H.

323 Standard
• ITU-T framework standard
• current version 5 released in July 2003
• „packet-based multimedia communication systems“
• it comprises
- description of components
- treatment of media streams (voice, data, video)
- connection management
- interworking between different networks
 H.32x- Protocol Family

ITU-T Standard Used for

H.320 ISDN
H.321 B-ISDN (ATM)
H.322 Packet-based networks
providing QoS
H.323 IP- networks
H.324 POTS/GSTN
H.323- Architecture
 H.323 Terminal
• termination point of multimedia communication process
• mandatory in H.323- architecture
• IP-phone or softphone (software solution)
• can be configured via SNMP
Minimum Prerequisites for H.323 Terminals

Microphone/
Loud-speaker

Camera/
Display

Data

mandatory
according to H.323
 H.323 Gateway
• for interconnection of an IP-network with another network
(e.g. a circuit-switchen PSTN-network)
• is an optional component
• integrated (in a router) or as a stand-alone device (PC with

a gateway-software)
 H.323 Gatekeeper
• optional component
• integrated (on router or gateway) or as a separate
software-solution (on a Windows NT-server)
• important gatekeeper functionality:
- address translation (m)
- connection set-up and release (m)
- access control (m)
- zone management (m)
- bandwidth control (o)
- supplementary services (o)
(m) mandatory
(o) optional
 Address Translation
Alias-Name IP-Address
Gatekeeper Alice@tfk.de 20.30.40.1
Bob@tfk.de 20.30.40.2

Alice Bob
 Access Control
• before connection set-up
• part of H.225.0 RAS (registration, admission, status)
• possible reasons for rejection of a connection request:
- no admission
- called party busy
- not enough bandwidth
 Zone Management
• ONE gatekeeper manages ONE zone
• redundancy possible (active – standby)
• zone extension possible (more than one LAN)
 Bandwidth Control
• Terminal may request bandwidth:
- during connection set-up
- during connection (e.g. video connection with
variable bandwidth)
• Bandwidth assignment not standardized in detail
 Supplementary Services
• optional functionality
• defined in H.450.x
• twelve standardized supplementary services
• in comparison to telecommunication devices small
number of supplementary services
 many proprietary solutions
 Substandards to H.450
Protocol Description H.323
H450.1 General Functionality and Version 2
Structure of H.450 (Signalling)
H.450.2 Call Transfer Version 2
H.450.3 Call Diversion Version 2
H.450.4 Hold Version 3
H.450.5 Park & Pickup Version 3
H.450.6 Call Waiting Version 3
H.450.7 Message Waiting Indication Version 3
H.450.8 Name Identification Version 4
H.450.9 Call Completion on Busy Version 4
H.450.10 Call Offering Version 4
H.450.11 Call Intrusion Version 4
H.450.12 Information about additional Version 5
network features
 Multipoint Controller (MC)
• supports conferences between three (or more) subscribers
• capability exchange
• dependent on the performance of the different terminals
- centralised conference
- decentralised conference
 Multipoint Conferences
Centralised Conference Decentralised Conference
MCU MCU
(MC+MP) (MC)

Terminal Terminal Terminal Terminal

Terminal Terminal

Signalling Data
User Data
 Multipoint Processor (MP)

• optional unit
• supporting conferences between three (or more) subscribers
• receiving and mixing of data streams
• typically one MP per data type (audio, video, data)
 The H.225.0 Protocol

• is used for call-related signalling

e.g. – call setup and release
• is based on the ISDN Q.931 protocol
• uses TCP port 1720
• contains H.225.0 RAS for communication
between terminal and gatekeeper
 Discovery & Registration

Gatekeeper

?
e e per GR
a t e k re s s Q
: g d d i a s
Q a l GC
GR F: IP ess+a F
GC d r RR
a d d Q
Q : IP nfirme RC
RR F: co F
R C
Gatekeeper enters
'Bob' and 'Jim' into a
Terminal table along with the Terminal
alias = Bob IP address of their alias = Jim
terminal

GRQ = Gatekeeper Request RRQ = Registration Request

GCF = Gatekeeper Confirm RCF = Registration Confirm
 Call Setup (Direct model)
Gatekeeper
accesses table
entries from Jim‘s
registration Gatekeeper
AR
J im Q:
t o e s s to a
a l l d r cc e
f o r c I P ad A C pt c
Q : ‘ s F : all
AR F: Jim ok from
AC B ob
Call Setup
Call Proceeding
Alerting
Connect
Terminal Terminal
alias = Bob alias = Jim

ARQ = Admission Request ACF = Admission Confirm

 Call Setup (other models)
Basic Call Setup

Terminal Terminal

Gatekeeper Routed
Call Setup

Gatekeeper

Terminal Terminal

H.225.0 RAS signalling

H.225.0 signalling
Packetised voice data
 H.225.0 Signalling Messages
Message Description
Alerting Sent by called party to indicate ringing
Call Proceeding Sent by called party to indicate receipt of setup message
Connect Sent by called party to indicate user has accepted the call
User Information Provides addition info to support proprietary features
Progress Sent by a gateway to indicate PSTN inter-working
Release Complete Indicates the end of a call
Setup Sent by the calling party to initiate a connection
Setup Acknowledge Optionally sent by a gateway in case of PSTN inter-working
Status Used for RAS information messages
Status Enquiry Used for RAS information messages
Facility Used for call re-direct or supplementary services
Notify Provides information to the user
 The H.245 Protocol

The main tasks of H.245 are:

• exchange of capability information between
terminals
• establish which transfer mode is to be used
• Master / Slave negotiation
• administration of logical channels
 Protocols and Channels
Gatekeeper
RRQ / RCF
RRQ / RCF
ARQ / ACF

Setup

Call Setup
Proceeding
ARQ / ACF

Alerting
Alerting
Connect
Connect

Capability Exchange
Master / Slave Negotiation
Open Logical Channels

RTCP Reciever Reports

H.225.0 RAS signalling

RTCP Sender Reports
H.225.0 signalling
H.245 signalling