PBX GUI - Configuring the built in Session Border Controller for Express for Lync 2.0

You Express for Lync appliance comes with an embedded session border controller called NSC (NetBorder Session Controller). NSC can be used in the following use cases:

• SIP Trunking with a SIP Trunk provider

• SIP Trunking with PSTN Failover

NSC comes with a built in Web User Interface (WebUI). The WebUI can be used to configure all aspects of NSC in order to work with Lync 2013.

NOTE: THERE IS A NEW VIRTUAL MACHINE IMAGE AVAILABLE FOR THE SBC. IT WILL UPGRADE YOUR SBC VERSION FROM 2.0 TO 2.1.4. WITH IT WILL COME THE BASIC DIALPLAN WHICH WILL AID IN CREATING ROUTING RULES FOR LYNC.

• FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE VM, PLEASE NAVIGATE TO THIS LINK.

• PLEASE PERFORM A BACKUP OF YOUR CURRENT SBC IN ORDER TO RESTORE IT ON THE NEW VM IMAGE. YOUR LICENSE FILE WILL NOT TRANSFER TO THE NEW IMAGE IF YOU DO NOT PERFORM A BACKUP!

There are two different portions to activating and configuring the Session Border Controller. The first portion would be to activate and enable the Hyper-V image, the second portion consists of using the WebUI to configure basic networking and media interface settings.

The login credentials for both console access and Web Interface access are the following:
Username: root
Password: sangoma
NOTE: Changing the root password is highly recommended as this virtual machine will be facing the public internet or be routable through a DMZ. By default, the Session Border Controller will only listen for web and SSH access on the internal interface.

Follow the instructions below in order to activate the session border controller, as well as set an IP address temporarily for Web Interface access.

The Hyper-V image by default is turned on in every Express for Lync appliance. If for some reason, the Hyper-V image is not running, please follow the instructions below to activate it.

1. Access the Windows Start Screen by pressing on the Windows key on your keyboard.

2. Click on the Hyper-V Manager tile to launch the Hyper-V manager.
   
   

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3. In the Windows Hyper-V Manager window, right click on "LyncSBC" and click "Start". This will boot up the SBC VM.
   
   

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4. Double click on "LyncSBC" in order to launch the SBC Virtual Machine Connection. You will notice the SBC image starting to boot. Once you see the login screen below, you are ready to start configuring the internal network address.
   
   

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The internal IP address of the session border controller must be set first through the command line interface. This is the only way that the session border controller Web interface will become accessible. Please use the instructions below to set your internal IP address:

1. The Lync SBC image is configured with a static IP by default. You would need to change this in order to continue with the configuration.
   Login to the virtual machine via the command line using the following credentials:
   Username: root
   Password: sangoma
   Once logged in, navigate to /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts using the "cd" command. The command in entirety is "cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts". Press "Enter" on the keyboard to accept the command.
   
   

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2. From here, we would need to modify the file called "ifcfg-eth0". In order to do this, type "nano ifcfg-eth0". Press Enter on the keyboard to accept the command.
   
   

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3. Once nano loads, you will notice the configuration file for your internal interface. Nano is a console style text editor. You can make changes to the file here. 
   If you choose to use DHCP, please make the configuration file look like below:
   DEVICE=eth0
   HWADDR=00:15:5D:02:26:08
   ONBOOT=yes
   BOOTPROTO="dhcp"
   If you choose to use a Static IP, please make the configuration file look like below:
   DEVICE=eth0
   HWADDR=00:15:5D:02:26:08
   ONBOOT=yes
   BOOTPROTO="static"
   IPADDR= <INTERNAL IP ADDRESS>
   NETMASK= <SUBNET MASK OF YOUR NETWORK>
   Once, done press CTRL+X on your keyboard. You will be asked if you would like to modify the file. Press "Y" on the keyboard to confirm.
   
   

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4. When you return to the command line, enter the command "service network restart". This will restart the network interfaces and provide you with the IP Address you configured.
   NOTE: IF YOU DON'T SEE ALL "OK" ENTRIES YOU HAVE MADE A MISTAKE WITH YOUR CONFIGURATION FILE. GO BACK AND FIX THE ERROR THEN TRY SERVICE NETWORK RESTART AGAIN.
   
   

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5. You should now be able to access the web interface from Internet Explorer. From the windows start screen launch internet explorer.
   
   

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6. From Internet explorer, navigate to the IP address of the SBC that you just configured. If everything worked properly, you should get the SBC login page.
   
   

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In order to configure both the media interfaces and the external interface, we must use the web interface. The web interface will become accessible once the steps above have been completed. Follow the instructions below to complete the configuration:

1.  From the web interface, login using the same credentials used in the command line interface. Credentials are:
   Username: root
   Password: sangoma
   
   

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2. Once logged in, the Control Panel will show you a configuration checklist. Click on the "Configure" button next to the "Hardware" line. This will take you to the "Signalling Interfaces" page.
   
   

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3. When you get to the "Signalling Interfaces" page, you will notice 3 interfaces:
   eth0 - Internal Interface
   eth2 - External Interface
   sngdsp0 - Media Transcoding Interface
   We will first configre eth2. Click "Edit" which is on the same line as "eth2".
   
