This is an interesting little project that I have started. So far, the configuration of the CUCM and the install of the software has been pretty simple. Not too much of a stretch I don’t think. Of course where would we be without having to perform some sort of an upgrade to CUCM to start with. There are a couple of options for version compatibility:
CUCM 6.1.3 with a COP file loaded with the Client Services Framework device type.
CUCM 6.1.4
CUCM 7.x
Not too bad as far as available versions go. I choose just to go to 6.1.4. I was already at 6.1.1 in our lab so the jump was painless with the Linux version upgrade (that and the fact someone else offered to do it for me, very painless:-)).
There are a couple of areas that may make deployment a little difficult if you have never done them before. First is integrating CUCM into LDAP/AD. For a large enterprise this can be a little time consuming getting the right settings and everything else but the overall CUCiMOC configuration will certainly benefit from having done this step and in general your CUCM deployment will benefit from LDAP integration regardless of CUCiMOC.
The second thing people may have issues with is using group policies to setup the parameters for CUCiMOC on the PC for mass deployment. In my lab I will just alter the registry settings but a much larger deployment may choose to either script this during install or use Group policy setting which Cisco provide a template for. This is where the client locates the all-important TFTP server to down load settings from CUCM. I was a little perplexed when I first read the documentation as I skipped this piece and was beginning to think that we had to rely on DHCP. But my worst fearers were placed at ease. This was not the case and I could relax. Not that it’s a big deal for a lab test but just thinking more along the lines of deployment having to add option 150 to the data VLAN scopes is probably not ideal.
So far I haven’t had a successful call across CUCiMOC but more just wanted to jot down impressions as I moved forward. One final note, although CUCiMOC supports CDP and CER it will be problematic for off campus users to provide location information in the case of Enhanced 911 (E911). Not sure if there are any third party providers out there set to support this product yet but there is no interface to enter E911 location information.
For a comprehensive look at third party plugins for VoIP and Microsoft Communicator:
http://voipnorm.blogspot.com/2010/01/microsoft-communicator-native-versus.html
Is it possible or have it been tested to do this integration without disabling the A/V features.
ReplyDeleteCant afford to lose functions such as:
- Video
- Live Meeting
do you think there will be any effects from integration point view if these features were not disabled.
Hi Ali,
ReplyDeleteI think you can enable this feature without disabling the other A\V features in Communicator since it is mainly working in the tab but I would need to take another look at the documentation to be sure it would still work. Seems like an interesting combination. Any reason why you arent just going with enterprise voice and OCS over CUCiMOC?
Thanks Chris,
ReplyDeleteI need CUCM to handle the telephony side. And from OCS I would still want to use features that requires voice like: Live Meetings & Video Conferencing.
I usually use Direct SIP Trunks for CUCM but in this case cuestomer requirments to have user be able to control theire cisco phones and use the communicator just as a softphone for Click to Call and OCS functions.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteHave the same issue as Ali. Have a customer that would like to use OCS for presence and livemeeting (voice and web conferencing features) but has existing Cisco voice network in place. They still want to keep Cisco for all call control and unity functions, but cucimoc seems to want to disable all voice functionality in OCS 2007, which would seemingly disable livemeeting.
-b