Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) training will cover CUCM basics and advanced configurations over three days. The instructor will use a demo environment including two CUCM servers and a Cisco Unity Connection voicemail server. Topics will include CUCM architecture, installation, upgrades, backups/restores, protocols, phones, gateways, and more. The goal is to explain how CUCM works from the perspective of a customer.

1. Cisco
Unified Communications Manager
Training
Author – Barry Hesk
26-28/02/2013

2. Schedule
Introduction
CUCM Basics
Advanced Configurations and Topics
26-28/02/2013

3. Introduction
“Instructor”- Barry Hesk
Demo Environment
2 x CUCM 8.5 Servers
1 x Cisco Unity Connection (Voicemail)
Focus on the “world according to Customer x”
26-28/02/2013

4. Platform and Architecture
CUCM 5.x and higher – delivered on dedicated Linux based
Operating System (RHEL)
OS and application bundled into single image
Owned, supported and maintained by Cisco
No supported direct root / shell access
CUCM 4.x and lower – Windows 2000 / 2003 server
platform. Separate OS and Application (although use of
Windows update was prohibited)
CUCM 4.x and lower – SQL database engine.
CUCM 5.x and higher – INFORMIX database engine.
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5. Publisher / Subscriber
Master server is called the “Publisher” and is the database “owner”.
One Publisher per CUCM cluster.
Up to eight call processing “Subscriber” servers can be installed within a CUCM
cluster which replicate the database from the Publisher.
Any to any DB replication required between all servers in the cluster. List of
TCP/UDP ports available.
Publisher is the most important device in the cluster. All configuration changes
are made by the Publisher to the DB, and are replicated to Subscribers (even if
they are made via a Sub GUI).
If Publisher is down – or inaccessible – then no major changes can be made to
the DB.
Some limited changes are still permitted (Call Forward, Extension Mobility login,
toggle DND and a few others).
Cannot promote Subscriber to a Publisher.
Publisher failure needs to be fixed ASAP!
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6. CUCM Clusters
A group of more than CUCM servers.
One Publisher per cluster
Clusters can be interconnected by Inter Cluster Trunks
(ICTs).
Any to Any call flows required even across ICTs
(configurable)
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7. Hardware Platforms
Traditionally CUCM deployed on Cisco MCS servers (rebadged IBM/HP) or specific
IBM/HP servers
Cisco UCS hardware is now Cisco’s preferred platform (the reason they fell out with
HP)
Rebadged IBM MCS servers are still available.
CUCM 8.x provide full support for VMware (4.x and higher)
Intel Processors only
http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Unified_Communications_VMware_Requirements
OVA files available to simplify provisioning.
Server platform defines number of handsets that can be registered on a servers
7816 – 500
7825 – 1,000
7835 – 2,500
7845 – 7,500
VMware – size dependant on OVA file used up to a maximum of 10,000
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8. Installation Process
Single bootable image (ISO). Cannot be downloaded
from Cisco’s web site.
For new Subscriber – must have network
connectivity (including firewall access) to Publisher,
plus cluster security password.
Each Subscriber consumes a server license on the
Publisher
Subscriber licenses are (now) FOC.
Firewall rules very important!
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9. Upgrade Process
Single ISO image which can be downloaded from Cisco’s web
site.
Full reimage of each server.
Active / Inactive partitions
Upgrade always updates Inactive Partition
“switch version” command swaps partitions and reboots
Publisher server must be done first.
Subscribers can be done after Publisher complete
Many upgrades can be done “online” – “switch version” is
disruptive.
Current upgrades to version 8.6/9.0 mean that servers are
down for the duration (upgrade to RHEL core)
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10. Phone Firmware
Phone Firmware
New phone firmware can be downloaded from
Cisco’s website.
Installed onto all servers in the cluster.
Must restart TFTP service on each cluster member.
By default all phones of the same type will upgrade
next time they reset
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11. Backup / Restore
Uses Cisco’s utilities (Disaster Recover System)
Publisher backs up Publisher and Subscribers to remote
SFTP server
DRS system can restore Publisher and Subscribers,
individually or together
Full system replacement (cannot restore parts of the
system).
Cannot view contents of the backup.
Used to replace failed servers within a cluster.
Vital to have a valid backup of the Publisher
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12. External Apps
CUCM provides call control only
Voicemail provided by
Cisco Unity – runs on Windows platform, now EoS (Unified Messaging)
Cisco Unity Connection – runs on same OS CUCM (UM now supported)
Cisco Unity Express – runs on module within Cisco ISR.
Presence
Cisco Unified Presence Server (CUPS)
Provides IM, Presence and desk phone control
Runs same underling OS as CUCM/CUC
None of these apps can be co-resident with each other (VMware)
Cisco Business Edition 5000 provides co-resident CUCM and CUC; however
this product is now EoS.
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13. Voice Protocols
Trunk Side Protocols
Used for “server” to “server” signalling
SIP – TCP/UDP 5060
Derived from XML. Commonly used to connect to ITSPs for
external calls.
H.323 – TCP/1720
Simple protocol; tried and trusted and used by default in GKN.
MGCP – TCP 2427
Not used in GKN; bugs + functional issues (no support for
fractional T1/E1). Issues with fax / modems
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14. Voice Protocols
Client / Device Side Protocols
Used for “client” to “server” signalling
SCCP (Skinny) –TCP/2000
Cisco proprietary protocol
Default on all Cisco 79XX handsets
Most feature rich option (and less bugs)
SIP – TCP/UDP 5060
Industry standard protocol
SIP firmware images available for most Cisco handsets
Some newer handsets are SIP only (89XX/99XX)
Jabber / CUPC clients are SIP only
RealTime Transport Protocol (RTP)
Used to transport audio between devices
RTP session required in both direction (2 flows per call)
Audio in CUCM environment flows end point to endpoint: CUCM only does signalling!
RTP uses random UDP port number.
RTP is unencrypted. Can be captured and replayed through Wireshark and other tools.
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15. Video and CUCM
CUCM natively supports point to point video between
enabled endpoints
Includes cross cluster.
Possible to do video across external gateways (e.g.
Lync / other H.323 or SIP system)
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16. Cisco IP Handsets
69XX, 79XX, 89XX, 99XX
Wide range of wired / wireless phones
Video camera options
Cannot use entry level SPA phones with CUCM
7915/16 side cars require power supplies!
ATA / VGXXX
Analog gateways for modem / faxes
ATA 187 newer model which has lots of software issues.
Can also use Cisco 2900 ISR with FXS ports.
CUCM generally supports all phones in new releases (i.e. it does not drop support for old EoS
phones).
SPA5xx phones use SPCP protocol not SCCP; SPCP is only supported on UC500 series
platforms
Software Phones
Cisco IP Communicator
Cisco CSF (software based phone that Jabber for Windows / CUPC use) 26-28/02/2013
Jabber for Android / Jabber for iPhone / Blackberry MVS

