Polycom Vega Gateway User Manual

Vega Gateway

A

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

Scenarios

Pre-sales Engineer’s

guide

This guide has been written to assist the pre-sales engineers of VegaStream’s distributors and their resellers.

The guide details a set of standard configurations along with key considerations and recommended 3

A guide to the scenarios and information you will find within this document are listed below.

1. VoIP between sites

2. VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office

3. VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office using a proxy

4. Analog long line extensions

5. IP Telephony

6. PSTN toll bypass

7. TDM to / from VoIP converter

8. Leased line eliminator for QSIG connections between sites

9. Analog connections

- Analog Applications

a) Vega FXS for analog telephones b) Analog breakout to the PSTN – e.g. for a company or for a PSTN toll bypass c) FXS connection to a PBX d) FXO connection to a PBX e) PBX to PBX connectivity – using both FXS and FXO f) PBX to PBX connectivity – using FXS only g) PBX to PBX connectivity – using FXO only h) Mass analog connection – using a Vega 400 and a channel bank i) Analog long line extensions

Appendix 1 - 3 Appendix 2 - Things to consider

rd

party interoperable products.

rd

Party Products

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

1. VoIP between sites

Aim: To reduce inter-site call costs without changing the user experience

Many multi-site companies find that staff making calls between sites is a significant company expense. Finding a method of reducing to zero the ongoing costs of these calls would be a real benefit to the bottom line.

By inserting a Vega gateway between the PSTN and the PBX the Vega gateway can groom calls that are destined for other site(s) onto the IP network. All other calls from the PBX continue to be routed to the PSTN. All calls from the PSTN are routed to the PBX. The source Vega gateway will direct the VoIP calls to specific destination gateways, based on the telephone number dialled (single numbers or number ranges can be groomed off to specific destinations). On receiving a VoIP call, a destination gateway can use the dialled number to decide whether to route the call to the PBX of that site, or break out into the PSTN at that site (this is especially useful where different sites are in different countries – international toll call costs can be reduced to local or national call rates).

If a significant proportion of the company’s calls are made between sites then it is possible that further cost savings can be made by reducing the number of channels connected to the PSTN, reducing the line rental.

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

Telephony Network

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

E1 Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

•

• T1 NI1 & NI2 signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

• T1 Loop start, Ground start and Wink start CAS signalling is supported by Vega 400 and

Vega 100 BRI Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 50 BRI

•

Analog connection is possible, but is not preferred (for details on analog connectivity see

•

later section)

IP Network

• Recommend – private IP network between sites

• Can be any reliable IP connection, including leased line, line of site laser / wireless

connection and satellite QOS should be implemented to ensure that VoIP packets pass through the network in a

•

consistent and timely manner and are not discarded by congested routers

• Consider VPN between sites as this:

- removes any issues with firewalls / NAT

- encrypts audio and management data

• The Internet can be used, but contention and available bandwidth must be considered

User experience

By grooming the traffic on the PSTN side of the PBX all user PBX functions will continue to

•

operate. This system will operate in exactly the same way as the phone system worked before the gateways were installed, for example, even existing shortcode dialling will continue to work (as the PBX will expand this to a full number before presenting it to the PSTN).

USPs

• Vega dial planner capability provides powerful routing decision making. For example, calls can be routed based on dialled number prefixes, full numbers, and even on who is making the call.

Considerations

• Check the numbers that are presented to the PSTN consider for example:

- does the PBX present both National format and local format numbers to the PBX?

- does the PBX insert any “carrier select prefix” to the dialled number?

- can “block caller ID” or other prefixes be used in dialled numbers? Emergency calls should be routed directly to the PSTN, not over the VoIP link

•

• Program in fixed number length dial plans where possible to avoid the DTMF timeout

delays incurred when routing calls to variable length numbers

• Call transfer from PBX to PBX will only work if call transfer PBX to PBX worked across the PSTN (the PBX may block this). If extension number dialling of the far end PBX is to be used (rather than just grooming off

•

the full dialled destination number), remember the extension number will have to be prefixed with the PBX’s ‘connect to PSTN’ digit; usually 9 in UK, but can be 0 in Europe.

