Bought before I knew what to buy?

markvalenzuela · ‎02-17-2007

Hello,

I've worked with Cisco products for a few years but only from the perspective of connecting PBX analog voice at both ends of a VoIP connection, while someone else did the actual Cisco programming. Well, I've decided to be that someone else and have begun adding Cisco equipment to my home lab that had both voice and data equipment from other vendors. I bought a 2811 V/K9 with an NM-HD-2V, VIC2-2FXS, VIC2-2FXO and HWIC-4ESW. I've had it for about 2 weeks and am having a great time integrating it into my home lab. However, I'm starting to realize that I don't really know what I have and don't have. Here's my flash:

show flash

-#- --length-- -----date/time------ path

1 33498516 Dec 14 2006 08:22:44 +03:00 c2800nm-spservicesk9-mz.124-9.T1.bin

2 1823 Dec 14 2006 08:31:38 +03:00 sdmconfig-2811.cfg

3 4734464 Dec 14 2006 08:32:06 +03:00 sdm.tar

4 833024 Dec 14 2006 08:32:22 +03:00 es.tar

5 1052160 Dec 14 2006 08:32:40 +03:00 common.tar

6 1038 Dec 14 2006 08:32:54 +03:00 home.shtml

7 102400 Dec 14 2006 08:33:06 +03:00 home.tar

8 491213 Dec 14 2006 08:33:24 +03:00 128MB.sdf

9 1684577 Dec 14 2006 08:33:48 +03:00 securedesktop-ios-3.1.1.27-k9.pkg

10 398305 Dec 14 2006 08:34:06 +03:00 sslclient-win-1.1.0.154.pkg

I've been working with a few Cisco Press books, IP Telephony Using Call Manager Express and Cisco Voice Gateways and Gatekeepers. In the process of navigating the IOS and becoming more and more familiar with it I've finding I don't have access to things like a Gatekeeper command for instance. I am able to get into telephony-services and do some configuring, but just not everything I wanted to, I don't think. Before I buy additional equipment, I want to ensure my Dollars are well spent. What do I need to do to have CME running on this router? I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with the licensing and want to do it properly. I thought I read about an evaluation or demo version but am willing to buy a license if I must. Foolish me, I actually thought it was included in the voice version of this router. I also want to have gatekeeper functionality. Eventually I plan to buy another 2811, 2600XM (I'm not sure what model yet but it will be voice enabled) and a 1751V, all with VPN abilities. For now though, please let me know what I need to get CME and Gatekeeper functionality on my 2811. Thank you in advance

paolo bevilacqua · ‎02-18-2007

Hi,

you have already CME, just configure telephony-service. You will need at least one cisco come to appreciate how it works.

gatekeeper is in the ip-to-ip image (advservicesk9_isv)

I suggest that you buy a smartnet support contract for the one piece of that hardware you bought, that will give you download rights on CCO.

markvalenzuela · ‎02-18-2007

Thank you for the information. I guess the more I read the more I convinced myself that I needed something else, referring to CME. I shopped around and found other similar routers that had the addition of CME in their description. The more I looked the more I found that some did and some didn't. I did notice that when I saw it advertised it was with Advanced IP Services. I guess that will get me the Gatekeeper capabilities also. I have literally spent days researching on the Cisco site to better understand the different versions/images of their IOS. I will take your advice and buy a smartnet contract. I did read that it only offers upgrades within the same image or feature set but I'm sure that's more of my misunderstanding of how things work. Thanks again

paolo bevilacqua · ‎02-18-2007

Just to clarify further. CME is in all the voice images. GK, is the "directory service" for H.323. Now it happens that H323 is used less and less in favor of SIP. The equivalent functionality in SIP is called Border Session Controller. Both things, and many more, are only in the IP-to-IP gateway image.

Please remember to rate useful posts!

markvalenzuela · ‎02-18-2007

Wow, getting more familiar with Cisco equipment is like fog clearing on a long stretch of highway. The more it clears the farther you see you need to go.

I had been using document, "CISCO IOS SOFTWARE RELEASES 12.4 MAINLINE AND 12.4T FEATURE SETS FOR THE CISCO 2800 SERIES ROUTERS," to guide me on my purchase. I didn't realize there was an IP-to-IP Gateway feature that needed to be included. It seemed that at the bottom of the above mentioned document, SP Services included the Voice over IP features.

Instead of taking all your time, I think it's time to contact Cisco Customer Service to find out exactly what image to buy in order to get what I want. I'll probably ask them to include the security/VPN features so I don't need to buy new images every few months. Maybe this is what you meant by the service contract and being able to download the appropriate image.

Thank you again for your time. You certainly have cleared things up for me and got me going in the right direction. I'll certainly come back to this forum before making further purchases, which should be in the next couple months.

paolo bevilacqua · ‎02-19-2007

Good luck with customer service. They may be helpful but some matters are so technical that often until you try things by yourself, you don't get to a definite answer.

Be advised that the IP-to-IP gateway license in _very_expensive, because it is meant for ITSP that pulls revenues from the feature.

If I was you I would spend the money on hardware and the smartnet contract that will open you the magic doors.

Don't be afraid to post here again for any questions.

markvalenzuela · ‎02-19-2007

Thanks again. And you were right again. I asked and they told me to login to the software center, which I can't with my level of access. I will buy the service contract and hopefully be able to get the version of software I need. What an experience.

paolo bevilacqua · ‎02-19-2007

Mark you are very welcome. You can contact me at the email outlined in my profile for a more detailed discussion os service contracts, that falls outside the scope of this forum.