Deploying Cisco CallManager and Unity Devices

After all predeployment tasks are completed, devices can be added to the system. This chapter discusses the tasks required to add certain devices to the CallManager cluster.

A number of types of devices can be added to the CallManager. The devices discussed in this chapter fall into one of two categories, clients or gateways. Other devices, such as gatekeepers, are discussed in future chapters.

We start by looking at clients, more specifically phones. There are a number of different models of Cisco IP phones, but the task of adding each is very similar. Next, gateways are covered. Gateways allow connectivity to another system such as the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) or another private branch exchange (PBX). In CallManager 4.0 there are over 30 different types of gateways, and although the function of each is similar, the configuration of each varies. It is not possible to provide a step-by-step guide for the configuration of each, but this chapter does include detailed steps on how to configure the most popular types.

Adding Clients

Depending on the environment, adding a phone can be as simple as plugging it into a port that has connectivity to the CallManager. Although it is possible to configure a CallManager to allow phones to be automatically added simply by connecting them to the network, it is not always wise or desired. This section explores four ways phones can be added to the system, but before adding phones to a system, there are a few more components to configure.

You are probably thinking, "Wait a minute, the last chapter discussed predeployment tasks." That's right, it did, but those were the general or global settings that should be configured. This section looks at settings that are specific to phones.

Defining Device Settings

Before adding phones, it is recommended, but not required, that some device settings be configured. Configuring the device setting first will most likely save time. These settings include Phone Button Templates, Softkey Templates, and Device Defaults. The following section explains the function of each of these and how to configure them.

Phone Button Templates

Some Cisco IP phones have buttons that can be configured for various functions. The most popular functions these buttons support are lines and speed dials. When configured as lines, extension numbers can be assigned to the buttons. Each phone must have at least one button configured as a line. When a button is configured as speed dial, administrators or users can assign a speed dial number to it, and because most Cisco phones have only a few of these buttons (one to eight), the number of speed dials that can be defined in this way is limited. The user can access additional speed dials by using a feature known as abbreviated dial, which is discussed later in this chapter.

In addition to lines and speed dial functions, these buttons may be able to be configured for other functions, depending on the phone model. There are also phones on which the buttons are not configurable. Table 3-1 shows which phones have configurable buttons and which do not.

Table 3-1. Configurable/Non-Configurable Phone Buttons

Configurable Button Phones	Fixed Button Phones
30 VIP	7902
12 SP(+)	7905
7910	7912
7920	7935
7940	7936
7960	ATA 186-188
7970	VCG

The exact function that can be assigned to buttons varies depending on the model of the phone. The 7940, 7960, and 7970 buttons can be configured as Service URL, privacy, speed dial, or line buttons. By configuring a button as a Service URL, a user may access a phone service by simply pressing the button. A button that is configured as a privacy button allows a user to make a call private. This feature is used on shared lines and prevents the other shared-line phone from entering the call. It is also possible that a button has no function assigned to it. When a button serves no function, it is labeled as "none."

When a phone is added to the system, a phone button template is associated to the phone. The template is used to determine the function each button will serve. If the phone is added via auto-registration, it uses the template defined under device defaults. Device defaults settings are discussed later in this chapter. The creation of these templates is simple because, on most phones, there are only two functions for these buttons.

To create phone button templates follow these steps:

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select Device>Device Settings>Phone Button Template.

Step 2. Select the Add a New Phone Button Template link.

Step 3. On the next page you must select an existing phone button template to copy. This is because a new phone button template must be based on an existing template. From the drop-down list in the field labeled Phone Button Template, select the standard template for the correct model of phone. For example, if you are creating a phone button template for a 7960, select the Standard 7960 Template.

Step 4. Then click the Copy button.

Step 5. A screen like that shown in Figure 3-1 displays. At first glance you may think that you have selected the wrong phone type because it shows 34 buttons instead of the six you were expecting. Because the 7960 can support two 7914 expansion modules, which support 14 buttons apiece, 34 total buttons are possible. In the Button Template Name field enter a descriptive name.

Figure 3-1 Phone Button Template Configuration

It is recommended that the Button Template Name identify the configuration of this template. For example, if the template is configured with two lines, three speed dials, and a privacy button, a good name would be "7960 2-3 w/Privacy."

Step 6. Assign the proper function to each line by selecting Service URL, Privacy, Line or Speed Dial, or None from the drop-down list next to the button number.

Step 7. Next to the feature field is a label field. Enter a descriptive label in this field such as Speed Dial 2 or Line 3.

Step 8. Click the Insert button to save the new template.

Softkey Template

In addition to the buttons that can be used for lines and speed dials, Cisco IP phones have buttons that are referred to as softkeys. These buttons (keys) allow the user to access features of the phone such as hold, transfer, conference as well as many others. The function of each key changes depending on the state of the call. Because there are often more available functions configured than physical softkeys, the last softkey functions as a toggle key allowing the user to scroll through all the available options. The softkey template allows you to determine what functions are available on the phone and in what order they display. Much like phone button templates, the softkey templates can be associated directly with a phone. However, as you saw in the last chapter, the softkeys templates are also associated to device pools, which are in turn associated with phones. By associating the softkey template to a device pool, you can easily and quickly assign the softkey template to a large number of phones. If different softkey templates are associated with a phone at both the phone level and the device pool, the one at the phone level takes precedence.

The following steps take you through the process of creating a softkey template.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select Device>Device Settings>Softkey Template.

Step 2. Click the Add a New Softkey Template link.

Step 3. On the next page you must select an existing softkey template on which to base the new template. Select a template from the drop-down list in the Create a softkey template based on field.

Step 4. Then click the Copy button.

Step 5. On the next screen, enter name and description for the new template. The description should help identify the features associated with the template.

The Application field lists the applications that are available in this template and cannot be changed in this screen.

Step 6. Click the Insert button to add the new template.

Step 7. After the template is added, you must configure it. If you want to add applications that are found on other softkey templates, click the Add Application button. If you do not wish to add applications from an existing template, skip this and the next step. For example, you would not add an application if you are simply moving or adding standard softkeys to the template.

