protocol underlies voice communication along

 SIP

SIP or session initiation protocol underlies voice communication along with real time transport protocol. SIP has three components comprised of proxies, user agents and registrar servers. It would be lengthy to explain how these three components interact v house to enable voice calls over the internet but what happens is that the SIP message has a first line, a header and message body. It is open and find vulnerable with the header containing information about identification of user agent client and SIP path.

SIP also faces NAT issues since those who are behind NAT will not enjoy the functionality.

SIP has different flavors and compatibility issues may arise. 

Hackers can easily decipher details due to the shortcomings of SIP. 

The session border controller enters the picture to address and overcome the above SIP related issues. 

The SBC

Take the case of Enterprise A. It has an internal LAN network with a firewall and it uses Controller in through a VoIP service provider. The assumption is that since the VoIP service provider has a session border controller at their end Enterprise A need not implement SBC solution. This is fallacious and leads to a host of issues: 

·         Vulnerability of Enterprise A network since hackers can tunnel in through open ports and steal data, launch DoS/DDoS attacks, business inject malware or eavesdrop or make use of the VoIP network. 

·         Inability to connect calls in case of protocol and codec issues and 

·         Network address traversal or translation (NAT) issues. 

 

The session border controller takes care of all such issues, sitting at the “border” or edge of the network, which is why you have “border” term in session border controller. 

Controller means the software controls data packets in each session. It can hide SIP headers and it can hide ports. It can control access and it can convert media codecs and protocols to facilitate smooth communication. 

A session is when a conversation is initiated, continues and is terminated. The session may go beyond voice to include media like video and data. 

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