H.

323

Chapter 4
 Introduction
 We have learned
 IP, UDP, RTP
 The set-up and tear-down of the sessions
 Signaling
 In traditional telephony networks
 ISUP, Integrated Services Digital Network User Part
 A component of the Signaling System 7 (SS7)

Internet Telephony 4-2

 H.323, ITU-T recommendation
 The 1st version, 1996
 Visual Telephone Systems and Equipment for Local Area
Network which Provide A Non-Guaranteed Quality of Service
 Version 2, 1998
 Packet-based Multimedia Communications Systems
 Widely implemented in VoIP solutions
 Version 4

Internet Telephony 4-3

 The H.323 Architecture
 Entities
 Terminals
 Gateways
 Gatekeepers
 MCUs
 Protocols
 Parts of H.225.0 - RAS, Q.931
 H.245
 RTP/RTCP
 Audio/video codecs

Internet Telephony 4-4

H.323 Architecture

H.323 Network Architecture and Components

Internet Telephony 4-5

Internet Telephony 4-6
 Terminals
 Endpoint on a LAN
 Supports real-time, 2-way communications with
another H.323 entity
 Must support:
 Voice - audio codecs
 Signaling and setup - Q.931, H.245, RAS
 Optional support:
 Video
 Data

Internet Telephony 4-7

Internet Telephony 4-8
 Gateways
 Interface between the LAN and the switched
circuit network
 Mandatory Functions
 Transmission Format Translation
 Communication Procedure Translation
 Call Setup and Clearing On Both Sides
 Optional Function
 Media Format Translation
 Example: IP/PSTN gateway

Internet Telephony 4-9

Internet Telephony 4-10
 Gatekeepers
 Optional, but must perform certain functions if
present
 e.g., Netmeeting does not use gatekeepers?
 Manage a zone (a collection of H.323 devices)
 Usually one gatekeeper per zone
 alternate gatekeeper might exist for backup and load
balancing
 Typically a software application
 implemented on a PC, but can be integrated in a
gateway or terminal

Internet Telephony 4-11

 Mandatory functions:
 Address translation (routing)
 Admission control
 Minimal bandwidth control - request processing
 Zone management
 Optional functions:
 Call control signaling - direct handling of Q.931
signaling between endpoints
 Call authorization, bandwidth management, and call
management using some policy
 Gatekeeper management information (MIB)
 Directory services

Internet Telephony 4-12

 MCUs
 MCU - Multipoint Control Unit
 Endpoint that supports conferences between 3 or
more endpoints
 Can be stand-alone device or integrated into a
gateway, gatekeeper or terminal
 Typically consists of multi-point controller (MC)
and multi-point processor (MP)
 MC - handles control and signaling for conference
support
 MP - receives streams from endpoints, processes
them, and returns them to the endpoints in the
conference

Internet Telephony 4-13

 MC and MP
Terminal 1 Terminal 2 Gatekeeper 1 Gatekeeper 2 Gatekeeper 3

MC MC MC MP

LAN

MC MC MP MC MP MC

Gateway 1 Gateway 2 Gateway 3 MCU 1 MCU 2

T1521250-96

NOTE – Gateway, Gatekeeper and MCU can be a single device.

Internet Telephony 4-14

 Centralized Conference
 MCU handles both signaling (MC) and stream
processing (MP)
MCU
MCU
(MC+MP)
(MC+MP)

media stream (unicast)

control message

Terminal
Terminal Terminal
Terminal Terminal
Terminal

Internet Telephony 4-15

 De-centralized Conference
 MCU handles only signaling
 streams go directly between endpoints
 In this case MCU functions without MP

MCU
MCU
(MC)
(MC)

media stream (multicast) media stream (multicast)

control message control message

media stream
Terminal
Terminal (multicast) Terminal
Terminal

Internet Telephony 4-16

Hybrid Multipoint Conference

audio stream (unicast)

Terminal
Terminal
control message

MCU
MCU
video stream video stream
(MC+MP)
(MC+MP)
(multicast) (multicast)

audio stream (unicast)

audio stream (unicast) control message

control message

video stream
Terminal
Terminal (multicast) Terminal
Terminal

Internet Telephony 4-17

Mixed Multipoint Conference

Decentralized side Centralized side

Terminal
Terminal Terminal
Terminal

Terminal
MCU
MCU
Terminal (MC+MP) Terminal
Terminal
(MC+MP)

Terminal Terminal
Terminal
Terminal
multicast audio and video unicast audio and video

Internet Telephony 4-18

 Overview of H.323 Singaling
 Audio codecs (G.711, G.723.1, G.728, etc.) and
video codecs (H.261, H.263)
 Media streams transported on RTP/RTCP
 RTP carries actual media
 RTCP carries status and control information
 RTP/RTCP carried unreliably on UDP
 Signaling is transported reliably over TCP
 RAS - registration, admission, status (over UDP)
 Q.931 - call setup and termination
 H.245 - capabilities exchange

Internet Telephony 4-19

H.323 Protocol Stack

Internet Telephony 4-20

 Overview of H.323 Protocols
 H.225.0, a two-part protocol
 A variant of ITU-T recommendation Q.931, the ISDN
layer 3 spec.
 The set-up and tear-down of connections
 Call signaling or Q.931 signaling
 RAS signaling
 Registration, Admissions, and Status
 Between endpoints and gatekeepers

Internet Telephony 4-21

 H.245, control protocols
 Used between two or more endpoints
 Manage the media streams of a session
 Capability exchange
 RAS, Q.931 and H.245
 RAS to obtain permission from a gatekeeper
 RAS channel
 Q.931 to establish communication and set up the call
 Call-signaling channel
 H.245 to negotiate media parameters
 H.245 control channel
 Media streams over logical channels

Internet Telephony 4-22

 H.323 Addressing
 An entity in the H.323 network
 A network address, an IP address
 URL, Uniform Resource Locator
 E.g., ras://GK1@somedomain
 A port number appended
 RAS, a default port number = 1719
 The TSAP, Transport Service Access Point
 An id for a particular logical channel at a given entity
 GK UDP Discovery Port = 1718
 GK UDP Reg and Status Port = 1719
 Call-signaling TCP Port =1720

Internet Telephony 4-23

 Terminal and gateways
 Have one or more aliases
 Can take any number of forms
 Must be unique within a zone
 E.164 number
 Codecs
 Video codec is optional
 H.261 QCIF
 G.711 (A-law and -law) is mandatory

Internet Telephony 4-24

 RAS Signaling
 Used between a GK and endpoints in its zone
 Since a GK is optional
 Defined in H.225.0
 GK Discovery
 Registration
 Unregistration
 Admission
 Bandwidth Change
 Endpoint Location: GK (address translation)
 Disengage
 Status
 Resource Availability: GW → GK
 Non-standard

Internet Telephony 4-25

Gatekeeper Discovery
 Find a suitably accommodating GK
 Several GKs, backup GK
 GRQ – GK-request
 Known addresses, multicast 224.0.1.41:1718
 GK id: if empty, soliciting GKs
 GCF – GK-Confirm
 Optionally, indicating one or more GKs to try
 I cannot help you, but try the GK next door
 Only one GK can be choosed
 GRJ – GK-Reject
 With a reason (e.g., a lack of resource)

Internet Telephony 4-26

 GK Discovery

Internet Telephony 4-27

Endpoint Reg and Reg Cancellation
 To become controlled by a GK
 RegistrationRequest (RRQ)
 RAS signaling port is 1719
 Includes
 An address for RAS messages
 An address for call-signaling messages
 An alias
 One or more redundant addresses and aliases
 Optional TTL, keepAlive parameters
 RegistrationReject (RRJ)
 RegistrationConfirm (RCF)
 May assign an alias

Internet Telephony 4-28

 UnregistrationRequest (URQ)
 Cancel registration
 By endpoints
 By GKs
 UnregistrationConfirm (UCF)
 UnregistraionReject (URJ)
 For an unregistered endpoint

Internet Telephony 4-29

Endpoint Location
 Request a real address of an alias
 LocationRequest (LRQ)
 To a GK or the GK discovery multicast address
 A GK can also send an LRQ
 LocationConfirm (LCF)
 A call-signaling address
 An RAS signaling address
 LocationReject (LRJ)
 The endpoint is not registered

