In this section:
To understand the role of a Session Border Controller, let us break the term down to its basic elements:
A call leg is defined as a single connection between the SBC and another device. So a session between two devices includes a call leg between device A and the SBC, and a call leg between the SBC and device B.
A call may require a single session or it may require multiple sessions resulting from call forking, conference call, call transfer, call recording or other mechanisms. For example, a call between two registered users through a feature server consumes two sessions: one session from User A to the Feature Server and one session from the Feature Server to User B.
The total number of concurrent sessions supported on the SBC platform may be limited by different factors, including:
A customer has purchased a 5,000 package of licenses, calls are coming in and egressing the SBC with no call forking – so each ingress and egress is one session. The maximum number of active calls is 5,000.
Call with one session
A customer has purchase a 5,000 package of licenses. Calls are coming in and getting transferred back through the SBC. Each call consists of two sessions, so the maximum number of simultaneous active calls is 2,500.
Call with two sessions
For multiple transfers, each new GCID and SIP REFER is considered a session.
Typically, these sessions will traverse one or more IP networks, whether on an enterprise network or multiple service provider networks. The SBC sits at the border of each network in order to control the amount and type of sessions, as well as the type of data that can be used during these sessions. In this sense the SBC is part firewall, protecting the network from malicious IP traffic, and part traffic cop, policing how much traffic can enter the network in order to prevent overloads.
The SBC is a controller, which means it controls not only whether traffic can enter the network, but where it should be sent (referred to as session routing) and what type of modifications should be made to the traffic (example, transforming a SIP message header into an H.323 message header or downgrading an HD voice call to a compatible voice codec).
The Sonus SBC Portfolio is comprised of the following Session Border Controller products:
SBC Edge
SBC Core
The focus of this documentation space is on the SBC Core platforms. To view SBC 1000/2000 product documentation, navigate to SBC Edge Documentation landing page.
The SBC Core addresses the next-generation needs of SIP communications by delivering embedded media transcoding, robust security and advanced call routing in a high-performance, small form-factor device enabling service providers and enterprises to quickly and securely enhance their network by implementing services like SIP trunking, secure Unified Communications and Voice over IP (VoIP).
The SBC Core provides a reliable, scalable platform for IP interconnect to deliver security, session control, bandwidth management, advanced media services and integrated billing/reporting tools in an SBC appliance. This versatile series of SBCs can be deployed as peering SBCs, access SBCs or enterprise-SBCs (e-SBCs). The SBC product family is tested for interoperability and performance against a variety of third party products and call flow configurations in the customer networks.
The SBC Core can be further expanded to:
SBC Platform Comparison
Medium Enterprises / Small to Medium Service Providers | Large Enterprises / Medium to Large Service Providers | Scalable SBC | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Platform | 51x0
| 52x0 | SBC 5400 | SBC 7000 | SBC SWe / SWe on Cloud |
Maximum number of non-transcoded sessions | 10,000 | 64,000 | 75,000 | 150,000 | (Refer to SBC SWe Performance Metrics) |
Call handling capacity | 250 - 10,000 sessions | 450 - 64,000 sessions | 700 - 75,000 sessions | up to 150,000 sessions | 25-unlimited |
Full SBC Feature Set | (Refer to Feature Availability by Platform) | ||||
User Interface | Embedded EMA or external EMS | Embedded EMA or external EMS | Embedded EMA or external EMS | Embedded EMA or external EMS | Embedded EMA or external EMS |
DSP Expansion Module Types |
|
| DSP20 / DSP25 (CRU) | DSP-LC (CRU) | N/A |
The following table lists the number of ports and storage capacities of the various SBC Core platforms.
Ports and Storage Capacities
Type | SBC 5100 | SBC 5110 | SBC 5200 | SBC 5210 | SBC 5400 | SBC 7000 | SBC SWe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of management ports | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Number of High Availability (HA) ports | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Number of media ports | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2x10Gb or 4x1Gb | 4 | 2 |
Flash drive capacity | 80 GB | 128 GB | 256 GB | 256 GB | Min. 480 GB | Min. 800 GB | (See Hardware and Software Requirements) |
RAM capacity | 12 GB | 24 GB | 24 GB | 24 GB | 32 GB | 128 GB | (See Hardware and Software Requirements) |
This following pages detail the SBC Core and SBC Software Edition architectures: