A session border controller (SBC) manages VoIP, video conferencing, and other personal media connections. It controls call quality, security, and regulatory systems, causing controversy between telecom control groups. The SBC negotiates borders between networks, monitors call quality, and prioritizes emergency calls. However, its all-encompassing nature has caused problems between those who believe sessions should only involve participants and those who believe service providers need to stay involved.
A session border controller (SBC) is the computer system that controls Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video conferencing, and other common personal media connections. The SBC has great influence, governing everything from call quality to security and monitoring communication processes to regulatory systems. The control exercised by the session border control system has caused considerable controversy between the various telecommunications control groups.
The term “session border controller” is made up of three fundamental concepts in Internet-based communication. A session refers to the actual communication process from when the first user dials until the last user logs out. The boundary, in this case, refers to any point where one network ends and another begins. Finally, a controller is a supervisor program that monitors a session and makes system changes based on the requirements of the call.
In the past, the session border control system was only responsible for negotiating borders between untrusted networks. As internet communication became more common, things started to change. Now, the SBC governs most aspects of communication sessions, both in terms of time and network usage.
Negotiating between systems is still one of the core tasks of the session boundary controller. As communication moves across networks, it must conform to the standards of that network. The SBC finds out what these specifications are and routes calls appropriately. This allows the session to avoid problematic systems or work out agreements in advance.
Security and quality are two other important areas of a session border controller’s job. While the session is active, the controller is constantly looking for intrusions into or out of the call. They also protect session-connected systems, whether participants or carriers, from service attacks and malicious activity. In addition, the SBC monitors call quality and takes steps to correct quality problems as soon as they occur.
An SBC is also part of the communication regulatory system. A session border controller must prioritize emergency calls, just like a standard telephone system. They must also have monitoring capabilities, should law enforcement require this information. Finally, they monitor call duration and resource usage for potential billing.
The all-encompassing nature of the session border controller has caused its share of problems. The main one concerns the parties that should be involved in Internet-based communication. The two camps sit on opposite sides of the issue, with very little ground in common. One side believes that sessions should only be between participants in that session. The other side believes that service providers need to stay involved in sessions to protect their bandwidth and resource usage.
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