Need SPA122 mass provisioning guide

[cuban_cigar]

Hello all,

The backstory:

We normally use polycom phones, they can be configured easily and automatically via ftp option 66, and writing contents to config files for the phones to see and use.

We are now supporting a client that has 400+ cisco SPA122 ATAs... I'm frankly up a creek. There seems to be no way to auto provision them, each and every single one must be logged into by hand, a crushing and thankless task.

Question: How might these be configured like polycoms?

Attempt 1

There is a way mentioned where you can push out to each unit, a url to the location where is is supposed to get is new file:

a few issues

1) This requires the unit to be currently online. This is inconvienient. Many devices are stored offline. They should be able to contact a provisioning server and get their configs, How?

2) Even the "url push" method is spotty. The ATA's dont respond half of the time.

How can the adapters be made to have a provisioning server which they check for configs every reboot?

To date I have invested 100+ hours in research trying to dig us out of the hole.

[Dan Lukes]

Nope. We already do "zero touch" deployment of phones. DHCP option 160 will set initial value of Profile_Rule of virgin device, then device will load it's configuration from specified URL, then - it works.

The connected device itself is authorized by device's embedded RSA certificate, so you can't connect "an unknown phone" to our network.

Read , ask in doubt. Rate usefull responses and documents.

By the way, the document mentioned above is referenced on It's unfortunate that you missed it during your 100+ hours trip ...

[cuban_cigar]

Thanks you for link to the guide.

There certainly hasn't been any kind of working documentation for the process over the past years, if it really contains the info then I am appreciative.

The devices dont actually appear to have a field where you may set that url.

There was a poorly documented field some years ago, which was supposed to do something like that, but it simply didnt perform.

[Dan Lukes]

The devices dont actually appear to have a field where you may set that url.

Are we still speaking about zero touch deployment, e.g. nothing neets to be configured on brand new phone connected to network. Then I don;t understand what field and what URL you are speaking here about ...

[Dan Miley]

if you log in as admin,  go to the voice tab  -->provisioning  -->  profile rule

insert the full path to the file  tftp://ip.of.ser.ver/path/file

The timer on the same page "resynch periodic" tells it how often to check for a new file

if the file has not changed, it downloads it and nothing happens.

if the file has changed, and the device is inactive (no calls) it will implement the changes, and restart the device.

the config file is firmware version dependant, and you can create a blank factory default config by downloading the SPC tool  (under firmware download for the device)

http://software.cisco.com/portal/pub/download/portal/select.html?&mdfid=283998793&softwareid=282562500

create the factory default config file by running

SPC...exe       --sample-xml 

Best practise is to use minimal config (only the items changing from factory default), for readability, and bandwith.

More details in the provisioning guide linked above.

Hope it helps,

Dan

[Dan Lukes]

Imagine company's phone network with thousands devices deployed. No way to unpack, log in, set profile rule, then repack (must be delivered to appropriate department) on every them ...

[Dan Miley]

you can buy the remote configuration SKUs ( they have a -RC at the end of the model number).  (Quotes from provisionong guide, )

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/csbpvga/spa100-200/provisioning/guide/SPA100-200_PG_78-20952.pdf

<

In this model, the service provider issues these ATAs to its customers as part of a VoIP service contract. The devices are either RC units or preprovisioned in-house.

RC units are preprovisioned by Cisco to resynchronize with a Cisco server that downloads the device profile and firmware updates.

A service provider can preprovision these ATAs with the desired parameters, including the parameters that control resynchronization, through various methods: in-house by using DHCP and TFTP; remotely by using TFTP, HTTP, or HTTPS; or a combination of in-house and remote provisioning. >>

and

<

the proper operation of the IP Telephony device at the customer premises. This customized, ongoing configuration issupported by the following features:

•Reliable remote control of the endpoint

•Encryption of the communication controlling the endpoint

•Streamlined endpoint account binding

This chapter describes the features and functionality available when provisioning

these ATAs and explains the setup required:

• Deployment, page 7

•Provisioning Overview, page 9

Here's the zero touch provisioning guide (for asterisk) for the spa phones, but the provisioning is the same across all the spa platforms.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-9954

and the ATA provisioning guide seems to describe what you are wanting to do.

What have you tried so far?

Dan

[Dan Lukes]

Of course.

As original question asked for DHCP parameter driven deployment and Cisco devices support it, I focused on this method in my answer. It doesn't mean there are no other methods as well.