SIP Back to Back User Benchmarking

In the branch of performance testing of SIP based infrastructure no standardized methodology has been adopted yet. This is why we decided to develop a methodology suitable for testing and evaluating SIP server's performance. This paper should open a discussion about defining the parameters and methodology for benchmarking SIP based infrastructure, because it is the keystone in modern NGN voice communications. The methodology presented in this paper focuses on one particular variant of the SIP server - the Back to Back User Agent (B2BUA), as it is one of the most commonly used solution in the VoIP. The method is enhanced by the definition of the performance rating factor, which allows for comparing the performance of the different B2BUAs platform independently. This factor utilizes one of the features of the B2BUA - the fact that media during the call are passing through the SIP server. The whole method is described in this paper and confirmed experimentally as well.