MGCP is a device control protocol, where a slave gateway (MG, Media Gateway) is controlled by a master (MGC, Media Gateway Controller, also called a Call Agent).
MGCP, Media Gateway Control Protocol, is an internal VoIP protocol whose architecture differs from the rest of the VoIP protocols because it is of the client - server type. MGCP is informally defined in RFC 3435, and although it does not hold the rank of standard, its successor, Megaco is accepted and defined as a recommendation in RFC 3015.
It is composed of:
A traditional gateway fulfills the function of offering connectivity and translation between two different and incompatible networks, such as Packet Switching and Circuit Switching. In this function, the gateway performs the conversion of the data flow, and also performs the conversion of the signaling, bidirectionally.
MGCP conceptually separates these functions into the three previously mentioned elements. Thus, the conversion of the multimedia content is done by the MG, the control of the signaling of the IP side is performed by the MGC, and the control of signaling on the side of the circuit switching network is performed by the SG.
MGCP introduces this division in the roles with the intention of relieving the entity in charge of transforming the audio for both sides of the signaling tasks, concentrating in the MGC the processing of the signaling.
QoS quality control is integrated into the GW gateway or the MGC call controller. This protocol has its origin in the SGCP (from Cisco and Bellcore) and IPDC. Bellcore and Level3 raised the MGCP to several organisms.
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