9951 SIP phones and CME 8.5 GUI

[bjames]

I just got an ISR setup with the latest code to do some testing with 9951 phones. I setup everything CLI to start with, but went into he CCME GUI to to do some more work. I don't see the phones or users or anything in the GUI.

I called into TAC and was told CCME GUI does not see SIP phones?!? - I was kinda stunned, I asked about CUE, as I would have to setup everything CLI which can be a pain with a lot of users.

Is this true?

If so this is pretty poor as SIP is the road that everyone (Cisco) will be heading down for the future (IMHO).

If not why would the TAC tech tell me that; just to blow off the case?

Thanks in advance,

Bob James

[Jonathan Schulenberg]

TAC doesn't generally lie. The 9900 series is supported by CME 8.5 but SIP phones (of any model) have a different configuration in IOS. It's entirely possible that the GUI doesn't support this yet.

I suggest asking the TAC engineer to show you documentation supporting this claim just to be sure. Your Cisco AM can then add your name to the Product Enhancement Request so the BU can see customers are actively seeking this feature. The GUI will of course support SIP phones some day; however, there are only so man DE hours you can put into each release.

[bjames]

I am not saying anyone is lying but the level of support these days at TAC has been in serious decline over the last

year, but that's another thread.

Anyway I have the phones working fine, but now I have to find the docs to CLI setup voicemail for all users in CUE. It just surprises me that I have to setup everything from CLI scratch (I don't mind) in CUE and CME for such and expensive system and group of phones.

I am hunting for any docs now that state SIP phones are not supported/seen in CUE/CME GUI's even in this latest release.

Cheers

Bob

[paolo bevilacqua]

That is correct, GUI does not support anything related to SIP.

You will not find a description of what is supported by the GUI and what is not. The reason may have to do with the fact that there is little to be found about CME GUI for Cisco.

Also consider, CME is inherently a SCCP-based system. SIP phones are there just like kind of an addendum and not not have the features and the integration of SCCP. Avoid them if possible at all. SIP is not the best protocol for PBX phones and more specific protocols like SCCP and IAX demonstrate that every day.

[bjames]

Thanks Paolo,

Interesting comment, although late to the game I am guessing Cisco will be driving more to the SIP side as this is more of a standard template, and for integration, standards are best.

The 9951 (I assume the 9971's) are SIP based phones so I can't really avoid them, and like I said getting used to SIP will be a good practice.

Just my opinion

Bob James

[guilhem.perez]

Hi,

I'm meeting the same issue: 9971 phones and users don't appear in CME and CUE Web interface.

Did you go through this issue?

Moreover, When I press Contact button on 9971, it says no Contact Entry (despite the fact that I have configured SIP Name and Directory Entry in Telephony-service).

Did you meet this issue too?

Thank you

Best regards.

.

[paolo bevilacqua]

guilhem.perez wrote:
Hi,
I'm meeting the same issue: 9971 phones and users don't appear in CME and CUE Web interface.
Did you go through this issue?

It is NOT an issue, that's the way the current system works: GUI SUPPORTS ONLY SCCP FEATURES.

[guilhem.perez]

Thank you.

I'll configure voicemail using CLI.

Do you know if Contact button should work with 9951/9971 on CME because I can't see any contact?

I've checked my configuration but pressing Contact Button doesn't display Local Directory or Personal Directory as expected.

Thank you

Best regards

[paolo bevilacqua]

Sorry, not having ever used one of these phones, I wouldn't know.

[bjames]

Paolo, go easy he's just asking for help.

Yes this is frustrating because there wasn't much documentation on this, but Cisco did point me to the right stuff finally. Search for the latest CME express admin manual and the 9951/71 manuals. I had to use this combination to figure everything out. There are a few commands that unless you find them a lot of the 99xx stuff won't work.

If I still had the link from Cisco I would post it.

The Directory thing threw me as I had everything setup right in telepony-service, I was able to find out it uses http to get it's directory information then I figured out it was the ACL that was stopping the directory lookups. Edit the ACL to allow the phone DHCP subnet access to CME then it should work for you.

A little dissappointed with the support for these phone considering their price, it took me 4 TAC Engineers to get some of the configuration issues resolved, so I think this demostrates the lack of knowledge on their part as well.

The other interesting issue I had was video, I got a black screen on the phone, but no picture, after looking through some technotes I found a warning about the power requirements and sure enough my SMB Cisco switch could not provide enough power to the phone and camera to get it work work, so I have some bricks on order.

Good luck,

Bob James

[Thomas Dillingham]

Hi,  My name is Thomas Dillingham, I work in Cisco TAC's multiservice voice team, and support the CUCME/CUE platforms, along with a few other products.

As you have already learned, currently the SIP endpoints, specifically the 9900 series IP Phones (Native SIP) are not configurable using the GUI, which can introduce some challenges when configuring CUCME and CUE.  Mainly you will have to configure most of the system's settings related to these phones and users, using the CLI.

I noticed that no-one has pointed you in the direction of the documentation that is available for configuring the CUCME and CUE using the GUI, so I thought I would take the time to provide those links below:

This is a link to the Maintain and Operate Guide for Cisco Unity Express:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps5520/prod_maintenance_guides_list.html

This is a link to the Cisco Unity Express VoiceMail and Auto Attendant CLI Administrator Guide for 3.0 and Later Versions:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity_exp/administrator/AA_and_VM/guide/vmadmin_book.html

This is a link to the Cisco Support documentation for the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/partner/products/sw/voicesw/ps4625/tsd_products_support_series_home.html

Specifically this is for the CUCME Administration:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/partner/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucme/admin/configuration/guide/cmeadm.html

Also, you may find this document helpful, as it discusses the overall design requirements and recommendations related to Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucme/srnd/design/guide/cmesrnd.html

Specifically related to the issue of configuring users and mailboxes on the CUE I think you will find this link to be the most helpful:

Mailbox:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity_exp/administrator/AA_and_VM/guide/vmconfig.html#wp1011652

and User from the same doc:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity_exp/administrator/AA_and_VM/guide/users.html#wp1025552

And finally,

You should find the following feature roadmap document helpful in seeing what new features are being added and to what version:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucme/admin/configuration/guide/cmeroad.pdf

Thanks,

Thomas Dillingham

TAC - CSE

[guilhem.perez]

Thank you everybody.

I've succeed in configuring phone and mailbox using CLI.

One remaining issue is directory menu access from 9971 phone.

When I press Contact Button, I can see "no Contact Entry" (unlike entries exist) whereas I was expected to get the Directory menu to choose beetween Local Directory, Personal Directory and Speed Dial.

It's very strange because I guess telephony service and voice register global are well configured (Directory Button work as exepcted on SCCP phones).

I've used Wireshark to check requests from 9971 phones to CME when pressing Directory Button: no http request.

Thank you

Best regards

[bjames]

Try this, in the voice register template or pool or profile enter : create profile

Then under the voice register pool for the phone enter : apply-config   (if you are running 8.6)

Let me know the results (and make sure you are allowing the phone subnet through on the ACL as mentioned above)

Bob