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Transactions and the branch cookie
A transaction is identified by the branch, and a retransmission repeats that branch instead of starting a new one.
Learn in 5 minutes
- Use the branch as the transaction id
- Separate a retransmission from a new request
- Apply the ACK branch rule for 2xx and non-2xx
Visual
Calling retransmits. Proceeding waits. A 2xx is handed to the transaction user because its ACK is a new transaction.
Worked example
Compare the two branches Inspect the retransmitted INVITE and the ACK. Decide which hop starts a new transaction.
- Step to the second INVITE.
- Compare its branch with the first.
- Inspect the ACK branch.
Fault
The UAS keeps retransmitting 200 OK. The ACK is on the wire with the INVITE's branch.
Reusing the INVITE branch makes this ACK look like part of the INVITE transaction, which is the non-2xx rule.
Quiz
Ecosystem
Glossary, sister systems, and the integration seam for this room.
Analytics Amazon Connect can attach conversational analytics to an external voice system with a SIPREC connector. The analytics plane is not a second SIP proxy for the customer call.
Sources and go deeper
- RFC 3261 §8.1.1.7 — last checked 2026-10
- RFC 3261 §17 — last checked 2026-10
- RFC 6026 — last checked 2026-10