Call Signaling Results in Multiple Incoming Call Notifications

[callmeguilty]

Hello. Thanks for reading my first post...

So I inherited an enterprise deployment of TMS (v12.6.2) with 16 VCS Controls (v7.0.3) and 4 VCS Expressways (v7.0.3). The Provisioning VCS Control is v7.2.1.

Seems like the call routing design uses a single traversal zone on each Control to route calls to two of the Expressways, where all four Expressways are neighbored. Search rules have various assigned priorities and no custom dial pattern strings.

During a test call, the Codian MCU will dial out to a 1700MXP just once, but several times to a Jabber Video account.

Please see this included screenshot:

I want to try to fix this. I need to implement a better dial plan, but need to do so while continuing operations.

Can any VCS gurus assist me? Thanks soo much in advance!

[ahmashar]

Hi James,

This problem is due multiple routes to the destination and as you mentioned you have multiple VCSs, I believe you have first and foremost a topology issue here (meshed neighbor zones) and the dialplan also doesn't help either (the calls get branched through different neighbor zones which not only creating loops in the network but also you multiple calls at your endpoints). You need to provide more information regarding how your VCSs are deployed (cluster or standalone and how they are geographically deployed and interconnected)? also what is the current dialplan?

Any changes to topology or dialplan should be planned because it may interrupts the call routing (the dialplan should be test in the staging enviornment before it can be transferred to the production environment). So if you don't have staging environment then you have considered a maintenance windows - non buiness hours - to try the new dial plan etc.

Also TAC can help with this, if you open a case with them.

regards, Ahmad

[Martin Koch]

Like Ahmad said, that can be config issues.

Espeically if you have multiple neigbors/loops, strange findme mappings, additional search rules

(especially with the same priority) layer-3 devices which kill or change somehow some SIP responses, ...

Guess this sounds like you have some clean out job to do :-)

Best is to see if the logical dialplan makes sense at all or needs to be redesigend and then start to check on

the search rules on the vcs, ...

[callmeguilty]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for you insight! I have multiple neighbors, but no loops that I know of... not using FindMe or complicated search rules... and there is an Enterprise-wide firewall policy for all needed ports.

I am feeling like I need to redesign the whole thing, but also don't want to bite off more than I can chew. I posted a diagram to this conversation. I hope is helps to explain the current plan.

Please let me know if I can show or explain anything else. Thanks!!

[callmeguilty]

Hi Ahmad,

Thanks you very much for replying! I agree, the topology seems like a mess. You are correct that the topology is a mesh design (for the VCSe).

I have 4 VCSe (2 in USA, 2 OCONUS) and 16 VCSc (14 in USA and 2 OCONUS). The West VCSs has a single traversal zone to each of its VCSc, same also for East VCSe, Pacific and Europe VCSe. H323 and SIP are enabled.

The dial plan is basic... 50 priority for default zones, 100 for traversal zones, and 150 for neighbors. As you say, there are a lot of needless lookups. There are no search rules and strings.

Here is a simple diagram I whipped up. Hopefully this will make more sense... Please let me know if you want to see/ know anything else. Thanks again for your help!

Regards,

Jim

[Martin Koch]

Check out the VCS Admin guide,

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/telepresence/infrastructure/vcs/admin_guide/Cisco_VCS_Administrator_Guide_X7-2.pdf

Especially the section regards the hierarchical dialplan.

To be honest, this depoyment is a bit to big to properly discuss in a forum as

there might be so many other dependencies and requirements that its hard

to overlook.

A VCS deployment also strongly follows the network capabilities. If you have

one open lan it might be different as if you have to traverse firewalls.

I would recomend to check with your Cisco Partner (or your Cisco contacts if you are one)

and/or get an external consultand on board who can help you organizing this structure.

Let us know how you solved it at the end :-)

[callmeguilty]

Hi Martin,

I have thought that I could possibly take one of the VCSc and make it a global directory and have all the VCSe zoned to it. And that would require a lot of effort...

Could I not implement a more stream-lined dial plan by implementing some search rules on the VCSe? So basically the topology would stay the same (more or less), but searches will be contained, rather than a mass-blast approach?

If we focus on the four VCSe, perhaps the discussion can continue. Thanks for your reply!

[Martin Koch]

Hi James!

This is why I say, we do not know the requirements and most of all the hidden features and

workarounds which might be in place at this deployment.

On the forum it is way to time consuming with the high risk that the answers or the tips might

point you in a wrong direction and you and I guess especially your boss would be unhappy if it gets worse :-)

We are working in IT and there are nearly always multiple ways to reach the goal.

Some are better, some are equal and some are worse.

And what might be suitable for one deployment or even a standard blueprint stuff might not fit for yours.

Good sources to start to read up are the admin and deployment guides:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps11337/products_installation_and_configuration_guides_list.html

You most likely do not have endless time nor the ok of your users and bosses to have an endless

try and errors approach :-)

I would really recommend getting somebody onsite, add a silent room and a whiteboard and see what you

have, what your requirements are and how to optimize it!