H.

248 Protocol
ISSUE 1.0

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The H.248 protocol is more outstanding in flexibility, and thus is replacing MGCP gradually to grow to be the standard of media gateway control protocols.

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Object

Upon completion this course, you will be able to: understand the architecture of H.248 protocol grasp the uses of commands in the H.248 protocol

grasp the meanings and uses of command parameters in the H.248 protocol

grasp the message exchange process of the H.248 protocol

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References

31025857-U-SYS SoftX3000 Technical Manual-Signaling & Protocols-(V3.35) RFC3015 RFC3525

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Contents
Chapter 1 Overview

Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction

Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures Chapter 4 Service Message Identification Example

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Overview

H.248 and MeGaCo are actually the same protocol, which results from the close cooperation between ITU and IETF. ITU-T calls it H.248, while IETF calls it MeGaCo. Developed from the Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), H.248 integrates the features of other media gateway control protocols.

MGCP does not have a good description capability, which limits its application in large-scale gateways. H.248 is a good choice for large-scale gateways.
MGCP has the message transmission based on UDP packets over the broadband IP network, while H.248 may have its signaling messages transmitted over multiple bearers such as UDP/TCP/SCTP/ATM.

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CONEXIN UA5000 VIA SATLITE A TRAVES DE LA RED NGN

SATELITE H.248 RTP SIP-T SS7 SEALIZACION SS7-VOCAL ANTENA SATELITAL

ANTENA SATELITAL

MGs SIEMENS

RED BALCARSE UA5000

SoftX3000

HIE9200

Telfono de prueba

Mirror

BBIP

MIRROR PSTN

Telfono de prueba

CENTRAL LOCAL
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Question

What is the difference between Megaco and H.248

Which type of transport protocol can transport H.248 protocol ? Which two encoding types are used in H.248 protocol ? What are the corresponding port numbers respectively? Give the example: where is the location of H.248 protocol in the NGN network.

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Summary

This chapter mainly introduces the basic ideas of architecture of the gateway control protocol and where the H.248 gateway control protocol is located in the NGN architecture. After learning this chapter, you have a preliminary understanding of the function of the gateway control protocol.

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Contents
Chapter 1 Overview

Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction

Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures Chapter 4 Service Message Identification Example

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Contents
Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction
Section 1 Two Important Conceptions
Section 2 Message Structure Section 3 Command and Descriptor

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Context and Termination

The connection model defined by H.248/Megaco including two entities: Context and Termination. A context should include at least one termination; otherwise, it will be deleted. A termination can belong to only one Context at any time.

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Termination

termination is a logical entity on an MGW which is the source and/or sink of media and/or control streams. For example, it may indicate a timeslot (CIC circuit), an IP port (IP address + port No.) or an ATM port (VPI/VCI).

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Termination
Terminations

are generally classified into two types. One is semi-permanent termination, which indicates a physical termination. For example, a TDM channel exists all the time as long as it is configured in the MGW, and the corresponding termination will disappear only when the configuration information is deleted. The other is ephemeral termination, which indicates ephemeral information flow, for example, the RTP flow. An ephemeral terminal is created when it is needed, and is deleted after it is used. An ephemeral termination can be created by the ADD command and cleared by the SUBTRACT command. When a semi-permanent termination is added to a specific context, it is obtained from the NULL context. When it is deleted from a specific context, it is returned to the NULL context. ROOT termination, which generally refers to an MGW.
Termination

ID : allocated by an MG. It may have 64 bits in the binary encoding mode, or may have 64 characters in the text encoding mode.

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Context

Context

describes the relations in a termination set. A context that involves multiple terminations will describe the topology formed by these terminations and the parameters for media hybrid exchange. A context may be created by the Add command and deleted by the Subtract command. A context must have a termination in it.

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Context Attributes
Context

ID 32bits, to identify a context uniquely throughout the gateway. Context ID is determined by the MG and is unique throughout the MG.

Special contexts encoding table

Context name NULL CHOOSE ALL 0 0xFFFFFFFE 0xFFFFFFFF Binary encoding Text encoding Meaning
NULLContext indicates all terminations in a gateway that are not associated with any other termination. CHOOSE is used to ask the MGW to create a new context. ALL is a wildcard to indicate all Contexts of the MGW.

- $

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Two key concepts: Context and Termination

Media Gateway Context

Termination RTP Stream Termination SCN Bearer Channel

* * *

Termination SCN Bearer Channel

Context
Termination RTP Stream

Null Context Termination

SCN Bearer Channel

Context
Termination RTP Stream Termination SCN Bearer Channel

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Question

What are two important conceptions in H248 protocol? How many termination types in H.248 protocol ? What is the difference between them ?

