What is SBC (Session Board Controller)?

The SBC (Session Boarder Controller) is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) network element, which is usually equipped at the edge of any VoIP network for security, interoperability, call management data routing standardization and customer interconnection . This could be used by telecom carriers, multinational companies, corporate companies for VoIP interconnections with customers or service providers or both.

The name of the session border controller describes the core functionality of the element; to be placed at the edge to manage sessions for the core network. The first concern of any network administrator would be the security of the network. SBC protects the network as a border element by controlling signaling and associated media traffic in a managed manner to protect the network against DOS or equivalent attacks. 

In addition to security, there is another important functionality of the SBC; that is, in the interconnection space, to interoperate with different network provider elements used by providers or customers in terms of signaling and media. In earlier days, SBCs were used to interface with different VoIP protocols like SIP and H.323; However, H.323 is becoming obsolete these days.

The SBC (Session Boarder Controller) can operate in integrated (independent non-split) or distributed (split) architecture modes. The same hardware SBC box can handle signaling and media in a non-split architecture whereas, in split architecture, the signaling session controller runs on separate hardware (could even be in the cloud), where the part The SBC that delivers the media runs on different hardware. For carrier-grade deployments, most players prefer the spilled architecture as it provides flexibility to grow with demands.

The main providers of SBC (Session Boarder Controller) in the market are GENBAND, Metaswitch, Sonus, Acme Packet (Oracle), Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, Dialogic…

SBC Operating Architecture – Integrated and Split Mode of Operation