VCS Cluster and Tandberg Gatekeeper Neighboring

[sonia_kiseleva]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about integrating the VCS cluster with two Tandberg Gatekeepers. The Tanberg Gatekeepers are alternatives to each other, The VCS cluster consists of three VCSes. The Neighbor Zone was created at the Master VCS to point to one of the Gatekeepers.  The Neighbor Zone was also created at one of the Alternative Gatekeepers to point to the VCS cluster.
So my questions are as follows:

1) When we create a zone at the Tandberg GK do we need to specify every peer of the VCS cluster?

2) Do I  need to create a Neighbor Zone with VCS cluster on the other gatekeeper?

3) Do I need to create an additional zone on a master VCS to point to other GK? Or the alternative GK can be treated as a clutser so I can specify two Gatekeepers in one Zone?

Thank you very much!

[Tomonori Taniguchi]

1) When we create a zone at the Tandberg GK do we need to specify every peer of the VCS cluster?
Yes, you should add every peer of VCS cluster when configure neighbor zone for redundancy purpose unless you want to force neighbor traffic always go to specific peer within VCS cluster.

2) Do I  need to create a Neighbor Zone with VCS cluster on the other gatekeeper?
Same as above, you should add both GK address in neighbor zone configuration on VCS.

3) Do I need to create an additional zone on a master VCS to point to other GK? Or the alternative GK can be treated as a clutser so I can specify two Gatekeepers in one Zone?
As GK are in alternative configuration, you should add both GK in single neighbor zone configuration.

[sonia_kiseleva]

Some of the endpoints are registered with one Tandberg gatekeeper while other endpoints are registered with another gatekeeper. If a call placed to an endpoint that is registered with a gatekeeper that doesn't have a neighbor zone configured with the VCS cluster will this endpoint be found?

Thank you.

[William Bell]

Sonia,

I hate to say it, but it depends. There isn't enough information provided to answer definitively.

If we are sticking exclusively with alias dialing then the VCS requires a search rule that matches the endpoint alias you are trying to reach. If we assume that the VCS has a neighbor zone to Gatekeeper A but not to Gatekeeper B then the VCS can only reach the endpoint on Gatekeeper B if the following is true:

1. The VCS has a search rule for the endpoint alias that points to Gatekeeper A and Gatekeeper A is provisioned to allow searches to Gatekeeper B from other neighbor zones.  OR

2. You are leveraging DNS with ENUM or H323 Annex O URI dialing and you have the appropriate DNS infrastructure in place to point to Gatekeeper B. Note, I know the VCS supports this type of dialing scenario but it has been a long, long time since I looked at the legacy Tandberg Gatekeeper.

If we are not talking alias dialing and are sticking with dialing by IP address then you can achieve call set up without a neighbor zone. This can be done by setting the "Calls to unknown IP Addresses" parameter to Direct. Of course, this assumes that (a) the IP address for the endpoint is routable from the VCS and (b) the Tandberg GK will allow the endpoint to engage in the call (during RAS negotiation).

Based on the context clues in your question, I'd assume that your best course of action is to create a 2nd neighbor zone to the second GK. Then you can leverage your search rules to intelligently select the correct GK or, if you won't know where an endpoint is registered, then configure your search rules to check GK A and then subsequently check GK B.

HTH

-Bill
(b) http://ucguerrilla.com
(t) @ucguerrilla

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[sonia_kiseleva]

Hi Bill,

This is an alias dialing and I am confused with alternate gatekeepers definition. For example, when we create a neighbor zone we can specify the remote  peers. According to the VCS documentation these peers include every VCS in a cluster so we can specify all IP addresses of all VCS in this cluster. Are the alternative Tandberg gatekeepers different compare to a VCS cluster. Every gatekeeper points to another gatekeeper but the endpoints are registered with the different gatekeepers.

If there is only one neighbor zone between the VCS cluster and one Tandberg GK and the video call  is placed from VCS cluster to an endpoint that registered with the GK without any neighbor zones configured, will the first Gatekeeper know to direct call to the second GK?

Thank you very much,

Sonia

[William Bell]

Sonia,

To clarify, Tandberg had a product called the Tandberg Gatekeeper before they brought the VCS to market. It is a different product altogether. So, when you specify that you are using the Tandberg Gatekeeper with the VCS I am hearing that you have two different solutions in play.

Further, since you said you have two different Tandberg Gatekeepers I am assuming they are separate autonomous systems. In contrast, you have a VCS cluster with 3 VCS nodes. Logically, this is one VCS or, if you prefer, a single autonomous system.

If there is only one neighbor zone between the VCS cluster and one Tandberg GK and the video call  is placed from VCS cluster to an endpoint that registered with the GK without any neighbor zones configured, will the first Gatekeeper know to direct call to the second GK?

If Tandberg GK A is provisioned to use GK B when resolving the alias you are trying to call from the VCS then yes, it should work. If GK A is not provisioned to do this then it will not work. Unfortunately, it has been a long time since I messed around with the Tandberg GK and I would have to go to the manuals to give you specifics on how to configure inter- (or intra-) zone routing between the Tandberg GKs.

HTH

-Bill
(b) http://ucguerrilla.com
(t) @ucguerrilla

Please remember to rate helpful responses and identify helpful or correct answers.