Multiple form enumerated attributes

1. A method performed by a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) for enabling a user to define message processing rules, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of the DRA, a request to define a behavior rule for the DRA;

retrieving metadata associated with a context object;

determining that a component specified by the metadata is an enumerated type component;

presenting, via the user interface, a first displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the first displayed component is associated with a numeric value;

presenting, via the user interface, a second displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the second displayed component is associated with an alphanumeric value, wherein the first displayed component and the second displayed component represent a same enumerated type component; and

receiving, via the user interface, a rule definition, wherein receiving the rule definition comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enumerated type component comprises at least one of an attribute and an action.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting a set of possible alphanumeric values in association with the second displayed component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value,

the receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component comprises receiving a selection of the first displayed component, and

the receiving the rule definition comprises receiving a specified numeric value for the first displayed component, wherein the specified numeric value does not correspond to any alphanumeric value of the set.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value, and

the receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component comprises receiving a selection of the second displayed component, and

the receiving the rule definition comprises receiving a specified alphanumeric value of the set for the second displayed component;

the method further comprising:

converting the specified alphanumeric value into a corresponding numeric value; and

storing the corresponding numeric value as part of the rule.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to publish a rule set; and

generating a rule tree based on the rule definition.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device;

establishing the context object based on receiving the Diameter message;

evaluating a rule associated with the rule definition, wherein the evaluation includes accessing the enumerated type component of the context object; and

transmitting a message based on the evaluation of the rule.

8. A Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) for enabling a user to define message processing rules, the DRA comprising:

a user interface and a processor with a coupled memory, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive, via the user interface, a request to define a behavior rule for the DRA;

retrieve metadata associated with a context object;

determine that a component specified by the metadata is an enumerated type component;

present, via the user interface, a first displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the first displayed component is associated with a numeric value;

present, via the user interface, a second displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the second displayed component is associated with an alphanumeric value, wherein the first displayed component and the second displayed component represent a same enumerated type component; and

receive, via the user interface, a rule definition, wherein receiving the rule definition comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component.

9. The DRA of claim 8 wherein the enumerated type component comprises at least one of an attribute and an action.

10. The DRA of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to present a set of possible alphanumeric values in association with the second displayed component.

11. The DRA of claim 8 wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value,

in receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component, the processor is configured to receive a selection of the first displayed component, and

in receiving the rule definition the processor is configured to receive a specified numeric value for the first displayed component, wherein the specified numeric value does not correspond to any alphanumeric value of the set.

12. The DRA of claim 8 , wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value, and

in receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component, the processor is configured to receive a selection of the second displayed component, and

in receiving the rule definition, the processor is configured to receive a specified alphanumeric value of the set for the second displayed component;

the processor being further configured to:

convert the specified alphanumeric value into a corresponding numeric value; and

store the corresponding numeric value as part of a rule based on the rule definition.

13. The DRA of claim 8 wherein the user interface is further configured to:

receive a request to publish a rule set; and

generate a rule tree based on the rule definition.

14. The DRA of claim 8 , wherein the processor further implements:

a Diameter stack configured to receive a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device;

a context creator configured to establish the context object based on receiving the Diameter message;

a rule engine configured to evaluate a rule associated with the rule definition, wherein the evaluation includes accessing the enumerated type component of the context object; and

a message handler configured to transmit a message based on the evaluation of the rule.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) for enabling a user to define message processing rules, the medium comprising:

instructions for receiving, via a user interface of the DRA, a request to define a behavior rule for the DRA;

instructions for retrieving metadata associated with a context object;

instructions for determining that a component specified by the metadata is an enumerated type component;

instructions for presenting, via the user interface, a first displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the first displayed component is associated with a numeric value;

instructions for presenting, via the user interface, a second displayed component for the enumerated type component, wherein the second displayed component is associated with an alphanumeric value, wherein the first displayed component and the second displayed component represent a same enumerated type component; and

instructions for receiving, via the user interface, a rule definition, wherein receiving the rule definition comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the enumerated type component comprises at least one of an attribute and an action.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for presenting a set of possible alphanumeric values in association with the second displayed component.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value,

instructions for receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component comprise instructions for receiving a selection of the first displayed component, and

the instructions for receiving the rule definition comprise instructions for receiving a specified numeric value for the first displayed component, wherein the specified numeric value does not correspond to any alphanumeric value of the set.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the second displayed component is associated with a set of possible alphanumeric values and each alphanumeric value of the set corresponds to a numeric value,

the instructions for receiving a selection of at least one of the first displayed component and the second displayed component comprise instructions for receiving a selection of the second displayed component, and

the instructions for receiving the rule definition comprise instructions for receiving a specified alphanumeric value of the set for the second displayed component;

the medium further comprising:

instructions for converting the specified alphanumeric value into a corresponding numeric value; and

instructions for storing the corresponding numeric value as part of the rule.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving a request to publish a rule set; and

instructions for generating a rule tree based on the rule definition.