Normalizer Template Properties

All normalizer templates have a basic set of properties, such as a name, description, and normalization algorithm. They also have properties unique to the type of normalization they are performing, for example, a time zone normalizer has an additional property that specifies the time zone to use during normalizations — the event, event initiator, or system.

Normalizer Template Properties lists all normalizer template properties. Fields required by a normalizer are highlighted in red in the Normalizer Templates interface.

Table 1. Normalizer Template Properties
Property Description
Common Normalizer Template Properties
ID An integer automatically assigned to a normalizer template upon creation and used to identify it in the system. You cannot change the normalizer template ID.
Name A descriptive name for the normalizer template that links the normalizer instances to it. The name is displayed as an Inventory node, under which are the normalizers created with this template. The name should be generic enough to encompass all normalizers that might be created with it. You cannot change the name of a normalizer template that has an instance that is currently being used (for example, in a rate table).
Normalization Algorithm The normalization algorithm on which rating and policy operations are based.
  • Balance Difference — Compares the difference between two balance amounts or the difference between a balance amount and a MATRIXX Data Container (MDC) field or catalog item parameter to a set of ranges defined in the normalizer.
  • Balance Distribution — Compares a balance value to ranges of balance quantities specified in a balance distribution normalizer. Uses a datatype value of balance.
  • Balance Spendable — Determines whether any amount of a balance (or set of balances of the same class) is available for usage charging.
  • Closed User Group — Compares the group value of a subscriber making a phone call to the group value of the subscriber receiving the call. Pricing administrators must specify whether the device field is an Imsi or an AccessNumber when creating the normalizer template. Uses a string or phone number value.
  • Date Set Match — Compares a date MDC field to a list of dates stored in a list or array MDC field. Uses a datatype value of date or datetime.
  • Decimal Range — Compares a decimal MDC field to ranges of decimal values in a decimal range normalizer. Uses a datatype value of decimal.
  • Difference Range — Compares the difference between two numeric values (integer or decimal) in MDC fields, catalog item parameters, or one MDC field and one parameter to a set of ranges defined in the normalizer.
  • Eligibility Feature Match — Compares catalog items owned by a subscription, group, or device to a catalog item with a particular eligibility feature. Rating decisions are based on which eligible catalog items are owned.
  • Integer Equality — Compares a signed integer MDC field to one or more integers specified in an integer normalizer. Uses a datatype value of int8, int16, int32, or int64.
  • Integer Range — Compares a signed integer MDC field to integer ranges specified in an integer normalizer. Uses a datatype value of int8, int16, int32, or int64.
  • IPv4 Address Match — Compares the IPv4 address MDC field to one or more IPv4 addresses specified in an IPv4 address normalizer. Uses a datatype value of signed int32, signed int64, signed int128, unsigned int32, unsigned int64, unsigned int128, or string.
  • IPv6 Address Match — Compares the IPv4 address MDC field to one or more IPv6 addresses specified in an IPv6 address normalizer. Uses a datatype value of signed int128, unsigned int128, or string.
  • Multiplexing — Selects one of the referenced normalizers that normalizes on a field that is valid in the message being processed.
  • Phone Number Match — Compares a phone number MDC field to one or more phone numbers specified in the normalizer. Uses a string or phone number value.
  • Phone Number Pattern Match — Compares a phone number MDC field to one or more phone number patterns specified in the normalizer. Uses a string or phone number value.
  • Quantity Distribution — Compares the event volume or duration to ranges of decimal values specified in a quantity normalizer. This algorithm distributes the event across quantity ranges, so each event segment can be rated with a different formula.
  • String Match — Compares a string MDC field to one or more strings specified in a string match normalizer.
  • String Set Matches — Compares a string or phone number MDC field to a list of strings or phone numbers stored in a list or array MDC field. Both specified MDC fields must be of the same data type (string or phone number). On a percentage discount component, compares a single string field or an array/list field of strings in an MDC to an array/list of strings in another MDC field to determine if any of the strings in the two lists match.
  • Time — Compares a time MDC field to time ranges in a time range normalizer or time period normalizer.
  • Unsigned Integer Equality — Compares an unsigned integer MDC field to one or more integers specified in a numeric match normalizer.
  • Unsigned Integer Range — Compares an unsigned integer MDC field to ranges of unsigned integers specified in a numeric range normalizer. Uses a datatype value of Default (uint) or IP Address.
  • Zoning — Compares two fields in an MDC to pairs of From and To values. Typically, these are A-number and B-number fields in the network message, but can be any data value in a string or phone number MDC field.
Metadata Normalizer Template Properties (applies to all normalizer templates except Multiplexing)
Name The value of the metadata.
Type The data type of the metadata.
All normalizer templates except Balance Spendable, Time, Closed User Group, Multiplexing, Quantity Distribution, and Zoning
Use Called Station Field When selected, normalizers that use this template will base normalizations on data retrieved from the called party (B number), instead of the calling party (A number) which is used by default. When selected, the following additional configuration is available under Called Station Search Data:
  • Container Name — Specifies the MDC to use for retrieving the B number data.
  • Field Name — Specifies the MDC field to use for retrieving the B number data.
All normalizer templates except Time, Closed User Group, Multiplexing, Quantity Distribution, and Zoning
