How to Configure SBC using Microsoft Teams Admin Center

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises alike are leveraging the power of Microsoft Teams to boost their productivity and streamline their communication and collaboration processes. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into how you can use Microsoft Teams Admin Center to configure Session Border Controller (SBC) for your organization, enabling secure and reliable connectivity for your Teams environment.

What is Session Border Controller (SBC)?

A Session Border Controller (SBC) is a specialized network device that regulates the flow of traffic in VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) networks. It sits at the boundary between two networks and performs various functions, including security, call routing, and network translation. In the context of Microsoft Teams, an SBC is used to secure and manage inbound and outbound voice and video calls.

Why is SBC Configuration Important for Microsoft Teams?

There are several reasons why SBC configuration is crucial for Microsoft Teams:

1. Security: SBC provides a secure connection between Teams and the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or other voice networks, ensuring that voice and video calls are not intercepted or manipulated.
2. Network Translation: SBCs perform network translation, enabling Teams to communicate with different types of networks, such as PSTN and SIP Trunking, allowing you to seamlessly connect with external parties.
3. Quality of Service (QoS): SBCs help to manage and prioritize network traffic, ensuring that voice and video calls are given the highest priority, leading to improved call quality and reliability.

How to Configure SBC using Microsoft Teams Admin Center

Before we dive into the configuration process, it’s important to note that you will need to have an SBC appliance and an Office 365 or Microsoft 365 tenant. If you do not have an SBC appliance, you will need to purchase one from a third-party vendor.

Here are the steps to configure SBC using Microsoft Teams Admin Center:

1. Log in to Microsoft Teams Admin Center.
2. Navigate to the Voice menu and select Session Border Controller.
3. On the Session Border Controller page, click the Add button to create a new SBC configuration.
4. In the Add Session Border Controller Configuration wizard, enter a name for the SBC and select the SBC type.
5. In the Network Configuration section, enter the IP address, port number, and other relevant details for your SBC.
6. In the Audio Configuration section, select the codecs that you want to use for audio encoding.
7. In the Video Configuration section, select the video codecs that you want to use for video encoding.
8. In the Authentication section, enter the credentials for your SBC.
9. Click the Save button to save the SBC configuration.
10. Repeat steps 4-9 for each additional SBC that you want to configure.

Once you have completed the configuration process, your Microsoft Teams environment will be able to communicate with your SBC and make secure and reliable voice and video calls.

Conclusion

In conclusion, configuring an SBC using Microsoft Teams Admin Center is a straightforward process that provides your organization with a secure and reliable connection for your Teams environment. With SBC, you can ensure that your voice and video calls are not intercepted or manipulated and that network traffic is managed and prioritized for improved call quality and reliability.