Manual

Cisco Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) Release 2.0
Feature Overview
2
12.3(11)T
AAA Authentication and Authorization Profile, page 96
Attributes, page 99
Glossary, page 112
Appendix A, “Command Reference”
Feature Overview
A PDSN provides access to the Internet, intranets, and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) servers for
mobile stations using a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) Radio Access Network
(RAN). The Cisco PDSN is a Cisco IOS software feature that runs on Cisco 7200 routers, and on MWAM
cards on the 6500 routers, and the Cisco 7600 Internet Router, where it acts as an access gateway for
Simple IP and Mobile IP stations. It provides foreign agent (FA) support and packet transport for virtual
private networking (VPN). It also acts as an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)
client.
The Cisco PDSN supports all relevant 3GPP2 standards, including those that define the overall structure
of a CDMA2000 network, and the interfaces between radio components and the PDSN.
System Overview
CDMA is one of the standards for Mobile Station communication. A typical CDMA2000 network
includes terminal equipment, mobile termination, base transceiver stations (BTSs), base station
controllers (BSCs / PCFs), PDSNs, and other CDMA network and data network entities. The PDSN is
the interface between a BSC / PCF and a network router.
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship of the components of a typical CDMA2000 network, including a
PDSN. In this illustration, a roaming mobile station user is receiving data services from a visited access
provider network, rather than from the mobile station user’s subscribed access provider network.