Step 8. If you selected Add Application in the new window that displays, select the standard softkey template that contains the application you want to add to the new template and click Insert and Close.

Step 9. Click the Configure Softkey Layout link to modify the current layout.

A screen similar to that found in Figure 3-2 displays. On the left side of the screen, all of the states of the phone are listed. Because the softkeys change depending on the state of the phone, each state must be configured separately. In Figure 3-2 the new template allows access to the call-back feature. In this example the call-back softkey must be configured for all states from which it might be accessed which are On Hook and Ring Out.

Figure 3-2 Softkey Layout Configuration

Step 10. Determine which call state you want to modify and select it from the list. For instance, if you wanted to add a softkey that would appear on the phone while you were on a call, you would select Connected.

Step 11. The softkey currently assigned displays in the box on the right side of the screen labeled Selected Softkey. The softkeys that may be added display in the box on the left side labeled Unselected Softkeys. To add unselected softkeys, click once on the softkey and then click on the top arrow of the two arrows that display between the two boxes.

Because there are a limited number of softkeys on the phone, it is common to have more softkeys assigned than buttons on the phone. In this case the last button becomes a "more" button that acts as a toggling mechanism to allow users to access the other features. It is important to understand that the more button will automatically appear on the phone and is not something you configure on the template.

Step 12. To remove a current softkey, click on the softkey you wish to remove and click the bottom arrow of the two arrows that display between the boxes.

Step 13. The softkeys display on the phone in the same order that they display in the Selected Softkeys box. To change the order in which they display, highlight the desired softkey and click the up or down arrow that displays on the left side of the Selected Softkey Box.

If softkeys are used in more than one call state, for instance the callback softkey is available in the On Hook and Ring Out call states, pay attention to the position of the softkey in each of the call states. It's a good idea to keep the softkey in the same position for each call state if possible. If it is desirable to leave a softkey position unused, the Undefined softkey can be used as a placeholder.

Step 14. After you have modified all the desired call states, click the Update button.

Device Defaults

When a phone boots, it requests a configuration file from the CallManager Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server. The file that it requests is associated with the phone's Media Access Control (MAC) address. If the phone has not previously been registered with a CallManager on the system and has not been manually added, no configuration file exists. When auto-registration is being used, a phone uses a default configuration file that defines how it is to attach to the system and register. The Device Defaults settings define the values used.

Three settings are defined under the Device Defaults settings as follows:

Load Information

This is the ID of the firmware load that the device should be running. When CallManager is shipped, it includes a current version of the firmware loaded for each device. From time-to-time the firmware is upgraded to offer additional features or patches. By editing this field you can specify the ID of the new load. The next time the device boots, it downloads the new firmware load.

Device Pool

This field allows you to define which device pool is used when auto-registration takes place.

Phone Template

This field allows you to define what phone button template devices use when auto-registration takes place.

The following steps show how the device defaults are configured.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select System>Device Defaults.

Step 2. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-3 displays. Most often the Load Information can remain at default. However, from time-to-time new loads need to be deployed. In this case, locate the name of the device for which you are updating the load and enter the new load ID in the Load Information field. Make sure you enter the ID correctly and that the ID is for the correct device. Entering an invalid or incorrect ID in this field can cause the device to fail.

Figure 3-3 Device Defaults Configuration

When a new load is to be used, it must first be copied to the TFTP server so that the device will be able to download it.

Step 3. Next, you edit the Device Pool. To change the default device pool for a device, simply click the down arrow in the Device Pool field associated with the device and select the desired device pool from the list that displays.

Step 4. The last item that can be selected on this page is the phone button template. To change this item for a device, click the down arrow in the Phone Template field associated with the device and select a template from the list that displays.

Adding Phones

When a phone is added to the system, information about the phone is entered into the SQL database. This information defines nearly every aspect of the device. Phones can be added to the system in a number of ways, but the net effect is the same.

Four methods for adding phones are explored in this chapter starting with the method known as auto-registration. Before delving too deeply into this method, let's take a quick look at all four.

1. Auto-Registration— allows phones to be plugged into the system and automatically register. An extension is assigned to the phone from a range defined by the administrator.
2. Manual— all information for the phones manually entered before the phone is plugged in.
3. Bulk Administration Tool (BAT)— information for a large number of phones inserted using BAT. This is done by entering the information into a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file and then using BAT to insert the information into the CallManager database.
4. Tools for Auto-Registration Phone Support (TAPS)— Similar to BAT except that the MAC address is not entered in the CSV file and additional steps are required when the phone is plugged into the network. However, even with the additional steps, it is quicker than just using BAT when performing a large installation.

Auto-Registration

As the name implies, using this method allows phones to register to the system by merely being plugged into the CallManager network. Although this method has the advantage of allowing you to quickly add phones, it has its disadvantages as well. When a phone is added this way, it is assigned an extension number from a range of numbers that you define. It assigns these extensions in a first-come-first-served fashion. For instance, if you defined the range to be from 2000 to 2100, the first phone to register would receive the extension 2000, the second 2001, and so on. You can see how this may not be desirable. If you are fortunate enough to be performing a deployment in which you can assign extensions as you wish, then this may not be a concern. However, in situations such as when you are replacing an existing PBX, you will most likely want to reuse the existing extensions, hence the auto assignment of extensions may not be desirable. Auto-registration may still be used in these environments; you will just need to modify the extensions that were automatically assigned.

Rogue phones are another anomaly that can arise when auto-registration is used. If improperly configured, it is possible for a phone to be added to the system without your knowledge. The addition would, of course, have to be made by someone who has a Cisco IP phone and is able to plug it into your network. Although this may seem less than likely, it is still important to ensure that the dialing capabilities be restricted for any rogue phones that may find their way onto your system. This is done by defining a Calling Search Space (CSS) for auto-registration in the device pool. CSS defines a device's calling privileges. This concept is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control. Choose a CSS that has limited access, perhaps only internal or local access. This, however, also has a drawback. Limiting the CSS of auto-registered phones means that all phones that are added using auto-registration will have a limited CSS. This means for a phone that was added through auto-registration to have greater calling privileges, the CSS must be changed. Often auto-registration is used during the initial deployment and then turned off.

