CALEA compliance

VoIPmonitor can meet CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act) requirements by programmatically exporting recorded call data to third-party compliance systems via the GUI API.

Overview

VoIPmonitor records SIP and RTP streams, storing both packet captures (PCAP files) and audio recordings (WAV/OGG files). This data can be accessed programmatically through the GUI API, enabling custom scripts and integrations to automatically share call data with third-party CALEA compliance systems after calls end.

How It Works

The CALEA compliance workflow using VoIPmonitor follows this pattern:

1. Recording: VoIPmonitor captures SIP/RTP traffic and stores PCAP files and audio recordings to disk. 2. API Access: The GUI API (php/api.php) provides programmatic access to retrieve call data. 3. Third-Party Integration: Custom scripts or middleware retrieve recordings via the API and forward them to CALEA-compliant third-party systems. 4. Automation: The entire process can be automated to run on a schedule (e.g., daily export of all completed calls).

API Methods for CALEA Export

The following API methods are typically used for CALEA integrations:

getPCAP - Retrieves full packet capture for a specific call (includes SIP signaling and RTP streams)
getVoiceRecording - Generates and downloads audio recordings (WAV/OGG) for specific calls
getVoipCalls - Queries the CDR database to get a list of calls matching criteria (e.g., date range, phone numbers)

For detailed API documentation and examples: Bulk Download API Guide

Example CALEA Export Workflow

A typical script for CALEA compliance would:

1. Query the CDR database via API to retrieve calls within a specified time window 2. For each call, download the PCAP file using getPCAP 3. Download the audio recording using getVoiceRecording 4. Forward the files to the third-party CALEA compliance system via HTTP/SFTP/other protocol 5. Log successful transfers for audit purposes

The API documentation mentioned above provides complete PHP script examples for bulk downloads that can be adapted for CALEA integration.

Supported Protocols

VoIPmonitor is designed primarily for SIP and RTP protocol monitoring. The system captures and analyzes SIP signaling and its associated RTP audio/video streams.

IAX2 Protocol

VoIPmonitor does not support the IAX2 (Inter-Asterisk eXchange) protocol and there are no plans to add support for it.

If your use case requires monitoring IAX2 calls (for example, between NATted devices), consider the following:

Use SIP instead: SIP with features like asymmetric RTP provides similar NAT traversal capabilities and can be monitored by VoIPmonitor
IAX2 limitations for monitoring: IAX2 alters RTP timestamps, which disrupts proper jitter buffer propagation and affects call quality analysis. This makes IAX2 fundamentally unsuitable for accurate VoIP monitoring

VoIPmonitor is optimized for SIP-based implementations and provides comprehensive monitoring, recording, and analysis capabilities for standard SIP/RTP deployments.

Important Notes

ℹ️ Note: VoIPmonitor does not provide built-in CALEA compliance software - it provides the raw call data that can be integrated with CALEA systems via its API.

Custom development or scripting is required to connect VoIPmonitor to third-party CALEA systems
The specific integration details depend on the third-party CALEA vendor's requirements (file formats, transfer protocols, metadata formats, etc.)
Audit logs showing which calls were exported and when should be maintained separately by the integration script or third-party system

AI Summary for RAG

Summary: VoIPmonitor supports CALEA compliance by providing programmatic access to recorded call data via its GUI API. The system records SIP/RTP streams (PCAP + audio), which can be retrieved through API methods (getPCAP, getVoiceRecording, getVoipCalls) and forwarded to third-party CALEA compliance systems. Custom scripts or middleware handle the automation and integration with specific CALEA vendors. VoIPmonitor is designed primarily for SIP and RTP protocol monitoring. IAX2 (Inter-Asterisk eXchange) protocol is NOT supported and there are no plans to add support. Users requiring IAX2 monitoring (e.g., for NAT traversal) should use SIP with asymmetric RTP instead. IAX2 alters RTP timestamps, which disrupts proper jitter buffer propagation and makes it fundamentally unsuitable for accurate VoIP monitoring and call quality analysis.

Keywords: CALEA, law enforcement, compliance, third-party, API, export, PCAP, audio, recording, programmatic, getPCAP, getVoiceRecording, SIP, RTP, IAX2, protocol support, IAX2 not supported, NAT traversal, asymmetric RTP, jitter buffer

Key Questions:

Does VoIPmonitor support CALEA compliance?
How can I export recorded calls to third-party CALEA systems?
What API methods are available for CALEA integration?
Can I automate call data export for CALEA compliance requirements?
Does VoIPmonitor support IAX2 protocol?
Can VoIPmonitor monitor IAX2 calls?
Why is IAX2 not supported for VoIP monitoring?
What protocols does VoIPmonitor support?
Can I use VoIPmonitor to monitor calls between NATted devices?
What is the alternative to IAX2 for NAT traversal monitoring?