Subject: What is the view towards H.323?

From: Alok Mittal <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 15:20:45 -0000

Hi

 I do not wish to duplicate other discussions regarding relative merits of
 SIP and H.323 that have happened before on this mailing list. I have tried 
 to update myself with information in mail archives and SIP homepage, and
 if I still land up repeating an earlier discussion, my apologies.

 What I am interested in is the view members of this list to the picture that 
 might evolve in relation to SIP and h.323. From the archives, I have found
 at least the following views:

1. SIP has conceded to H.323
2. SIP and H.323 will converge, probably in H.323v3
3. SIP and H.323 interoperate -- Session Initiation in SIP and then H.323 takes over
4. Interworking Gateways for SIP and H.323 -- here, however I have not seen
    an argument which says *where* SIP makes more sense than H.323 and vice
    versa (if one was absolutely better than the other, there wouldn't be a need for GW).

 I am interested in knowing what the current views are in this respect. Please note
 that I have updated myself with a technical comparison already, so we need not go
 into that again.

thanks for any inputs!!
Alok

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Alok Mittal	
Technical Leader	Hughes Software Systems
Prestige Opal, 146 Infantry Road, Bangalore - 560001
Tel: +91-80-2286390,91,92	Fax: +91-80-2286393
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From: Christian Huitema <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 10:24:01 -0500 (EST)

On Nov 9,  3:20pm, Alok Mittal wrote:

> 4. Interworking Gateways for SIP and H.323

What about;

5. SIP will be published any time soon.  That really means, in 6 month,
   in a year, in 5 years, we will still hear that SIP will be published
   any time soon...

-- 
Christian Huitema

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From: Mark Handley <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 10:58:24 -0500

>   in a year, in 5 years, we will still hear that SIP will be published

Sigh.  

The current status is we're awaiting final comments from the ADs.
Henning has been making minor fixes and clarifications as we've got
the comments.  There'll be a final draft reflecting the last call
comments when we get the last of those comments - probably this week.
Then the IESG get to vote on it.

I would hope we'll have an RFC in a month.  I don't know of anything
we can do to speed up the process at this stage.

Mark

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From: Peter KIRSTEIN <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 17:27:55 +0100

>we can do to speed up the process at this stage.

I hope that the SAP  will get to the IESG also!

Peter

Peter

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From: "Henry Sinnreich" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 11:40:54 -0600

Alok wrote,
> 1. SIP has conceded to H.323

We are implementing SIP in a test network with several vendors.

> 2. SIP and H.323 will converge, probably in H.323v3

Does it mean H.323 may not be compliant any more with other H.3xx standards?
Am not sure.

> 3. SIP and H.323 interoperate -- Session Initiation in SIP and

Definitely yes, know of several implementations.

> wouldn't be a need for GW).

There have been many presentations on this topic at www.pulver.com and
elsewhere, but as you mention, we need not burden this list.

Henry

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From: Jim Toga <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 10:34:28 -0800

>We are implementing SIP in a test network with several vendors.

When will we see any commercially deployed networks? Presumably after the
specification is published.....

>Does it mean H.323 may not be compliant any more with other H.3xx standards?

It _will_ be compliant.  H.323 will always be compatible with previous
versions.  It is part of the base requirements in ITU specifications.
Obviously, older versions may not be able to take advantage of new
features.  Users and purchasers of products will not (and have not) be left
with inoperable code. 
  
>Definitely yes, know of several implementations.

Whose?  I'd be interesting in hearing more about this....

>elsewhere, but as you mention, we need not burden this list.

Presentations are cheap.  Where is the market or business presence?  For
that matter were is the technical justification? There are commercial
products that Gateway H.323 to POTS/ISDN/H.320 (among others) from a large
number vendors that are currently shipping those products.

>Henry

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From: Bobby Sardana <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 19:47:44 -0600

Greetings:

> Definitely yes, know of several implementations.

Henry, would it be possible for you to share with this forum the list of these
so called
*several implementations*. Are these just simulated prototypes or working
models? I would definitely be interested in these implementations.

Bobby Sardana.
[email-masked]

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From: Henning Schulzrinne <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:32:54 -0500

> models? I would definitely be interested in these implementations.

http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/sip has a list of implementations in
various stages of completion/working. If you have others you'd like me
to add, please do.

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From: Bobby Sardana <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:43:28 -0600

Greetings:

> various stages of completion/working. If you have others you'd like me

I  briefly checked all the implementations & their descriptions but could notfind
any relevant descriptions that outline:

a. The complete message flow of how SIP & H.323 interoperate.
b. Recommendations or proprietary guidelines of how implementations like
     PacketStar IP are perfoming such integration.

Maybe, it's too early in the ball-game to be demanding such information.
Anyhow, I feel that either I am missing some information or most of the
implementations are using non-standard proprietary message flow.

Thanks for the input.

Bobby Sardana.
[email-masked]