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How to use the HQVCS service if you are an NREN/institution that has several VC endpoints in your domain

Your institution can benefit from having a gatekeeper when you have several video terminals in your domain. By having a gatekeeper, the institution can integrate to the global video network, hav e statistics, automate some dialing tasks among other benefits. The following steps will show how you can implement your own gatekeeper and connect it to the global network:

1. Define a numbering plan for your organization

The E.164 ITU recommendation to assign numbers to endpoints that belong to the large HQVCS network. This is known as the Global Dialling Scheme (GDS) that refers to a numbering plan to assign numbers according to existing country numbering codes.

A dial plan is a set of numbering rules that can be applied to video network elements. In order to have successful calls using numbers, each endpoint, and MCU virtual room will have a globally unique number. The Global Dialling Scheme (abbreviated as GDS) defines a convention for assigning numbers to videoconferencing equipment. It is based on an ITU-T (ITU - Telecommunication Standardization Sector) recommendation called E.164 that defines a numbering format adopted around the world in telecommunication networks.

E.164 FORMAT: <IC><CC><ZP><EN>, Where:
IC International Code
CC Country Code
ZP Zone Prefix
EN Ending NUmber

Numbering in H.323 networks is usually described as either virtual or real. Virtual numbers are refined by the NREN, and will not be requested the telecommunications regulation authorities. The above means that the video network will be always separated from public telephones network (PSTN). Real numbers have several advantages as future integration into telephone networks or public providers will be easier. Disadvantages include that in some countries; regulators only provide numbers to Telecom providers or have high charges. The integration to the NRENnum.net requires real numbers.
The ELCIRA HQVCS team strongly recommends the use of real numbers. The NREN will request a numbering range from their telecommunications regulation authority. Nevertheless, taking into account that this procedure can take some time or can have some restrictions, virtual numbering can be used. In order to start using GDS with virtual numbers.

2. Implement a Gatekeeper for your NREN or Institution

If you institution o NREN wants implement a Gatekeeper you have to follow the next steps:
Installing the GNU GK:
Installation requires a server able to be accessed by research and education networks. If possible connections behind a NAT should be avoided for the sake of simplicity, otherwise other advanced configurations will be required. The server requirements are:

RAM
1 GB
Hard Disk 50 GB
CPU 2 GHz
OS Linux Debian

NOTE: Verify your firewall accepts TCP connections (1719) and UDP connections (1720) over those specific ports.
On Debian-based Linux operating systems it can be installed from repositories using the distribution package manager with the “install” option.

$: apt-get install gnugk

After this GNU GK will be installed and ready for configuration.
For advanced installation on other Linux distributions, UNIX systems and Windows systems binaries may be downloaded from the GNU Gatekeeper official website (http://www.gnugk.org/h323download.html).
Download and extract the content of zip file. This folder contains the following directory structure:

bin/
Executables
Contrib/ Contributions for extend features
docs/ Documentation of gnugk
etc/ Configuration example files
initd/ Scripts for starting gnugk as a daemon

Copy the gnugk executable to the system binaries folder.

$: cp /path/to/bin/gnugk /usr/sbin

Or create a symbolic link:
$: cd /usr/sbin
$: ln –sf /path/to/bin/gnugk

NOTE: It is very important to make the gnugk executable accessible as /us/sbin/gnugk

Configuring GNU GK:
This part of the process can prove to be challenging. It is recommended a specific use design is created before implementing the service that should ease this process.
The configuration process relies on editing a specific file that should be located with the following path: /etc/gatekeeper.ini. The content of this file must be structured in blocks called “Sections” with specific attributes (very human-readable).
To avoid creating this file from scratch it is possible to use an example configuration file located inside GNU GK directory on the etc/ directory.
As you can see inside this text file the configuration follows this format:

[Section Name]
Attribute=Value

NOTE: If an attribute has not been specified, the default value will be adopted.

Lines with a hash (#) or a semicolon (;) at the beginning are comments.
Below is an explanation of some of the principal configurations that must be considered For Sections brackets ([]) are used and for attributes an equal sign (=) is appended to show that a value is required.

