Below is a list of requirements for configuring a router as a call processor.  In a lab or in your head, configure the router to support the features as listed.  This isn't a contest or anything like that.  If you get it right, a virtual thumbs up is all I can afford to give you.  There are some licensing issues for running this stuff in GNS3/dynamips, so I can't help you out on that.  I'll just hint that GNS3 and dynamips will bind to real networks and that copies of a compatible IP softphone are available.

Here we go.

• Telephony
  • Maximum of 10 DNs
  • Maximum of 5 ephones
  • DHCP server that provides the appropriate DHCP scope option for getting the phones online
• Phones
  • Phone 1
    • Sales Phone A
    • Button 1: extension 1001
    • Button 2: intercom to phone 3 labeled as "Lackey"
    • Pickup Group 3001
  • Phone 2
    • HR Phone A
    • Button 1: extension 1002
    • Pickup Group 3001
  • Phone 3
    • Sales Phone B
    • Button 1: extension 1003
    • Button 2:  monitor button 1 on phone 1
    • Button 3: intercom to phone 1 labeled as "Boss" that answers unmuted
    • Pickup Group 3002
• Paging
  • Each department should have its own paging group.
  • All phones should be in a paging group for broadcasting emergencies to all employees.
• Call Parking
  • 2 call parking DNs
  • 1 CP DN should be dedicated to phone 2
• Music on Hold
  • MOH should play when a user is on hold or in a park slot
• After-hours
  • After hours should be Mon – Fri from 7pm to 7am
  • No one should be able to dial 1003 after hours
  • No one should be able to dial 1002 any day at any time

I'll get my own answer together and post the consensus result in a few days.  In the meantime, let me know how terribly I did.

Send any unlicensed CIPC phones questions my way.

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

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Here are some more notes from my IIUC studies.  As always, corrections requested.

• Broadcasts messages to a group for a one-way communication
• Paging groups are used to limit which phones get the broadcast
• Paging can be unicast or multicast
  • Unicast groups limited to 10 members
  • Multicast requires mcast support on the network
• Paging configurations can be unicast, multicast, or multiple-group

!  Unicast Paging
!  When 1044 is dialed, ephone 1 is paged
R1(config)#ephone-dn 44
R1(config-ephone-dn)#number 1044
R1(config-ephone-dn)#paging
R1(config-ephone-dn)#exit
R1(config)#ephone 1
R1(config-ephone)#paging-dn 44

!  Multicast Paging
!  When 1045 is dialed, ephone 2 is paged
R1(config)#ephone-dn 45
R1(config-ephone-dn)#number 1045
R1(config-ephone-dn)#paging ip 239.1.1.100 port 2000
R1(config-ephone-dn)#exit
R1(config)#ephone 2
R2(config)#paging-dn 45

!  Multiple Group Paging
!  When 1046 is dialed, both ephones 1 and 2 are dialed
R1(config)#ephone-dn 46
R1(config-ephone-dn)#number 1046
R1(config-ephone-dn)#paging group 44, 45

• There is a limit of 10 DNs in the paging group.

After-hours Call Blocking

• Allows you to configure time ranges and patterns that cannot be called during those ranges
• Three steps
  1. Defines days and/or hours that are considered after-hours
  2. Specify patterns to be blocked
  3. Create exemptions

R1(config)#telephony-service
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours day mon 18:00 07:00 <- afterhours = 6pm to 7am
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours day tue 18:00 07:00
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours day wed 18:00 07:00
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours day thu 18:00 07:00
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours day fri 18:00 07:00
…
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours date Dec 25 00:00 00:00 <- Christmas is after hours
…
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours block pattern 1 91900……. 7-24 <- Pattern index 1 blocks 900 numbers 7day/24hours
R1(config-telephony)#after-hours block pattern 2 91………. <- Pattern index 2 block all long distance after hours
…
R1(config-telephony)#login timeout 15 clear 18:00 <- Allows logins for entering a PIN for after-hours exemption; times out in 15 minutes and clears at 18:00
R1(config-telephony)#exit
R1(config)#ephone 1
R1(config-ephone)#after-hours exempt <- the boss's phone can call anywhere except the 7-24 patterns
R1(confg-ephone)#ephone 2
R1(config-ephone)#ping 1234 <- Your phone can log in with this PIN for after-hours access

• Phones have to be restarted or reset for the Login key to be enabled.

