What Is a Realm

A realm is a logical way of identifying a domain, a network, a collection of networks, or a set of addresses. Realms are used when an Oracle Communications Session Border Controller (SBC) communicates with multiple network elements over a shared connection. Defining realms allows flows to pass through a connection point between two networks.

From an external perspective, a realm is a collection of systems that generates real-time sessions comprised of signaling messages and media flows, or a group of multiple networks containing these systems. These systems may be session agents such as call agents, softswtiches, SIP proxies, H.323 gatekeepers, IP PBXs, etc., that can be defined by IP addresses. These systems can also be IP endpoints such as SIP phones, IADs, MTAs, media gateways, etc.

From an internal perspective, a realm is associated with SBC configurations to define interfaces and resources in a logical way. Realms are used to support policies that control the collection of information and statistics from systems or networks that generate media sessions. Realms are referenced by other configuration elements and the SBC uses realms to make routing decisions.