Servers used by Sametime

IBM® Sametime® uses a variety of servers to provide instant messaging and web conferencing.

Table 1 lists the servers used by Sametime and describes the purpose of each server.

Table 1. Servers used by Sametime

Sametime server descriptions
Server Purpose

Comments

 Cluster Support

Sametime System Console

A web-based application that provides a central location for installing, configuring, administering, and monitoring the Sametime family of products.

System management and administration of Sametime servers

No

Sametime Community Server

Provides fundamental presence and chat services to all Sametime components and applications. Communication with the Sametime Community Server is performed using the VP (Virtual Places) protocol. Places, a multi-user session service, are used in multi-way chats and in all audio/video calls.

The Sametime Community Server is required for Sametime Conference only if audio and video is used or if awareness is enabled in the conference. If you only use Sametime Conference without audio and video and without awareness information, the Community Server is not required.

Instant messaging features:

  • Person to person chat
  • Group chat outside a meeting
  • Presence
  • Chat history
  • Business cards
  • Point-to-point, computer-to-computer calls with VOIP between Sametime users
  • Privacy lists
  • Sametime Connect client (rich client)
  • Offline messages
  • File transfer
  • Chat logging

Yes, using IBM Domino® cluster technology

Sametime Community Mux

A Sametime Community Mux (multiplexer) installed on a separate computer removes the connection-handling load from the Sametime Community Server. A stand-alone Sametime Community Mux enables the Sametime Community Server to handle a larger number of users and improve its stability.

Sametime Community servers rely on Domino clustering technology. Use of a Sametime Community Mux in front of the Sametime Community Server for authentication and scaling can increase capacity significantly.

The Sametime Community Mux does not have cluster support, instead multiple instances are installed with a load balancer to provide redundancy.

Sametime Proxy Server

Provides HTTP protocol access to Sametime VP protocol services, including presence and chat, as well as audio and video calls. These HTTP services are used by mobile and web clients, as well as by any other application built using the Sametime Proxy SDK, such as the Sametime Meeting Client (for live names).
  • Web browser clients
  • Mobile clients

Yes, using WebSphere® Application Server cluster technology

Sametime Advanced Server

Supports instant share (screen-share during chat), persistent chat rooms (accessed using HTTP), and topic-based subscriptions.
  • Persistent chat rooms
  • Skill Tap
  • Broadcast chat
  • Broadcast communities
  • Instant polls
  • Instant share

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology

Sametime Media Manager

The SIP Proxy/Registrar is responsible for location service and forwarding SIP messages to a destination. It requires access to LDAP.

The SIP Proxy/Registrar is made up of two applications, the SIP Proxy and the SIP Registrar, sometimes referred to as the "IBM Lotus® SIP Proxy" and "IBM Lotus SIP Registrar".
  • Point-to-point calling any phone number or SIP URI, including third-party IP systems and conference bridges

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology.

The Conference Manager handles all conferences, including point-to-point and multipoint. It works with the client to establish the SIP session for the call. It hosts the internal TCSPI adapter and optionally an external TCSPI adapter.

The Conference Manager manages the state of audio and video calls. All audio and video features, both 1-1 and multi-way, depend on this component.

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology.

The Sametime Video MCU (Multipoint Control Unit) enables multi-way, audio and video conferences with continuous presence and multiple client layouts. Serves as a switch for scalable audio- and video-streams, delivering to different clients the streams that have been requested. The Sametime Video MCU must be installed on its own computer.

Multi-way audio and video calls

No, but can have multiple Sametime Video MCU servers with a load balancer

The Sametime Video Manager manages the scaling and distribution of audio and video conferences, through MCU pools and cascading. It also manages attributes for conferences, such as maximum line-rate. The Sametime Video Manager must be installed on its own computer.
  • Multi-way audio and video conferencing (requires Sametime Conferencing)
  • Multimedia transport and bandwidth control
  • Call server routing based on dial plan
  • Creates meeting rooms based on template

No, but can have multiple Sametime Video Manager servers with a load balancer

The Sametime Bandwidth Manager, while technically not part of the Sametime Media Manager, is used solely for Sametime Media Manager deployments. The Sametime Bandwidth Manager maintains both a topology map of the audio and video network, and bandwidth-use policies for different classes of users across the different segments of the network.

