CME Setup w/ PVDM2-64s... So many questions..

damian.langley · ‎10-31-2012

I have a 3845 router that I set up years ago. It was pulled off one network, sat on a shelf, then moved to a new network. On the original network I recall we had a requirement to put in two PVDM-64 modules for transcoding/conferences. Now I'm looking at this thing again, trying to give it some love, and I can't figure out what's going on.. I set up a 16 user meetme conference expecting the router to draw DSPs from the PVDMs. Instead when I "sh voice dsp active" all I see are some "edsp"s. There is one EDSP for every configured ephone-dn. Some research shows these to be memory slots tied up per line. None of my 5510s show up in the list. If I "sh voice dsp voice" I can see the C5510s, but none are ever busy. The only "busy" DSPs are the EDSPs... 11 callers results in 22 used EDSPs (11 for phones and 11 for conference ephone-dn).

All that background for the simple question of: Why do we even have PVDMs if they aren't being used? Cisco states we "have to" have the PVDM modules for conference bridges... Doesn't appear to be that way in practice though, things are just sitting there drawing idle power.

Another question, why is dspfarm configured under AIM-CUE? Does this mean one has to have unity to have a conference bridge? That's not a requirement under Cisco's documentation, but then I don't see another way to allocate [phantom] DSPs without the ability to configure "voice-card 0". And as per above I don't even see a way to allocate the PVDM DSPs that were paid for.

These guys say I have to have hardware modules to get the job done then don't apparently use them, leave out the requirement to have CUE then write in commands which require it, and on top of all that, write pretty terrible documentation on the matter. I hate cisco sometimes (actually it seems to be a daily affair with their documentation team).

Thanks.

-Relevant configuration inline-

voice-card 0
dspfarm
dsp services dspfarm
!
voice class custom-cptone inTone
dualtone conference
frequency 600 900
cadence 300 150 300 100 300 50
!
sccp local loopback0
sccp ccm 192.168.20.254 identifier 100 version 4.1
!
sccp ccm group 1
bind interface loopback0
associate ccm 100 priority 1
associate profile 1 register something
!
sccp
!
dspfarm profile 1 conference
description 31.2 Kbps/Caller Conference
codec g711ulaw
codec g711alaw
codec g729ar8
codec g729abr8
codec g729r8
codec g729br8
conference-join custom-cptone inTone
maximum conference-participants 16
maximum sessions 8
associate application sccp
!
telephony-service
conference hardware
transfer-system full-consult
sdspfarm units 5
sdspfarm tag 1 something
ip source-address 192.168.20.254 port 2000
max-conferences 12 gain -6

ephone-dn 100 dual-line
number 555555
conference meetme
preference 1
no huntstop

[...]

ephone-dn 107 dual-line
number 555555
conference meetme
preference 8

paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2012

EDSP are virtual DSPs to interface ephones, so it's normal that they show as you indicated. There is no additional configuration needed for hardware conference.

And, voice card 0 has nothing to do with AIM CUE. Addressing commands for that are under interface service module.

damian.langley · ‎11-01-2012

To enter voice-card configuration mode and configure a voice card, use the voice-card command in global configuration mode. There is no no form of this command.

voice-card slot

Slot number for the card to be configured. The following platform-specific numbering schemes apply:

•Cisco 2600 series and Cisco 2600XM:

–0 is the Advanced Integration Module (AIM) slot in the router chassis.

–1 is the network module slot in the router chassis.

•Cisco 3600 series:

–A value from 1 to 6 identifies a network module slot in the router chassis.

•Cisco 3660:

–7 is AIM slot 0 in the router chassis.

–8 is AIM slot 1.

I can't find anything on the 3800 Series, however cisco's copy/pasta makes it seem that the default for slot 0 is AIM. I've looked at about 15 different versions of that text. As for the EDSPs, I have one for every ephone-dn (including conference numbers), not for every ehpone. And none of my hardware DSPs are being used for conferences. They don't appear to be doing anything.

paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2012

You do not have a 2600 or 3600 router. On your router, 'voice card 0' is interface to some DSP configuration.

Then if there is no conference in progress, the DSP will not be doing anything, and so it will show.

damian.langley · ‎11-01-2012

The conference is in progress, or I wouldn't be raising the question... ? As to the voice card, I have two PVDMs and only one "voice-card" option (0). Everything I read leads me to believe voice-card 0 is AIM-CUE, and unless you can point me to something that says otherwise for 3845, nothing really lines up with "makes sense".

paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2012

Sorry, I do not have to point you to anything. You can actually believe whatever you want, and good luck

damian.langley · ‎11-02-2012

I don't recall saying you had to do anything. And I don't want to believe "whatever [I] want," which is why I posed the questions in the first place. I swear, sometimes techies are usually the worst when it comes to common sense. to make passive aggressive tone okay.