Call Accounting

• It's important to see who is calling international numbers every day at lunch.
• Call Detail Records (CDRs) record who called what number when for how long plus more stuff.
• CME logs CDRs to the logging buffer, syslog, or both.
• Logging buffers clear when a router loses power, but it may be better than nothing.  <- Don't do this ever!  Get a syslog server!

R1(config)#logging buffer 512000 <- Set the logging buffer size to 512000 bytes
R1(config)#dial-control-mib retain-timer 120 <- Roll records out in 120 minutes
R1(config)#dial-control-mib max-size 100 <- Only keep last 100 records

• Sending to syslog allows you to keep more records

R1(config)#gw-accounting syslog
R1(config)#logging 192.168.0.2 <- Log to this server

• Account codes are used for billing.
  • Each department or unit can enter a code that appears in the CDR for use later.
• Users press the Acct key when the call is ringing or connected to enter their code.

Music on Hold

• Do I have to explain what MoH is?
• WAV or AU file in flash
• Files must be G.711 or G.729
  • G.711 is recommended since it is of higher quality
• Can be delivered via unicast or multicast

R1(config-telephony)#moh piratedmusic.au <- Plays a local audio file as MoH
R1(config-telephony)#multicast moh 239.1.1.15 port 2001 <- multicast the MoH

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

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Local Directory

• Allows users to look up names
• Allows names to show up when dialing or receiving a call
• Most phones have a directory button; some have a menu options for the directory

R1(config)#ephone-dn 1
R1(config-ephone-dn)#name Roger Smith

• Directory entries can be added manually

R1(config-telephony)#directory entry 1 1700 Corporate Fax
R1(config-telephony)#directory entry 2 1701 HR Fax

• By default, sorting is done alphabetically by first name.
• Sorting can be changed

R1(config-telephony)#directory last-name-first

Call Forwarding

• Can be done by the user or through CLI
• User presses CFwdAll button, enters a number, and #; pressing CFwdAll again cancels forwarding.
• CLI forwarding is more flexible

R1(config-ephone-dn)#call-forward busy 1800
R1(config-ephone-dn)#call-forward noan 1800 timeout 25 <- if no answer after 25 seconds
R1(config-ephone-dn)#call-forward max-length 0 <- disabled forwarding
R1(config-ephone-dn)#call-forward max-length 4 <- restricts forwarded number to a length of 4 digits

• H.450.3: A voice gateway redirects the forward to another gateway instead of using the phone as a proxy
  • Direct path from originator to destination
  • Frees up network resources by keeping path direct
  • Keeps latency and jitter down by avoiding long looping paths and a hairpin turn at the phone
• Forwarding patterns can help restrict where calls can be forwarded

R1(config-telephony)#call-forward pattern 1… <- allows forwarding to a 4-digit number starting with 1

Call Transfer

• H.450.2: A voice gateway redirects transfers to another gateway instead of using the phone as a proxy.
  • The user doing the transfer is dropped from the conversation after transfer is complete.
• Generically, there are two types of forwarding.
  • Blind: sends the caller to the number blindly
  • Consult:  allows you to talk to the endpoint before transferring the call
• CME has three types of forwarding.
  • full-blind:  blind transfers using H.450.2 or SIP REFER
  • full-consult:  consult transfers using H.450.2 or SIP REFER if second line is available; if not, fall back to full-blind
  • local-consult:  Cisco-proprietary method for full-consult

R1(config-telephony)#transfer-system full-consult
- or -
R1(config-ephone-dn)#transfer-mode consult

• Transfer patterns work similarly to forwarding patterns

R1(config-telephony)#transfer-patter 1…

Call Park

• Call parking allows a user to retrieve a call from any phone by "parking" the call to an extension.
• The call can be picked up from any phone able to dial that extension.
• Park numbers can be assigned randomly or manually.

R1(config-ephone-dn)#park-slot <- makes this DN a park slot

• Call parking has several options.
  • reserved-for dn:  Only that DN can use this park-slot
  • timeout seconds:  Ring the phone phone that parked the call after that many seconds to remind them of the park
  • limit count:  After that many timeout intervals, drop the call.  Not good for customers.
  • notify dn [ only ]:  Notify that DN when a timeout is reached
  • recall:  Sends the call back to the original phone when the timeout is reached
  • transfer dn:  Sends the call to this DN when the timeout is reached
  • alternate dn:  If the DN in the transfer command is not available, go here
  • retry seconds:  Try to transfer again after this many seconds
• The phone must be reset for call parking to take effect.