Audio and video bandwidth management

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology

The IBM SIP Edge Proxy Server, while technically not part of the Sametime Media Manager, is used solely for Media Manager deployments. The IBM SIP Edge Proxy Server is a special application connecting external clients to the Sametime SIP Proxy/Registrar component in the Media Manager.

Used to jump firewalls, the SIP Edge Proxy Server provides load balancing and security in the DMZ in front of the SIP/Proxy Registrar component of the Media Manager

n/a

The Sametime TURN Server, while technically not part of the Sametime Media Manager, is used solely for Media Manager deployments. The Sametime TURN server is an audio and video system component that aids in transport of media when conference participants are separated by firewalls. The Sametime TURN Server also adds support for NAT clients.

Allows a Sametime Browser Client or Sametime Connect Client behind a NAT or firewall to receive audio and video over TCP or UDP connections.

No

Sametime Meeting Server
The Sametime Meeting Server provides data- and document-sharing conferences using HTTP protocol. The Sametime Meeting Server has four roles:
  • Basic Meeting Server
  • Document Conversion Server
  • Recording Capturing Server
  • Recording Renderer Server
  • Meeting rooms
  • Document library for sharing and downloading files during the meeting
  • Document conversion services
  • Meeting reports
  • Anyone can start sharing during the meeting
  • Password protected meeting rooms
  • Audio and video conferencing
  • External audio conferencing with meetings
  • Moderator audio controls
  • Meeting recordings

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology.

Sametime Gateway Server

The Sametime Gateway Server provides the capability of presence and chat federation with external communities.

Allows instant messaging with other Sametime communities, as well as communities hosted by third-party services.

Yes, using WebSphere Application Server cluster technology

WebSphere SIP Proxy Server

Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere Proxy Server enabled for SIP acts as the initial point of entry, after the firewall, for SIP messages that flow into and out of the enterprise. Used to route SIP traffic to backend SIP Media Manager cluster members (Conference Manager or Sametime SIP Registrar/Proxy), and is mapped to a specific cluster of them.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of SIP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a

WebSphere XMPP Proxy Server

Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere Proxy Server enabled for XMPP is responsible for XMPP routing in front of a Sametime Gateway cluster of servers.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of XMPP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a

WebSphere HTTP Proxy Server

Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere Proxy Server enabled for HTTP is responsible for HTTP routing in front of a Sametime Meeting Server cluster.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of HTTP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a

Telephony Control Server

Sametime Unified Telephony 9.0

The Telephony Control Server provides the unified number service and handles all incoming call routing in a Sametime Unified Telephony deployment.
  • Unified phone number
  • Incoming call management
  • Call control
  • Connects internal PBX and IP PBX to public telephone system

Telephony Application Server

Sametime Unified Telephony 9.0

The Telephony Application Server provides telephony services to Sametime Unified Telephony users through the Sametime Connect client. The Telephony Application Server interfaces with the Sametime Community Server, the LDAP directory, and the Telephony Control Servers.
  • Multiway conference calls from the Connect client
  • Telephony status
  • Routes calls among a user's devices

Table 2. Other servers used by Sametime
Servers or Services Server Description Notes® Cluster Support

IBM DB2® server

The System Console, Sametime Proxy Server, Sametime Advanced Server, Sametime Bandwidth Manager Server, and the Sametime Meeting Server use DB2 databases to store information about servers, users, persistent chats, broadcast communities, configuration, and meetings.

Information storage about servers, users, configurations, persistent chat rooms, and broadcast communities

See DB2 documentation for licensing, redundancy, and failover information.

WebSphere SIP Proxy Server

Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere Proxy Server enabled for SIP acts as the initial point of entry, after the firewall, for SIP messages that flow into and out of the enterprise. Used to route SIP traffic to backend SIP Media Manager cluster members (Conference Manager or Sametime SIP Registrar/Proxy), and is mapped to a specific cluster of them.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of SIP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a

WebSphere XMPP Proxy Server

Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere Proxy Server enabled for XMPP is responsible for XMPP routing in front of a Sametime Gateway cluster of servers.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of XMPP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a

WebSphere Edge Components Caching Proxy Server

(WebSphere HTTP proxy server)

This server is commonly referred to by its functional name: WebSphere HTTP proxy server. Created in the Integration Solutions Console, a WebSphere proxy server enabled for HTTP is responsible for HTTP routing in front of a Sametime Meeting Server cluster.

Facilitates load balancing, affinity matching, failover, and caching for a cluster of HTTP-based WebSphere Application Servers.

n/a