Third-Party SIP Devices at UB

Category: Information Technology

Responsible Office: Network and Communication Services

Responsible Executive: Vice President and Chief Information Officer (VPCIO)

Date Established: July 8, 2021

Session Initiation Protocol is a signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating real-time sessions that include voice, video and messaging applications. UBIT welcomes the opportunity to integrate customer devices with the University's communications infrastructure, to provide enhanced capabilities and to allow for specialized applications.

Support is a joint responsibility shared between UBIT and yourself, your systems integrators, hired vendors, and technology support personnel.

To maintain a high quality of service, a series of responsibilities are outlined below.

Shared responsibilities are applicable to all parties involved.

UBIT/NCS is the owner and operator of the University’s communications infrastructure. We provide consultation, systems support, monitoring and maintenance for core communications infrastructure, including telephony and data networking.

You, the requesting customer, are responsible for the communications device(s) to be integrated with UBIT/NCS’s infrastructure. You maintain an awareness of your device’s requirements and life cycle. You provide contact with a systems integrator, if required, and care for your communications device as any other device connected to University systems.

The systems integrator is an external vendor who supports your communications device, its installation and configuration. The integrator may provide maintenance services, technical support or product or solution design and consultation. The integrator works with the requesting customer to communicate with UBIT/NCS.

• Engage UBIT/NCS early on, before equipment has been selected, to begin the consultation process.
• Select a Systems Integrator to support your project or installation, and plan to arrange ongoing maintenance, to ensure quality services.
• Make sure the proposed devices are right for the job. Most devices do not offer sufficient redundancies to allow their usage for life safety, business continuity, or mission critical application, without further work.
• Be aware of the products integrated and their life cycle, via vendor notifications or bulletins.
• Know when to act if security concern is discovered, and when to plan to replace your device.
• Bear the costs of procurement, installation, contracting, parts and labor.
• Test your devices regularly to ensure they are operating as desired and let UBIT/NCS or your systems integrator know when a fault is discovered.
• Give UBIT/NCS an email contact for the UBIT VoIP Users LISTSERV, to receive maintenance notifications and to ask questions.
• Verify the installation of your equipment is safe and sustainable. Cabling and fixture installation is coordinated with the right parties not only to ensure code compliance, but to keep everything running smoothly for a long time.
• Keep software and firmware up-to-date, and devices maintained. It is important to ensure that the latest security issues are fixed, and that software is up to date to be compatible and supported in case there is a need to troubleshoot.

• Communicate with each other in case a security vulnerability is found that requires mutual attention. For example, an issue that has been discovered but fixed lets everyone know we are all secure. Not all issues can be fixed, but if all parties are aware, they can work towards mitigation.
• If a security incident occurs, regardless of the scope, report it for awareness. This includes outside attacks, as well as internal misuse of equipment or services.
• Let each other know when equipment or services are reaching the end of their life or are being decommissioned. We can plan better for replacements, or to free up resources that are no longer needed.
• Communicate via UBIT VoIP Users LISTSERV to share issues, questions, concerns, or notifications of maintenance or outage.

• Provide consulting to the requesting customer, including estimates for needs where applicable, and escalation to a formal project if scope demands.
• Maintain and support the communications infrastructure we provide. This includes life cycle planning, to ensure we offer sustainable services that meet needs, with milestones that can be used for planning.
• We will work with the requesting customer to provide best-effort troubleshooting of issues. Through the customer, we can help provide information and findings to a systems integrator or vendor.
• Communicate equipment life cycle milestones, maintenance windows, security issues, and known issues to our customers, so that their services may be operated successfully.
• Maintain service to the customer’s devices as long as it remains feasible to do so. Should a device’s malfunction, incompatibility, or security risk pose a threat, we will communicate before acting.

• Consult on, install, configure, and maintain communications devices. Vendor and industry best practices should be followed, along with University guidelines and polices. Quality work is important.
• Provide the necessary documentation to maintain the installed equipment and obtain support.

• Your systems integrator or vendor may assess charges for communications equipment installation and integration. These charges will vary with each installation. Those costs are not included in estimates for this service.
• Telephony system usage, including national long distance, secured Internet calling, and local access, are included when used for official University business.
• As of June 2021, there is no cost to add customer devices to communication systems. This is subject to change.
• Communications cabling, wiring, data activation, or other services may be required and carry additional costs external to those here. Please refer to UBIT’s Cost of Services page for current pricing.

Important: Final estimates and actual costs may vary. Please consult with UBIT early in the design process for the most accurate estimate of cost.

Office of the Vice President and Chief Information Officer
517 Capen Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: 716-645-7979
Email: vpcio@buffalo.edu
Website: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubit.html

Network and Communications Systems
Computing Center
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: 716-645-4742
Email: ronaldte@buffalo.edu

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