Polycom SIP 3.1 manual Overview, Where SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP Phones Fit

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Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) application and how the phones fit into the network configuration.

SIP is the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard for multimedia conferencing over IP. It is an ASCII-based, application-layer control protocol (defined in RFC 3261) that can be used to establish, maintain, and terminate calls between two or more endpoints. Like other voice over IP (VoIP) protocols, SIP is designed to address the functions of signaling and session management within a packet telephony network. Signaling allows call information to be carried across network boundaries. Session management provides the ability to control the attributes of an end-to-end call.

For the SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP phones to successfully operate as a SIP endpoint in your network, it must meet the following requirements:

•A working IP network is established.

•Routers are configured for VoIP.

•VoIP gateways are configured for SIP.

•The latest (or compatible) SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP phone SIP application image is available.

•A call server is active and configured to receive and send SIP messages.

For more information on IP PBX and softswitch vendors, go to

http://www.polycom.com/techpartners1/ .

This chapter contains information on:

•Where SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP Phones Fit

•Session Initiation Protocol Application Architecture

•Available Features

•New Features in SIP 3.1

To install your SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP phones on the network, refer to Setting up Your System on page 3-1. To configure your SoundPoint IP / SoundStation IP phones with the desired features, refer to Configuring Your

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