As you can see, using auto-registration has both benefits and drawbacks. The choice of whether to use it depends on the environment and is ultimately up to you.

If all the previously discussed predeployment tasks have been completed, very little additional configuration is required to implement auto-registration. All that needs to be done is to assign an extension range and enable auto-registration at the CallManager Group. If you choose to use auto-registration, the steps that follow help walk you through these tasks.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select System>Cisco CallManager.

Step 2. Enter search criteria in the search field, and click Find. You may also leave the search field blank and click Find. This results in all CallManagers being displayed.

Step 3. From the list that displays, select the CallManager on which you want to enable auto-registration.

Step 4. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-4 displays. Enter the starting extension number in the Starting Directory Number field and the ending extension in the Ending Directory Number field.

Figure 3-4 CallManager Configuration for Auto-Registration

Step 5. You should notice that in the Auto-Registration Information field the Auto-Registration Disabled checkbox is unchecked at this point. This checkbox automatically becomes unchecked when you enter a starting and ending extension number. DO NOT check this box. Checking this box resets the starting and ending extension numbers.

Step 6. Click the Update button to save settings.

After an extension range is defined, you need to enable auto-registration for the CallManager group. The steps that follow show how this is done.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select System>Cisco CallManager Group.

Step 2. Enter search criteria in the search field and click Find. You may also leave the search field blank and click Find. This results in displaying all CallManager Groups.

Step 3. From the list that displays, select the CallManager Group on which you want to enable auto-registration.

Step 4. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-5 displays. Check the Auto-registration Cisco CallManager Group box.

Figure 3-5 CallManager Group Configuration for Auto-registration

Only one CallManager Group may be selected as the Auto-registration CallManager Group. If you check this box and there is already an existing Auto-registration CallManager Group, a window displays stating, "You have selected this Cisco CallManager Group to be the Auto-registration Cisco CallManager Group. The old Auto-registration Cisco CallManager Group will be deselected." Only check that box for the CallManager Group that is responsible for auto-registration.

Step 5. Click the Update button to save changes.

Manually Adding Phones

In addition to using auto-registration to add phones, you can manually add them. You often add phones manually for a small number of phones (such as 20). If all the predeployment tasks have been completed, the manual adding of phones is quite simple. This section takes you through the steps of the process of manually adding phones.

Manually adding phones has very few drawbacks, aside from the fact that it can be somewhat time consuming. You must enter the MAC address and other information, such as device pool and directory numbers, when you add each phone. Because CCMAdmin is a web-base interface, you must wait for the page to reload when you update information. Although a second or two may not seem too long, when you have to wait for multiple page reloads, it can start to add up. That is just the nature of this type of interface and little can be done about it.

The steps that follow take you through the process of manually adding a phone and explore each field that can be populated for each phone. A brief description is included for any field that has not yet been discussed in this book. The phone used in these steps is a 7960, but the process is very similar for most of the more popular Cisco IP Phone models. When you add other phone models, a field may not display. This simply means that the model does not require or support that particular field. Because there are a number of steps to this process, section headings are used to mark the point at which each new set of parameters begins. These same headings display on the configuration screen as well, which should help you keep track of where you are.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select Device>Add a New Device.

Step 2. Select Phone from the drop-down list and click Next.

Step 3. A new page displays. From the drop-down list, select the type of phone you want to add. Click Next.

Device Information

Step 4. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-6 should display. The first field that must be entered is the MAC Address of the phone. The MAC address can be found on the back of the phone as well as the box in which the phone was packaged.

Figure 3-6 Phone Configuration

It seems that over the years the numbers on the back of the phone have been getting smaller. Then again it seems everything I am reading nowadays is getting smaller, so maybe it's not the phone. If you find the same to be true for you, you can also get the MAC address to display on the LCD of the phone. The method for this differs among the various models. On the 7960 and 7940, press the settings and then the 3 on the keypad. Of course, power must first be supplied to the phone.

Step 5. The next field is the Description field. Enter a description that will help you quickly identify the phone later.

If you do not enter anything in the Description field, a default description that is the MAC address preceded by SEP is entered automatically. SEP stands for Selsius Ethernet Phone. Selsius was the name of the company that made CallManager before Cisco bought the company and the product. A description I like to use follows the following format: Last Name, First Name Extension Number (for example, Smith, John 2012). This format allows me to search by name and easily see the extension number from the search page.

Step 6. In the Owner User ID field, enter the user ID of the primary user of the phone. The user must already exist in the directory that is used with CallManager, which by default is DC directories. Creating users is covered in Chapter 6: Configuring CallManager Features and Services. An easy way to assign a user is to click the Select User ID link to the left of the field and then search for the desired user. This information is included in Call Detail Records (CDRs). Leave this field blank if extension mobility is going to be used.

Step 7. From the Device Pool drop-down list, select the device pool the phone will use.

The device pool, MAC address, and phone button template are the only required fields, aside from product-specific information that can be found at the bottom of the configuration screen. Because the product-specific information is automatically set to default values, you could add the phone at this point without configuring any other parameters. This is useful if you need to quickly add phones and you are certain that the default system values, and those set in the device pool, are adequate for this phone.

Step 8. The CSS determines the destinations that can be dialed from the phone. CSS are discussed in Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control. Choose a CSS from the Calling Search Space drop-down list. If this field is left at None, the dial privileges of this phone could be limited.

Step 9. The Automated Alternate Routing (AAR) is used to provide an alternate route if a call fails due to insufficient bandwidth. The AAR CSS can be used to limit the paths a call may use when it is rerouted. ARR is covered in Chapter 6: Configuring CallManager Features and Services. Select an AAR CSS from the AAR Calling Search Space drop-down list.

Step 10. The next field is Media Resource Group List. This determines to which media resources this phone will have access. Media resources are discussed in further detail in Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control. From the Media Resource Group List drop-down list, select the desired group. If no media resource group list is chosen, the list defined in the device pool is used.

