcing re-login)
(n) Legacy and Active Directory authentication methods are both available.

v1.13

(c) Messages on Gb-over-IP links are also handled.
(c) Requires 'Sga-Autho v1.21' or newer.

v1.12

(c) Name of GPRS decoder application is no longer hard-wired; shell association is used instead.

v1.11

(n) Checkbox "Include all details" to give an option (not) to include irrelevant results in the screen log.
(n) INI/[Settings]/bResultIncludeAllDetails; defaults to 0, which means 'unchecked'.

v1.10

(c) New algorithm for IMSI-based trace: IMSI's are searched first, then TLLI hits are sorted and re-requested for the validity intervals incremented by +/-dwRerequestPrereadMSec on both ends.
(c) "Do re-request w/ activity time-out" option has been replaced with "Do re-request for TLLIs found" on the GUI.
(c) IMSI/TLLI re-request time-out became obsolete.
(c) There is no re-request for TLLI search. (New TLLI's are still listed in the result window at TLLI changes; tricky-copy can be used as well.)
(c) End time of monitoring must be set to a valid date and time in case of an IMSI-based trace with 're-requests' enabled.
(c) INI/[Settings]/dwActivityTimeOut is obsolete.
(c) INI/[Advanced]/dwNorerequestWindowSec is obsolete.
(c) Tricky-copy no longer changes time interval settings. (Used to do so for TLLI's if re-requests were disabled.)
(c) Coloring of lines in result window changed.

v1.09

(n) CellID-based trace with BVCI re-request.
(n) BVCI-based search with "Include common signaling messages with BVCI=0" option.
(n) Tricky-copy is available for result lines with BVCI values (as well as for TLLI's).
(n) There is a visual indication of current operation below the search input fields.
(c) If multiple roles are offered during authentication, label of "Log on" button is changed to "Go on".
(c) There is no checkbox for the IMSI and the Hex/InvBCD edit boxes; leave fields empty to have the unchecked effect.
(c) TLLI edit field has a drop-down list with the earlier search values.
(c) TLLI edit field has a "(hex)" indication.
(c) "Could not connect to SGA-8N Server." is displayed instead of the previous "Could not connect." error messages in this case.
(n) INI/[Settings]/sCellIDNumber
(n) INI/[Settings]/sBVCINumber
(n) INI/[Settings]/bBVCIInclude0
(n) INI/[Combo 'IMSI']/sRecentValueN, where N goes from 0 to 9
(n) INI/[Combo 'CellID']/sRecentValueN, where N goes from 0 to 9
(n) INI/[Combo 'BVCI']/sRecentValueN, where N goes from 0 to 9
(n) INI/[Combo 'TLLI']/sRecentValueN, where N goes from 0 to 9
(c) Obsolete entry: INI/[Settings]/bIMSINumberSet
(c) Obsolete entry: INI/[Settings]/bHexNumberSet
(c) Obsolete entries: INI/[Settings]/sRecentIMSIN, where N goes from 0 to 9

v1.08

(n) Auto-get for earliest seek-time amongst the queried monitors at every 5 seconds after last activity (if end-time is set).
(n) Auto-stop if all queried Monitors report ready (can handle 200 Monitor units at most).
(n) Tricky-copy feature for TLLI values. (Double-clicking result line with a TLLI copies its value to the TLLI input field; selects TLLI-based search if trace is not active, and also fills From and To fields if re-request is not active.)
(n) Authentication dialog contains "Apply default role" option; its state is saved between sessions.
(n) INI/[Authentication]/bApplyDefaultRole
(n) Number of involved Monitors is logged when connected to the SGA-8N server.
(n) Monitor units' IP address are also shown for "earliest seek-time" results.
(c) Sorting of PDU's with the very same time-stamp involves further ordering; thus "Sort+DD" drops all duplicates with a reasonably high probability.
(c) "earliest seek-time" result is shown for a given Monitor unit only if at least one of its links is selected.
(c) Saves PDU's captured from signaling links that are not in the signaling link list as well.
(f) "Restart" button was not disabled during the traces.

v1.07

(f) Patch for repeated requests (so-called "re-requests") to have their authentication info sent for each and every time.
(n) "Get (earliest seek-time)" can be invoked with Alt-G hot key combination, too.
(n) "Errors & warnings only" for result listbox is implemented.
(n) Inclusion of seek-time info in result list becomes optional.
(n) INI/[Settings]/bResultIncludeSeekTime
(c) Seek-time result info indicates 'ready' state for each Monitor individually.
(c) Actual time of spreading seek-time info request is included in log.
(c) Primary results are not saved into GPRS file if trace is IMSI based and re-requests are requested and dwRerequestPrereadMSec is not zero; these result lines are shown in grey.

v1.06

(n) Roles are introduced; requires SGA-Authorizer v1.07 or above.
(n) Actually chosen role is logged (locally and remotely) at start-up and at restarts as well.

v1.05

(n) The so-called "rerequests" are not repeated for the very same TLLI within a given time window.
(n) INI/[Advanced]/dwNorerequestWindowSec; logged at start-up, defaults to 1 second.
(c) Re-request activity time-out is automatically incremented with dwNorerequestWindowSec.
(f) InvBCD search did not spread authentication code to the Monitor units (as Hex search did).
(n) INI/[Advanced]/dwRerequestPrereadMSec is logged at start-up as well.

v1.04

(c) Requires "Sga8NDb3.dll" instead of "Sga7NDb3.dll" to avoid interference with SigLink cache of SGA-7N system.
(c) Error message when connecting to the SGA-8N server for authentication fails is rearranged to make it more visible.

v1.03

(c) Forwards Oracle user name (provided automatically during authentication) to the Monitor units to indicate decoding rights.

v1.02

(c) IMSI can be chosen in a combobox from a list of last ten recently used.
(n) INI/[Settings]/sRecentIMSI{0..9}

v1.01

(n) Both simple "Sort" and "Sort+DD" functions are implemented. Note: "Sort+DD" function drops subsequent duplicated signal units even if they were seen on different signaling links.
(n) INI/[Advanced]/dwMaxSignalUnitCount; this setting is used only when sorting; defaults to 100000
(n) A memory of 10000 elements to omit queries with the very same contents in re-requests. (Useful if INI/[Advanced]/dwRerequestPrereadMSec is not 0.) Number of omitted re-requests is indicated whan tracing is ended.

v1.00

(n) User activity is logged.
(n) User authentication requires a new reason field to be filled.
(n) Restart facility with various options.
(c) Can handle 3000 signaling links at most (instead of the former limit of 1000).
(c) INI/[Advanced]/sServerIPAddress entry is no longer used.

v0.91

Initial release

Known bugs

No bug is known at present.

The GPRS Call Trace module("Sga-8N-5")