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Contents
Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction
Section 1 Two Important Conceptions
Section 2 Message Structure Section 3 Command and Descriptor

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Structure
Megaco/H.248 message ....

Header

Transaction Req or Reply

Transaction Req or Reply

Transaction Req or Reply

Trans Hdr

Action

....

Action

Ctx Hdr

Ctx Properties

Command

....

Command

Trans Hdr

Descriptor

....

Descriptor

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Message

A message is an information unit sent or received by the H.248 protocol. A message starts with a header which is followed by

several transactions.

The header contains a Message Identifier (MID) and a Version Number. A message contains one or more transactions.

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Transaction

Commands between the MGC and the MG are grouped into Transactions, each of which is identified by a TransactionID.

Transactions

include requests and responses, and responses are divided into two types: TransactionReply and TransactionPending. A transaction contains one or more actions and each action includes one or more commands related to a single Context.
A

Transaction starts with a TransHdr. The TransHdr contains a transaction Identifier, which is assigned by sender and is unique within the scope of the sender. Transactions guarantee ordered Command processing. transactions in a message are treated independently. There is no order implied.

The

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Transaction Supplement

At the first failing of Command in a Transaction, processing of the remaining Commands in that Transaction stops. (except Optional command). About transaction Response , whether there is information in transaction is the difference between transaction replay and transactionpending.

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Structures of Transaction Request and Reply

Transaction Request structure TransactionRequest(TransactionId { ContextID {Command ... Command}, ... ContextID {Command ... Command } }) Transaction Reply structure

T r a n s a c t i o n R e p l y ( T r a n s a c t i o n I D { C o n t e x t I D { R e s p o n s e . . . R e s p o n s e } , . . . C o n t e x t I D { R e s p o n s e . . . R e s p o n s e } } )

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Transaction Response

Transactions include requests and responses, and responses are divided into two types: TransactionReply and TransactionPending. Transaction Reply is a response of the transaction receiver to the Transaction Request. Every transaction should have its Reply. A TransactionRequest stops being executed either if all commands in the TransactionRequest have been carried out successfully or a failure is encountered during the execution of a non-optional command.

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Transaction Pending

Transaction Pending indicates that the transaction is actively being processed. It is used to prevent the sender from sending the same message several times. The structure of Transaction Pending is as follows:

TransactionPending (TransactionID { } )

Corresponding

response to a TransactionRequest is received in a single reply, possibly preceded by a number of TransactionPending messages.

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Action and Command

Each Action
Actions

typically specifies a ContextID in usual.

are identified by a ContextID. In an action, commands should be processed in order.

An

action begins with the Context header (CtxHdr) . ContextID is assigned by the MG and is unique within the scope of the MG. The MGC shall use the ContextID in all subsequent transactions relating to that Context.
Commands

are the major contents in an H.248 message. They control the Context and Termination attributes. A command is composed of the command header (CMDHdr) and command parameters.

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Message Mechanism
Message
TransactionI ContextID1
CMD1 Des-1 Des-n

Message Transaction Context Command Descriptor

... CMDn
...
ContextIDn

TransactionIDn

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Contents
Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction
Section 1 Two Important Conceptions
Section 2 Message Structure Section 3 Command and Descriptor

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Commands

Command: As main contents of H.248 messages, commands control the context and termination attributes: specify the termination to report detected events, notify the termination of which signals to use and which actions to take, and specify topology for a context. A command comprises the header (CMDHdr) and parameters. In H.248, command parameters are organized into descriptors. H.248 defines eight commands, of which, Notify is sent by an MG to an MGC, ServiceChange may be sent by an MG or an MGC, and the other commands are sent by an MGC to an MG.

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Commands: Add/Modify/Subtract

ADD (abbreviated to A in messages): Used to add a Termination to a Context. If no Context ID is specified (or when a Termination is added for the first time), a Context will be generated and then the Termination is added to the Context. MODIFY (abbreviated to MF in messages): Used to modify attributes, events and signal parameters of a Termination. For example, modify the encoding type for a Termination, notify a Termination of detecting the off-hook/on-hook event, and modify the topology for a Termination (bidirectional/unidirectional/isolation) SUBSTRACT (abbreviated to S in messages): Used to delete a Termination from a Context and to return the statistical status of the Termination. If the Context does not have any other Termination in it, it will be deleted.

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Commands: Move/AuditValue/AuditCapabilities

MOVE: To move a Termination from a Context to another Context. AUDITVALUE (abbreviated to AV in messages): To return the current Properties, Events, Signals and Statistics of a Termination. AUDITCAPABILITIES: To return the capability set of Termination features in an MG.

