Johann's Unified Communications : cisco

Cisco UC v4/5/6 supported for Direct-SIP with OCS R2

jkruse — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 08:46:34 GMT

The UC Open Interoperability Program has been updated and Cisco Unified Communications Manager (aka Call Manager) versions 4, 5 & 6 are now supported for Direct-SIP connectivity with OCS R2.

This means that back-end integration can be configured between Cisco UC and OCS without the need for a gateway, and without requiring multiple client applications or softphones to be installed on the desktop.

Office Communicator can make/receive phonecalls using Cisco UC as a “PSTN gateway”, but without the need for client plug-ins which can cause version incompatibilities.

So mobile/remote users get the advantages of software-based wideband audio/video/conferencing with VPN-less access via the OCS Edge Server (without requiring an ASA or the associated remote-client licences), and people at their desk can still use their Cisco “hard-phones”.

IP-PBX Vendor	Tested Product	Supported Configuration	Software Versions Tested	OCS 2007 R2	OCS 2007
Cisco	Cisco Unified Communications Manager	Direct SIP	4.2(3)_SR3a
			4.2(3)_SR4b
			5.1(1b)
			5.1(3e)
			6.1(1b)
			6.1(3a)

Known Limitations:

The PRACK message sent by CUCM 4.2(3) is malformed by missing the MAXFORWARDS header. As a result, this configuration requires PRACK to be disabled. By default, PRACK is disabled in CUCM 4.2(3)

For Office Communications Server 2007, this support requires update package for Communications Server 2007 Mediation Server: August 2008 .

OCS 2007 may not appropriately normalize the PAI in the 200 OK or UPDATE, resulting in OC displaying a non RFC3966 formatted global number and in failed RNL on OC. When calling from OC 2007 to a Cisco phone number, after the caller gets connected, the name of the person on the Cisco phone may not be shown on Communicator, and instead OC may display the E.164 number (without a "+") for the person on the Cisco phone. This is resolved in OCS 2007 R2

When calling from OC 2007 to a Cisco phone number, where the Cisco extension is disconnected or out of service, the Cisco IP-PBX may not notify OC 2007 in a timely manner. This has been remediated in OCS 2007 R2.

More information and updates at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/bb735838.aspx#direct, and example configuration for Call Manager 4 at http://communicationsserverteam.com/archive/2008/09/30/302.aspx

Configuring Cisco CallManager 4.2.1 for Direct-SIP with OCS

jkruse — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:19:11 GMT

There is a great post over at the OCS Team Blog outlining the steps required to configure a Direct SIP connection between OCS and Cisco CallManager 4.2.1.

It covers the configuration steps required for both OCS and CCM – check it out at http://communicationsserverteam.com/archive/2008/09/30/302.aspx

UC Case Study: Cisco

jkruse — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:14:56 GMT

Alex Lewis has written an interesting post over at Network World about Cisco and their UC stack. Alex’s view is that Cisco have a very wide Communications portfolio and a great VoIP product, but they don’t yet have the “Unified” part.

In summary, Cisco has a great VoIP solution but is lacking in the other areas of UC. I'd argue they're irresponsible in claiming to have a "UC offering". They have UC only by the most liberal definitions. Rebranding Cisco Call Manager to "Unified Communications Manager" is classic marketing; all sizzle, no steak. Ranting a bit, doesn't a unified communications solution need to be, you know, unified? Cisco's offering is a kludge of nearly 40 products on distinct platforms with minimal interoperability and synergy.

Check out the full article at http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/35827

Microsoft uses software edge on Cisco in Unified Communications war

jkruse — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:16:35 GMT

There is an interesting article over at SearchUnifiedCommunications.com about how the tables have turned between Microsoft and Cisco in Unified Communications. Two years ago the Yankee Group recommended Cisco, but that now seems to be changing.

Quote from the article:

"It's pretty safe to go with Microsoft now," Kerravala said. "The thought process was that VoIP is the foundation for unified communications, which meant Cisco was pretty safe. I think the conversation has changed."

