The deployment of VoIP technology offers many advantages over a public switched telephone network (PSTN) but encounters many challenges.
Session Border Controllers were introduced to provide ultimate security and to normalize communications over IP.
The software of SBCs works both as a specialized voice firewall and as a “normalizer” between the provider’s equipment and the customer’s PBX. The SBC technology is powerful and scalable, offering advanced security, interoperability, intelligent session control and quality assurance.
SBCs are offered in several types and are priced based on features and capacity. They can be purchased as Appliances (Hardware and Software), as Virtual Machines (Software) or as a Cloud service.
The SBCs equipment:
- normalizes communication to be mutually compatible,
- encrypts and decrypts communication,
- hides the customer’s telecommunications infrastructure from the provider and from the Public Internet,
- mitigates an attack,
- prevents suspicious calls (fraud),
- protects the customer’s telecommunications infrastructure from malicious actions.
Configuration of SBCs is not an easy task and requires special knowledge. After their installation, however, they operate continuously without major intervention needs.
Choosing the proper partner for the SBCs configuration is very important, since both telecommunication and network security expertise
are imperative.