Result Info The Result Info values are optional and provide a way to copy, to another MDC field, the description and/or name values associated with the normalized value chosen during rating. This enables the name and description to be added to the MATRIXX event file (MEF) generated during rating, and allows you to perform further normalizations based on the name value (normalizer chaining).
You configure the following results values:
  • Result Description Container — The target MDC container where the description of the normalized value chosen during rating is copied. For example, the MDC name to identify the Diameter message is MtxDiamRoMsg. Select the required MDC from the list.
  • Result Description Field — The target field within the target MDC container where the description of the normalized value chosen during rating is copied. The copy operation occurs only if the field value in the message is not set when the normalizer is evaluated. Use dot notation to identify fields nested in the MDC structure. For example, to identify the SMS node role for a session within the Diameter message, you might enter ServiceInfo.SmsInfo.SmsNode.
  • Result Name Container — The target MDC where the name of the normalized value chosen during rating will be copied. Select the required MDC from the list.
  • Result Name Field — The target MDC field within the target MDC container where the name of the normalized value chosen during rating will be copied. Also use dot notation to identify nested fields.
Balance Spendable, Phone Number Match, Closed User Group, Eligibility Feature Match, Subscriber Date Match, and Zoning Normalizer Template Properties
Values This section enables you to optionally define normalizer parameter values to use for all normalizer instances made from a template that has two possible results (Boolean). For example, a closed user group normalizer template algorithm determines whether a subscriber is a member of a defined group. In such cases, the true value might be named Group Member and have a green color and the false value might be named Not in Group and have a red color.
Note: If you enter values in the normalizer template, they cannot be edited in the normalizer instance in My MATRIXX.
  • Name — The name of the value. For example, Not Found or Found.
  • Description — A description for the value. The description is visible when hovering over a value in My MATRIXX.
  • Color — Helps identify the value in a normalizer instance.
Close User Group, Integer Equality, Integer Range, Decimal Range, IPv4, IPv6, String Match, Phone Number Match, Phone Number Pattern Match, Date Match, and Zoning Normalizer Template Properties
Fields This section sets up the fields on which to base normalizations and contains the following attributes.
  • Container Name — The container_id value of the MDC in which the field exists, for example MtxDeviceObject. This value can be the MATRIXX subscriber, device, group, product offer, or purchased offer MDC, or in a custom MDC extended from any of these MDCs.
  • Field Name — The name of the MDC field to normalize.
  • Tier — Used by the Close User Group normalizer templates to specify the hierarchical level in the group to examine during rating.
Time and Subscriber Date Match Normalizer Template Properties
Split Used by the Time and Subscriber Date Match normalizer templates to specify whether to rate the entire event with one time range based on the start time of the event, or to distribute the event across different time ranges when the start time and end time are in different time periods. Valid values are true and false. If true, the event is distributed across ranges. If false, the entire event is rated with the rates defined for the start time period.
Time Zone Basis Used by the Time Zone normalizer template to determine normalization results related to time. The time zone can be associated with the event, event initiator, or the system.
  • event — Uses the time zone indicated by the incoming network message, which is impacted by the 3GPP-MS-Timezone and Event-Timestamp AVPs. This is the time zone where the event is initiated and is dependent on the initiator's current location, which can vary. It is the default.
  • initiator — Uses the time zone stored with the subscriber's profile information. This time zone is static and is typically the time zone of the subscriber's residence. It is not necessarily the same time zone in which an event is initiated.
  • system — Uses the time zone configured for the MATRIXX Engine. This time zone is also static. It is not necessarily the same time zone in which the system is physically located or indicated by the network message for the event.
  • utc — Based on the time of day of the event, interpreted in the UTC offset contained in the event message.
Balance Distribution and Spending Normalizer Template Properties
From Period Used by the balance distribution normalizer template when a balance is periodic. It allows you to base normalization on the amount in a previous periodic balance interval rather than the current interval. For the current period, use 0, for the previous interval use 1, for the interval before that use 2, and so forth. The number must be contained within the low-water mark for the balance window.
To Period Used by the balance distribution normalizer template when a balance is periodic to identify the most recent balance interval to examine for normalization when using the From Period attribute. Use 0 for the current interval.

The From Period and To Period values must be the same. You cannot perform normalizations across multiple balance intervals.

Balance Class The balance class determines the list of balances that are valid for the associated balance distribution normalizer. Pricing administrators can override the balance class defined in the normalizer template by specifying the balance class to use when configuring a balance distribution normalizer. If a balance class is not specified in the normalizer, then the balance class specified for the normalizer template is used. If the balance class is not specified in the normalizer or the normalizer template, then an error is reported by validation.
Balance Balances can be optionally specified in a balance distribution normalizer template. Pricing administrators can override the balance defined in the normalizer template by specifying the balance to use when configuring a balance distribution normalizer.

If the balance template is not specified in the normalizer and a balance template is specified in the associated normalizer template, then the balance specified in the associated normalizer template is used. If neither is present, then the normalizer uses the specified balance class. All instances of the balance template are be included in the normalization.