Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
| What switch to use for voice? Now that I'm past my CCNA, I'm curious about Cisco IP phones and the technology that runs it.
What switches run this? What is Cisco Unity or Cisco Call Manager? Or more importantly, what hardware can I start scoping out to learn this?
I'd like to setup a little lab at home in addition to what I already have running.
TIA |
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 jester121Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL | Nothing special about the switches unless you want POE, or some QOS or bandwidth management.
Call Manager is the phone "system", I think in the early days they were referred to as "IP PBX" systems. Unity is the voicemail part of that. They both ran on full blown Intel servers back in the day, and now have changed names a few times and run on Linux I believe.
There is also a "lite" version (formerly Callmanager Express) that ran on a router in IOS, and a voicemail module that plugged in the router, called Unity Express.
All these have gone through major changes over the years and are called by different names, sold with different licensing, etc. |
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 tubbynetreminds me of the danse russePremium,MVM
join:2008-01-16
Chandler, AZ
kudos:1 | said by jester121:Nothing special about the switches unless you want POE, or some QOS or bandwidth management.
which makes them special, right? 
Call Manager is the phone "system", I think in the early days they were referred to as "IP PBX" systems. Unity is the voicemail part of that. They both ran on full blown Intel servers back in the day, and now have changed names a few times and run on Linux I believe.
however, since callmanager 5 -- everything has been on a custom linux kernel. they've begun to lock it down for specific memory and disk space checks, though now that cisco has ucs -- uc on ucs is becoming "the next big thing".
There is also a "lite" version (formerly Callmanager Express) that ran on a router in IOS, and a voicemail module that plugged in the router, called Unity Express.
to the op -- you'll want to start reading about some of the requirements for your "lab" before you go down that path. if you're looking for a full blown cucm install -- be prepared to pay. if its just an "express" version, grab a poe switch, a few phones, and a voice license for your existing router (assuming that it has voice support) and go.
q.
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"...if I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself..." |
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Reviews:
·Optimum Online
| Ideally I'd like to start with something small. Start to learn the concepts of a DID, a trunk, maybe get into routing calls via SIP.
I was thinking of maybe picking up a Cisco 1760 and a couple Cisco 7905s. Don't know if a 1760 works with a 7905 or if the 1760 has the CallExpress lite. |
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jester121Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL | reply to tubbynet
said by tubbynet:said by jester121:Nothing special about the switches unless you want POE, or some QOS or bandwidth management.
which makes them special, right? Kinda sorta, yeah.  Point is, I wanted OP to understand that you can also run CME with a Linksys $30 5 port "dumb" switch, and it will perform just fine for a lab. Remember to get power bricks.
And remember the 7905 doesn't have a PC switchport; you need the 7911 for that. I'd suggest checking out the specs for CME on Cisco's site, it will show you required RAM and flash for each version on each router, along with how many phones are supported. |
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| Alright, I'm gonna check that out.
Thanks for the tips guys |
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| reply to Network Guy
May want to take a look at some equipment reqs for labs, and/or browse for what Voice labs have
in them. Second jester121 and tubbynet's comments about whether you feel the need for QOS, POE
and that sort of stuff or not.
Also agree it isn't going to be cheap... or easy to figure out what you need. And you thought
building a NA lab was a pain in the arse
Regards |
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| reply to Network Guy
I currently use a C2950 24 port switch for my network lab, shich incorporates 3 IP phones. Also, the 2950 switches are CHEAP and are a managed switch that use a full cisco IOS feature set and can have the encrypted IOS feature set and also support vlans if you would like to set up a specific vlan for your topology. Also the 2950 support marking of interesting traffic for the ports which have VOIP traffic. Check e-bay for a good deal. Hope that helps !
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A+, NET+, SEC+, Working on CCNA and Linux+
Experience with Cisco Voice, Cisco PIX/ASA, Server 03 & 08 |
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