Phy-Interfaces

Physical interfaces are device ports with which the user connects devices to networks. On the Oracle® Enterprise Session Border Controller (E-SBC), the user configures the phy-interface element, within the system branch, for the E-SBC to use physical interfaces. This section provides an overview of the configuration, and variations of configuration based on platform of the phy-interface element.

Physical interface types include:

• Ethernet Management - Non-service interfaces, including:
  • Primary ethernet management - IP-based access to the Command Line Interface (CLI). The interface element is often referred to as wancom0 or eth0.
  • Backup ethernet management - Additional IP-based access to the CLI.
  • High Availability (HA) - Connects the active E-SBC to a redundant E-SBC; the redundant E-SBC immediately resumes signaling and media service if the active fails.
• Media - Interfaces designated for signaling and media service traffic.
• Serial - Direct interface to CLI, which also displays the system's boot sequence and alarm messaging.

The user configures the primary ethernet management and the serial interfaces using boot parameters. This ensures that those interfaces are available even if there is no configuration. The user configures media and backup ethernet management interface via the primary ethernet management interface, often referred to as either eth0 or wancom0, or the serial interface after the system boots.

Interface configuration is platform dependent, with consideration of the following platform types required for successful deployment:

• Acme Packet Platforms
• Virtual Machine Platforms
• Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Platforms

Ethernet Management Interfaces

The primary ethernet management interface does not use the phy-interface configuration element. The E-SBC does not display the primary ethernet management interface in the configuration. Instead, the inet on ethernet boot parameter sets this interface's IP address. Backup ethernet management and HA interfaces require phy-interface configuration.

Platform considerations include:

• Acme Packet platforms:
  • The system uses the slot and port configuration to identify the physical interface within the phy-interface element. Configuration recommendations include setting the phy-interface's name parameter to a value that specifies the interface, such as s0p0 (slot 0 port 0).
  • The system defaults to an APIPA (RFC3927) address by default, which the user can change using the boot parameters.
• Virtual Machine platforms:
  • The user must map the primary ethernet management interface and set that interfaces IP address during installation.
  • The Hypervisor allows the user to map all the E-SBC management interfaces to be used during the install procedure.
• COTS platforms:
  • Primary management interface is platform dependent, using the platform's integrated management application, such as ILOM, to define access to the primary management interface. Users commonly configure a static IP address on the ILOM port, which defaults to DHCP, to simplify access to the E-SBC's serial port.
  • The interface-mapping tools allow the user to manage the mapping between the configured phy-interface and the platform's network interface cards on a per-MAC address basis.

Primary and backup ethernet management interfaces access the E-SBC's CLI by default. Uses can configure any or all ethernet management interfaces to carry other administrative traffic, including:

• SNMP
• SSH
• ACP/XML
• Logs sent from the Oracle® Enterprise Session Border Controller
• Boot the Oracle® Enterprise Session Border Controller from a remote file server

Media Interfaces

All media interfaces require a phy-interface element configuration. The phy-interface name is always required and is used in subsequent configuration, including network-interface and realm. Oracle recommends using the naming convention presented in the interface-mapping display. Further media phy-interface configuration is dependent on platform, including:

• Acme Packet platforms
  • The system uses the slot and port configuration to identify the physical interface within the phy-interface element.
  • Interface mapping management (MACTAB) is irrelevant.
  • The phy-interface configuration for special NICs, including the Enhanced Traffic Control and Transcoding Cards, is the same as standard cards.
• Virtual Machine platforms
  • The interface-mapping tools allow the user to manage the mapping between the configured phy-interface and the platform's network interface cards on a per-MAC address basis.
  • Hypervisor configuration and application performance may vary based on interface architecture. Applicable architecture examples include PCI Passthrough and Paravirtualized.
  • The phy-interface's name parameter only specifies the name to be used in subsequent configuration.
  • The slot, port, speed, duplex and autosense phy-interface parameters are not relevant.
  • The Hypervisor allows the user to map all media interfaces to be used during the install procedure.
• COTS platforms
  • The interface-mapping tools allow the user to manage the mapping between the configured phy-interface and the platform's network interface cards on a per-MAC address basis.
  • The phy-interface's name parameter only specifies the name to be used in subsequent configuration.
  • The slot, and port phy-interface parameters are not relevant.

Serial Interface

The serial interface provides direct access to the CLI. The user can configure the E-SBC's serial interface using boot parameters, which configure port output and speed. Platform-dependent detail includes:

• Acme Packet platforms - Serial access is available via one of two physical ports, depending on platform.
• Virtual Machine platforms - Virtual serial interface access is typically provided directly by the hypervisor. Boot parameters are irrelevant.
• COTS platforms - Virtual serial access is available from the integrated management application.

Refer to the High Availability chapter in this document for configuration description and procedures of HA interfaces. Refer to your release-specific Installation and Platform Preparation Guide for description and procedures on configuring boot parameters and using the interface-mapping tools.