• If IP connectivity fails, calls can be programmed to be routed over the PSTN instead; there may, however, be a bit of delay in deciding that the IP connection is down.

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

Future extensions

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

Add home-workers

•

• Extend the “on net” group to a group of companies who regularly call each other so all

calls between these companies are free

• Connection to an ITSP for cheaper off-net calls – and possibly for more flexible ingress of national, international or non-geographic numbers. If PSTN connectivity is not reliable at any site then VoIP can be used as a backup to route

•

outbound calls via a different site.

• More than 2 sites to be interconnected

rd

3

party product choices

• For NAT traversal between sites, consider SNOM NAT filter, SIParator or Alcatel T610

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

2. VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

Aim: To reduce inter-site call costs without changing the user experience, and adding in basic home-worker support

Many multi-site companies find that staff making calls between sites is a significant company expense. Finding a method of reducing to zero the ongoing costs of these calls would be a real benefit to the bottom line. Also, with more and more people working from home – either permanently or just occasionally – it is useful and cost effective to have home-workers able to make free calls to office based staff and use the company PSTN connection for outbound company calls (no more telephony expenses forms, and appropriate tariffs for outbound calls based on those negotiated by the company with their chosen carrier).

By inserting a Vega gateway between the PSTN and the PBX the Vega gateway can groom calls that are destined for other site(s) onto the IP network. All other calls from the PBX continue to be routed to the PSTN. All calls from the PSTN are routed to the PBX. The source Vega gateway will direct the VoIP calls to specific destination gateways, based on the telephone number dialled (single numbers or number ranges can be groomed off to specific destinations). On receiving a VoIP call, a destination gateway can use the dialled number to decide whether to route the call to the PBX of that site, or break out into the PSTN at that site (this is especially useful where different sites are in different countries – international toll call costs can be reduced to local or national call rates).

If a significant proportion of the company’s calls are made between sites then it is possible that further cost savings can be made by reducing the number of channels connected to the PSTN.

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

Telephony Network

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

- For PBXs E1 Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

•

• T1 NI1 & NI2 signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

• T1 Loop start, Ground start and Wink start CAS signalling is supported by Vega 400 and

Vega 100 BRI Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 50 BRI

•

• Analog connection is possible, but is not preferred (for details on analog connectivity see

later section)

- For home-workers

• Analog FXS gateway to connect to analog phone Optional FXO port to allow local connection to PSTN

•

Alternatively use an IP handset or soft phone

•

IP Network

• Recommend – private IP network between sites

• Can be any reliable IP connection, including leased line, line of site laser / wireless

connection and satellite QOS should be implemented to ensure that VoIP packets pass through the network in a

•

consistent and timely manner and are not discarded by congested routers

• Consider VPN between sites as this:

- removes any issues with firewalls / NAT

- encrypts audio and management data

• For inter-site operation the Internet can be used, but contention and available bandwidth must be considered Recommend – a VPN should be used from the home user to the company LAN. This is

•

important for securing data access to the company site, and for VoIP it gets around NAT traversal issues

User experience

- For PBX users

• By grooming the traffic on the PSTN side of the PBX all user PBX functions will continue to operate. This system will operate in exactly the same way as the phone system worked before the gateways were installed, for example, even existing shortcode dialling will continue to work (as the PBX will expand this to a full number before presenting it to the PSTN).

- For VoIP users

• VoIP users will be able to dial extension numbers of their ‘home’ PBX as well as PSTN numbers. Calls will be routed via the Vega attached to their ‘home’ PBX and directed either towards the PBX or the PSTN. As their calls into the PBX appear to the PBX to come from the PSTN they will not have advanced functionality that an extension user would have (e.g. voice mail, call transfer, conferencing) For incoming calls to the home-worker, it is best that the home-worker is given one of the

•

DDI numbers available in the ISDN trunk. When the Vega receives a call from the PSTN to that phone number it will groom the call off and forward it to the home-user. Colleagues on the PBX will have to dial the home-worker’s full number (not just the extension number) so that the call is routed by the PBX towards the PSTN.

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

When the Vega receives a call from the PBX to that phone number it will groom the call off

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

and forward it to the home-user.

