CCNP Collaboration home lab

[Liam1809]

Hi,

Hopefully someone can help, as I believe I'm overthinking and complicating matters.

I currently have a home lab which consists of:

- VMware ESXI 6.5

- CUCM 12.0

- Windows Server 2019

- 3750 Switch 48 port

- 2821 x2 VWIC-1MFT-E1 2x PVDM2-64 

- 3x 7821 1x 7940

I'm now trying to expand it to simulate a PSTN and ITSP connection. My thought process was that I could setup an additional CUCM cluster on a seperate LAN network, configure a gateway and trunk for each, and have a pseudo router in the middle acting as the PSTN/ITSP. For the ITSP, I wanted to use CUBE, but I'm pretty sure that requires smart licensing.

Hopefully someone can tell me if I'm wrong (most likely), but in terms of what I would need and whether this would work or best ways to go about it. Thank you!

- 2 additional routers, 1 with 1xE1 port, 1 with 2xE1 port, both with PVDM2-8/16 (Think the PVDM2-64 might be abit overkill)

- E1 crossover cables

- FXO/FXS are these required if I'm not using analogue phones?

[Elliot Dierksen · Accepted solution]

It sounds like you are on the right track. My lab that used for CCIE Collaboration (done in 2016) was as follows:

ESXi host for the virtual machines (3 x CUCM, 2 x IM & Presence, 2 x Unity Connection, 1 x ELM)

3 x 2901 routers (2 with internal  switch modules and PoE power supplies) All dual T1/E1 card (1 port WAN, 1 port PSTN) and PVDM3-64

1 x 2951 (PSTN simulator) PVDM3-256 (Video bridge/transcoding needed a lot of DSP resources), 3 x with dual T1/E1 card (1 port WAN, 1 port PSTN), CME for PSTN simulator phone

3 x 7965 phones (3 different locations/branches)

4 x 9971 phones (3 different locations/branches, PSTN simulator phone)

3750E PoE switch (HQ location and PSTN simulator phone)

[Liam1809]

Thank you for your comment!

I'm glad to hear I'm going in the right direction.

I bought 2 2951's with dual T1/E1 cards, 4 port FXS/DID, PVDM3-128, with one of them running CME which will be the PSTN simulator.

I'm doing my CCNP Collab at the moment, so it's massively helpful hearing how others have built their labs.

Thank you for your help

[Nithin Eluvathingal]

When working on my CCIE lab, I simulated a PSTN using ISDN on a Cisco 2900 router, which was actually a CME. You don't need a separate CUCM cluster for  PSTN simulation purposes. The same router can have SIP simulated  and use ISDN simulation. Additionally, the CUBE feature on these 2800 and 2900 routers is RTU licensed, so there's no need to obtain licenses for CUBE. Moreover, you can't obtain licenses for these devices as they have reached End of Life (EOL).

[Liam1809]

Thank you for your comment!

I hadn't actually thought of using CME until yourself and Elliot mentioned it. I was under the impression that I would have to create a second voice network sitting behind the PSTN router to simulate it, so it defiently makes it easier as CME is providing that role.

Thank you for your help