SIP Logging

The LanScape Centrex Proxy Server® allows you to generate a log file of all SIP transactions that have been processed. This log file can be very useful when you debug your VOIP domain. Also, you can use the log file and the logged SIP transactions to ensure that user agents you deploy are functioning and interacting with the proxy properly. The SIP log file that is generated is opened when the proxy starts execution. The log file is then closed when the proxy terminates. You should only view the log file after the Centrex Proxy Server® has been terminated.

If you require real time SIP protocol logging (i.e. Viewing the SIP protocol data as it is being received and transmitted), then you should
enable the remote SIP logging capabilities of the proxy. The Centrex Proxy Server® comes with a SIP log server application you can use for remote SIP protocol logging. The SIP log server is a Windows console application called SipLogD.exe. This server application is installed on your machine when you install the Centrex Proxy Server® software. For further information, please see the documentation for the SipLogD server application.

Alternatively, real time remote SIP logging can also be accomplished using the "Custom Plug in" DLL interface and the default plug in DLL that comes with the proxy server. The default plug in that is shipped with the Centrex Proxy Server® allows you to send SIP protocol packets to a log server in real time as they occur. For more information, please read the information associated with the "Custom Plug in" DLL interface.

The following dialog is used to specify SIP log settings:
 

Enable remote SIP logging:

Check this box if you want the Centrex Proxy Server® to send all received and transmitted SIP protocol messages to a remote SIP log server. Note: if you do not need SIP logging, we suggest you disable this capability. Enabling remote SIP logging slightly reduces proxy performance. For most deployments, you should only enable this capability while you are debugging your VOIP domain.


Remote server:

Allows you to specify the IP address or host name of a remote SIP log server.


Remote port:

Allows you to specify the destination UDP port of a remote SIP log server.


Enable SIP protocol log file:

Check this box if you want the Centrex Proxy Server® to create a SIP log file as it executes. Note: if you do not need SIP logging, we suggest you disable this capability. Enabling SIP log file generation slightly reduces proxy performance. You should only enable this capability while you are debugging your VOIP domain.


SIP Log file:

This setting allows you to specify the location of the SIP log file that will be created.

Filtering specific SIP messages from the SIP logs:

You can configure the proxy to filter specific SIP messages from being logged in the SIP log file or from being sent to a remote SIP log server. Check all SIP message types below that you want filtered from SIP logs.
 

REGISTER:

Checking this option will filter all REGISTER SIP messages from all SIP logs.
 

Other useful settings:

HEX dump SIP messages that generate parsing errors:

This setting will force the Centrex Proxy Server® to hex dump to all enabled SIP log destinations (file or remote log server) a hex dump of any received SIP message that could not be parsed by the proxy. This setting is useful for debugging deployments.