13 Trunks and Trunk Groups
Trunks and trunk groups as connections from a SwyxWare installation to the outside world
"Trunk" denotes a connection to another network, e.g. the public telephone network. A connection to another network can be e.g. an "ISDN trunk", a connection to the Internet an "SIP trunk". Connections or trunks of the same type are combined to form groups. The trunks of a trunk group then have the same properties (such as the same connection protocol or the same rights parameters). The trunks of a trunk group are thus primarily "capacity expansions" from the user's point of view, with no further differences for their use. A trunk must always be a member of a trunk group.
We distinguish between various trunk types:
ISDN Trunk (SwyxGate lines)
SIP Trunk
SIP Gateway Trunk
ENUM Trunk
SwyxLink Trunk (Server-server coupling)
ISDN Trunk (SwyxGate lines)
ISDN trunks are all ISDN lines, - whether for the S0 Basic Rate Interface Connection or the S2m Primary Rate Interface - with which a gateway (SwyxGate) is connected via ISDN cards to the public telephone network or a superior or subordinate telecommunication system.
SIP Trunk
SIP trunks enable the use of VoIP services that are provided by carriers or service providers. The service provider provides you with a phone number or a number range. Alternatively the SwyxWare users can be assigned SIP addresses (SIP-URIs, e. g. "tom.jones@.com") or entire ranges (e. g. *@company.com) by the provider, which can be used as an "email address for a telephone". By this means, SwyxWare users can globally reach other SIP-URIs, and be reached themselves. If this service provider also offers gateway services, it will also be possible to reach any phone in the public telephone network via an SIP trunk and the underlying gateway of the provider.
SIP Gateway Trunk
SIP gateway trunks are used for activating gateways which are themselves reached by SwyxServer via an SIP connection. Thus e.g. SwyxConnect is addressed within SwyxWare as a SIP gateway trunk. This allows e.g. telephones in small branch offices to be operated with a local gateway in each case and with a local direct connection to the PSTN. In this way, sophisticated requirements of a company network can also be met when there are numerous small sites (e.g. many shops in a chain of stores).
Only gateways for which profiles are included in the delivery are supported at present.
ENUM Trunk
An ENUM link enables you to make SIP calls with ENUM number resolution via the Internet.
A user of a SIP phone is thus able to investigate the SIP address automatically using only the telephone number of the called party, and to convert the number into the SIP address. The called party can then be reached over the IP network in spite of using a 'normal' phone number. This postulate that the called party is registered at ENUM.
SwyxLink Trunk (Server-server coupling)
SwyxServers at different sites are interconnected via a SwyxLink trunk via an IP route. The SwyxLinkManager assumes control of the connection. You can configure a connection to further SwyxLink sites within the configuration of a SwyxWare trunk, so that status information (logged off, free, speaking) can also be exchanged between users who are logged in to different servers.
It is also possible to use the Collaboration, Video and Instant Messaging features (only SwyxIt! Messenger, not Swyx Messenger) across different servers via the SwyxLink trunk.
Setting up trunks and trunk groups
Set up trunk groups first. Parameters such as the location are assigned to these trunk groups. All trunks belonging to a trunk group then have common parameters, e.g. a common location.
Then set up individual trunks, specifying the corresponding trunk group to which each individual trunk belongs. If there is not yet a trunk group with the appropriate parameters, then while setting up a trunk you can also set up a further trunk group.
For details of which group parameters you need for which trunk type, please see the chapter on the relevant trunk type.
Once you have set up a trunk group, you can set up the individual trunks. An individual trunk can be e.g. an ISDN line with two B channels, or an SIP connection to a provider.
For details of which parameters you need for which trunk type, please see the chapter on the relevant trunk type.
Editing trunks and trunk groups
If parameters of a trunk or trunk group are changed, you can update the new parameters in the properties of this trunk or the trunk group.
This is how you edit a trunk or a trunk group
1 Open the SwyxWare Administration.
Open the trunks or trunk groups.
2 Highlight the trunk or trunk group that you want to edit.
3 In the context menu (right mouse button) of the trunk or trunk group, select "Properties".
The window labeled "Properties of ...." will open.
You will now see different tabs depending on the type of trunk or trunk group.
4 Make the necessary changes, then click on "OK".
The trunk or trunk group adopts the changed parameters at once.
Deleting a trunk or a trunk group
You can remove a trunk or a trunk group in the SwyxWare Administration.
This is how you remove a trunk or a trunk group
1 Open the SwyxWare Administration.
Open the trunks or trunk groups.
2 Highlight the trunk or trunk group that you want to remove.
3 In the context menu (right mouse button) of the trunk or trunk group, select "Delete...".
The trunk or trunk group is removed. The connection is subsequently no longer available.