# Trace Server – A Better Way to Monitor SIP Messages and QoS for PortSIP PBX
PortSIP has built the **PortSIP Trace Server** on top of the open-source **HOMER** project to provide a powerful, centralized solution for troubleshooting SIP signaling, SIP trunks, endpoints, and media quality issues.
The Trace Server enables you to:
* Access SIP and RTCP (QoS) captures through a web-based UI
* Centrally store SIP capture data from multiple hosts
* Filter SIP messages intuitively and correlate them to dialogs and transactions
* Automatically age out capture data after a configurable retention period
* Visualize calls and RTCP QoS metrics using clear, interactive charts
***
### Supported Operating Systems
* **Ubuntu**: 20.04, 22.04, 24.04
* **Debian**: 11.x, 12.x
* **Architecture**: 64-bit only
***
### Preparing the Linux Host
Because the Trace Server processes a high volume of SIP and RTCP data, it requires sufficient CPU and memory resources.
#### Recommended Hardware Specifications
| Concurrent Calls | CPU Cores | Memory |
| ---------------- | --------- | ------ |
| Up to 200 | 2–4 | 2–4 GB |
| Up to 1,000 | 4 | 4 GB |
| Up to 5,000 | 8–10 | 8 GB |
| Up to 10,000 | 16–20 | 16 GB |
> **Important**\
> The PortSIP Trace Server **must not** be installed on the same server as the PortSIP PBX. Running both services on one host may lead to performance degradation or undefined behavior.
***
### Firewall Requirements
Ensure that the server firewall and any cloud security groups allow the following ports:
* **TCP 9061** – Receiving SIP messages from PortSIP PBX
* **UDP 9060** – RTCP/QoS data
* **TCP 9080** – Trace Server Web Portal
***
### Installing PortSIP Trace Server
#### Prerequisites
* System date and time must be correctly synchronized
* All commands must be executed as **root**
```bash
su root
```
***
#### Download Installation Scripts
```bash
mkdir -p /opt/portsip-trace && cd /opt/portsip-trace
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portsip/portsip-pbx-sh/master/v22.x/install_docker.sh -o install_docker.sh
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portsip/portsip-pbx-sh/master/v22.x/trace_ctl.sh -o trace_ctl.sh
```
***
#### Install the Docker Environment
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh install_docker.sh
```
***
#### Run the Trace Server (Default Settings)
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh run
```
***
#### Optional Runtime Parameters
You can customize the Trace Server using the following options:
* `-p` – Data storage path (default: `/var/lib/portsip`)
* `-k` – Retention period in days (default: `5`)
* `-l` – Web portal listening port (default: `9080`)
* `-z` – SIP message receiving port (default: `9061`)
> **Note**\
> Ensure the specified data path contains **no spaces**.
***
#### Example: Custom Configuration
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && \
/bin/sh trace_ctl.sh run \
-p /opt/portsip/trace \
-k 30 \
-l 12345 \
-z 23456
```
* Data path: `/opt/portsip/trace`
* Retention: 30 days
* Web portal port: 12345
* SIP receiving port: 23456
***
### Accessing the Trace Server Web Portal
* Default:
```
http://trace-server-ip:9080
```
* Custom port:
```
http://trace-server-ip:12345
```
> If deployed on a cloud platform, ensure the web portal port is allowed in the cloud firewall or security group.
#### Default Credentials
* **Username**: `admin`
* **Password**: `admin`
> **Security Recommendation**\
> Change the default password immediately after first login.
***
### Enabling SIP Trace in PortSIP PBX
1. Sign in to the **PortSIP PBX Web Portal**
2. Go to: **Advanced > Settings**
3. On the **General** page, enter the Trace Server details:
* Trace Server IP
* Trace Server Port (default: 9061 or the value specified with `-z`)
4. Click **OK**
After configuration, the PBX will forward **all SIP messages** to the Trace Server.
> **Important**\
> Always enter the **actual Trace Server IP and port** used during installation.
***
### Disabling SIP Trace in PortSIP PBX
1. Go to: **Advanced > Settings**
2. Clear the Trace Server IP and Port fields
3. Click **OK**
> **Best Practice**\
> SIP tracing should remain **disabled during normal operation** and enabled **only for troubleshooting**, as continuous tracing consumes CPU, memory, and disk resources and may affect PBX performance.
***
### Troubleshooting SIP Messages
In the Trace Server Web Portal:
* Select **Home** to view call-related SIP messages
* Select **REGISTRATION** to view REGISTER traffic
Click a SIP **method name** to view detailed message contents.
#### Advanced Searching
You can search SIP messages using:
* `Call-ID`
* `X-Session-Id`
* `X-CID`
These identifiers allow precise tracking of calls across multiple legs and systems.
Clicking a **Session ID** displays the complete SIP call flow for that session.
***
### Troubleshooting RTP and QoS
The Trace Server supports monitoring call quality using **RTCP** data.
1. Open the **QoS** tab
2. Analyze metrics such as:
* Packets
* Octets
* Jitter
* Packet loss
* Other RTP quality indicators
These charts help identify media issues such as network congestion, packet loss, or jitter spikes.
***
### Managing the Trace Server
Use the following commands to manage the service:
#### Start
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh start
```
#### Check Status
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh status
```
#### Restart
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh restart
```
#### Stop
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh stop
```
#### Remove
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh rm
```
***
### Upgrading the Trace Server
To upgrade to the latest version:
1. Stop the service:
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh stop
```
2. Remove the service:
```bash
cd /opt/portsip-trace && /bin/sh trace_ctl.sh rm
```
3. Reinstall by following the [Installing PortSIP Trace Server](#installing-portsip-trace-server) section above.
