DNS Server for a VCS Cluster X.7.1

[john-guy]

In a recent post I was able to get my question answerd regards to creating a Cluster Name and Pre-Shared keys.  When I refer to Appendix 5 Configuring Endpoints to Work with a VCS Cluster it states to enter the Cluster Name instead of the VCS IP address.

I have a simple Cluster

VCS-NY (This is the Master)

VCS-Cluster.domin.com (This is my VCS-NY controller)

VCS-NJ

When I log into my Telepresence C40 I don't see a field under Advanced Configuration/H.323 to enter the Cluster Name.  The only option is to enter the IP address of the Gatekeeper.  I would appreciate feedback on what I need to do to enter the Cluster Name.

I have the same issue with my Polycom HDX 8006 endpoints where it only accepts the Gatekeeper's IP address and not the DNS name which is my VCSCluster.domain.com

If this is not an option I will look into Option #2 "DNS Round Robin" and Option #3 "Static IP"

Thank you.

[Adam Wamsley]

Hey John,

What version are you running on the C40? I am on TC 5.1 I just enter my cluster name in the address field.

In this case on the status page I can see the C40 registered to my peer VCS.

I do the same thing with SIP

Only on SIP the status page shows the cluster name in the proxy.

Adam

[Adam Wamsley]

Registration also works this way with the Polycom HDX 8000.

Adam

[john-guy]

Great information thank you!  I'm running TC5.1.4 on our C40 Endpoints and 3.01 on our HDX 8006.  I'm planning my VCS Cluster (2 VCS Controllers) which lead me to the DNS SRV recommendation in the Cisco CCO document.  I want to make sure I supply all information to our DNS Administrators to ensure the Cluster and DNS is configured properly.

If our DNS Team sets all the rules can I perform a controlled cutover?  For example, if some of my endpoints are not running the correct version of code or don't support DNS-SRV gatekeeper registration I would like to keep the manual registration using the IP address of our primary VCS controller.  For my endpoints that support DNS-SNR I will register them using the Cluster-Name.  Do you know if any reason not to take this approach?  Thank you

[Adam Wamsley]

Hey John,

Using the IP address of the master for any endpoint that does not support SRVs is completely fine. If the master ever does go down you may have to manually switch it over to the peer as necessary. The endpoints with the cluster name will fail over fine as long as the DNS team configures everything properly.

Adam

[john-guy]

I'm having difficulty explaining the DNS configuration to my DNS Administrator.  Below is what I provided to setup a 2 VCS Cluster using DNS SRV.

• NY-VCS.domain.com  10.10.10.2
  
  • Service H.323rs/UDP/1719
    
• NY-VCS-ClusterName.domain.com  10.10.10.3
  
• NJ-VCS.domain.com  10.20.1.2
  
  • Service H.323rs/UDP/1719
    

I explained to the DNS Admin that a Video Endpoint will be configured with the DNS Name of VCS-NY-ClusterName.domain.com.  The DNS Record should return the following (probably a bad example)

H.323rs.UDP.example.com 1719 IN SRV 10 NY-VCS.domain.com

H.323rs UDP.example.com 1719 IN SRV 10 NJ-VCS.domain.com

What's a good way to explain to my DNS Admin what's required by DNS to support my VCS Cluster using DNS SRV?  thank you

[Martin Koch]

FIrst of all, John, please rate the answers made here and else in the forum, this

motivates the ones who answer and help others to find the right / interesting posts.

Check out page 50:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/telepresence/infrastructure/vcs/config_guide/Cisco_VCS_Basic_Configuration_Control_with_Expressway_Deployment_Guide_X7-2.pdf

[Tomonori Taniguchi]

I reply on your other post as wel,l but do you have H323rs SRV service record for domain you are configuring on C40 Endpoint as H323 Gatekeeper address?

For H323 Gatekeeper registration by using SRV, you must have H323rs SRV record.
H323rs service define registration service, entity supporting H.225.0 RRQ.
You may add this SRV on VCS cluster name and configure it as H323 Gatekeeper address on Endpoint.
If you haven’t configure this a part of SRV record, please add it and try it again.

H323rs service should configure with following parameters.

================

Service: H323rs

Protocol: UDP

Port: 1719

================