Will VoIP work in my system?

[TexNolan]

Hello

I hope I am asking a question in the correct forum. I am new here and yet have been studying CCNA on my own for a couple of years, just took CCNA 1 & 2 at Tarrant County College, so I consider my knowledge is less than 2% (so I don’t have 2cents of knowledge ☺ ).

I work in a business that is all cisco, 39 switches in 12 IDF closets. Below is two main buildings and their set up. Building A (routing done in switch), stack 3 switches and Ethernet port channel to the forth switch. Building B, stack 4 switches and fiber to the fifth switch. The stacks are 12 years plus in age and are not PoE. The additional C2960X are three to five years age and are PoE. Our WiFi access points and surveillance system run on the 2960’s. We just upgraded to OM3 ten gig fiber between the buildings (Loop system). Four buildings in the loop. We are using ISP of 250 Mbps on one and a backup of 50 Mbps one a separate carrier.

I am being asked to look into getting off a 15 year old PBX phone system and onto VOIP. Sales people have pushed that we can make everything existing work. Did I mention “Sales People”?

What am I really looking to hear is if we want to go to VoIP, what is really needing to be done?

Note: At our least busy times speeds are 175Mbps and at the busiest we drop 25-30Mbps and have seen it drop to less than 5Mbps once or twice a month.

Building A

No Router, Stack Switch is used as router.

Switch       Ports      Model                                  SW Version         SW Image

------      -----        -----                                       ----------                ----------

*               1 28       WS-C3750G-24TS-1U      12.2(53)SE          C3750-IPBASE-M

                 2 28       WS-C3750G-24TS-1U      12.2(53)SE          C3750-IPBASE-M

                 3 54       WS-C3750E-48TD             12.2(53)SE          C3750E-UNIVERSAL-M

Switch      Ports      Model                                  SW Version         SW Image

------      -----        -----                                       ----------                ----------

*               1 52       WS-C2960X-48FPS-L        15.0(2)EX4          C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M

Building B

Switch       Ports      Model                                   SW Version         SW Image

------      -----        -----                                        ----------                 ----------

*               1 54       WS-C3750E-48TD             12.2(53)SE           C3750E-UNIVERSAL-M

                 2 52       WS-C3750G-48TS             12.2(53)SE          C3750-IPBASE-M

                 3 52       WS-C3750G-48TS             12.2(53)SE          C3750-IPBASE-M

                4 52        WS-C3750G-48TS             12.2(53)SE          C3750-IPBASE-M

Switch      Ports      Model                                   SW                         Version SW Image

------      -----        -----                                       ----------                 ----------

*              1 52       WS-C2960X-48FPS-L        15.0(2)EX4          C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M

[Ratheesh Kumar]

Hi there

Voip can work in your environment but it all depends on your requirements/needs. For Cisco IP Phones to work POE is not a mandatory requirement but you have to provide power using Cisco power cubes.

Depending on the number of users across your site, you can plan to go either CUCM (Full blown PBX-Virtual based on servers or blades) or mini version running on routers (CCME). You also have to plan for SIP/PRI based connectivity for your external dial in/out features. This comprises the basic telephony setup.

Now additional applications like Voicemail, Contact Center, Presence/Instant Message/Chat etc etc all requires additional softwares/hardwares. As I said, all depends on your requirements and budgeting.

If I am in your current situation, I will get the assistance from a Cisco partner and shadow them thru the entire project. Below is the solution reference guide from Cisco, its worth going thru and gives you a better idea on the recommendations and how the topology works.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/srnd/collab12/collab12.html

More questions...shoot

Hope this helps!

Cheers
Rath!

***Please rate helpful posts***

[TexNolan]

 Ratheesh,

Thanks and yes that helps. I don't understand it all, but I am looking it up to help me clear it up.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@TexNolan wrote:

12.2(53)SE  

15.0(2)EX4

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Stop.  Using.  These.  Versions.

[TexNolan]

Leo,

Thanks for the advise, and yes I know there are some newer versions. But for the directives of "stop using", could you enlighten me on why? Not questioning your knowledge, just trying to understand the importance. 

Thanks for your feed back.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@TexNolan wrote:

But for the directives of "stop using", could you enlighten me on why?

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The EX version is an interim version.  It's not designed for full scale production.  

Next, 12.2(53)SE ... Here's a good tip, when choosing a "stable" or "good" IOS version, always look at the latest and the last known version. 12.2(53)SE train is a train wreck.  I loved it when my switch goes nuts with just a little nudge here and there.  

Another thing, notice that after the letters "SE" there is no number?  That's because it is version "0".  Look for a version with high to very-high numbers.  Look at 12.2(55)SE train.  Looking for a "stable" IOS?  12.2(55)SE is one of the most reliable and stable train that has came out of Cisco.