Step 11. The next two fields allow you to configure what audio source is heard when a call is placed on hold. The first of the two, which is labeled User Hold Audio Source, determines what is heard when the call is placed on hold by pressing the hold button. The second of the two, Network Hold Audio Source, determines what audio is heard when the call is placed on hold by pressing the transfer, call park, or conference button. Select the desired audio source from the drop-down list for each field. If no audio source is chosen, the source defined in the enterprise parameters is used.

Step 12. Information entered in the Location field is used to prevent WAN links from becoming oversubscribed in centralized deployments. These locations are discussed more in Chapter 5, "Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control." If you have defined locations, select the appropriate one for this phone from the drop-down list.

Step 13. The User Locale field determines the language and fonts used for the phone. The default user locale, which is set in the enterprise parameters, is used if this field is left set to None. If this phone needs to use a different locale than is defined by its device pools, or the enterprise parameters, select the proper one from the drop-down list.

Step 14. The Network Locale field determines what locale is used for this phone. This impacts the tones and cadences used. The default network locale was defined in the enterprise parameters. If a different value is selected here this value takes precedence. If this field is set to None, the enterprise parameter setting is used. If this phone needs to use a different locale than is defined by its device pools, or the enterprise parameters, select the proper locale from the drop-down list.

Step 15. The next field labeled Device Security Mode is used to determine if any security is used for calls placed from this phone and, if so, what type. Select the desired security mode or leave it set as Use System defaults.

Step 16. The next field is the Signal Packet Capture Mode. This field is for trouble shooting purposes only and should not be configured when adding a new phone.

Step 17. The Packet capture duration field is for trouble shooting purposes only and should not be configured when adding a new phone.

Step 18. The Built-In Bridge field is used to enable and disable the built-in bridge. This bridge can be used when the barge feature is invoked. Select the desired state of the built-in bridge from the drop-down list.

Barge is a feature that allows a phone to join an active call on another phone if the two phones have a shared line.

Step 19. If the Retry Video Call as Audio checkbox is checked, a video call will try to connect as an audio call if it cannot connect as a video call.

Step 20. If the Ignore Presentation Indicators (internal calls only) check box is checked, internal caller ID restrictions are ignored. This means that if an internal call is configured to block caller ID, the caller ID will still show up on this device.

Step 21. The Privacy field is used to determine if the phone can enable privacy for calls on a shared line. Select the desired state for this field from the drop-down list.

Phone Button Template Information

Step 22. In the next field, a phone button template is selected for this phone. From the drop-down list in the Phone Button Template field, select the desired template.

Not all the templates will display in this field, only those will that apply to the model of phone you are adding.

Softkey Template Information

Step 23. From the drop-down list in the Softkey Template field, select a softkey template for this phone.

Expansion Module Information

Step 24. The next two fields labeled Module 1 and Module 2 are used when expansion modules (7914) are used with the phone being added. If the phone has expansion modules, select the modules from the drop-down list.

Firmware Load Information

Step 25. The next three fields are used to define which firmware load ID the phone and its expansion modules use. In most cases, these fields should be left blank. When left blank, the Load ID specified on the Device Defaults Configuration page is used for this phone. If the need ever arises to set a specific phone to a specific load ID, the load ID should be entered in this field.

Cisco IP Phone—External Data Locations

Step 26. The next set of fields is used to define data locations for the phone. This information is used to determine where the phone should search for certain data, such as help screens and phone services. In most cases these fields can be left blank and the system defaults will be used. Table 3-2 lists these fields and a brief description of each. If values other than the system defaults need to be used by this phone, enter them in the appropriate fields. Any values entered in these fields will be used for this device and will override the values found in the enterprise parameters page.

Table 3-2. Cisco IP Phone—External Data Locations Parameters

Parameter	Description
Information	The URL the phone uses when the (i) is pressed on the phone
Directory	The location of the directory the phone uses
Messages	The URL that is used when the Messages button is pressed. Because you normally want a number dialed when this button is pressed, this field should be left blank.
Services	The URL where services can be found
Authentication Server	URL of the authentication server for requests made to the phone web server
Proxy Server	The proxy server used by the phone
Idle	The URL that is displayed on the phone after the Idle Timer expires
Idle Timer	The amount of time in seconds that the phone must remain idle before the Idle URL is displayed

Certificate Authority Proxy Function (CAPF) Information

Step 27. The next set of parameters deals with Certificate Authority Proxy Function (CAPF). These settings are used to configure certificate specific information. Certificates are used to help prevent the tampering of call signaling and media streams. For more information on CAPF refer to the "Cisco IP Phone Authentication and Encryption for Cisco CallManager" guide at Cisco.com. This guide can be found by searching Cisco IP Phone Authentication and Encryption at Cisco.com. If CAPF is not being used, these fields do not need to be configured. The Certificate Operation field is used to install, upgrade, or delete a certificate. The available options are:

No Pending Action— Displays when no certificate operation is currently active.

Install/Upgrade— Select this when you want to install or upgrade a certificate.

Delete— When selected the current certificate will be deleted.

Troubleshoot— Allows certificate information to be viewed in a CAPF trace file.

Step 28. The Authentication Mode field determines the method that will be used by the phone to authenticate with CAPF. Choose one of the following:

- By Authentication String

- By Null String

- By Existing Certificate (Precedence to LSC)

- By Existing Certificate (Precedence to MIC)

Step 29. The Authentication String is used only when the By Authentication String is chosen in the previous step. Enter the string you wish to use. It must be between 4 to 10 digits.

Step 30. The Key String field determines the key size for the certificate. The valid choices are 512, 1024 and 2048. Select the desired value.

Step 31. The Operation Completes By field specifies when the install, upgrade, or delete must be complete. Enter the desired date and time in this field.

Step 32. The Certificate Operation Status field displays the progress of the certificate operation. Nothing is entered in this field; it is read only.

