Unified Border Element Transcoding Configuration

Example
Document ID: 100480

Contents
Introduction
Prerequisites
Requirements
Components Used
Conventions
Configure
Network Diagram
Configuration Steps
CUBE Configuration for External Transcoding Control
DSP Farm Configuration for Hosting External Transcoding DSP Resources
Full Sample Configurations for Internal Transcoding
Verify
CUBE
DSP Farm Host
Troubleshoot
Related Information

Introduction
The Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) supports transcoding for calls that pass through and that require
different codecs on the two call legs. Transcoding between various codecs is supported, and CUBE inserts a
transcoder based on configuration as well as a mismatch between the codecs negotiated on the two call legs of
the calls.
Transcoding requires DSPs to terminate the RTP stream and to decode and encode the voice payload with the
appropriate codec. The DSPs used by CUBE for transcoding may be either coresident on the same router as
CUBE or may be located on a separate router platform.

Prerequisites
Requirements
Ensure that you meet these requirements before you attempt this configuration:
Basic knowledge of how to configure and use Cisco IOS voice (such as dialpeers)
Basic knowledge of how to configure and use CUBE
Basic knowledge of transcoding. Refer to the Restrictions for Cisco Unified Border Element
Configuration section of Overview of Cisco Unified Border Element for information about
transcoding restrictions in CUBE.

Components Used
The information in this document is based on:

 Cisco Unified Border Element that runs on a Cisco 3745 router and uses Cisco IOS release 12.3.11T
or later
Transcoding DSP resources on a Cisco AS5400XM access server with an AS5XFC feature card
populated with AS5XPVDM264 DSP cards
The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the
devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure
that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Conventions
Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.

Configure
In this section, you are presented with the information to configure the features described in this document.
Note: Use the Command Lookup Tool (registered customers only) to obtain more information on the
commands used in this section.

Network Diagram
This figure shows an example of CUBE with external DSPs for transcoding:

The DSP resources can also be internal to (or coresident of) the same router platform that hosts CUBE. If
this is the case, the control of the DSP resources is local to the router, and the SCCP control flow in the figure
is not present.
The DSP resources that CUBE uses for transcoding must be configured regardless of whether or not the DSPs
are coresident with CUBE. The only difference in the configurations is the IP addressing between CUBE and
the DSP resources. For a coresident configuration, the IP address is the same for both.

Configuration Steps
This section describes how to configure external DSP transcoding. A Cisco 3745 router is used as a CUBE,
and an AS5400XM is used for hosting the DSP resources for transcoding.
The configuration applies to this call flow:
1. The call starts from the OGW towards CUBE via H.323 with G.711.

2. CUBE forwards the call via H.323 to the OGW (which is configured for G.729).
3. For the call setup to the TGW to be successful, a codec conversion is required from G.711 to G.729.
If transcoding resources are not configured or available, the call setup fails.

CUBE Configuration for External Transcoding Control

A CUBE router is configured to control the DSP resources for transcoding. This configuration uses the
telephonyservice command, which is similar to the transcoding configuration for Cisco Unified
Communication Manager Express. The DSP resources register with the controlling entity (which in this
example is CUBE, but could also be CUCME or CUCM).
3745 CUBE
vdouut3#show runningconfig | begin telephony
!
telephonyservice
sdspfarm units 1 Specifies the maximum number of DSP farms that can
be registered to CUBE. A maximum of 5 DSP resource units
(farms) can be configured.
sdspfarm transcode sessions 128 Specifies the maximum transcoding
sessions supported across all DSP farms registered
with CUBE.
sdspfarm tag 1 vdouut1 Specifies the device name of the DSP farm. For
uniqueness the device name can be the MAC address of the
DSP source interface. In this example the hostname of
the DSP farm router is used.
ip sourceaddress 1.2.61.73 port 2000 The IP address and portno: (TCP)
of the interface through which SCCP messages are
transmitted/received from CUBE.