   

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4. In the eth2 configuration page, select whether you will use "DHCP" or a "Static IP" and enter the required information. Click "Confirm" to accept the changes.
   
   

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5. We will now configure "sngdsp0". This is the media transcoding adapter present in the Express for Lync Appliance. Click "Edit" on the same line as the sngdsp0 interface.
   
   

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6. The SngDsp0 interface should only be configured with a static IP address. Also, the SngDsp0 interface MUST be configured on an unused network subnet then anything being used within the infrastructure. Enter the new IP address for this interface and click "Confirm" to accept it.
   
   

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7. Once done, you should notice all the interfaces configured. You can now proceed to detect and configure the Media Interfaces through the "Media Interfaces" page.
   
   

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In order for the SBC to use the media transcoding board, we must first detect the media interface. Use the steps below to detect the interfaces.

1. From the left menu, select "Configuration" then click on "Media Interfaces".
   
   

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2. Click on the "Modify" button in order to detect new media interfaces. Click "OK" on the warning popup. This just states that old configuration will be overwritten.
   
   

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3. From the "Media Server Interfaces IP Mode" dropdown, select "Hidden" mode. This refers to whether you want the DSP interfaces to be routable through the public internet. Since the Express for Lync is only equipped with a D100 Transcoding Board, we ONLY can use "Hidden" mode. Once select, click "Save" and the SBC will start the detection process.
   
   

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4. Once completed, you should see the MAC address of the DSP module listed. 
   
   

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   If the SBC had an issue detecting the module, try to re-scan for it. 
   
   

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   If it fails a second time, contact Sangoma Support for more assistance.

Configuration of the built in Session Border Controller is explained within the SBC instructions. Please see the link below in order to configure NSC:
Microsoft Lync Integration

In order for calls to go from 1 trunk to the other in the session border controller, you must set up call routing rules. See steps below in order to setup the routing rules:

NOTE: THESE ROUTING RULES WILL NOT COVER ALL TYPES OF CALL PATTERNS AND SIP TRUNK PROVIDERS. YOU MAY NEED TO MODIFY THE BASIC DIALPLAN BELOW SO IT WILL WORK. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR SUPPORT TEAM.

1. From the configuration menu select "Call Routing".

2. Click on the "New" button and enter a name for the routing rule. We chose "Lync_to_PSTN".
    

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3. Enter the information in the editor as in the below screenshot. What this will do is send a call that comes in on Lync and send it out to the PSTN. For <trunk name>, please enter in the SIP Trunk name of your SIP Provider or outbound SIP Trunk. Click "Save" to save the dialplan
   
   

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4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 again and create a second routing rule for the Inbound call scenario. We called the Routing Rule "PSTN_to_Lync" and entered the routing rule as per the screenshot below. Click "Save" to save the call routing rule.
   
   

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5. After creating the routing rules, you must attach them to their respective SIP Profiles. From the side menu, select SIP profiles to bring up your configured SIP Profiles from the step above.
   
   

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6. Click on the "Modify" button of the "Lync_Profile" to take you to the aggregated information on that profile. Click on the "Edit" button like in the screenshot below in order to go into the SIP Profile options.
   
   

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7. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where the header is "Session Routing". From the dropdown box for "Routing Plan", select the "Lync_to_PSTN" routing plan and click "Save". This will attach the routing plan created above to the associated SIP Profile.
   
   

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8. Perform steps 6 and 7 again to attach the second routing plan to the second SIP Profile.

9. Once attached, go to Configuration-> Management -> Apply to generate the configuration changes and to start or reload the gateway. Once completed, you should be able to place a call from Lync to a SIP Trunk and then Vice Versa. 

In order for Lync to be able to see NSC as a SIP Gateway, we must add it within the Lync 2013 Topology. In order to add it to the topology, please follow the instructions below:

1. Launch the Lync Server Topology Builder from the windows desktop.
   
   

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2. When the topology builder launches, select "Open Topology from a local file" and click "OK".
   
   

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3. Select your topology from the "Open" window and click "open".
   
   

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4. When the topology builder loads the topology, navigate down to Trunks by going through Lync Server -> Topology -> Shared Components -> PSTN gateways. Right click on PSTN Gateway and select "New IP/PSTN Gateway...".
   
   

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5. In the "Define New IP/PSTN Gateway" wizard, enter the FQDN or the IP address of the Netborder Express. The IP address should be the Internal IP address of NSC. 
   
   

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6. In the next window, leave everything at defaults and click "Next".
   
   

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7. In the next screen, you will be asked to define the root trunk. In the listening port of the IP/PSTN gateway, enter port 5081. Under SIP Transport Protocol, select "TCP". Everything else can be left at defaults. Click "Finish" to end the wizard.
   
   

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8. When returned to the topology builder, will you notice the PSTN gateway has now been populated.
   
   

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9. We now need to publish this change in the topology so that Lync Server can use the gateway. Right click on the root "Lync Server" and select "Publish Topology".
   
   

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10. When the Publish Topology wizard opens, click Next to proceed.
    
    

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11. The wizard will then ask you to select the server which will host the Central Management Store. Select the Express for Lync appliance from the dropdown list and click Next to proceed.
    
    

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12. The Publish Topology wizard will now publish the topology to the SQL store. This may take several minutes. Once completed click "Finish" to close the wizard. You can then close the Topology builder.
    
    

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