Call Pickup

• Allows users to pick up other ringing phones
• Best to use pickup groups so the sales guys don't pick up support calls by accident

R1(config-ephone-dn)#pickup-group 5000

• There are three methods to pickup a call.
  • Directed pickup:  A user picks up a ringing phone by pressing PickUp followed by the target DN.
  • Local group pickup:  A user picks up a ringing phone in his pickup group by pressing GPickUp then *.
  • Other group pickup:  A user picks up a ringing phone in another pickup group by pressing GPickUp then the other group number.

Intercom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P2dbwrT_fQ

• Technically is a speed dial and auto-answer combination
• Intercom button is pressed, which dials a DN bound to another phone; that phone automatically answers on mute.
• The DNs involved usually (?) can't be dialed.
  • e.g., A101

R1(config)#ephone-dn 99
R1(config-ephone-dn)#number A99
R1(config-ephone-dn)#intercom A98 label "Boss"
R1(config-ephone-dn)#exit
R1(config)#ephone-dn 98
R1(config-ephone-dn)#number A98
R1(config-ephone-dn)#intercom A99 label "Lackey"
R1(config-ephone-dn)#exit
R1(config)#ephone 54
R1(config-ephone)#button 5:99
R1(config-ephone)#restart
R1(config)#ephone 73
R1(config-ephone)#button 5:98
R1(config-ephone)#restart

• Other options
  • barge-in:  Places existing calls on hold on the other end and barges n
  • no-auto-answer:  Rings instead of auto answers
  • no-mute:  Doesn't mute when auto answering.  Can you say spying?

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

Website - More Posts

Switchport Configuration

• switchport mode access:  This config makes the port an access port that carries the primary and voice VLAN traffic
• switchport mode trunk:  This config akes the port a trunk unconditionally, but it will still send DTP messages
• switchport nonegotiate:  This config keeps the port from sending DTP messages.
• switchport mode dynamic auto:  If the port receives DTP messages, it will become a trunk.  If not, it will be an access port.
• switchport mode dynamic desirable:  The port actively sends DTP messages trying to become a trunk.  This is the default configuration on a Cisco switch.

Cisco IP Phone Boot Process

1. Phone connects to an Ethernet switch and gets power if needed
2. Switch tells the phone the correct voice VLAN through CDP
3. Phone sends DHCP request for its voice VLAN
4. DHCP offer includes the TFTP server from which to download the config
5. Phone downloads the config from the TFTP server
6. Phone contacts the call processing server as dictated in the config file

DHCP Settings on a Cisco Router or L3 Switch

R1(config)#ip dhcp pool MYPOOL
R1(dhcp-config)#network 192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0
R1(dhcp-config)#default-router 192.168.0.1
R1(dhcp-config)#dns-server 192.168.0.10
R1(dhcp-config)#option 150 ip 192.168.0.20  <– Tells the phone to download the config from this TFTP server
R1(dhcp-config)#exit
R1(config)#ip dhcp excluded-address 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.100  <– Don't use these IPs when handing out DHCP

NTP

Why should you use NTP for a CME setup?

• Phones display correct time
• Voicemails have the correct time
• CDRs are timestamped accurately
• Router logs are timestamped accurately
• Time-based access worked predictably

R1(config)#ntp server 1.1.1.1
R1(config)#clock timezone MYTZ -5  <– Sets the timezone to a zone called MYTZ that's 5 hours behind UTC

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

Website - More Posts

That’s an interface descriptor block.  I admit that I’m not intimately familiar with them, bu they’re data structs in IOS used to keep track of the interfaces on that device.  They come in two flavors – hardware and software.  HWIDBs usually represent a physical interface but they also represent tunnels, SVIs, PortChannels, subinterfaces, and any other virtual interface that you can configure.  The SWIDBs represent the layer-2 encapsulation of each HWIDB, so you’ll see entries talking about Ethernet, HDLC, PPP, etc.  That means that every interface you have on a router consumes two IDBs (there are always exceptions).  That’s important because each platform and IOS version combination has a limit to the number IDBs that device supports.

