Configuring the SIP Edge proxy server for a load balancer with MAC address forwarding

Configure the IBM® SIP Edge Proxy that sits in front of the Sametime® Media Manager components in a load-balancing environment.

About this task

When configuring the SIP Edge proxy server, you must choose one of the following methods: MAC address forwarding or IP forwarding. Be sure to complete the steps for one method, not both.

If you choose MAC address forwarding, then you must provide a loopback adapter by completing the steps in this topic and its subtopics. This topic is only for MAC address forwarding.

If you want to use the IP forwarding method for load balancing, follow the instructions in Achieving High Availability with Websphere Application Server SIP Container and F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager . These instructions are for the IP forwarding method.

Procedure

Complete the following steps on every SIP Edge Proxy server to configure them for load balancing.
  1. Create a user-defined SIP port:
    1. On the SIP Edge Proxy server, log into the Integrated Solutions Console as the WebSphere® administrator.
    2. Click Servers > WebSphere proxy servers > proxy-name.
    3. In the Communications section, click Ports.
    4. Create a non-secure SIP port.
    5. Click New.
    6. Select User-defined Port.
    7. In Specify Port Name field enter PROXY_SIP_ADDRESS_LB.
    8. Enter a value for the Host field. This is the virtual IP (cluster address) that is configured on your load balancer.
    9. In the Port field enter the non-secure SIP port value (such as, 5060). This value corresponds to the port through which the load balanced servers are configured to accept traffic.
    10. Click OK and save the changes
    11. Return to the Ports screen
    12. To create a secure SIP port click New.
    13. Select User-defined Port.
    14. In the Specify Port Name field enter PROXY_SIPS_ADDRESS_LB.
    15. Enter a value for the Host field. This is the virtual IP (cluster address) that is configured on your load balancer.
    16. In the Port field type the secure SIP port value (such as, 5061). This value corresponds to the port through which the load balanced servers are configured to accept traffic.
    17. Click OK and save the changes. Repeat for each WebSphere Proxy Server. Note that all proxy servers that operate with a particular cluster, must use the same SIP ports.
  2. Modify the SIP Edge Proxy server transports:
    1. Back in the navigation tree, click Servers > WebSphere proxy servers > proxy-name.
    2. In the Proxy Settings section, click SIP Proxy Server Settings > SIP proxy server transports.
    3. Modify the transport chain for TLS by clicking SIPS_PROXY_CHAIN.
    4. Click TCP inbound channel in the Transport Channels section.
    5. From the Port list select PROXY_SIPS_ADDRESS_LB.
    6. Click OK and save the changes.
    7. Return to the SIP proxy server transports screen.
    8. Modify the transport chain for TCP by clicking SIP_PROXY_CHAIN.
    9. Click TCP inbound channel in the Transport Channels section.
    10. From the Port list select PROXY_SIP_ADDRESS_LB.
    11. Click OK and save the changes.
    12. Return to the SIP proxy server transports screen.
    13. Modify the transport chain for UDP by clicking UDP_SIP_PROXY_CHAIN.
    14. Click UDP inbound channel in the Transport Channels section.
    15. From the Port list select PROXY_SIP_ADDRESS_LB.
    16. Click OK, save the changes, and repeat for each WebSphere Proxy Server.
  3. Modify SIP proxy settings:
    1. Back in the navigation tree, click Servers > WebSphere proxy servers > proxy-name.
    2. In the "Proxy Settings" section, click SIP Proxy Server Settings > SIP proxy settings.
    3. In the Container facing network section, enter the WebSphere SIP Proxy IP address in the following fields (physical IP address of the computer on which the WebSphere SIP Proxy is installed):
      • UDP interface
      • TCP interface
      • TLS interface
    4. Move to the Load balancer health checking section.
      These settings can be used for defining WebSphere SIP Proxy Load Balancer Health checking.
    5. For Load balancer members, IP address 1, enter the Load Balancer IP address (the physical IP address of the computer on which the Load Balancer is installed).
    6. For SIP health check method name, enter OPTIONS.
    7. Save the changes by clicking the Save link in the "Messages" box.