VCS without Express Way

[pramod]

Dear All,

I have a  single VCS starter edition,c40 codec,ex series end points. Is it possible to configure VCS with one interface to public ip address and other interface with private ip? how to do the configurations. I need to make outbound video calls (eg. loopback.sip@cisco.com) also allow inbound connections as well. Kindly give me configuration guide meeting the above requirement

Thanks,

Pramod

[Jens Didriksen]

Are you sure you don't have a VCS-E (Expressway) Starterpack?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/ps7060/ps11305/ps11315/ps11337/data_sheet_c78-697075.html

See the deployment guide:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/telepresence/infrastructure/vcs/config_guide/Cisco_VCS_Expressway_Starter_Pack_Deployment_Guide_X7-2.pdf

You can only do what you want by either using a VCS-E Starterpack with dual NIC option, or by using a

VCS-C and a VCS-E combination, but it cannot be done by a single VCS-C only.

/jens

Please rate replies and mark question(s) as "answered" if applicable.

[pramod]

Dear Jens,

I have VCS-E option keys. I can see 4 lan interfaces. Can i configure LAN1 with public ip and Lan2 with private ip address?

Did VCS do natting? how the private to public translation happens. I can see dns fields. can i use public dns? Currently i ma not using a firewall. I am planning to give public ip directly to vcs. Is this is possible? Can you guide me with some design diagrams with ip addressing?

Thanks,

Pramod

[Alok Jaiswal]

Hi Pramod,

yes, its very much possible. But you need dual nic option key.

Rgds,

Alok

[pramod]

Dear Alok,

Thanks for your reply. I have license for starter pack express. Did VCS have natting functionality. I am planning to give public ip on lan1 and private ip on lan2 so that vcs can be reached via public and private as well. Is this options possible? I dont have a firewall. Also i dont have an internal dns. can i use public dns? let me know please

Thanks,

Pramod

[Alok Jaiswal]

Pramod,

As said earlier you need dual nic option key for this to work. dual nic option key serves two purpose:

- it enable second lan

- it allows user to configure NAT ip-address on the VCS nic

so if you have dual nic option key yes you can configure the way you mentioned.

DNS on starter pack is mostly require for makin outbound calls to unknown uri e.g. cisco.com.

let say your vcs domain is abc.com and you want to make calls to cisco.com then you need a dns zone on the VCS and a search rule pointing towards dns zone.

when user xyz@abc.com calls to alok@cisco.com it will go to dns zone and will try to find the srv records for cisco.com. at this moment the dns configured on the VCS comes in picture for doing the resolution.

if you don't have any internal dns server you can use public dns like 8.8.8.8 etc for this.

Rgds

Alok

[pramod]

Thanks Alok for the clarification, Currently i dont have a dual NIC option key. I only have the LAN 1. Can i use a private IP on that LAN and do natting on Router to allow to outside? Is that a good practise. Will the calls flow Will NAT overloading cause any issues?

I am also thinking of other option like applying public ip directly on LAN 1 interface. So that even internal (private) end points can directly register using public ip! which one is the best? can you please point out?

[Alok Jaiswal]

Hi Pramod,

in a nat'ed envirnment VCS should know about nat'ing to modify the SDP headers accordingly. if you  don't have dual nic option key its not guaranteed it will work.

the best solution would be to use both the nic on the vcs. However the solution will work with public ip on LAN1, so that both internal and outside endpoint will register to VCS.

Hhowever it is worth noting that how you trying to communicate between internal network to outside? because if you directly register your internal endpoints to VCS you might run into media issues specially on SIP endpoints.

Rgds

Alok