System and method for optimizing communications between session border controllers and enpoints in a network environment

• US 20070019619A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Jonathan, Foster, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,432,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server

Abstract

An apparatus for optimizing communications between session border controllers in a network environment is provided that includes a session border controller (SBC) operable to communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint. The SBC is also operable to communicate with a data path border element (DBE) and a signaling path border element (SBE). The DBE is operable to provide a media relay for a communication session involving the endpoints, the media relay being invoked by either of the endpoints using a traversal using relay network address translation (TURN) protocol, which allows the SBC to operate in either of two modes depending on protocol support present in the endpoints.

Claims

1. An apparatus for optimizing communications between session border controllers in a network environment, comprising:

a session border controller (SBC) operable to communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the SBC is also operable to communicate with a data path border element (DBE) and a signaling path border element (SBE), the DBE being operable to provide a media relay for a communication session involving the endpoints, the media relay being invoked by either of the endpoints using a traversal using relay network address translation (TURN) protocol, which allows the SBC to operate in either of two modes depending on protocol support present in the endpoints.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in one of the modes, the DBE can behave as a TURN server if the endpoints support a TURN protocol, the DBE being effectively disaggregated from the SBC.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the DBE of the SBC is acting as the TURN server, it provides one or more functions, the functions including operating as a network address translation (NAT) element, providing a virtual private network (VPN) interconnect function, providing address hiding, providing IPV4-IPV6 translation, and executing transcoding.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if both of the endpoints support an interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) protocol and a TURN protocol, the DBE acts as a TURN server and the SBC allows the endpoints to handle media optimization for the session.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if one or both of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, the SBC inserts the media relay for the session as required.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if one or more of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, the SBE provides media optimization for the session.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SBE is provided in a call agent or in a session initiation protocol (SIP) proxy.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SBC is a selected one of a router, a switch, a bridge, a gateway, a processor, and a server.

9. A method for optimizing communications between session border controllers in a network environment, comprising:

communicating with a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

communicating with a data path border element (DBE) and a signaling path border element (SBE); and

providing a media relay for a communication session involving the endpoints, the media relay being invoked by either of the endpoints using a traversal using relay network address translation (TURN) protocol, which allows the SBC to operate in either of two modes depending on protocol support present in the endpoints.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in one of the modes, the DBE can behave as a TURN server if the endpoints support a TURN protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when the DBE of the SBC is acting as the TURN server, it provides one or more functions, the functions including operating as a network address translation (NAT) element, providing a virtual private network (VPN) interconnect function, providing address hiding, providing IPV4-IPV6 translation, and executing transcoding.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein if both of the endpoints support an interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) protocol and a TURN protocol, the DBE acts as a TURN server and the SBC allows the endpoints to handle media optimization for the session.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein if one or both of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, a session border controller (SBC) inserts the media relay for the session as required.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein if one or more of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, the SBE provides media optimization for the session.

15. Software for optimizing communications between session border controllers in a network environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed is operable to:

communicate with a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

communicate with a data path border element (DBE) and a signaling path border element (SBE); and

provide a media relay for a communication session involving the endpoints, the media relay being invoked by either of the endpoints using a traversal using relay network address translation (TURN) protocol, which allows the SBC to operate in either of two modes depending on protocol support present in the endpoints.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein in one of the modes, the DBE can behave as a TURN server if the endpoints support a TURN protocol.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein when the DBE of the SBC is acting as the TURN server, it provides one or more functions, the functions including operating as a network address translation (NAT) element, providing a virtual private network (VPN) interconnect function, providing address hiding, providing IPV4-IPV6 translation, and executing transcoding.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein if both of the endpoints support an interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) protocol and a TURN protocol, the DBE acts as a TURN server and the SBC allows the endpoints to handle media optimization for the session.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein if one or both of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, a session border controller (SBC) inserts the media relay for the session as required.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein if one or more of the endpoints do not support ICE or TURN protocols, the SBE provides media optimization for the session.