Session Border Controller Message Manipulation via External State Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing session border controllers (SBCs) are limited in functionality due to their restricted access to internal state data, which hinders the ability to perform complex message manipulations and rule-based modifications for SIP messages.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a Message Manipulation Function (MMF) within the SBC that allows access to external state data, enabling the MMF to modify SIP messages based on conditions or rules associated with this external data, thereby enhancing the SBC's capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If SBCs use traditional message manipulation functions with limited access to internal state data, then the system structure remains simple, but the functionality and flexibility of message manipulation are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The SBC is divided into distinct functional components: a message manipulation function (MMF) for processing SIP messages and a state data store for external state data. This segmentation allows the MMF to access external state data independently while maintaining a clear separation of concerns, thereby enhancing manipulation flexibility without significantly complicating the overall system structure.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mechanism is introduced that enables the MMF to access external state data from sources independent of the message itself. This intermediary layer allows flexible message manipulation based on external context (such as user profiles, network conditions, or policy data) without requiring the message to contain all necessary information, thus improving adaptability while keeping the system architecture manageable.
2Productivity
If SBCs access only internal state data from messages, then the system remains simple to operate, but complex rule-based modifications and rich processing capabilities are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
External state data is pre-collected and stored in a state data store before message processing occurs. This preliminary action enables the MMF to perform complex rule-based modifications by referencing pre-existing external context (such as user permissions, network policies, or session information) without requiring real-time computation during message processing, thereby enhancing productivity while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If SBCs integrate external state data access into the MMF, then richer processing and flexible rule-based modifications are enabled, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The message manipulation function is designed with multi-functionality, enabling it to process SIP messages using both internal message data and external state data. This universal MMF can perform various operations (filtering, routing, modification, validation) based on different combinations of data sources, thereby achieving rich rule-based modification capabilities while avoiding the need for separate specialized components for each function, thus limiting the increase in system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A session border controller has a processor operable to receive a message from a connected peer node. The processor inputs the message to a Message Manipulation Function, MMF, which identifies the message as a SIP message, and in response obtains external state data associated with the message from a source independent from the message. The external state data is provided to the MMF. The SIP message is modified using the MMF according to one or more conditions or rules associated with the received external state data; and the modified message is output.