USPs

Vega dial planner capability provides powerful routing decision making. For example, calls

•

can be routed based on dialled number prefixes, full numbers, and even on who is making the call.

Considerations

• Check the numbers that are presented to the PSTN consider for example:

- does the PBX present both National format and local format numbers to the PBX?

- does the PBX insert any “carrier select prefix” to the dialled number?

- can “block caller ID” or other prefixes be used in dialled numbers?

• Consider NAT traversal for home worker Emergency calls should be routed directly to the PSTN, not over the VoIP link

•

Program in fixed number length dial plans where possible to avoid the DTMF timeout

•

delays incurred when routing calls to variable length numbers

• Call transfer from PBX to PBX will only work if call transfer PBX to PBX worked across the PSTN (the PBX may block this).

• If extension number dialling of the far end PBX or home-workers is to be used (rather than just grooming off the full dialled destination number), remember the extension number will have to be prefixed with the PBX’s ‘connect to PSTN’ digit; usually 9 in UK, but can be 0 in Europe. If IP connectivity fails, calls can be programmed to be routed over the PSTN instead; there

•

may, however, be a bit of delay in deciding that the IP connection is down.

• Ensure that only authorised home-worker / remote office users can make outbound calls to the PSTN – avoid just anyone with SIP connectivity to the internet being able to make calls through the Vega and to the PSTN

Future extensions

• Addition of a Proxy to support additional features for IP users If advanced PBX functionality is required, consider the use of analog long line extensions

•

• Extend the “on net” group to a group of companies who regularly call each other so all

calls between these companies are free

• Connection to an ITSP for cheaper off-net calls – and possibly for more flexible ingress of national, international or non-geographic numbers. If PSTN connectivity is not reliable at any site then VoIP can be used as a backup to route

•

outbound calls via a different site.

• More than 2 sites to be interconnected

rd

3

party product choices

• For NAT traversal between sites, consider SNOM NAT filter, SIParator or Alcatel T610

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

3. VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office using a proxy

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

Aim: To reduce inter-site call costs without changing the user experience, and adding in more advanced home-worker support

Many multi-site companies find that staff making calls between sites is a significant company expense. Finding a method of reducing to zero the ongoing costs of these calls would be a real benefit to the bottom line. Also, with more and more people working from home – either permanently or just occasionally – it is useful and cost effective to have home-workers able to make free calls to office based staff and use the company PSTN connection for outbound company calls (no more telephony expenses forms, and appropriate tariffs for outbound calls based on those negotiated by the company with their chosen carrier).

By inserting a Vega gateway between the PSTN and the PBX the Vega can consider how to handle every call between the PSTN and the PBX either routing the call over IP, routing the call to the PBX or routing the call to the PSTN.

With the addition of a Proxy / Media server to the system, advanced processing of calls can be accomplished. This functionality is Proxy dependent, but often includes, for example

• Forked calls (presenting calls to more than 1 destination at a time) – where a desk phone (off the PBX) and the home-office phone (off a residential gateway) both ring when a call is received for that extension number

• Road warrior support – where road warriors use SIP devices (residential gateways, or soft phones) as their telephone. Wherever the road warrior connects their SIP device it registers with the Proxy so that the proxy knows the current IP address of the road warrior. Any phone calls can then be sent over IP to this IP address. The road warrior can therefore ‘be in the office’ wherever they are in the world – at home, in a hotel, or even at a customer site. Voice-mail for IP devices

•

• Conferencing server for IP devices

• Follow me, call diversion on no IP endpoint registered

Other functionality – proxy dependent

•

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

This configuration can form a good starting point for migrating to VoIP without immediately losing

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

the existing telecoms infrastructure.

The Vega can be configured to either route specific telephone numbers to the SIP proxy – where only a small set of numbers is to be handled by the VoIP system, or all calls can be forwarded to the Proxy for it to decide how all calls should be routed.

Use of a Proxy can also assist in NAT and firewall traversal.

If a significant proportion of the company’s calls are made between sites then it is possible that further cost savings can be made by reducing the number of channels connected to the PSTN.