If you check out one of Cisco’s pages on IDBs, you’ll see a pretty table showing the limits.  The 3640 running 12.4(25b) that I run in my GNS3 lab has a limit of 800 IDBs.  That means that I can have 400 interfaces configured at most.  That little 800 series router running 12.1T that you still have running at the VP’s house has an IDB limit of 300 or 150 interfaces.  The 7200 in the data center running 12.3 can handle 20,000 IDBS or 10,000 interfaces!

If you guessed that you can see your IDBs by typing show idb, then you guessed right.  That will show you the IDB limit, how many are being used, a summary table, and a list of all the IDBs with their details.  Remember that there may be more interfaces on your device that just physical.  You may have an SVI, loopback interface, or even a null or two.  These all count towards the limit.

Before you get freaked out and start checking the IDB limits on all your devices, take a breath.  I’ve never run into the IDB limit on any device and I’ve never heard of anyone who has.  I’m sure someone has, but I don’t remember hearing about any.  Think about it for a second.  If I took my 3640 and filled it with 4 NM-16ESWs, I’d only have 128 IDBs used (16 ports * 4 modules * 2 IDBs for each port).  Don’t forget the null interface and VLAN 1 SVI by default (VLANs take 1; VLAN SVIs take 2 each).  That brings the count to 133.  Let’s add 100 more VLANs and SVIs on this guy.  Now we’re up to 433.  How about we put each interface into a channel group of its own.  That adds another 128, which is 561.  Only 239 more to go.

Unless you’re doing something out of the ordinary, I don’t think the IDB limit will be a problem.  Of course, that depends on your definition of “ordinary”.

Send any sort indexes questions my way.

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

Website - More Posts

One of my biggest pet peeves with IOS (or pretty much any Cisco OS) is the lack of complex filtering.  Let’s say I want to look at all the downed ports and interfaces on modules 3 and 6 of my 6509.  I can’t easily do that with command from the IOS, but, on my Linux box, I can use multiple grep commands to get exactly what I want really easily.  Let’s work through the example, shall we?

To start with, let’s just do a show ip int brief without getting a shell on the switch.

ssh my.switch.com "show ip int brief"

When you run this and give your password, you see the output we’ve all learned to love, and, now that you’ve got it in STDOUT on your Linux box, you can start filtering. Now, let’s use grep to find the downed ports and interfaces on modules 3 and 6.

ssh my.switch.com "show ip int brief" | grep down | grep Ethernet[36]

How about downed ports and interfaces on modules 3 and 6 that not administratively down?

ssh my.switch.com "show ip int brief" | grep down | grep Ethernet[36] | grep -v admin

I’ll stop there, but it can go on and on.  Read up on regular expression and/or grep if you don’t know what we’re doing here.

What’s really happening is that we’re taking the output of the command “ssh ….” and piping it (with |) to the command grep.  We can send it to whatever command we want, though, so don’t be shy.  I’ve actually written several scripts that take output of commands like show int description on a router to generate some reports.  When I want to run one of those, I do something like this.

ssh my.switch.com "show int desc" | parseOutput.pl

There’s always a gotcha or two to watch for, isn’t there?  I’ve found a couple.

First, your command runs at your privilege level, so, if your user is priv 1, you’re not going to be able to do a show run or reload.  You could just ignore security for a bit and set your privilege to 15, but I don’t recommend doing anything like that.  Before you say it, you’ll probably have a hard time with enabling as well.  You can only run one command at a time, so you would just enable yourself and get kicked off.  Not very helpful.

Another problem I see is the lack of public/private key pair support on Cisco devices.  On a Linux box, you can copy your keys around, and those are presented in lieu of a password.  Since (most) Cisco devices don’t have home directories, there’s no place to drop the keys, and we’re left with just using passwords.  Support for this would be nice, but the security problems associated with keep SSH keys and user home directories are probably too much to even think about.

What else?  Oh, yeah.  The PIX/FWSM/ASA family supports SSH, but it acts differently from the IOS guys.  When you run a command through SSH, you actually get an interactive shell with the command already on the CLI for you. This is probably by design; the only thing you can really do from a non-priv prompt is to enable.

Anyway, send any grilling tips questions my way.

Aaron Conaway

I like to lean my head to the left, hit it with the palm of my right hand, and document what knowledge falls out.

Website - More Posts