Voice over Internet Protocol is a term used for voice conversation over IP Networks such as a LAN/WAN and the Internet. The voice signal is split into separate data packets, these packets are then transmitted over the network to the desired destination. The separate packets are reassembled at the receiving end and converted back into a voice signal.

VoIP recording utilizes a feature of IP network switches called port mirroring. This feature provides the capability to copy data packets from one port on the switch to another destination on the network. In a Cisco environment this feature is called SPAN, which is short for Switched Port ANalyzer. Using this method, the switches in a network are configured to mirror data packets from VoIP phone ports to ports connected to the Teltronics Praetorian VoIP recorder. Via the SPAN port, the recorder will "sniff" for signalling and RTP (Real Time Protocol) packets that have the identifying information contained in the headers of the packets designated to record.

There are three main ways to capture the RTP packets with the SPAN port. You can SPAN the VoIP Gateway port giving you all the in/out bound traffic (but typically not internal calls) this offers one point of contact for recording. You can SPAN individual phone ports enabling you to record inbound, outbound and internal traffic for selected IP phones. The other method is to include all the phones within a VLAN. Then SPAN that VLAN. This will also allow recording of all inbound, outbound and internal traffic of designated IP phones.

As with any Teltronics recording platform the above diagram is not restrictive. We can provide ‘mixed tap’ recording systems which can be an amalgamation of VoIP, Trunk and Station recording types.

For more information on VoIP call recording you can contact our voice recording specialists at: uksales@teltronics.com or telephone: 08456 800 724.