Avaya Session Manager - difference between H323 station and SIP station? 1

[drsprite]

Hey there, we recently had a Session Manager system setup for us. One thing we couldn't grasp from the training was what is the real difference between an H323 station and a SIP station?

It seems that H323 is still managed through ASA, and SIP is through the SM web interface (which honestly looks like ASA for the web).

Would the end user notice any differences?

Just trying to see our long term goals here. Do we stay with H323 - something we're familiar with. Or is a SIP station worth it (new bells and whistles?)

Thanks

 

[montyzummer]

A h.323 station registers to the procr of CM or a Clan board , a SIP station can only register to Session manager but needs to be created and configured in both CM and System manager CM basically provides the SIP station with its features and you associate the SIP station in CM to the one in SM with off aar routing.

As for users the two firmwares look different and you can add a few different features depending on which you choose , it really depends on your larger estate , dial plan requirements and personal preference as to what you choose ...... that is a high level view of the differences.

APSS (SME)
ACSS (SME)
ACIS (UC)

 

[gwebster]

Newer devices/clients from Avaya are only SIP-based so that certainly is the direction.

 

[Wanebo]

SIP is definitely worth moving to. Bells and whistles and you get to save some big bucks if it's implemented right.

As said above h323 registers directly to the CM components so it's call paths and features all flow from there. SIP registers to the ASM, and the ASM uses the CM as a feature server only. It allows the set/user to take advantage of the features that can be programed in the CM. But the ASM can also have other feature servers assigned for use for the set/user. With EDP starting to take off you can even create your own applications to be used as features. And you can also use the ASM as the very powerful routing engine that it is and intermingle systems and virtual trunking. And use SMGR to manage it all and even pull in Active Directory settings to automatically configure user setting, features sets, messaging, conferencing, and whatever else they design and add to the mix.

If you stick with h323 you will be tying your hands for sets, traditional trunking capabilities, features, etc.

 

[kyle555]

Respectfully, I disagree! Beyond using an SBC for being outside the corporate network, what can you do with a SIP set that an H323 can't?

 

[gwebster]

SIP 9600-series set gives you - presence, microsoft contact/calendar integration, downloadable ringtones, view conference participants,...

 

[Wanebo]

You can use EDP to monitor a call for specific phrases (think financial law compliance where an agent is required to give the customer there registered ID) and prompt (with packets only they can hear) the agent to give the required phrase at specific timed intervals.

You can fork RTP packets from an app on a desktop or cell phone to provide content to a desktop or cellphone app during a voice call on a desk phone.

You can capture user and CCT screen pop content for transfer to other processes (tabbed caller usage and requested content) to better serve customers what they want.

Have you ever used ACE to populate presence? Yeah, what a pain in the a$$, but using SIP it is so much easier.

Just a few off the top of my head.

 

[kyle555]

Colour me skeptical for the moment. I get it, but I still feel like SIP on the deskphone shouldn't be there unless you really need it.
It just feels like at some point they tried squeezing too many things in a deskphone the rest of the world solved with a computer and a softphone controlling the dumb handset on the desk.

 

[marcuspb]

You can use Avaya Communicator for Lync/OCS with the H323 sets and get presence, works with SIP also but haven't tried it. You can have multiple endpoints registered using SIP (Which is handy for an onsite because I can have my extension registered at multiple sites simultaneously, so it makes it easier when working with TAC/Telco/Customer)

Using the 46xx.settings you can schedule upgrades to SIP phones, but I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't get added to the H323 eventually.

 

[jimbojimbo]

My 2 cents.

Like it or not, Avaya is moving to SIP.

In 7.x I like the traceSM of the registration/publish process and the ability to get a very clear picture of what is going on (especially with PPM tracing enabled). Call Processing tracing can be extremely helpful when trying to figure out why something responds a specific way. Easier then running MST traces in CM if you really know the SIP protocol.

I also like being able to register up to 10 different devices to the same extension (PC, iPhone, Android tablet) simultaneously.

SIP does present some significant challenges (especially in a large multi-cm deployments). I wouldn't deploy any SIP until upgraded to CM6.3.11.1 or higher. Just too many issues.

Don't forget you can't get modem over SIP trunks to function. Haven't found a carrier supporting V.150. Avaya had challenges with FAX over SIP and you really need to move to G450/G430 to get T.38 with ECM and G.711 fallback. Number one issue with SIP deployments are FAX and Modem.

Carrier implementations are about as varied as you can get. Even various SIP services within a carrier may not function the same.

You should be on CM7.x before the end of the year to really meet compliance requirements such as DISA/FIPS/FISMA/HIPAA/PCI. I would think PCI DSS update should be updated soon (Revision 4.0?).