Telephony Network

- For PBXs E1 Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

•

T1 NI1 & NI2 signalling is supported by Vega 400 and Vega 100

•

• T1 Loop start, Ground start and Wink start CAS signalling is supported by Vega 400 and

Vega 100 BRI Euro ISDN signalling is supported by Vega 50 BRI

•

Analog connection is possible, but is not preferred (for details on analog connectivity see

•

later section)

- For home-workers

• Analog FXS gateway to connect to analog phone

• Optional FXO port to allow local connection to PSTN

IP handset or soft phones may also be used

•

IP Network

• Recommend – private IP network between sites

• Can be any reliable IP connection, including leased line, line of site laser / wireless

connection and satellite QOS should be implemented to ensure that VoIP packets pass through the network in a

•

consistent and timely manner and are not discarded by congested routers

• Consider VPN between sites as this:

- removes any issues with firewalls / NAT

- encrypts audio and management data

• For inter-site operation the Internet can be used, but contention and available bandwidth must be considered A VPN can be used from the home user to the company LAN. This is important for

•

securing data access to the company site, and for VoIP it gets around NAT traversal issues

User experience

- For PBX users that are not routed via the Proxy

• By grooming the traffic on the PSTN side of the PBX all user PBX functions will continue to operate. This system will operate in exactly the same way as the phone system worked before the gateways were installed, for example, even existing shortcode dialling will continue to work (as the PBX will expand this to a full number before presenting it to the PSTN).

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

- For home users who are routed via the proxy Home-workers will be able to dial extension numbers of any of the PBXs (as the proxy will

•

resolve the phone number and route the call to the appropriate Vega gateway). Calls made to users on a PBX will appear to the PBX to come from the PSTN and so will not provide the advanced functionality to the home-worker that an extension user would have (e.g. voice mail, call transfer, conferencing). The advanced features available to the homeworker will be those available from the SIP proxy. The home-worker will be able to dial PSTN numbers. If the company sites are in different areas, and especially if the sites are in different countries the SIP proxy can provide least cost routing functionality to route the call to the most appropriate Vega to deliver the call to the PSTN.

• For incoming calls to the home-worker, it is best that the home-worker is given one of the DDI numbers available in the ISDN trunk. When the Vega receives a call from the PSTN to that phone number it will groom the call off and forward it to the home-user. Colleagues on the PBX will have to dial the home-worker’s full number (not just the extension number) so that the call is routed by the PBX towards the PSTN. When the Vega receives a call from the PBX to that phone number it will groom the call off and forward it to the home-user.

- For users who have their calls routed via the proxy

• This enables users to have dual ringing – or multiple parallel ringing, for instance having your desk phone (connected to the PBX) and your home-office VoIP phone both ringing whenever you receive an incoming call.

• Users can have VoIP pre-processing features of their calls, features like the ability to decide which order your phones are called in, and which callers are allowed to disturb you and which should be routed through to voice mail.

- Proxy initiated calls Proxy initiated functionality will be available, e.g. where the user can use a web browser to

•

access the proxy and drag and drop user icons to initiate, for example a conference

• Calls that were connected using the Proxy will retain the capability to be controlled by the proxy, for instance call transfer could be initiated by the user on the web interface to the proxy if the original call was routed via the proxy

USPs

• VegaStream have a wide range of VoIP gateways to provide connections for both home and office based workers.

Considerations

Check the numbers that are presented to the PSTN consider for example:

•

- does the PBX present both National format and local format numbers to the PBX?

- does the PBX insert any “carrier select prefix” to the dialled number?

- can “block caller ID” or other prefixes be used in dialled numbers?

• Be careful of interactions between PBX functionality and Proxy functionality, e.g. if Voicemail is enabled on both the PBX and the VoIP system, when does each get the voice-mail, and is it acceptable that users may have to check two places to collect their voice-mail?

• Consider NAT traversal for home worker The maximum number of parallel ringing calls into the PBX may be limited by the maximum

•

number of SIP registrations that the Vega can make.

• Emergency calls should be routed directly to the PSTN, not over the VoIP link

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

deploying t he m , especially the fu nctionality o f devices not designed and delivered by VegaSt ream.