with the VCS before they can register. In order to authenticate
successfully, the endpoint must supply the VCS with a
username. For TANDBERG endpoints using H.323, the
username is the endpoint’s

Authentication ID

; for TANDBERG

endpoints using SIP it is the endpoint’s

Authentication

Username

For details of how to configure endpoints with a
username and password, please consult the endpoint
manual.

In order to verify the identity of the device, the VCS needs
access to a database on which all authentication credential
information (usernames, passwords, and other relevant
information) is stored. This database may be located either
locally on the VCS, or on an LDAP Directory Server. The VCS
looks up the endpoint’s username in the database and retrieves
the authentication credentials for that entry. If the credentials
match those supplied by the endpoint, the registration is allowed
to proceed.
The VCS supports the

ITU H.235 specification [1]

for

authenticating the identity of H.323 network devices with which
it communicates.

Authentication

Mode

Determines whether systems attempting to
communicate with the VCS must authenticate
with it first.

: For H.323, any credentials in the message

are checked against the authentication
database. The message is allowed if
the credentials match, or if there are no
credentials in the message. For SIP, any
messages originating from an endpoint in a
local domain will be authenticated.

Off

: no authentication is required for

endpoints.
The default is

Off

Database type

Determines which database the VCS will use
during authentication.

LocalDatabase

: the local database is used.

You must

configure the Local database

to use

this option.

LDAP

: A remote LDAP database is used. You

must

configure the LDAP server

to use this

option.
The default is

LocalDatabase

If the VCS is a traversal server, you
must ensure that each traversal
client’s authentication credentials are

entered into the selected database.

Configuring Authentication

To configure the

Authentication Mode

of the VCS, and the

Database

it will use:

VCS Configuration > Authentication > Configuration

•

You will be taken to the

Authentication Configuration

page.

xConfiguration Authenticatio

•

Accurate timestamps play an important part in authentication, helping to
guard against replay attacks. For this reason, if you are using
authentication, both the VCS and the endpoints must use an NTP server

to synchronize their system time. See the

NTP

section for information on how to

configure this for the VCS.

Authentication Mode

The VCS can be configured to use a username and password-
based challenge-response scheme to determine whether it will
permit communications from other systems. This process is
known as authentication. When

Authentication Mode

systems attempting to communicate with the VCS, including
endpoints attempting to send registration requests to the VCS,
must first authenticate with it.