Dave Schulz is subbing for Wendell this week in the blog. Dave has been involved in networking and security for over 24 years. Working for a reseller in the Midwest, his experienced has varied from installation/support, consulting and management to contracting for an enterprise data center. Currently, Dave teaches voice technology for Skyline Advanced Technology Services. Dave has certifications in CCNP, CCDP and CCVP.
Greetings! Dave Schulz here again, subbing for Wendell. I have been talking about building your own voice lab to focus on the CCVP certifications. In today’s blog, we take a look at the various software versions you may want to consider purchasing, as well as, some of the gateway options. First, I would highly suggest that you acquire a server with at least 2Gig of memory and enough disk space to run the latest versions of CallManager (version 6.0). Even if you decide to focus on an earlier version, it is good idea to not limit yourself to a platform that is incapable of running the later versions. There will be a day coming when you will want to “lab up” a configuration in one of the later version, so don’t obsolete your equipment too early on in the process.
Regarding the different models, there are 4 different models that will run the CallManager software. These are the 7815, 7825, 7835 and the 7845 models, available from HP or IBM. I have found one of the best deals out there is the 7825 equivalent (Proliant DL320), which you should be able to acquire in the price range I mentioned in my previous blog (including software). Make sure that you get at least 2Gig of memory (to run CM v6.0). However, upgrading the memory is relatively inexpensive and can increase the performance. I purchased the above and upgraded later to 4Gig for under $200.
You will need to decide what versions of CallManager software you are going to purchase. This may be the difficult part for most here, since it may mean multiple purchases of the different versions. There are three versions of CallManager software currently available (v4.x, v5.x and v6.x). The older version 4.x is based on Windows Server, while version 5.x and 6.x are based on the Linux operating system. The nice thing is, that the CIPT exam is currently available in two formats (version 4.x (642-444) and version 5.x (642-445). Keep in mind, if you are looking to go on with your certification to CCIE certification, the current version being tested in the lab exam is version 4.x. Also, if you decide to purchase a single version, you will need to know the differences on the other version when you go to take the Troubleshooting Unified Communications (TUC) exam (642-426). This exam also tests some of the troubleshooting integration issues with Unity, Cisco’s voice mail and unified messaging solution. It would be a great thing if you are able to add Unity to your lab, but this would not be necessary to complete the CCVP certification (there are no Unity simulations). And, most of this information can be gleaned from studying the troubleshooting information available on the docCDs and the SRNDs (Solution Reference Network Design). One other point on Unity is that the software is capable of running on the same model platform that you run your CallManager software.
You also may want to download a copy of VMware server (no charge) and consider running your lab within VMware (www.vmware.com). This affords you the ability to run multiple versions on the same platform by stopping and starting the various images. Also, if you are working on various lab setups, you can take a “snapshot” and move back and forth between various configurations. However, you will need to install an operating system, such as Windows 2000 Enterprise server or XP to run on the host server.
For gateways, there are a number of products available. I would suggest looking at a VG200 and 26xx to get started. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, make sure that it includes the voice cards (FXO and FXS, should be a sufficient). There are other models available, but make sure that they are equipped to run MGCP and H.323 and are IOS-capable. This will help you with your understanding of gateways and the various gateway protocols, which is needed for the Gateway/Gatekeeper (GWGK) exam (642-452), as well as the TUC (642-426) exam. This would an area of your lab, which can grow…… and will cost more as you add more equipment. The routers and switches are also needed for the QoS exam (642-642) exam. However, CallManager is not tested in the QoS exam, so if you already have a number of routers and switches (and don’t yet have your CallManager), you could start in at the QoS portion of the CCVP certification. I personally started here, since I came in with a background in routing and switching. But, this is a matter of personal preference and your current knowledge base.
Access to your lab is something you also may want to consider. If you are going to keep your lab accessible from only from its present location (your home or business), then this is not a concern. However, if you are like me… being on the road 50-70% of the time, then you may want to consider a remote access service. There are a number of different “no charge” options out there. I use a product called “logmein” (http://www.logmein.com) which works quite well. In this service, there is a small agent that gets installed on the server, allowing you to access it through the browser after signing on to your account. This works quite well and gives you full access to the CallManager server remotely. Of course, this assumes that you are using VMware (for version 5.x or 6.x), since these run the Linux operating system and you don’t have root access to install the agent. CallManager v4.x runs the Windows operating system, so the agent can be installed directly on the platform, or, you can choose to run this within VMware also. For access to phones, I suggest getting a copy of IP Communicator and having it installed on a server and accessing it via the remote access service. Another option is to put up a VPN Concentrator and accessing it this way, but this could be cost-preventive for most. This would be the option to use if you are not using VMware.
As you can see, there are a number of options out there in building a lab. And, many different routes and paths you can take. I trust that this information helps you to start in going down that road in having a great lab that will enhance your learning, knowledge and understanding of the Cisco voice technologies and achieving CCVP certification!
