Configuring CME Voice Productivity Features

CCNA Voice Chapter 7

2/24/2012 JN

Configuring Voice Network Directory

Most people think of a corporate phone directory, visions of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets e-mailed out monthly come to mind. Cisco IP Phones support a local directory that you can update from the Cisco Unified Communication Manager Express (CME) router as you are configuring devices. You can enter names under ephone-dn configuration mode either as you are configuring new lines for the organization or separately, after you configure the lines. These names are used both for building the internal corporate phone directory (often called the local directory) and for caller ID information.

Configuring Voice Network Directory

After you enter these names in ephone-dn configuration mode, they immediately take effect. If ephone-dn 24 were to call ephone-dn 21, Ruth would see Samuel Oldham appear on her caller ID information, All modern Cisco IP Phone models allow you to browse the corporate directory by pressing the Directory button on the phone itself.

Configuring Voice Network Directory

All modern Cisco IP Phone models allow you to browse the corporate directory by pressing the Directory button on the phone itself.
After you select the Local Directory, the IP phone gives you the option to search by first or last name by typing in a users name as a string on the IP phone. You can enter as many characters as you like to filter down the number of results or simply press the Select softkey to see the entire corporate directory, as shown in Figure 7-3.

Configuring Voice Network Directory

By default, Cisco Unified CME organizes the local directory alphabetically by first name. You can change this setting by using the directory command from telephony service configuration mode. In addition, you can also add manual entries to the directory by using the directory entry command.

Configuring Call Forwarding

Two methods: 1. from the IP phone(the users method) 2. from the Cisco IOS CLI (the administrators method).

To forward calls from the IP phone, simply press the CFwdAll softkey button. The IP phone beeps twice and allows you to enter a number.

Enter the number to which all calls on the IP phone will forward, and then press the pound key (#) on the phone so that it knows you are done entering the number.
To cancel call forwarding, press the CFwdAll button a second time.

Configuring Call Forwarding

Forwarding Calls from the CLI
forward calls that are busy or not answering (noan) to a different extension. Although this is typically a voicemail number (which 1599 represents in Example 7-3), this could also be another IP phone if this DN was a member of a hunt group
In the United States, the phone rings for 2 seconds followed by 4 seconds of silence. Knowing this can be useful in calculating a good no answer (noan) timeout value. call-forward command max-length restricts the IP phone from forwarding to external destinations call-forward max-length 0, CME makes the IP phone call forwarding feature unavailable to the Cisco IP Phone

Configuring Call Forwarding

call-forward pattern Command to Support H.450.3 When a call enters the network and hits a forwarded device, that device takes responsibility for the call and becomes a tandem hop in the call flow. That means that the voice traffic now forwards through the IP phone that forwarded the call. This can cause quality problems if the device that forwarded the call is a large geographical distance away from the phone receiving the forwarding call. The IP phone with x1002 is forwarded to the IP phone with x1003. Notice that the VoIP traffic must pass through the California CME router to reach Florida. This can cause intense quality of service (QoS) problems with the call, such as audio clipping, distortion, and even call drops. This symptom is commonly called hairpinning the call

Configuring Call Forwarding

Call forwarding with an H.450.3 When the call reaches California, CME sends an H.450.3-based redirect message, instead of accepting the call and forwarding it on to Florida. The VoIP traffic then travels directly from x1001 in Texas to Florida rather than passing through California to get there. call-forward pattern <pattern> from telephony service configuration mode tells CME which numbers should support the H.450.3 standard. Entering the pattern 15.. Tells CME, I want all four-digit numbers that begin with 15 to support H.450.3. All calls to 15XX extensions would support H.450.3 call forwarding.

Configuring Call Transfer

To transfer a call, hit the Trnsfer softkey while on an active call. When you do, you hear another dial tone, at which point you can dial the phone number to which you want to transfer your active call.
Consult: Consult transfer allows you to speak with the other party before transferring the call. After you dial the number to which you want to transfer the call, you can wait for the other party to answer and speak with them before transferring the call. Pressing the Trnsfer softkey a second time transfers the call, dropping you out of the conversation. Consult transfers require a second line (or dual-line configuration). Blind: Blind transfer immediately transfers the call after you dial the number (you do not hit the Trnsfer softkey a second time). Blind transfers can work in a single-line configuration.