17. Cisco IP Handsets
Phone Boot Sequence (useful for troubleshooting)
For PoE, phone detects and requests power. None PoE requires power supply
Phone communicates to switch via CDP
CDP MUST be enabled on the switch
Switch returns “voice VLAN” setting to the phone.
Switch boots in voice VLAN and requests IP address via DHCP.
DHCP server returns IP address of CUCM Server(s) by option 150.
Phone contacts CUCM Server(s) and requests phone configuration file.
Phone config file contains
Phone firmware (with automatic upgrade / downgrade)
CUCM server(s) to register with
Extension number settings etc
Phone’s switch port is placed in “access” VLAN.
If “auto qos” is enabled on the switch port, QoS is automatically configured.
Interface FastEthernet0/0
Switchport mode access
Switchport access vlan 100
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Switchport voice vlan 200
Auto qos voip cisco-phone

18. Gateways
CUCM has no connectivity other than Ethernet/IP
Needs external gateways to connect to PSTN
Cisco 2800/2900/3800/3900 series gateways “ISRs”
CUCM communicates with gateways through H.323 or SIP trunk protocol
Gateway will be equipped with ISDN cards supporting both T1 (US) and E1 (rest
of the civilised world)
ISDN interface configured with number of channels (which cannot be changed
on the fly) called “timeslots”
Gateway also contains DSPs – one DSP channel required per external PSTN call.
Gateways also can contain analog (FXS/FXO) ports. One DSP channel required
per active call.
FXS – provides connection to analog device (phone / modem / fax machine)
FXO – provides connection to PSTN Exchange line
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Communications Manager Express embeds phone system and gateway into
single platform