Internet Telephony 4-30

Admission
 Request permission from a GK to participate in a call
 AdmissionRequest (ARQ)
 The type of the call (e.g., two-party or multi-party)
 The endpoint’s own id
 A call identifier (a unique string)
 A call-reference value (an integer)
 Information of the other party
 Aliases
 Signaling address
 Bandwidth (mandatory)
 TransportQOS: endpoint or GK to reserve the resource

Internet Telephony 4-31

 AdmissionConfirm (ACF)
 Many of the same parameters as ARQ
 A firm order from the GK
 callModel
 Optional in ARQ; mandtory in ACF
 The endpoint sends call signaling directly or via the GK
 AdmissionReject (ARJ)
 With a reason
 Bandwidth, address translation, unregistered endpoint

Internet Telephony 4-32

 Direct call signaling

Internet Telephony 4-33

 GK-routed call signaling

Internet Telephony 4-34

 Pregranted Admission
 to minimize call setup delay
 A GK provide an endpoint with admission in advance
 the RCF includes the parameter preGrantedARQ

Internet Telephony 4-35

Bandwidth Change
 Request an increase or decrease in allocated
bandwidth
 Can change without request if within the limit in ACF
 BandwidthRequest (BRQ)
 The new bandwidth, the call id
 BCF
 BRJ
 The GK can also request an endpoint to change the
bandwidth
 The endpoint must comply
 Closely tied to H.245 signaling (for logical channels)
 A reduction in bandwidth
 Require an existing logical channel to be closed and reopened

Internet Telephony 4-36

 An example bandwidth change

Internet Telephony 4-37

Status
 A GK be informed of the status of an endpoint
 InformationRequestResponse (IRR)
 Endpoint information
 The active call information
 Call id, call reference value, call type, the bandwidth
 RTP session information (CNAME, RTP/RTCP address, etc.)
 IRQ
 or ACF with an irrFrequency parameter
 willRespondToIRR parameter
 IACK
 INACK
 An IRR message in error

Internet Telephony 4-38

Disengage
 The end of the call
 DisengageRequest (DRQ)
 Call id, call reference value, a disengage reason (e.g.,
normalDrop)
 DCF
 DRJ
 For an unregistered endpoint
 not a call party
 The GK might issue DRQ to an endpoint
 The endpoint must
 Close the session
 Respond to the GK with a DCF message

Internet Telephony 4-39

 Resource Availability
 ResourceAvailableIndicate (RAI)
 An gateway sends to a GK
 The available call capacity and bandwidth for each protocol
 almostOutofResource parameter
 RseourceAvailableConfirm (RAC)

Internet Telephony 4-40

 Service Control
 SCI (ServiceControlIndication)
 SCR (ServiceControlResponse)
 to enable advanced features
 Request in Progress
 RIP
 A given request takes longer the the timeout period
 The expected delay and the reason
 After timeout, the RAS message can be retransmitted

Internet Telephony 4-41

 Call Signaling
 For the establishment and tear-down of calls
 Q.931 modified by rec. H.225.0
 Reuse some messages with few modifications
 Specify a number of rules regarding the usage of
information elements defined in Q.931
 E.g., no Transit Network Selection, …
 Certain Q.931 mandatory information forbidden or optional
 A clever use of User-to-User information element
 Convey all of the extra information needed in H.323
 E.g., H.245 addresses to be used for logical channel

Internet Telephony 4-42

 Setup
 The first call-signaling message
 Q.931 Protocol Discriminator
 A call reference
 Bearer Capability
 RTP information, such as payload type
 A gateway needs to perform the mapping
 User-to-User information element
 Mandatory: Call id, call type, conference id, the caller
information
 Optional: source alias, destination alias, H.245 address,
destination call-signaling address

Internet Telephony 4-43

 Call Proceeding
 Optional
 call-establishment procedures are underway
 Mandatory
 Protocol discriminator, call reference, and message type,
user-to-user
 User-to-user: similar to the setup message
 Alerting
 The called user is being alerted
 The same parameters as Call Proceeding