DSP Farm Configuration for Hosting External Transcoding DSP

Resources
A router is configured to host DSP resources for transcoding used by a controlling entity, which in this
example is CUBE on a different router. The DSP resources are registered with the controlling entity to make
them available to call flows.
DSP Farm
vdouut1#show runningconfig | begin voicecard
voicecard 1
dsp services dspfarm This makes the DSPs available for DSP farming
which includes transcoding services.
vdouut1#show runningconfig | begin sccp
sccp local GigabitEthernet0/0 Defines the source interface of the DSP
farm through which SCCP messages are exchanged with
controlling CUBE.
sccp ccm 1.2.61.73 identifier 1 Specifies the IP address of the CUBE
system that the DSP farm registers to. This should
match the CUBE IP address on the ip sourceaddress
configuration on CUBE.
sccp
sccp ccm group 1 Group configuration for linking sccp ccm global
configurations as well as the dspfarm profile(s)
bind interface GigabitEthernet0/0
associate ccm 1 priority 1 Associate the sccp identifier ccm with
the sccp ccm group.
associate profile 1 register vdouut1 Associate the dspfarm profile
with the DSP farm device name. In this example the

hostname of the DSP farm hosted router is used

(vdouut1). The same name must be used on CUBE where
sdspfarm tag 1 is configured.
!
dspfarm profile 1 transcode Configure the dspfarm profile to define
the codecs supported, the maximum sessions, and
enable SCCP.
codec g711ulaw
codec g711alaw
codec g729ar8
codec g729abr8
codec g729r8
codec g729br8
maximum sessions 128
associate application SCCP

Full Sample Configurations for Internal Transcoding

This section provides a full configuration example for a setup where the same router (an AS5400XM) is
configured both to host CUBE and the DSP resources for transcoding. Salient parts of the configuration
aredisplayed in bold text.
The differences between this configuration setup and DSP Farm Configuration for Hosting External
Transcoding DSP Resources are as follows:
The actual DSP resources (voicecard x > dsp services dspfarm) and the controlling entity
(telephonyservice) appear on the same router.
The IP address of the DSP resources (sccp ccm 9.13.29.30 identifier 1) and the IP address of the
controlling entity (telephonyservice > ip sourceaddress 9.13.29.30 port) are the same.
5400XM
5400XM#show run
Building configuration...
Current configuration : 3149 bytes
!
version 12.4
service config
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service passwordencryption
!
hostname 5400XM
!
bootstartmarker
no boot startuptest
bootendmarker
!
logging buffered 100000000 debugging
no logging console
enable secret 5 $1$g301$4BVklIIq97tihABYS6Guy/
enable password xxx
!
resourcepool disable
no aaa newmodel
!
resource policy
!
voicecard 1
dsp services dspfarm
!

voicecard 5
!
ip cef
!
voice service voip
allowconnections h323 to h323
allowconnections h323 to sip
allowconnections sip to h323
allowconnections sip to sip
h323
modem passthrough none codec g729r8 preietf
!
controller T1 5/0
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/1
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/2
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/3
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/4
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/5
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/6
framing sf
linecode ami
!
controller T1 5/7
framing sf
linecode ami
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 9.13.29.30 255.255.255.0
duplex auto
speed auto
negotiation auto
no cdp enable
!
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
no ip address
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
negotiation auto
no cdp enable
!
interface Serial0/0
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
no fairqueue
!
interface Serial5/0

no ip address
shutdown
!
interface Serial0/1
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
no cdp enable
!
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 9.13.29.1
!
no ip http server
!
dialerlist 1 protocol ip permit
!
sccp local GigabitEthernet0/0
sccp ccm 9.13.29.30 identifier 1 version 4.0 Use its own IP address
sccp
!
sccp ccm group 1
associate ccm 1 priority 1
associate profile 1 register XCODE123456
keepalive retries 1
keepalive timeout 10
switchover method immediate
switchback method immediate
!
dspfarm profile 1 transcode
codec g711ulaw
codec g711alaw
codec g729ar8
codec g729abr8
codec gsmfr
codec g729r8
codec g729br8
maximum sessions 10
associate application SCCP
!
dialpeer voice 1 voip
destinationpattern 630222100.
session protocol sipv2
session target ipv4:9.13.29.22
dtmfrelay rtpnte digitdrop
codec g711ulaw
!
dialpeer voice 2 voip
session protocol sipv2
incoming callednumber 630222100.
codec g729br8 bytes 10
!
dialpeer voice 3 voip
destinationpattern 2000
session protocol sipv2
session target ipv4:9.13.29.22
dtmfrelay rtpnte digitdrop
!
dialpeer voice 4 voip
session protocol sipv2
incoming callednumber 2000
codec g711ulaw
!
gatekeeper
shutdown
!
telephonyservice
maxephones 1