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Commands: Notify/ServiceChange

NOTIFY (abbreviated to N in messages): To allow an MG to notify an MGC of the detected events. For example, the MGW reports the detected off-hook event to the MGC. SERVICECHANGE (abbreviated to SV in messages): For an MG to notify an MGC that a termination or terminations will exit from or participate in the service. It is used for an MG to register with an MGC or send a restart notice to the MGC. The MGC may use ServiceChange to restart an MG or to notify an MG of deregistering a Termination or partial Terminations.

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Descriptors

Descriptors Command parameters Some commands may share one or several descriptors. Descriptor may act as the output return value for a Command. In most cases, a Descriptor, being the return value, only has the Name but not any other item. Generally, a Descriptor is in the following form: DescriptorName=<someID> { parm = value, parm = value }

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Descriptors

Descriptors H.248 defines 19 descriptors:

Media descriptor (M) Modem descriptor (MD) Mux descriptor (MX) Termination State descriptor (TS) Stream descriptor (ST) LocalControl descriptor (O) Local descriptor (L) and Remote descriptor (R) Events descriptor (E) EventBuffer descriptor (EB)

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Descriptors

Descriptors (continued) Signals descriptor (SG) Audit descriptor (AT) ServiceChange descriptor (SC) DigitMap descriptor (DM) Statistics descriptor (SA) Packages descriptor (PG) ObservedEvents descriptor (OE) Topology descriptor (TP) Error descriptor (ER)

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Descriptors

Media: To describe media stream. This descriptor comprises the TerminationState and Stream descriptors.
The TerminationState descriptor describes the Termination attributes (independent of the Stream). One or more Stream Descriptors describe a Media Stream. Stream is identified by StreamID. StreamID links the Steams in a Context.
The Stream descriptor has three sub-descriptors: Local, Remote and LocalControl, which may be directly included in the Media Descriptor when there is not a Stream descriptor. The composition is as follows:
Media Descriptor TerminationStateDescriptor Stream Descriptor LocalControl Descriptor Local Descriptor

Remote Descriptor

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Descriptors

TerminationState: One of the attributes of Termination (may be defined in a Package). It

describes the status of a Termination.

Stream: Used to describe the remote/local/localControl contents of a single media stream. A

Stream may be deleted by setting the Local and Remote parameters to NULL. Stream Descriptor uses Stream ID for connection. It identifies the relations between Media flowing in a Context.

Local :A parameter to indicate the media stream received by an MGW from a remote entity.

remote : A parameter to indicate the media stream sent by an MGW to a remote entity.
LocalControl : A parameter to describe the exchange between an MGC and an MGW.

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Descriptors

Events : To describe Events to be detected by an MG and how the detected Events will be handled.

EventBuffer
Singals Audit

: After the Events buffer is activated, it is used to describe the events detected by an MG.

: To describe the AND/OR operation of signals in a Termination (for example, busy tone) : In the AuditValue command, it returns a list of Packages identifiable by the Termination.

: Used in the audit command to specify which contents need to be audited.

Packages

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Descriptors

DigitMap : To define relations between events. When an MG detects such an event (which
matches the pre-set one), the MG will report it to the MGC (for example, when the MG detects the in-band DTMF signal).

ServiceChange :To describe why ServiceChange occurs. ObservedEvents :Used in the Notify or AuditEvents command to report the observed events. Statistics : When a Termination is audited or deleted, this descriptor reports the statistical value

saved in the Termination.

Extersion : Used for extension.

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Question

What is the Message structure? How many commands are defined in the H.248 protocol? Please list the commands. If all commands are sent from MGC? What is the function of NOTIFY command? What is a command composed of? Which two parts does the command descriptor consist of?

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Summary

Chapter content review: Two key conceptionsContext and Termination Two key conceptions : Context and Termination Message structure message-transaction-action (context)-command-descriptors Eight command: Servicechange ,Modify ,Notify , Add Substract , Auditvalue , Auditcapabilities , move Descriptors

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Contents
Chapter 1 Overview

Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction

Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures Chapter 4 Service Message Identification Example

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Contents
Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures
Section 1 Gateway Registration / CANCELATION/INITIALIZATION Procedure

Section 2 Typical Call Processing Process

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Rigistration/Cancelation

MG

SoftX3000

SVC_CHG_REQ

SVC_CHG_REPLY

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Initialization
MG SoftX3000

MOD_REQ

MOD_REPLY

After the MG completes a successful registration procedure, the MGC will modify the properties of all semi-permanent Terminations of the MG contained in the null Context and instruct the MG to detect off-hook events. At this time, the Termination can receive or originate calls.
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Contents
Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures
Section 1 Gateway Registration / CANCELATION/INITIALIZATION Procedure