Multilevel Precedence and Preemption Information

Step 33. The next three fields define Multilevel Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) characteristics of the phone. If these fields are left blank or set to default, the values set in the device pool are used. If MLPP is not being used, these fields may be left blank. The first MLPP field is the MLPP Domain. MLPP grants only higher priority from calls within the same MLPP domain. For this reason a MLPP domain is needed.

Step 34. The second field in this category, which is called MLPP Indication, determines whether tones and indications are presented when a precedence call is made. The precedence indication may be a special ring back or a display if the caller's phone supports it, and a special ringer on the called parties side.

Step 35. The third MLPP field is MLPP Preemption. This parameter determines whether a higher precedence call preempts a lower precedence call. The value of Disabled does not allow this to happen. To cause a lower precedence call to be terminated if a higher precedence call requires the resources, set this parameter to Forceful.

Product Specific Information

Step 36. The last set of fields labeled Product Specific Configuration are specific to the model of phone you are configuring. To see an explanation of each of these fields click the [i] icon located to the right of the category title.

Step 37. After all settings have been defined, click the Insert button at the top of the screen. A message displays informing you that the phone has been added and asking you if you would like to add extensions. Press OK and continue using the steps outlined in the following sections to add and configure a line on a phone.

Add a Line to a Phone

After a phone is added, a line must be configured for it. The following steps show how to add a line to a phone. Because there are a number of steps to this process, section headings are used to mark the point at which a new set of parameters begins. These same headings also display on the configuration screen, which should help you keep track of where you are.

Step 1. If you are adding a new phone and have used the steps in the preceding section, you should see a screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-7. To add a line to an existing phone, follow steps 2 though 4 to reach this screen. If you are already at this screen, skip to step 5.

Figure 3-7 Directory Number Configuration

Step 2. From within CCMAdmin, select Device>Phone.

Step 3. Enter search criteria in the search field to limit the results, and click the Find button.

Step 4. From the list that is generated, select the phone to which you want to add a line. On the left side of the Phone Configuration screen the available lines are listed. Choose a line that has the label Add new DN.

Directory Number

Step 5. The first and only required field is the Directory Number. Enter the extension number in this field.

Step 6. The Partition field defines the partition to which this directory number is assigned. The partition is used to determine what devices may call this extension. Partitions are discussed in more detail in Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control.

Directory Number Settings

Step 7. The Voice Mail Profile field determines which voice mail profile the directory number uses. The voice mail profile defines the number that is dialed when the messages button on the phone is pressed. Voice mail profiles are discussed in further detail in Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control. Select the voice mail profile from the drop-down list.

Step 8. The next field allows a CSS to be assigned as the line level. This determines what destinations can be reached when calling from this line. Select the Calling Search Space from the drop-down list.

It is important to understand what happens when a CSS is assigned to the line and the device. In short, the two CSSs are combined, however there is a little more to it than this. For a detailed explanation, refer to Chapter 5: Configuring Class of Service and Call Admission Control.

Step 9. The AAR Group field determines the AAR group with which the line is associated. An AAR group defines the prefix that is assigned when a call fails due to insufficient bandwidth. AAR is discussed in further detail in Chapter 6: Configuring CallManager Features and Services. Select an AAR group if AAR is being used. If this field is set to None, AAR is, in effect, disabled on the line.

Step 10. The next two fields allow you to configure what audio source is heard when a call is placed on hold. The first of the two, which is labeled User Hold Audio Source, determines what is heard when the call is placed on hold by pressing the hold button. The second of the two, Network Hold Audio Source, determines what audio is heard when the call is placed on hold by pressing the transfer, call park, or conference button. Select the desired audio source from the drop-down list for each field. If no audio source is chosen, the source defined at the device level is used, and if None is chosen there, the source set in the device pool is used.

Step 11. The Auto Answer field determines if the line automatically answers incoming calls without the handset being lifted. This parameter can be set to auto answer using the speakerphone or headset. If you want the line to auto answer, select either Auto Answer with Headset or Auto Answer with Speakerphone from the drop-down list. If auto answer is not desired on the line, leave this field set to Auto Answer Off.

Call Forward and Pickup Settings

Step 12. The next seven fields deal with call forwarding. These fields determine the forwarding destination, which depends on the reason for the forward. The seven types of forwards are:

Forward All— forwards all incoming calls

Forward Busy Internal— forwards calls from internal callers when the line is busy

Forward Busy External— forwards calls from external callers when the line is busy

Forward No Answer Internal— forwards calls from internal callers that are not answered

Forward No Answer External— forwards calls from external callers that are not answered

Forward No Coverage Internal— forwards calls from internal callers when a CTI route point has no coverage

Forward No Coverage External— forwards calls from external callers when a CTI route point has no coverage

The no coverage forwards are needed only when configuring a line for a computer telephony integration (CTI) route point.

You may configure each type of "forward" to forward calls to voicemail or a specific extension. To forward to voice mail, check the Voice Mail box. For this to work, a voice mail profile must be defined for the line. To forward calls to another extension, enter the extension number in the Destination field. When a destination is entered into any of the internal forwards, the number is automatically entered into the corresponding external forward. If you wish the external calls to be forwarded to a different destination, simply enter the desired destination in the appropriate external forward field. A calling search space can be applied to each forward type, which limits the destinations to which a call can be forwarded. This is useful when you want to restrict a line from forwarding calls to numbers that are long distance, but still want long distance calls to be placed from the line.

Step 13. Enter the appropriate destinations and calling search spaces for each forward type.

Step 14. In the No Answer Ring Duration field, enter the number of seconds that the line will ring before forwarding to the Forward No Answer destination. If this field is left blank, the value configured in CallManager service parameter is used.

Step 15. The Call Pickup Group field determines which call pickup group this directory number belongs to. Call pickup groups allow a user to redirect an incoming call on another phone to the user's phone. Select the desired call pickup group from the drop-down list. Call pickup groups are covered in more detail in Chapter 6: Configuring CallManager Features and Services.

MLPP Alternate Party Settings

Step 16. The next set of parameters deals with MLPP alternate party settings. These settings allow you to configure an alternate destination for precedence calls that are not answered on this line or the forwarded number assigned to this line. If MLPP is not being used, these parameters can be left empty. In the first field, which is labeled Target (Destination), enter the number to which unanswered precedence calls should be forwarded.

