Chapter 29. SIP Server


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SIP, standing for Standard Interchange Protocol, was developed by the 3M corporation to be a common protocol for data transfer between ILS' (referred to in SIP as an ACS, or Automated Circulation System) and a third party device. Originally, the protocol was developed for use with 3M SelfCheck (often abbreviated SC, not to be confused with Staff Client) systems, but has since expanded to other companies and devices. It is now common to find SIP in use in several other vendors' SelfCheck systems, as well as other non-SelfCheck devices. Some examples include:

Patron Authentication (computer access, subscription databases)
Automated Material Handling (AMH)
- The automated sorting of items, often to bins or book carts, based on shelving location or other programmable criteria

Installing the SIP Server

This is a rough intro to installing the SIP server for Evergreen.

Getting the code

Current SIP server code lives at in the Evergreen git repository:

cd /opt
git clone git://git.evergreen-ils.org/SIPServer.git SIPServer

Configuring the Server

Type the following commands from the command prompt:

$ sudo su opensrf
$ cd /openils/conf
$ cp oils_sip.xml.example oils_sip.xml

Edit oils_sip.xml. Change the commented out <server-params> section to this:

<server-params
   min_spare_servers='1'
   max_spare_servers='2'
   min_servers='3'
   max_servers='25'
             />

max_servers will directly correspond to the number of allowed SIP clients. Set the number accordingly, but bear in mind that too many connections can exhaust memory. On a 4G RAM/4 CPU server (that is also running evergreen), it is not recommended to exceed 100 SIP client connections.

Adding SIP Users

Type the following commands from the command prompt:
```
$ sudo su opensrf
$ cd /openils/conf
```
In the <accounts> section, add SIP client login information. Make sure that all <logins> use the same institution attribute, and make sure the institution is listed in <institutions>. All attributes in the <login> section will be used by the SIP client.

In Evergreen, create a new profile group called SIP. This group should be a sub-group of Users (not Staff or Patrons). Set Editing Permission as group_application.user.sip_client and give the group the following permissions:

COPY_CHECKIN
COPY_CHECKOUT
CREATE_PAYMENT
RENEW_CIRC
VIEW_CIRCULATIONS
VIEW_COPY_CHECKOUT_HISTORY
VIEW_PERMIT_CHECKOUT
VIEW_USER
VIEW_USER_FINES_SUMMARY
VIEW_USER_TRANSACTIONS

OR use SQL like:

INSERT INTO permission.grp_tree (name,parent,description,application_perm)
VALUES ('SIP', 1, 'SIP2 Client Systems', 'group_application.user.sip_client');

INSERT INTO
  permission.grp_perm_map (grp, perm, depth, grantable)
SELECT
  g.id, p.id, 0, FALSE
FROM
  permission.grp_tree g,
  permission.perm_list p
WHERE
  g.name = 'SIP' AND
  p.code IN (
    'COPY_CHECKIN',
    'COPY_CHECKOUT',
    'RENEW_CIRC',
    'VIEW_CIRCULATIONS',
    'VIEW_COPY_CHECKOUT_HISTORY',
    'VIEW_PERMIT_CHECKOUT',
    'VIEW_USER',
    'VIEW_USER_FINES_SUMMARY',
    'VIEW_USER_TRANSACTIONS'
 );

Verify:

SELECT *
FROM permission.grp_perm_map pgpm
    INNER JOIN permission.perm_list ppl ON pgpm.perm = ppl.id
    INNER JOIN permission.grp_tree pgt ON pgt.id = pgpm.grp
WHERE pgt.name = 'SIP';

For each account created in the <login> section of oils_sip.xml, create a user (via the staff client user editor) that has the same username and password and put that user into the SIP group.

Note

The expiration date will affect the SIP users' connection so you might want to make a note of this somewhere.

Running the server

To start the SIP server type the following commands from the command prompt:

$ sudo su opensrf

$ oils_ctl.sh -a [start|stop|restart]_sip

Logging-SIP

Syslog

It is useful to log SIP requests to a separate file especially during initial setup by modifying your syslog config file.

Edit syslog.conf.

$ sudo vi /etc/syslog.conf  # maybe /etc/rsyslog.conf

Add this:

local6.*                -/var/log/SIP_evergreen.log

Syslog expects the logfile to exist so create the file.
```
$ sudo touch /var/log/SIP_evergreen.log
```
Restart sysklogd.
```
$ sudo /etc/init.d/sysklogd restart
```

Syslog-NG

Edit logging config.
```
sudo vi /etc/syslog-ng/syslog-ng.conf
```

Add:

# +SIP2+ for Evergreen
filter    f_eg_sip { level(warn, err, crit) and facility(local6); };
destination eg_sip { file("var/log/SIP_evergreen.log"); };
log { source(s_all); filter(f_eg_sip); destination(eg_sip); };

Syslog-ng expects the logfile to exist so create the file.
```
$ sudo touch /var/log/SIP_evergreen.log
```
Restart syslog-ng
```
$ sudo /etc/init.d/syslog-ng restart
```

Testing Your SIP Connection

In the root directory of the SIPServer code:
```
$ cd SIPServer/t
```
Edit SIPtest.pm, change the $instid, $server, $username, and $password variables. This will be enough to test connectivity. To run all tests, you’ll need to change all the variables in the Configuration section.
```
$ PERL5LIB=../ perl 00sc_status.t
```
This should produce something like:
```
1..4
ok 1 - Invalid username
ok 2 - Invalid username
ok 3 - login
ok 4 - SC status
```
Don’t be dismayed at Invalid Username. That’s just one of the many tests that are run.

More Testing

Once you have opened up either the SIP OR SIP2 ports to be accessible from outside you can do some testing via telnet. You can try this with localhost if you so wish, but we want to prove that SIP2 works from non-localhost. Replace $instid, $server, $barcode, $username, and $password variables below as necessary.
Note
We are using 6001 here which is associated with SIP2 as per our configuration.
```
$ telnet $server 6001
Connected to $server.
Escape character is '^]'.
9300CN**$username**|CO**$password**|CP**$instid**
```
You should get back.
```
941
```
Now just copy in the following line (with variables replaced) you don’t need to hit enter, just paste!
```
2300120080623    172148AO**$instid**|AA**$barcode**|AC$password|AD**$password**
```
You will get back the patron information for $barcode (something similar to the what’s below).
```
24  Y           00120100113    170738AEFirstName MiddleName LastName|AA**$barcode**|BLY|CQY
|BHUSD|BV0.00|AFOK|AO**$instid**|
```
The response declares it is a valid patron BLY with a valid password CQY and shows the user’s $name.