maxdn 1
ip sourceaddress 9.13.29.30 port 2000 > Use its own IP address
sdspfarm units 1
sdspfarm transcode sessions 10
sdspfarm tag 1 XCODE123456
ss7 mtp2variant Bellcore 0
ss7 mtp2variant Bellcore 1
ss7 mtp2variant Bellcore 2
ss7 mtp2variant Bellcore 3
!
line con 0
exectimeout 0 0
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line aux 0
stopbits 1
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
scheduler allocate 10000 400
no process cpu extended
no process cpu autoprofile hog
end

Verify
The output in this section pertains to the configuration setup for external transcoding.
The Output Interpreter Tool (registered customers only) (OIT) supports certain show commands. Use the OIT
to view an analysis of show command output.

CUBE
The device name with which the DSP farm is registered with CUBE and the IP address of the DSP farm host
router are displayed in bold text.
vdouut3#show sdspfarm units
Load for five secs: 0%/0%; one minute: 0%; five minutes: 3%
Time source is NTP, 23:46:40.649 PST Tue Nov 21 2006

mtp1 Device:vdouut1 TCP socket:[1] REGISTERED

actual_stream:256 max_stream 256 IP:1.2.61.71 27519 MTP YOKO keepalive 45
Supported codec:
G711Ulaw
G711Alaw
G729
G729a
G729b
G729ab
maxmtps:1, maxstreams:256, allocstreams:256, actstreams:0

This output shows the CUBE configuration setup.

vdouut3#show telephonyservice
ip sourceaddress 1.2.61.73 port 2000
maxephones 128
maxdn 1
maxconferences 8 gain 6
dspfarm units 1

dspfarm transcode sessions 128

dspfarm 1 vdouut1

This output shows that after a call is made the codecs (displayed in bold text) that are used for the call legs
through CUBE.
vdouut3#show sdspfarm sessions active
Load for five secs: 1%/0%; one minute: 1%; five minutes: 1%
Time source is NTP, 23:52:43.922 PST Tue Nov 21 2006
StreamID:37 mtp:1 1.2.61.71 20190 Local:2000 START
usage: IpIp
codec:G729 duration:20 vad:0 peer StreamID:38
StreamID:38 mtp:1 1.2.61.71 21326 Local:2000 START
usage: IpIp
codec:G711Ulaw64k duration:20 vad:0 peer StreamID:37

This output shows the sessions active between the OGW and the TGW through CUBE.
vdouut3#show voip rtp connections
Load for five secs: 1%/0%; one minute: 1%; five minutes: 1%
Time source is NTP, 23:54:22.722 PST Tue Nov 21 2006
VoIP RTP active connections :
No. CallId
dstCallId LocalRTP RmtRTP LocalIP
RemoteIP
1
3991
3992
18496
17430 1.2.61.73
1.2.61.48
2
3992
3991
17382
19706 1.2.61.73
1.2.61.68
Found 2 active RTP connections

This output shows a compact summary of the active sessions and the codecs (displayed in bold text) used by
the call legs.
vdouut3#show call active voice compact
Load for five secs: 1%/0%; one minute: 1%; five minutes: 1%
Time source is NTP, 02:31:58.156 PST Wed Nov 22 2006
<callID> A/O FAX T<sec> Codec
type Peer Address IP R<ip>:<udp>
Total calllegs: 2
4023 ANS
T25
g711ulaw VOIP P5200
1.2.61.48:16934
4024 ORG
T25
g729r8
VOIP P6200
1.2.61.68:17040