Configuring Call Transfer

The full-blind and full-consult methods use the industry-standard H.450.2 method of transferring. Just like call forwarding, you dont want to hairpin the call and cause potential QoS issues each time you transfer. The local-consult method uses a Cisco proprietary transfer method that performs a consult transfer if multiple lines or dual-line configurations are available, but will revert to blind transfers if only a single line is available. Cisco proprietary transfers work similar to the H.450 standard. The only problem is this transfer method results in hairpinned calls if you have non-Cisco IP telephony systems on your network.
Note: You can also configure transfer modes individually for each ephone-dn by using the transfer-mode <blind/consult> syntax from ephone-dn configuration mode. Configuring the transfer mode this way uses H.450 standards and overrules the system wide setting. By default, the Cisco router restricts transfers to devices that are not locally managed. This is usually a good policy, because transferring outside of the company can result in toll fraud.

Configuring Call Park

The call park feature allows you to retrieve the call from any phone in the organization. Call park parks the caller on hold at an extension rather than on a specific line. Any IP phone that is able to dial the park extension number can retrieve the call. You can either allow CME to park calls randomly at the first available ephone-dn or allow users to choose the extension where the call is parked. Random - When an employee has a call, the receptionist could announce, Larry, you have a call on 5913 Extension - software extension 301, cameras could be extension 302 (department store)

Configuring Call Park

Note: When planning to configure call park, keep in mind that each parked call consumes an ephone-dn slot (regardless of single- or dual-line configurations). You may need to increase the number of ephone-dns (max-dn) that your CME deployment supports.

Configuring Call Park

To park a call, simply press the Park softkey while on an active call. CME finds a parking slot for the call and send a message back to the phone that parked the call. You can answer parked calls in one of three ways: Dial directly into the call park slot. For example, lifting a phone handset and dialing 3001 answers whatever call is parked at 3001.

Press the PickUp softkey and dial the call park number that you want to answer.
From the phone at which the call was parked, press the PickUp softkey followed by an asterisk (*) to recall the most recently parked call back to the phone.

Configuring Call Pickup

Call pickup allows you to answer another ringing phone in the organization from your local phone. This is accomplished by pushing the PickUp softkey on the IP phone while another phone is ringing. The call automatically transfers to the local phone, where you can answer it. Based on the softkey used, the users can answer other ringing phones in their own group or enter other group numbers to answer the ringing phones in that group.

Configuring Call Pickup

CME permits three methods to answer other ringing phones: Directed pickup: You can pick up another ringing phone directly by pressing the PickUp softkey and dialing the DN of the ringing phone. CME then transfers the call and immediately answers it at your local phone. Local group pickup: You can pick up another ringing phone in the same call pickup group as your phone by pressing the GPickUp button and entering an asterisk (*) when you hear the second dial tone. Other group pickup: You can pick up a ringing phone in another group by pressing the GPickUp button and entering the other group number when you hear the second dial tone.

Configuring Intercom
This feature allows an administrative assistant and executive to work closely together by having a speakerphone tether between them. The way intercom deployments work is through a speed-dial and auto-answer speed-dial configuration. The administrative assistant presses the button configured as an intercom, it speed dials the executives phone, which auto-answers the call on muted speakerphone. To establish two-way communication, the executive deactivates mute (by pressing the Mute button). To configure intercom functionality, you must configure two new ephone-dns, one for each side of the intercom connection. These intercom lines should be assigned a number, just like any other ephone-dn. However, to prevent others from accidentally (or purposely) dialing the intercom and ending up on muted speakerphone for a random IP phone, the number should be something users cannot dial from other IP phones.