Internet Telephony 4-44

 Progress
 sent by a called gateway
 the Cause information – in-band tones
 the User-to-User info. – same as Call-Proceeding
 Connect
 The called party has accepted the call
 Must be sent if the call is to be completed
 Call Proceeding and Alerting are optional
 User-to-User information
 The same as Call Proceeding
 Plus Conference Identifier
 The same as Setup

Internet Telephony 4-45

 Release Complete
 Terminate a call
 No Release message
 In ISDN, Release and Release Complete
 Cause information element, optional
 Otherwise, a Release reason in User-to-User
 Facility (Q.932)
 A call should be redirected
 Also be used for supplementary services
 User-to-User contains reason parameter
 E.g., routeCallToGatekeeper

Internet Telephony 4-46

 Interaction between Call Signaling and H.245
 Call signaling: call establishment and tear-down
 H.245: the negotiation and establishment of media
streams
 When to begin the exchange of H.245 messages?
 Between the Setup and Connect messages
 Equipment dependent

Internet Telephony 4-47

 Call Scenarios
 Basic Call without GKs
 Reliable transport

Internet Telephony 4-48

 Call with GKs and Direct-Endpoint Call Signaling

Internet Telephony 4-49

 Gatekeeper routed/direct-endpoint call signaling

Internet Telephony 4-50

 Gatekeeper-routed call signaling
 EP <-> GK <-> GK <-> EP
 ARJ with a cause code of routeCallToGatekeeper
 A Facility with a reason indicating the call be rerouted

Internet Telephony 4-51

Internet Telephony 4-52
 Optional
called-
endpoint
signaling

Internet Telephony 4-53

 H.245 Control Signaling
 To establish and control media streams
 Agree on the media formats and bandwidth
 Multiplexing multiple media streams
 No actual media
 A generic protocol for the control of media streams
 How it works in an H.323?

Internet Telephony 4-54

H.245 Message Groupings
 Requests
 Require the recipient to perform some action and response
 Response
 In reply to Requests
 Commands
 Require the recipient to perform some action, but no
response is necessary
 Indications
 Of an informational nature only

Internet Telephony 4-55

The Concept of Logical Channels
 A Logical channel
 A unidirectional media path
 An IP address and port number
 Has a number
 A two-party conversation
 Two logical channels exist
 Potentially in different formats
 Or a bidirectional channel consists of two logical channels
 An endpoint issues Open Logical Channel
 Logical channel number and media information (RTP payload type)
 Far endpoint responds with Open Logical Channel Ack
 An RTP port
 Messages over H.245 Control Channel (channel number 0)
 Permanently open

Internet Telephony 4-56

 H.245 Procedures
 Capabilities Exchange
 Share information regarding receive and transmit
capabilities
 Indicate a preference
 TerminalCabilitySet message
 A request message
 A sequence number plus the types of audio and video
formats
 TerminalCapabilitySetAck
 Empty with a sequence number
 TerminalCapabilitySetReject
 With a reason for rejection

Internet Telephony 4-57

 TerminalCapabilitySetRelease
 If no response within a timeout period
 SendTerminalCapabilitySet
 Request terminal Capability information
 Request to indicate all of its capabilities
 Or request confirmation about specific capabilities
 A command message that is replied

Internet Telephony 4-58

Master-Slave Determination
 One of the endpoints needs to be the master
 Of particular importance for the setup of a multi-party
conference
 Compare two pieces of information at each entity
 A terminal type value
 A terminal without an MC: 50
 A gateway without an MC: 60
 An MCU for audio, vedio: 190
 An MCU managing a conference: 240 (the highest)
 A random number (1..16,777,215)
 Master-Slave Determination message
 Master-Slave Determination Ack
 A “master” or “slave” indication

Internet Telephony 4-59

 Establishing and Releasing Media Streams
 For media exchange

Internet Telephony 4-60

Open Unidirectional Logical Channel

Internet Telephony 4-61

 Open Bidirectional Logicl Channels

Internet Telephony 4-62

 Closing Logic Channels and Ending a session
 CloseLogicalChannel, CloseLogicalChannelAck
 Only the initiator can issue
 Or the receiving end can humbly request
 A bidirectional channel can be closed by either end
 Once all logical channels are closed
 EndSession, EndSession commands