Step 17. In the MLPP alternate party Calling Search Space field, select the appropriate search space from the drop-down list. This calling search space limits the destinations to which precedence calls can be forwarded.

Step 18. In the MLPP alternate party No Answer Ring Duration field, enter the number of seconds that the phone will ring when it receives a precedence call before forwarding to the Forward No Answer destination if unanswered.

Line Settings for all Devices

Step 19. In the Alerting Name field, enter the name that should be displayed on the caller's phone.

Line Settings for these Devices

Step 20. The set of parameters under Line Settings for this Device define Caller ID, Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) and ring settings. The settings configured here only affect the line on this phone even if it is a shared line appearance. If you want these settings to apply to all phones that have this directory number as a shared line appearance, check the Update Shared Device Settings button next to the setting. The Update Shared Device Settings button is displayed only if the line is shared. The first of these fields, labeled Display (Internal Call ID), is used to configure which caller ID is displayed when calls are placed to other internal callers. Enter up to 30 characters in this field. Both letters and numbers are allowed. If this field is left blank, the lines directory number will be used.

Step 21. The next field, which is labeled Line Text Label, is used to define how the line displays on the phone. If you want the extension number to display next to the line button, leave this field blank. To display a label other than the directory number next to the line button, enter that label in this field.

Step 22. The External Phone Number Mask field may be used to modify the external caller ID for calls placed from this line. An example mask might be 408370XXXX. The extension number is used to fill in the XXXX portion. In this example, if the directory number is 1401, the external phone mask would cause the external caller ID number to be 4083701401. The External Phone Mask on the first line creates the fully qualified directory number that is displayed above the first extension on certain IP Phones. Masks are explored in further detail in Chapter 4: n.

Step 23. The Message Waiting Lamp Policy field which determines if the light on the phone is turned on when a new message is left for this extension. In most cases, this value should be left at Use System Policy. The available choices are as follows:

Light and Prompt— The light turns on and the envelope icon next to the line displays.

Prompt Only— Only the envelope icon next to the line displays.

Light Only— Only the light is turned on.

None— No indication is used.

Use System Policy— Uses the setting selected in CCM services parameters.

Step 24. The next two settings determine if the phone rings when incoming calls are being received on this directory number. In most cases this value should be left at Use System Default. The available choices are as follows:

Disable— Phone does not ring.

Flash Only— The light flashes—No ring.

Ring Once— Rings once and then stops.

Ring— Normal Ringing.

Beep Only— A beep is played (only valid for the Phone Active setting).

Use System Policy— Uses the setting selected under services parameters.

Step 25. Select the desired value for Ring Setting (Phone Idle) and Ring Setting (Phone Active).

Multiple Call / Call Waiting Settings

Step 26. The next field, which is labeled Maximum Number of Calls, determines how many active calls can be on the line. The maximum is 200 active calls per phone. Enter the maximum number of calls in this field. The default of four should be adequate for most phones.

Step 27. The field labeled Busy Trigger determines how many active calls are required before the line is considered busy. The default is two. This means that if the maximum number of calls on the line is four and the busy trigger is two, the third call will receive a busy indication. However, two more calls could be placed from this phone because the maximum number of calls is four.

Forwarded Call Information Display

Step 28. The Forwarded Call Information Display section determines what information is sent when a call is forwarded. Select the information to be sent by checking the box next to each desired field.

Step 29. The last field on this page is the Character Set. Select the character set that is to be used on the display setting for the line from the drop-down list.

Step 30. If this is a new directory number that you have added to the phone, click the Add button at the top of the screen. If you are modifying an existing directory number, click the Update button at the top of the screen.

That's all there is to it! It really is a pretty simple task once you are familiar with all of the parameters that need to be configured. However, if you are new to CallManager, a number of these parameters may seem confusing. Rest assured that these parameters will be explained in greater detail throughout the remainder of this book.

Using BAT to Add Devices

Imagine having to add more than a hundred phones and you must choose between adding them manually or adding them using auto-registration. At first glance you would most likely choose to add them using auto-registration. Normally, this would be a good choice; however, you discover that each phone needs to have a specific directory number. Then, to make things more complicated, a number of the phones need to use different phone button templates. You could still use auto-registration, but after the phones were added you would have to change the directory numbers and phone button templates of each phone. It would be more efficient to add these phones and not have to go back and touch each one. This is where a utility called Bulk Administration Tool (BAT) comes in. BAT allows you to pre-populate CallManager with all the information for the phones before they are connected to the system. By adding the phones information, a configuration file is created that the phones download from the TFPT server when it boots up.

BAT adds devices to CallManager by importing a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file that contains the required information about the phones. The CSV contains a number of fields that must be populated. The easiest way to create this CSV file is to use an Excel template that is included with BAT. The template offers an easy, well-formatted interface to add all the required and optional information. However, before this template can be used to create a CSV file, BAT must first be installed. BAT is included with CallManager, but is not installed by default. BAT must be installed on the publisher and will cause Internet Information Services (IIS), World Wide Web (WWW) publishing, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) publishing services to stop during the installation. It is recommended that you install BAT during nonproduction hours, due to the impact that this can have on the server.

Installing BAT

The following steps guide you through the installation process.

Step 1. From within CCMAdmin, select Applications>Install Plugins.

Step 2. From the list of plug-ins on the Install Plug-ins page, click the icon to the left of Cisco Bulk Administration Tool.

Step 3. A window displays asking, "Would you like to open the file or save it to your computer?" Select Open. Depending on the version of Internet Explorer you are using, this message may vary. It may give you the choice, "Run this program from its current location." If it does, select this option and click OK.

Step 4. The install preparation process begins automatically. During this time you may receive a security warning. If you do, select Yes.

Step 5. A Welcome window displays. Click Next to start the installation.

Step 6. When the installation is complete, a window displays informing you that it is complete. Click the Finish button.

