Press Release - SmartBridge: What is
VoIP Gateway
VoIP gateway hardware and software is required to make the translation between VoIP and PSTN networks. Obtaining a VoIP gateway is necessary in order to join and translate hybrid telephony networks seamlessly. A VoIP gateway converts TDM traffic from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) into either H.323 or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based VoIP traffic. Considered intelligent endpoints, the gateways can provide billing, alarming, built-in interactive voice response (IVR), routing, digit manipulation, and security. A VoIP gateway may also be known as a Media Gateway, SoftSwitch, Media Gateway Controller, SIP Server, or other device that handles VoIP data and signalling traffic. A gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network. On the Internet, a node or stopping point can be either a gateway node or a host (end-point) node. Both the computers of Internet users and the computers that serve pages to users are host nodes. The computers that control traffic within your company's network or at your local Internet service provider (ISP) are gateway nodes. A VoIP gatekeeper (not to be confused with gateway) is an optional feature for a VoIP network. A gatekeeper is useful for routing and central management of all endpoints in a given zone. This includes the management of terminals, gateways and MCU's (multipoint control units). The gatekeeper provides logic variables for proxies or gateways in a call path to provide connectivity with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to improve Quality Of Service (QoS), and to enforce security policies. A VoIP gatekeeper provides address translation, bandwidth control, and access control to a network of VoIP terminals and gateways. The network of all elements (gateways, gatekeepers, VoIP terminals) under control of a gatekeeper is defined as an H.323 Zone. Security is a great concern for any VoIP gateway. Since a VoIP gateway is another piece of Internet equipment, like a server or a PC with an Internet connection, it can be a target of a hacker attack. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks can be especially critical to a VoIP gateway along with intrusion, monitoring and alteration of data packets. Identity theft and SPIT (Spam Over Internet Telephony) also are major concerns. The major goals for securing any VoIP gateway are authorization, authentication, integrity, privacy and non-repudiation. Achieving these goals requires configuration, authentication, key exchange and encryption. It is imperative that all of these security concerns be address for VoIP to grow and prosper inside the consumer market as well as the business world. Just as Internet security has evolved on servers client PC's, it will also evolve on gateways as well. This is not a stopping point for VoIP, just another hurdle that will have to continually updated and maintained as it is now with any other Internet device. The VoIP gateway is not only a gateway between Internet telephony and the traditional PSTN phone companies, but a bridge between now and the future of all telephony as well.
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