SBC Application

An IP Group is a logical representation of the SIP entity (UA) with which the device receives and sends calls. The SIP entity can be a server (e.g., IP PBX or SIP Trunk) or it can be a group of users (e.g., LAN IP phones). For servers, the IP Group is typically used to define the address of the entity (by its associated Proxy Set). IP Groups are used in IP-to-IP routing rules to denote the source and destination of the call.

A Proxy Set defines the actual address (IP address or FQDN) of SIP entities that are servers (e.g., IP PBX). As the IP Group represents the SIP entity, to associate an address with the SIP entity, the Proxy Set is assigned to the IP Group. You can assign the same Proxy Set to multiple IP Groups (belonging to the same SRD).

A SIP Interface represents a Layer-3 network. It defines a local listening port for SIP signaling traffic on a local, logical IP network interface. The term local implies that it's a logical port and network interface on the device. The SIP Interface is used to receive and send SIP messages with a specific SIP entity (IP Group). Therefore, you can create a SIP Interface for each SIP entity in the VoIP network with which your device needs to communicate. For example, if your VoIP network consists of three SIP entities -- a SIP Trunk, a LAN IP PBX, and remote WAN users -- a SIP Interface can be created for each of these Layer-3 networks.

The SIP Interface is associated with the SIP entity, by assigning it to an SRD that is in turn, assigned to the IP Group of the SIP entity.

A Media Realm defines a local UDP port range for RTP (media) traffic on any one of the device's logical IP network interfaces. The Media Realm is used to receive and send media traffic with a specific SIP entity (IP Group).

The Media Realm can be associated with the SIP entity, by assigning the Media Realm to the IP Group of the SIP entity, or by assigning it to the SIP Interface associated with the SIP entity.

An SRD is a logical representation of your entire SIP-based VoIP network (Layer 5) containing groups of SIP users and servers. The SRD is in effect, the foundation of your configuration to which all other previously mentioned configuration entities are associated. For example, if your VoIP network consists of three SIP entities -- a SIP Trunk, a LAN IP PBX, and remote WAN users -- the three SIP Interfaces defining these Layer-3 networks would all assigned to the same SRD.

Typically, only a single SRD is required and this is the recommended configuration topology. As the device provides a default SRD, in a single SRD topology, the device automatically assigns the SRD to newly created configuration entities. Thus, in such scenarios, there is no need to get involved with SRD configuration.

Multiple SRDs are required only for multi-tenant deployments, where it "splits" the device into multiple logical devices. For multiple SRDs, the SRD can be configured with a Sharing Policy. The Sharing Policy simply means whether the SRD's resources (SIP Interfaces, IP Groups, and Proxy Sets) can be used by other SRDs. For example, if all tenants route calls with the same SIP Trunking service provider, the SRD of the SIP Trunk would be configured as a Shared Sharing Policy. SRDs whose resources are not shared, would be configured with an Isolated Sharing Policy.

An IP Profile is an optional configuration entity that defines a wide range of call settings for a specific SIP entity (IP Group). The IP Profile includes signaling and media related settings, for example, jitter buffer, silence suppression, voice coders, fax signaling method, SIP header support (local termination if not supported), and media security method. The IP Profile is in effect, the interoperability "machine" of the device, enabling communication between SIP endpoints that "speak" different call "languages".

The IP Profile is associated with the SIP entity, by assigning the IP Profile to the IP Group of the SIP entity.

Classification is the process that identifies the incoming call (SIP dialog request) as belonging to a specific SIP entity (IP Group).

There are three chronological classification stages, where each stage is done only if the previous stage fails. The device first attempts to classify the SIP dialog by checking if it belongs to a user that is already registered in the device's registration database. If this stage fails, the device checks if the source IP address is defined for a Proxy Set and if yes, it classifies it to the IP Group associated with the Proxy Set. If this fails, the device classifies the SIP dialog using the Classification table, which defines various characteristics of the incoming dialog that if matched, classifies the call to a specific IP Group. The main characteristics of the incoming call is the SIP Interface that is associated with the SRD for which the Classification rule is configured.

IP-to-IP routing rules define the routes for routing calls between SIP entities. As the SIP entities are represented by IP Groups, the routing rules typically employ IP Groups to denote the source and destination of the call. For example, to route calls from the IP PBX to the SIP Trunk, the routing rule can be configured with the IP PBX as the source IP Group and the SIP Trunk as the destination IP Group.

Instead of IP Groups, various other source and destination methods can be used. For example, the source can be a source host name while the destination can be an IP address or based on an LDAP query.

Inbound and Outbound Manipulation lets you manipulate the user part of the SIP URI in the SIP message for a specific entity (IP Group). Inbound manipulation is done on messages received from the SIP entity; outbound manipulation is done on messages sent to the SIP entity.

Inbound manipulation lets you manipulate the user part of the SIP URI for source (e.g., in the SIP From header) and destination (e.g., in the Request-URI line) in the incoming SIP dialog request. Outbound manipulation lets you manipulate the user part of the Request-URI for source (e.g., in the SIP From header) or destination (e.g., in the SIP To header) or calling name, in outbound SIP dialog requests.

The Inbound and Outbound manipulation are associated with the SIP entity, by configuring the rules with incoming characteristics such as source IP Group and destination host name. The manipulation rules are also assigned a Routing Policy, which in turn, is assigned to IP-to-IP routing rules. As most deployments require only one Routing Policy, the default Routing Policy is automatically assigned to the manipulation rules and to the routing rules.

Routing Policy logically groups routing and manipulation (inbound and outbound) rules to a specific SRD. It also enables Least Cost Routing (LCR) for routing rules and associates an LDAP server for LDAP-based routing. However, as multiple Routing Policies are required only for multi-tenant deployments, for most deployments only a single Routing Policy is required. When only a single Routing Policy is required, handling of this configuration entity is not required as a default Routing Policy is provided, which is automatically associated with all relevant configuration entities.

Call Admission Control (CAC) lets you configure the maximum number of permitted concurrent calls (SIP dialogs) per IP Group, SIP Interface, SRD, or user.