Gatekeeper Main Configuration
Global configurations of the GK will remain in the [Gatekeeper::Main] section. It will be necessary to set the GK name. The organisation’s name is recommended.

[Gatekeeper::Main]
Name=Renata
TimeToLive=60
TraceLevel=3
StatusTraceLevel=5
StatusPort=7000


This name will be used as an identifier by other GKs to refer to the GK. These options specify that endpoints register every 60 seconds. The status port for monitoring the GK is seven thousand (7000) and the trace level is three (3).

NOTE: It is very important if the server manages multiple network interfaces and IP addresses the IP to be used for routing RAS messages and requests must be specified. This is done by adding the following option in this section:

Bind=190.15.31.13

Substitute 190.15.31.13 for the server IP address with access to academic networks.

Configure a Neighbour

A Neighbour is a GK to route messages for a specific prefix (005*, etc.) or a number is unknown. To configure a Neighbour, the following options are copied and modified with the corresponding values (this is self-explanatory):

[RasSrv::Neighbors]
RedCLARA=GnuGk
[Neighbor::RedCLARA]
GatekeeperIdentifier=RedCLARA
Host=200.0.206.181
SendPrefixes=00,!0057
AcceptPrefixes=*
ForwardLRQ=always


This will add the RedCLARA GK as a neighbour specifying the host IP address and will send international codes (00) and forbids route requests for numbers starting with (0057) for the Colombia code and will accept any prefixes.

3. Request connecting your GK to your NREN GK or the Latin American Gatekeeper managed by RedCLARA.

This service is developed and maintained by RedCLARA. Its main function is to route calls for all Latin American NRENs to end sites behind other networks such as GÉANT and Internet2. In order to redirect calls to a specific country, the NREN GK must be added as a neighbour of the RedCLARA GK.
To do this, contact the RedCLARA GK administrator and provide the following information about the NREN GK:

  • IP address
  • Configuration file
  • Technical contact information
  • Country code

To integrate the Gatekeeper service into the Latin American HQVCS Network, follow the steps described below:
Configure the RedCLARA Gatekeeper as a neighbour on the GK, using the following configuration:

[RasSrv::Neighbors]
RedCLARA=GnuGk

[Neighbor::RedCLARA]
GatekeeperIdentifier=RedCLARA
Host=200.0.206.181
SendPrefixes=00,!00<CC>
AcceptPrefixes=*
ForwardLRQ=always


NOTE: Use the corresponding two-digit <CC> Country Code
Contact the RedCLARA Gatekeeper administrator to receive instructions on configuration and call redirecting. If the request is accepted, the GK will be added as a Latin American neighbour.

4. Register a terminal on your Gatekeeper and carry out dialing tests.

The following are the general steps that will depend of the brand of your VC equipment:

a. Go to your Network Settings in your terminal
b. Select the Gatekeeper configuration options
c. Configure the IP address of local gatekeeper
d. Configure the H.323 ID of your terminal
e. Configure the caller ID number: 00+<CountryCode>+<ZonePrefix>+<8 digit number>
f. Save your configuration and try to call to the test number 0056012010020
g. Try to call to other test numbers, in the following table:

Organization
Location
Test number
RedCLARA Chile 0056012010020
RENATA Colombia 0057015302604
CONARE Costa Rica 005060125195700
FCCN Portugal 00351400102136
CARNet Croatia 003857580629999
DFN Germany 00491009791
PIONIER Poland 004861102000001

h. If dialing was successful, your are ready. Otherwise, please review the above steps, select another number for the terminal, and check your GK configuration.

5. If you require further assistance

If you need additional guidance or want to do join test, please contact the Video Conference Network Operations Center (VNOC) of RedCLARA.
vnoc@redclara.net

 

 

The ELCIRA project is funded by the EC FP7 - e-Infrastructures Programme DANTERENATARNPGARRRedIRISTERENARedCLARAEC - FP7 Programme - e-Infrastructures