DSP Farm Host

This output shows the status of the DSP resources registration status. Salient information appears in bold text.
vdouut1#show sccp
SCCP Admin State: UP
Gateway IP Address: 1.2.61.71, Port Number: 2000
IP Precedence: 5
User Masked Codec list: None
Call Manager: 1.2.61.73, Port Number: 2000
Priority: N/A, Version: 3.1, Identifier: 1
Transcoding Oper State: ACTIVE Cause Code: NONE
Active Call Manager: 1.2.61.73, Port Number: 2000
TCP Link Status: CONNECTED, Profile Identifier: 1
Reported Max Streams: 256, Reported Max OOS Streams: 0
Supported Codec: g711ulaw, Maximum Packetization Period: 30
Supported Codec: g711alaw, Maximum Packetization Period: 30
Supported Codec: g729ar8, Maximum Packetization Period: 60
Supported Codec: g729abr8, Maximum Packetization Period: 60
Supported Codec: g729r8, Maximum Packetization Period: 60
Supported Codec: g729br8, Maximum Packetization Period: 60

Supported Codec: rfc2833 dtmf, Maximum Packetization Period: 30

Supported Codec: rfc2833 passthru, Maximum Packetization Period: 30
Supported Codec: inbanddtmf to rfc2833 conversion, Maximum Packetization Period: 30

This output shows the configuration of the DSP resources (while idle).
vdouut1#show dspfarm all
Dspfarm Profile Configuration
Profile ID = 1, Service = TRANSCODING, Resource ID = 1
Profile Description :
Profile Admin State : UP
Profile Operation State : ACTIVE
Application : SCCP
Status : ASSOCIATED
Resource Provider : FLEX_DSPRM
Status : UP
Number of Resource Configured : 128
Number of Resource Available : 128
Codec Configuration
Codec : g711ulaw, Maximum Packetization Period : 30
Codec : g711alaw, Maximum Packetization Period : 30
Codec : g729ar8, Maximum Packetization Period : 60
Codec : g729abr8, Maximum Packetization Period : 60
Codec : g729r8, Maximum Packetization Period : 60
Codec : g729br8, Maximum Packetization Period : 60

SLOT DSP VERSION

STATUS CHNL USE

TYPE

RSC_ID BRIDGE_ID PKTS_TXED PKTS_RXED

1
1
1

UP
UP
UP

xcode
xcode
xcode

1
1
1

1
1
1

9.2.1
9.2.1
9.2.1

N/A
N/A
N/A

FREE
FREE
FREE

This output shows the status of the DSP resources (after a call is made).
vdouut1#show sccp connections summary
SCCP Application Service(s) Statistics Summary:
Total Conferencing Sessions: 0, Connections: 0
Total Transcoding Sessions: 1, Connections: 2
Total MTP Sessions: 0, Connections: 0
Total ALGPhone Sessions: 0, Connections: 0
Total BRIPhone Sessions: 0, Connections: 0
Total SCCP Sessions: 1, Connections: 2
vdouut1#show dspfarm dsp active
SLOT DSP VERSION STATUS CHNL USE

TYPE

RSC_ID BRIDGE_ID PKTS_TXED PKTS_RXED

1
1

xcode
xcode

1
1

1
1

9.2.1
9.2.1

UP
UP

1
1

USED
USED

15
16

9400
9400

9405
9394

Total number of DSPFARM DSP channel(s) 1

This output shows the RTP sessions between the DSP resources (this router) and the controlling entity
(CUBE). Two VoIP call legs with different codecs are shown. The legs are both established with CUBE
(1.2.61.73).
vdouut1#show voip rtp connections
VoIP RTP active connections :
No. CallId
dstCallId LocalRTP RmtRTP LocalIP
1
46
47
17668
2000
1.2.61.71
2
48
47
21530
2000
1.2.61.71
Found 2 active RTP connections
vdouut1#show call active voice compact
<callID> A/O FAX T<sec> Codec
type

Peer Address

RemoteIP
1.2.61.73
1.2.61.73

IP R<ip>:<udp>

Total calllegs: 2
46 ORG
T150
48 ORG
T150

g711ulaw
g729r8

VOIP
VOIP

P
P

1.2.61.73:2000
1.2.61.73:2000

Troubleshoot
Here are some useful troubleshooting commands for transcoding:
debug sccp messages
debug ephone mtp
debug ephone state
Note: Refer to Important Information on Debug Commands before you use debug commands.

Related Information
Overview of Cisco Unified Border Element
Voice Technology Support
Voice and Unified Communications Product Support
Troubleshooting Cisco IP Telephony
Technical Support & Documentation Cisco Systems

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Updated: Jan 10, 2008

Document ID: 100480