After BAT is installed, the CSV files need to be created. To do this, use the Excel template that was mentioned previously in this section. The number of available fields in the template depends on the model of phone you are importing. For example, the 7960 can contain more than 30 fields. The top row displays what information should be entered into the field and whether it is a required field. The fields include, but are not limited to, information such as the user's name, MAC address of the phone, directory numbers, and speed dial numbers. When you first open the template, it displays only a few fields. The template then lets you add other fields, as you desire. This feature enables you to avoid dealing with unneeded fields. After the information is added to the template, a CSV file is created and must be placed in the C:\BATFiles\Phones\Insert\directory on the publisher. The necessary steps are presented later in this section.

It may appear that the hardest part of creating the CSV file is the entry of all the information. However, often what is harder is acquiring the information that must be entered into the template. Make sure you take the proper amount of time beforehand to ensure you have obtained all the required information. The best way to get this information is to perform station reviews. A station review is a formal process that is used to record information about each phone that is to be added to the system. The information acquired during this process includes the number of lines (and directory numbers assigned to each), number of speeds, required features (conference calls, voicemail, and so on) and the type of calls that may be placed by the phone (local, national, international, and so on). This, of course, is only a sample of the information that is gathered during the station review process. It is important that you gather as much information as possible during station reviews. After this information is collected, the creation of the CSV files can begin.

In addition to the CSV file that is created, templates within the BAT application must also be created. These templates define the characteristics of the phones that you are going to add. These templates contain parameters for things such as phone type, phone button template, softkey templates, calling search spaces, number of lines, and partitions just to name a few. After these templates are configured, they are used in concert with the CSV file that has been created to insert phones into the system. Because these templates contain many parameters, it may be necessary to create a number of templates depending upon your environment. For each set of phones that require different settings on any parameter defined within a template, a new template must be created. Let's look at a simple example so you can see how easily the number of these templates can grow.

Let's say you have 70 7940s and 50 7960s to deploy. Right off the bat (no pun intended), you know you need at least two templates because there are two types of phones. For this example, let's assume half the 7940s are going to be two-line phones and the other half are going to be one-line phones. This means that at least two templates are needed for the 7940s alone. As for the 7960s, let's assume that through the station review process, you determine that you need two-, three-, and four-line phones, which means that at least three templates are needed for the 7960s. If all the phones with the same number of lines do not differ in any other way, five templates in all are needed. However, just to make things interesting, let's say that half the three-line phones and half of the four-line phones require different calling search spaces. This adds the need for two more templates, bringing the total to seven. You can see how minor changes can cause the number of required templates to grow quite quickly. It is important to understand that because each template is used with a CSV file, you need to create the same number of CSV files as there are templates.

Before you can determine how many templates you need, you must be familiar with all of the parameters that are set in the BAT templates. Each model of phone has unique parameters, but there are also a number of parameters that are common among all models. The following is a list of parameters that can be defined in the template for most models of phones.

• Device Pool
• Calling Search Space
• AAR Calling Search Space
• User and Network Hold Audio Source
• Location
• User Locale
• Network Locale
• Phone Button Template
• Phone Load Name
• External Data Locations
• Multilevel Precedence and Preemption Information
• Number of Lines

By taking the number of different models of phone that will be deployed and determining how many of the parameters defined in the template will be different among like models, you can determine approximately how many templates and CSV files that must be created.

Now that you have a good overview of what is required for BAT to work, let's take a look at the steps required to add phones to the system using BAT.

After BAT is installed, you can begin the process of creating the CSV files and the templates. Before creating the templates and CSV files you should have conducted a detailed analysis of the phones that are to be deployed. Based on the disparity of the phones in your system, you should have a good idea of how many templates and CSV files you need. The analysis should also have supplied the information that will be needed to create the templates and files.

You can create either the template or the CSV first. In the steps that follow the creation of the CSV is described first.

Creating a CSV File for BAT

Step 1. Copy the Excel BAT template to a PC on which Excel is installed. The Excel BAT template can be found in C:\CiscoWebs\BAT\ExcelTemplate on the publisher. The name of this file is bat.xlt.

Step 2. Open the BAT template in Excel. You may get a security warning about macros. Macros must be enabled for this template to function properly, so you may need to change Excel's settings to allow this.

Step 3. A template like that shown in Figure 3-8 displays. As you can see, by default, only three fields display in the template. Click the Create File Format button to add fields.

Figure 3-8 Excel BAT Template

Step 4. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-9 should display. Select the device and line fields you want added to the template by highlighting the field in the box on the left side and clicking the >> arrows.

Figure 3-9 Excel BAT Template File Format

Step 5. To remove device and line fields from the template, highlight the field in the box on the right side and click the << arrows.

Step 6. After you move all the desired fields to the box on the right side, click the Create button. When asked if you want to overwrite the existing CSV format, click Yes.

Step 7. Go to the far right of the template and in the appropriately labeled fields, enter the number of lines and speed dials these phones will have. When you enter information in these fields, the template adds the appropriate fields.

Step 8. At this point the template is ready for the data to be entered.

Step 9. After all the data is entered, click the Export to BAT Format button, which is located at the top far-right portion of the template.

Step 10. You are prompted for a place to store this file. BAT creates a default location and file name. An example is c:\XlsDataFiles\Phones#09072004193840. BAT always selects c:\XlsDataFiles as the default file location. The file name is based in part on the tab you have selected to export, such as Phones, PhonesUsers, and UserDeviceProfiles, followed by the number symbol (#). The second part of the filename is the date and time that the file was exported. Note that in the preceding example, 09072004193840 represents September 7th, 2004 at 19:38 and 40 seconds. If you prefer a different file location or name, you can change it before clicking OK.

Step 11. Copy this file to the C:\BATFiles\Phones\Insert\ directory on the publisher.

Adding Phones Using BAT

The process of inserting phones using BAT is actually a four-stage process, and each stage has its own set of steps. The first stage of adding phones in BAT is creating the templates. The following steps walk you through this stage. A 7960 template is created in this example.

Step 1. At the console of the Publisher, navigate to Start>Programs>CallManager 4.x>Bulk Admin Tool>BAT x.x (x.x is the version number).