Configuring Intercom
Notice the number assigned to ephone-dn 60 is A100. You cannot dial this number from a Cisco IP Phone keypad, but you can assign it to a speed-dial button. The intercom command acts like a speed-dial button on the ephone-dn. In the case of ephone-dn 60, the command intercom A101 dials the number A101, which is assigned to ephone-dn 61. Because ephone-dn 61 is also configured with the intercom command, it auto-answers the incoming call on muted speakerphone. The label syntax allows you to assign a logical name to the speed-dial; otherwise, the A101 or A100 label will show up next to the line button on the phone

Configuring Paging
Paging is similar to the intercom concept; however, it provides only a one-way automatic path for communication. This is useful to allow broadcast messages, such as emergency notifications or to notify employees of holding calls. The CME paging system works by designating an ephone-dn as a paging number.

Calls to the DN of this ephone-dn broadcast to the IP phones that you assigned to this paging group.

Configuring Paging
CME supports paging in unicast and multicast configurations.

Paging in unicast configuration causes the CME router to send individual messages to each one of the IP phones in the group. So, if six IP phones were assigned to paging group 80, a page to the group would cause the CME router to stream six individual audio signals to the devices. Because of the overhead this causes, CME limits unicast paging groups to a maximum of ten IP phones.
Multicast configuration allows the CME router to send one audio stream, which only the IP phones assigned to the paging group will receive. This allows a virtually limitless number of IP phones in each paging groupCalls to the paging number 5555 now page both ephones 1 and 2 using unicast paging unicast, single-group paging

Calls to the paging number 5555 now page both ephones 1 and 2 using unicast paging

Configuring After-Hours Call Blocking

In the traditional telephony realm, there have been many recorded incidents of unauthorized phone calls being placed after-hours, when most, if not all, staff has left for the evening. To prevent this, you can implement after-hours call blocking on CME. After-hours call blocking allows you to define ranges of times specified as after-hours intervals. You can then list number patterns that are disallowed during those intervals. If a user places a call during the after-hours time range that matches one of the defined patterns, CME will play a reorder tone and disconnect the call. You have the option to completely exempt certain IP phones from the after-hours restrictions or provide users with a PIN they can enter into the IP phone. If they enter the PIN correctly, CME exempts the IP phone from the after-hours policy for a configurable amount of time.

Configuring After-Hours Call Blocking

Define the patterns that CME should block during the after-hours time slots you have configured

Step 1. Define days and/or hours of the day that your company considers off-hours. Step 2. Specify patterns that you want to block during the times specified in Step 1. Step 3. Create exemptions to the policy, if needed.

Configuring After-Hours Call Blocking

The final step in the configuration of after-hours blocking is to allow any necessary exemptions to the policy,

Configuring CDRs and Call Accounting

Who made that call? Long-distance bill and came across an international call to Aruba that was four hours in length.
CDRs contain valuable information about the calls coming into, going out of, and between the IP phones on your network. It is common for an organization to use these CDRs for billing purposes. These records contain all the information you need to find who called whom and how long they were talking. The CME router can log CDRs to the buffered memory (RAM) of the router, to a syslog server, or to both.

Configuring CDRs and Call Accounting

512,000 bytes of memory dedicated to the logging functions of the router. CDRs are kept for 10,080 minutes (7 days). The CME router keeps a maximum of 700 CDRs in memory

Configuring CDRs and Call Accounting

CME_Voice(config)# gw-accounting syslog CME_Voice(config)# logging 172.30.100.101

Although it is easier to read than scrolling through wrapped terminal output, the messages are just as cryptic. For this reason, many third-party vendors created CDR interpreters that format the syslog data into easy-to-understand spreadsheets and HTML pages. Tip: Cisco offers a web-based utility that can show many third-party software applications geared around CDR interpretation. You can find the partner search application at http://tinyurl.com/5okclk.

Configuring Music on Hold

CME has the ability to stream Music on Hold (MoH) from specified WAV or AU audio files that you copy to the flash memory of the router. CME can stream this audio either in multiple unicast streams (which is more resource intensive) or in a single multicast stream (which is less resource intensive, but requires a multicast network configuration). CME can stream theMoH using G.711 or G.729 codecs. Note: Because the G.729 audio codec is designed for human voice, the quality of MoH streamed using G.729 is significantly lower than MoH streamed using G.711. In addition, CME uses transcoding DSP resources to convert the MoH to the G.729 codec. With all these factors, using G.711 for your MoH, if at all possible, is highly recommended.