Gurdeep Sing Pall commented on this recently at the OCS Team Blog:

In early 2007, Cisco was touting their three year lead on Microsoft in UC. Now, Cisco seems to have decided they were running in the wrong direction - and perhaps even in the wrong race. In the last month, Cisco has added two new software pieces to their UC puzzle and are now playing catch up to companies like Microsoft and Nortel who have long seen that the path to UC was in powerful, well-integrated software, not wires.

Cisco’s offering is the definition of “un-unified” communications. With more than 40 products, their solution is a patchwork of technologies and networking. The risk for customers is that a patchwork system is slower to roll out, harder to train users, and more expensive to manage and maintain over the long term.

By contrast, software-based unified communications is just that: “unified.” It provides customers with the power of one – one infrastructure and one user experience that simplifies and speeds deployment and adoption, and it interoperates more easily with existing systems. Businesses save costs with software-powered UC – an all-important consideration in today’s financial climate. Our customers tell us that our system slashes their overall telephony costs by 30 to 60 percent, with their long distance charges reduced by up to 76 percent, and almost one-third sliced off their mobile telephony overhead. Those are some pretty compelling economics.

We shipped Microsoft’s UC platform in Office Communications Server and Exchange Server 12 months ago, and today, more than half of Fortune 500 companies are using the technology.

My question is…… what do you think is more likely to happen – Microsoft becomes good at telephony, or Cisco becomes good at software and collaboration?

Watch this space.

Direct SIP connectivity with OCS and Cisco UCM v4.2, 5.1 and 6.1

jkruse — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:36:30 GMT

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (aka CallManager) version 4.2, 5.1 and 6.1 (specific version/release below) is now certified for Direct SIP connectivity with Office Communications Server.

Direct SIP allows connectivity between the OCS mediation server and the Cisco IP-PBX without the need for a gateway, meaning that Office Communicator users can be enabled for Enterprise Voice (i.e. Office Communicator is a full soft-phone, not just click-to-call or RCC) without significant upgrades or hardware replacements.

More detail at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/bb735838.aspx

IP-PBX Vendor

Tested Product

Qualification Level

Software Version Tested

Vendor’s Web site

Cisco

Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Direct SIP

4.2[3]sr3a

5.1.3.3000-5 & 5.1.3.1000-12

6.1.1.3000-2

(requires update package for Communications Server 2007 Mediation Server: August 2008)

Cisco

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Cisco and Microsoft CEOs Share Vision for the Future of the Industry

jkruse — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:08:12 GMT

NEW YORK - Aug. 20, 2007 -- Participating in discussions today in New York, Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will share their views on the future of technology and discuss their plans to strengthen their collaboration to meet customer demands for improved interoperability between the network and software solutions that the two companies provide.

Today’s events include a discussion between Chambers and Ballmer, moderated by television interviewer and journalist Charlie Rose, and an executive roundtable where the two CEOs will sit down with CIOs from leading enterprise companies to better understand how Microsoft and Cisco can work together to help businesses succeed. As part of today’s discussions, the CEOs will talk about the four industry trends that customers are asking the two companies to address and they will highlight seven specific technology initiatives where Cisco and Microsoft will focus their efforts.

Read the transcript here, the Q&A here, or watch the webcast here.

Technorati Tags: uc, cisco, interop, webcast

Unified Messaging PBX Configuration notes for Cisco Call Manager (preview)

jkruse — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:23:00 GMT

Microsoft Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging PBX Configuration Note for Cisco Call Manager 4.1 (Preview)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=16fb1346-6b8f-47b0-8961-c05ccde0a88a&DisplayLang=en

This PBX configuration note (preview) contains information about deploying Exchange 2007 UM with a Cisco Call Manager 4.1 using direct SIP connection. You can use it to help decide if Exchange 2007 UM is the appropriate solution for your organization.

Microsoft Exchange 2007 Unified Messaging PBX Configuration Note for Cisco Call Manager 5.1 (Preview)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=86b2b1a1-ffc3-459d-b2ce-58f5b160047e&DisplayLang=en

This PBX configuration note (preview) contains information about deploying Exchange 2007 UM with a Cisco Call Manager 5.1 using direct SIP connection. You can use it to help decide if Exchange 2007 UM is the appropriate solution for your organization.