Systems and methods for media tunneling through edge server
Embodiments provide systems and methods for exchanging media through an edge server between different communication networks. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for establishing and conducting voice and/or video communications between one or more parties on a private network, such as within an enterprise, and one or more parties on a different network such as another private network or an open network such as the Internet using an edge server of the enterprise network. This edge server, also referred to herein as a Session Border Controller (SBC), can be adapted to allow media packets to traverse through a port typically kept open by enterprise firewalls and used for other data exchanges such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) data traffic. The SBC can also provide multiplexing and demultiplexing of media streams through the same port and address to traverse firewalls between the different communication networks.
1. A system comprising:
a session border controller coupled with a first communication network and a second communication network, the session border controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
receive, from a calling endpoint on the first communication network during initiation of a call session between the calling endpoint and a remote endpoint on the second communication network using a signaling channel, a message to the remote endpoint to check media connectivity in the call session;
determine, based on the message from the calling endpoint, whether media connectivity is available between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint;
in response to determining media connectivity is available between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint, conduct the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and without using a media tunnel; and
in response to determining media connectivity is not available between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint, conduct the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel, wherein conducting the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel comprises:
receiving a media tunneling offer from the calling endpoint, the media tunneling offer including a representation of a certificate for the calling endpoint;
generating a media tunneling answer in response to the media tunneling offer from the calling endpoint, the media tunneling answer comprising a representation of a certificate for the session border controller and an indication of a port of the session border controller;
sending the media tunneling answer to the calling endpoint;
receiving, at the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer, a media tunneling setup message including a representation of a certificate;
determining whether the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message and the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer match;
in response to determining that the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message matches the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer, associating one or more media channels of the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer with the call session; and
exchanging media of the call session using the one or more media channels of the session border controller associated with the call session and signaling of the call session using the signaling channel.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein conducting the call session further comprises converting the media exchanged between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint over the one or more media channels from a protocol of the first communication network to a protocol of the second communication network and from the protocol of the second communication network to the protocol of the first communication network.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more media channels comprise an audio channel and a video channel separate from the audio channel.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein signaling for the audio channel and the video channel is multiplexed and exchanged via the signaling channel.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein initiation of the call session further comprises:
receiving, from the calling endpoint, a message requesting initiation of a call between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint;
determining whether the call has been accepted by the remote endpoint; and
in response to determining the call has been accepted by the remote endpoint, sending a response to the calling endpoint indicating acceptance of the call.
6. A system comprising:
an endpoint coupled with a first communication network, the endpoint comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
send, during initiation of a call session with a remote endpoint on a second communication network using a signaling channel, a message to the remote endpoint to check media connectivity in the call session;
in response to determining that media connectivity is available with the remote endpoint, conduct the call session with the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and without using a media tunnel; and
in response to determining that media connectivity is not available with the remote endpoint, conduct the call session with the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel, wherein conducting the call session between the endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel comprises:
receiving a media tunneling offer from the endpoint, the media tunneling offer including a representation of a certificate for the endpoint;
generating a media tunneling answer in response to the media tunneling offer from the endpoint, the media tunneling answer comprising a representation of a certificate for a session border controller and an indication of a port of the session border controller;
sending the media tunneling answer to the endpoint;
receiving, at the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer, a media tunneling setup message including a representation of a certificate;
determining whether the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message and the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer match;
in response to determining that the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message matches the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer, associating one or more media channels of the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer with the call session; and
exchanging media of the call session using the one or more media channels of the session border controller associated with the call session and signaling of the call session using the signaling channel.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more media channels comprise an audio channel and a video channel separate from the audio channel.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein signaling for the audio channel and the video channel is multiplexed and exchanged via the signaling channel.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein initiation of the call session further comprises sending, to the remote endpoint, a signaling message requesting call session initiation.
10. A method comprising:
receiving, at a session border controller from a calling endpoint on a first communication network during initiation of a call session between the calling endpoint and a remote endpoint on a second communication network using a signaling channel, a message to the remote endpoint to check media connectivity in the call session;
determining, by the session border controller based on the message from the calling endpoint, whether media connectivity is available between the calling endpoint and the session border controller;
in response to determining that media connectivity is available between the calling endpoint and the session border controller, conducting, by the session border controller, the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and without using a media tunnel; and
in response to determining that media connectivity is not available between the calling endpoint and the session border controller, conducting, by the session border controller, the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel, wherein conducting the call session between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint using the signaling channel and the media tunnel further comprises:
receiving a media tunneling offer from the calling endpoint, the media tunneling offer including a representation of a certificate for the calling endpoint;
generating a media tunneling answer in response to the media tunneling offer from the calling endpoint, the media tunneling answer comprising a representation of a certificate for the session border controller and an indication of a port of the session border controller;
sending the media tunneling answer to the calling endpoint;
receiving, at the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer, a media tunneling setup message including a representation of a certificate;
determining whether the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message and the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer match;
in response to determining that the representation of the certificate from the media tunneling setup message matches the representation of the certificate in the media tunneling offer, associating one or more media channels of the port of the session border controller indicated by the media tunneling answer with the call session; and
exchanging media of the call session using the one or more media channels of the session border controller associated with the call session and signaling of the call session using the signaling channel.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein conducting the call session further comprises converting the media exchanged between the calling endpoint and the remote endpoint over the one or more media channels from a protocol of the first communication network to a protocol of the second communication network and from the protocol of the second communication network to the protocol of the first communication network.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more media channels comprise an audio channel and a video channel separate from the audio channel.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein signaling for the audio channel and the video channel is multiplexed and exchanged via the signaling channel.