Internet Telephony 4-63

Close a Logical Channel

Internet Telephony 4-64

A Slow Start

Plus
Capability exchange
Master-slave determination

Internet Telephony 4-65

 Fast-connect Procedure
 The Setup
 A faststart element
 OpenLogicalChannel
requests
 No H.245 control
channel

Internet Telephony 4-66

 H.245 Message Encapsulation
 is encapsulated with Q.931 messages
 Set the element h245Tunneling true in the first Q.931
message
 The h245Control element contains the encapsulated
data
 Conflict with the faststart element
 Use Facility
 when no Q.931 message can be used
 to start a separate H.245 control channel

Internet Telephony 4-67

 Conference Calls
 MC manage multi-point conference
 A Pre-Arranged Conference
 Establish a call with the MCU
 The MCU specifies the conference mode
 Communication Mode command (H.245)
 Specify all the sessions in the conference
 The transmit requirements of each endpoint, not the receive
requirements

Internet Telephony 4-68

 An Ad-Hoc Conference
 Expand an existing two-party call
 One the the endpoints must contain an MC

Internet Telephony 4-69

New Features in H.323 Version 2
 H.235 - security and authentication, i.e.
passwords for registration with gatekeeper
 H.450.x - supplementary services such as call
transfer and forwarding
 Fast call setup:
 Bypasses some setup messages
 Triggered by Q.931 Fast Start message that contains
basic capabilities

Internet Telephony 4-70

New Features in H.323 Version 2 (cont.)
 Mechanism to specify alternative gatekeepers to
endpoints
 Gatekeeper can request forwarding of Q.931 information
on direct routed calls; only RADCOM can play back
H.323 streams off a network: a true differentiation
 Smoother integration of T.120 (optional standard for
data)
 T.120 channel opened like any H.323 channel

Internet Telephony 4-71

T.120 Data Channel

 Defined in T.120
 A Channel Between Endpoints
 A Reliable Channel
 Functions
 Transport Data
 Multipoint Delivery
 Internetworking
 PSTN, ISDN

 LAN (TCP/IP, IPX)

Internet Telephony 4-72

The Future of H.323
Inter-Gatekeeper Communication:
 Current H.323 standards do not provide an
inter-zone model that scales well for large networks
 Inter-gatekeeper protocols being discussed to enable
gatekeepers to efficiently locate one another to route
calls to non-local address
 Hierarchical arrangements with “clearing house”
gatekeepers have been proposed
 This is critical for widespread interoperability between
VoIP service providers

Internet Telephony 4-73

 H.323 Version 3
 Modest improvements to H.323 version 2
 Maintaining and Reusing Connections
 Conference out of Consultation
 Caller ID
 Language Preference
 Usage of Annex E/H.323
 Remote Device Control
 Generic Capabilities
 Annex G/H.225.0 - Communication between
Administrative Domains

Internet Telephony 4-74

 Annex E/H.323 - Protocol for Multiplexed Call
Signaling Transport
 Annex F/H.323 - Simple Endpoint Type
 H.341 - H.323 Series MIB
 Supplementary Services

Internet Telephony 4-75

 H.323 Version 4
 Many new enhancements
 Gateway Decomposition
 Multiplexed Stream Transmission
 Supplementary Services
 Annex K/H.323
 Annex L/H.323
 H.450.8 - Name Identification Service
 H.450.9 - Call Completion
 H.450.10 - Call Offer
 H.450.11 - Call Intrusion

Internet Telephony 4-76

 Additive Registrations
 Alternate Gatekeepers
 Usage Information Reporting
 Endpoint Capacity
 Caller Identification Service
 Tones and Announcements
 Mapping Aliases
 Indicating Desired Protocols
 Bandwidth Management
 Reporting Call Status

Internet Telephony 4-77

 Enhancements to Annex D (Real-Time Fax)
 Call Linkage
 Tunneling
 QoS
 H.245 in Parallel with Fast Connect
 Generic Extensibility Framework
 H.323 URL
 Call Credit-Related Capabilities
 DTMF Relay via RTP

Internet Telephony 4-78

 The Decomposed Gateway
 Media gateway
 Media gateway controller

Internet Telephony 4-79