| This tutorial will first describe the transformation of circuit-switched telecommunication networks to a packet-based network currently underway in a global scale and the central role of SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) in this transformation. The building blocks of these next-generation networks
(NGN) comprise standard server hardware and software, with open interfaces that allow network managers to
mix-andmatch SIP components from multiple vendors. A key result of the adoption of SIP and related protocols is the development of new applications and business processes that combine an enterprise's IT
infrastructure with the telecommunications application space. This is already evident in new applications enabled by SIP, such as IP
Softphones, Instant Messaging clients on desktop machines and Push-to-Talk client on mobile phones. This tutorial will cover the fundamental shift in voice networks due to SIP, protocol-level description of SIP, new applications that leverage SIP (such as Instant Messaging or device control), programming interfaces for building SIP-based network services, introduction to the
IMS architecture for multimedia services in next-generation networks, open-source projects and representative research efforts related to SIP. This tutorial is intended for faculty members and graduate students from academic institutions, as well as R&D professionals from the industry. |