Section 2 Typical Call Processing Process

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Typical Processing Process

SoftX300

H.248

M3UA/SCTP
SG7000

Core Network
AMG1

SS7/PRI

AMG2

TMG2

PSTN

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H248 Packet Example

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Call Processing in the Same MG

UserA Termination1
Off-hook 1 NTFY_REQ NTFY_REPLY dial-tone

SoftX3000

Termination2

UserB

2 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY
3 NTFY_REQ NTFY_REPLY 4 ADD_REQ ADD_REPLY

dialing

5 ADD_REQ ADD_REPLY 6 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY 8 NTFY_REQ NTFY_REPLY 9 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY Ringing Off-hook

7 MOD_REQ

Ringback tone

MOD_REPLY

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Call Processing in the Same MG (continued)

UserA Termination1 SoftX3000 Termination2 UserB
10 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY

Conversation
On-hook 11 NTFY_REQ NTFY_REPLY 12 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY 13 SUB_REQ SUB_REPLY 15 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY 14 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY

Busy-tone

16 NTFY_REQ NTFY_REPLY
17 SUB_REQ SUB_REPLY

On-hook

18 MOD_REQ MOD_REPLY
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Question

Can you introduce the whole call processing ? Please repeat the severalbasic control procedures.

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Summary
Chapter content review:
Basic

control procedures:

Gateway registration/cancelation/initialization procedure

Typical

call processing process

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Contents
Chapter 1 Overview

Chapter 2 Protocol Introduction

Chapter 3 Basic Control Procedures Chapter 4 Service Message Identification Example

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CLIP /Ring Mode

CLIPMOD message which after MGC create a new context contain this information SG{andisp/dwa

MEGACO/1[192.168.20.12]:2944T=372790771{C=12{MF=A34{E=369184260{al /*},SG{andisp/dwa{ddb=040F303230373130323538383838333335E1}}}}} The callee is : 8888335

Ring mode : this information occur in the MOD message after MGC create a context . MEGACO/1[192.168.20.12]:2944T=372798426{C=35{MF=A34{E=369184257{al /*},SG{andisp/dwa{ddb=040F303230373135333038383838333335E0,patter n=1}}}}}

The ring mode is : pattern=1

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Reverse Polarity and Typical Trouble

Reverse polarity MGC send to MG include in MOD message after callee off-hook : SG{xal/las

MEGACO/1[192.168.20.12]:2944T=372793180{C=16{MF=A34{E=369184268{ al/*},SG{xal/las}}}}

Only have data in MGC without data in MG MEGACO/1 [192.168.20.12]:2944 T=372791464{C={MF=A2{E=369150470{al/*},SG{}}}} MEGACO/1 [192.168.20.21]:2944 P=372791464{C=-{ER=430{"Unknown TerminationID"}}}

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Authentication

When softswitch sets authentication

MEGACO/1 [192.168.20.21]:2944 T=93726156{C={SC=ROOT{SV{MT=RS,RE="902",X-EA=100,XDH=0004000000000000,XRANDOM=3F599777B39F980695400AFA89053B09BEB40FE6EC8C5 FC43D2674CA948AEA3693A842AED7EA71F84EB2C29B92E4CB8CC 3D0BC183AA7F00204C25F94A56F72A4,XAUTH=0b774ca54f864d7f269f18d97b917e07}}}}

MEGACO/1 [192.168.20.12]:2944 {SC=ROOT{ER=504{"unauth entity"}}}} P=93726156{C=-

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Unsupport syntax

UA5000(diagnose)%% [11:11:28.330]MGC->MG([172.16.0.106]:2944): !/1 [172.16.0.1]:2944 T=42995434{C=-{MF=A0{DM=DM693957696598 { ([2-8]xxxxxx|13xxxxxxxxx|0xxxxxxxxx|9xxxx|1[0124-9]x|E|F|x.F|[09].L)},E=2003{dd/ce{DM=DM693957696598 },mfd/ce{DM=DM69395769659 8 },al/on,al/fl},SG{cg/dt}}}}

UA5000(diagnose)%%[11:11:28.940]MG->MGC([172.16.0.1]:2944): MEGACO/1 [172.16.0.106]:2944P=42995434{C=-{MF=A0{ER=442{"Syntax Error in Command"}}}}

Because mfd is not the basic packet, the UA5000 cannot identify it. The UA5000 looks dd/ce including pluse dial event .

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