Comparison between CUCM ver 7 and 8

[mrizvinbk]

I am currently running ver 4.2, and planning to upgrade. Since ver 8 is new I am more inclined to go to ver 7. What are the pros and cons of ver 8?

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Mohamed,

I'm only going to give you the "Cons" for CUCM 8.0(x) but that doesn't

mean there aren't any "Pros"

Most UC engineers try to steer clear of .0 builds like 8.0 as they tend

to be quite Buggy. This principle carries over from 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0

and 8.0 seems to follow the trends we've seen previously

There have been seven 8.0 releases since February of this year, four

of which were quickly deferred;

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Version 8.0

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(3a) New!

      18/Aug/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.0(3)

      13/Jul/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(2c)

      06/May/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(2b) (Deferred)

      26/Apr/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(2a) (Deferred)

      20/Apr/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(2) (Deferred)

      08/Apr/2010

    * Release Notes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 8.0(1) (Deferred)

      25/Feb/2010

I think many people here would recommend sticking with 7.1(3b)su2 as it has proven to be an excellent

build.

Cheers!

Rob

[mrizvinbk]

Thanks Rob,

Anyone else with other views?

[Anas Hazeen]

Cisco Unified Communications Manager 7.0       2008

Released in September 2008, this version was originally stated to be available in both Windows and Appliance models. However Cisco has since stated that OS independence will not be a feature of any version of CallManager after 4.3. Cisco refers to their entire suite of products to be released in 2008 as "System 7"; major updates are expected to Presence Server and Client at the same time as Communications Manager 7.0 is released. The database will be standardized using IBM Informix (Microsoft SQL will not appear in any version after 4.3). Version 7 is an attempt to bring all Cisco Unified Communications products to the same version number (CUCM, CUPS, CER, CUPC, Cisco IP Communicator, UCCX, etc.)

Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.0        2010

Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.0(1) in 26 Feb 2010 has published and its 8.0(2c) version released in 6 May 2010. Direct upgrade is available from 8.0(2b),8.0(2a),8.0(2),8.0(1),7.1(3),7.1(2),7.0(2),7.0(1),6.1(5),6.1(4),6.1(3),6.1(2) versions. Its license is almost same as CCUM 6.0 ( for more Information refer to http://www.ciscosystems.ro/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/admin/8_0_2/ccmfeat/fslicense.html ). CUCM 8.X supports virtualization along with the other Cisco Unified Communications Products (CUCCX, CUPS, CUC, etc.).

[Aaron Harrison]

Version 8:

Pros: More Features

Cons: More (or different, newer, and therefore harder to research) bugs

Version 7:

Pros : Fewer, or at least more well known bugs

Cons: Fewer features

The choice is pretty much always between more established versions, with fewer and better documented problems and a newer version that will have useful new features; and the price you pay for those features is that you will be among the first to be using them and finding out what the complications and faults with them are.

It really comes down to starting with some carefully worked out requirements; what's good for your organisation may be different to what's good for mine. It's worth taking a look at the new features list, researching anything that looks useful, and working out whether you really need it:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/voicesw/ps6788/vcallcon/ps556/ps10662/data_sheet_c78-584298.html

Regards

Aaron

Please rate helpful posts..

[dconstantino]

I would go with 7.13XXX with less bugs than 

a X.0 any version.

I have been burned in the past on this and will never fall into that trap again. Also beware of UCCX 8.0 I have heard that there are some database bugs when in HA that can not be recovered from short of re-building and a restore. Read all release notes completely do not skip anything.

Plus going from 4.2 to 7.x is pretty simple verses the unknown issues of going to 8.0 using the multi hop upgrade method.

[iptuser55]

In addition to the above

From what I`ve seen is one of the big things for us at least was

• Extension Mobility PIN - it can force a user to change the default PIN you may have given them as an administrator

• Go Daddy, enrollment service  feature -

A customer has two Clusters - both will send their CDR info. to an enrollment server. When you make calls between the two CUCM`s , the enrollment server looks at both CDR records and determines if the calls are between the two Clusters and if so the next time you make the call it routes it via the  Internet. If the call degrades then the call if "transferred" to PSTN. This potentially reduces any pre-paid managed Voice/IP network requirement, not sure how a Security group will take it though

• Cross Cluster EM

Above was via a quick heads up from our SE

Hope it helps