Step 2. From within the Bulk Administration Tool select Configure>Phones.

Step 3. From the Phone Options screen, make sure the Insert Phones radio button is selected and click the Next button at the bottom of the screen.

Step 4. The Steps to Insert Phones page appears and shows all the steps that must be completed to insert phones. In all, there are four steps, but each step includes additional substeps. Make sure the radio button labeled Step 1: Add, view, or modify phone templates is checked and click the Next button.

Step 5. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-10 displays. On this screen you define the parameters for this template. In the Phone Template Name field, enter a name for this template. Remember to try to keep the naming convention the same as the CSV file that will be used with this template.

Figure 3-10 BAT Phone Template Configuration

Step 6. From the drop-down list in the Device Type field, select the type of phone for this template. When a phone is selected, the page refreshes so that all applicable fields are displayed.

Step 7. The remainder of this page contains all the parameters that can be configured for this device. Because all these parameters are covered earlier in this chapter, they are not discussed in this section. If necessary, refer back to steps 6-26 in the Manually Adding Phones section in this chapter for details of each parameter. Enter the appropriate information in each field.

Step 8. After the parameters have been configured, click the Insert button at the top of the screen. An alert window informs you if the operation is successful. Click the OK button in the alert window.

Step 9. After the template is inserted, a Line Details section is added at bottom of the screen. Find this section and click Add Line 1 to define the parameters for this line.

Step 10. A screen similar to that shown in Figure 3-11 displays. This screen is used to define all the parameters for this line. Because all these parameters are covered earlier in this chapter, they are not discussed in this section. If necessary, refer back to steps 6-25 in the Add a line to a Phone section in this chapter for details on each parameter. Enter the appropriate information in each field.

Figure 3-11 BAT Phone Line Configuration

Step 11. Enter the desired information in these fields and click the Insert and Close button. Repeat steps 9-10 for each additional line.

Step 12. When configuring templates for certain models of phones, you may also add speed dial, and services, to the template. To add speed dials to the template, click the Add/Update Speed Dials link in the upper-right corner on the Phone Template Configuration page.

Step 13. A screen displays that allows you to add two types of speed dials. The first type is associated with a button on the phones. The user accesses the second type by pressing the two-digit speed dial number, which has the number they want to reach assigned to it, and by pressing the AbbrDial softkey. Enter the desired speed dials and click Update and Close.

Step 14. To add services to the template, click the Subscribe/Unsubscribe Services link in the upper-right corner on the Phone Template Configuration page. Services are cover in more detail in Chapter 6: Configuring CallManager Features and Services.

Step 15. A window displays that allows you to select the available services. Select the desired service and click Continue. Enter any additional information the service may require.

Step 16. After all services have been added, the template is complete. Click the Back button at the bottom of the page to return to the Steps to Insert Phones page.

The previous stage left you at the page labeled Steps to Insert Phones, on which you should see four options. Step 1: Add, view, or modify phone templates has just been completed, and if you created the CSV data file using the Excel template Step 2: Create the CSV file is also completed. This brings you to Step 3: Validate phone records. This part of the process checks the CSV file that you created to make sure it is formatted properly.

Step 1. On the Step to Insert Phones page, select the radio button that is labeled Step 3: Validate phone records and click the Next button.

Step 2. From the File Name drop-down list, select the CSV file that you created using the Excel template. Only CSV files that you placed in C:\BATFiles\Phones\Insert\ on the publisher display in this list.

Step 3. Select the corresponding template that you created from the Phone Template Name drop-down list.

Step 4. Click the Validate button.

Step 5. After the file has been validated, the status line should state Validate Completed. Click the View Latest Log File link next to the Validate button to view the log.

Step 6. If no errors are reported, close the log window, click the Back button, and move on to the next set of steps.

The last stage is to actually insert the phones into the CallManager database.

Step 1. On the Step to Insert Phones page, select the radio button labeled Step 4: Insert Phones, and click the Next button.

Step 2. From the File Name drop-down list, select the CSV file that you created using the Excel template. Only CSV files that you placed in C:\BATFiles\Phones\Insert\ on the publisher display in this list.

Step 3. Select the corresponding template that you created from the Phone Template Name drop-down list.

Step 4. Click the Insert button.

Step 5. A warning message displays informing you that you are about to insert records. Click OK to continue.

Step 6. While the insertion is being made, a status window displays. After the insertion is completed, the status line should state "Insert Completed." Click the View Latest Log File link next to the Insert button to view the log.

Step 7. If no errors are reported, close the log window and exit BAT.

Adding Phones Using TAPS

A more advanced method of adding phones called Tool for Auto-registered Phone Support (TAPS) is also available. This tool allows you to pre-populate CallManager's database with all the information about the phones, except for the MAC address. After the information is entered, the phones are plugged into the system and auto-registered. Because the MAC addresses have not been entered into the system, the TFTP server cannot deliver a con-figuration file to the phone based on the MAC address. This causes a default configuration to be issued and the phone to be registered with basic configuration. After the phone is registered, a predetermined number is dialed that routes the call to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) server. The IVR server asks what language you would like to use and the extension number that should be assigned to the phone. After this is completed, the MAC address of the phone is associated with the configuration that matches the extension number entered, and a configuration file is created. The phone gets this file from the TFTP server when it reboots.

Integrators often use this method of adding phones during large deployments. Because this method allows the integrator to populate the system without having to add MAC addresses, the deployment of the phones is simpler. Integrators don't have to make sure a certain phone with a certain MAC address is plugged into a certain jack. The integrator need only be concerned that the proper model is placed in each location. Previous to the introduction of this tool, the MAC addresses had to be entered before the phones were deployed, and this required the integrator to label the box of each phone with the extension number for which it was configured. This also meant that no information could be added to the system until the phones where in hand.

The detailed steps for TAPS are outside of the scope of this book, but further information can be found in Cisco's Bulk Administration Tool documentation on the Cisco website. You can find the latest copy of this by searching "bulk administration tool guide" at Cisco.com.

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