Cisco Unified Communications Manager
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Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM), formerly Cisco Unified CallManager and Cisco CallManager (CCM), is a software based IP call agent platform sold by Cisco Systems.
CUCM tracks all active VoIP network components; these include phones, gateways, conference bridges, transcoding resources, and voicemail boxes among others. CallManager often utilizes the Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) as a communications protocol for signaling the hardware endpoints of the system, such as IP Phones. H.323, Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is used to pass call signaling to gateways.
[edit] History
[edit] 1994 Multimedia Manager
The product started its life in 1994 as a Selsius Systems product called Multimedia Manager 1.0. The Multimedia Manager product was designed to be the signaling controller for a point-to-point video solution. It was originally developed for a HP-UX platform using the SDL-88 programming language, but was later ported to the Windows NT 3.51 platform.
[edit] 1997 Selsius-Callmanager 1.0
In 1997, it was renamed Selsius-CallManager and changed from a video conferencing solution to a system designed to route voice calls over an IP network. It was during this time that support for the Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) and Skinny Gateway Control Protocol (SGCP) were added.
[edit] 1998 Selsius-Callmanager 2.0
By 1998 Selsius-Callmanager 2.0 had been released. Selsius Systems was later that year acquired by Cisco Systems, Inc..[1]
[edit] 2000 Cisco Callmanager 3.0
Callmanager underwent a large design and engineering effort to enable scalability and redundancy to the software. Clustering was introduced at this time and [MGCP] support was added.
[edit] 2001 Cisco Callmanager 3.1
This Callmanager release was built off of the 3.0 release. This version supported more gateway devices, IP phone devices and added more enhancements and features. The following features and enhancements were introduced in version 3.1.
- Music on hold (MOH)
- Support for digital interfaces on [MGCP] gateways
- Added support for XML and HTML applications in Cisco IP Phones
- Extension mobility
- Call preservation between IP phones and MGCP gateways
- TAPI (Telephony Application Programming Interface) is introduced
[edit] 2002 Cisco Callmanager 3.3
Building from the previous release, in [2002] Cisco added even more enhancements to version 3.3. Many bug fixes were introduced as well. Some of the enhancements were.
- QSIG support
- IP Manager/Assistant (IPMA) is introduced
- Scalability to 30,000 phones per cluster
- Improved H.323 features and support
- Support for multiple H.323 gatekeepers
- Configurable call waiting tones
- Many bug fixes
[edit] 2004 Cisco Callmanager 4.0
In 2004 Cisco made a large scale release with Callmanager 4.0. Customers were pleased with a large amount of new features. Previously IP phones were restricted to only 2 calls per any given line appearance. This caveat was eliminated and IP phones could now have a user configurable maximum (up to 200) number of calls per line appearance.
Some new features and enhancements added during this release were:
- Hunt group
- Malicious call identification
- Immediate diversion
- Privacy for shared lines
- Call barge
- Improved security with media encryption between phones
- Multi Level Administration (MLA) allowed delegated administration
- Direct transfer allowed a user to select two calls from the same line and connect them together
- Call join allowed users to select several calls from a line and conference them together
- Additional QSIG features added
- Many bug fixes
This version (as well as all Windows 2000-based versions of CallManager (4.0, 4.1 and 4.2) are End of Life (announcement will be made November 15, 2007, with an End of Sale date of May, 2008).
[edit] 2004 Cisco Callmanager 4.1
In a short time after the release of version 4.0, Cisco released a minor upgrade to 4.1. This version focused on improved stability and support for even more features. Several utility tools were added as well. Additionally, some of the new features of CCM 4.0 include greatly enhanced conference calling features, enhanced Client Matter Code (CMC) and Forced Account Code (FAC), Multilevel Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) and Malicious Call Identification (MCID). CallManager 4.1 also enhances the encryption capabilities first introduced in CallManager 4.0. When using Cisco Phones 7940/7960/7970 or 7971 it is now possible to encrypt signaling as well as voice traffic itself.
- More QSIG enhancements
- Dialed number analyzer (DNA) is a tool used to analyze how dialed strings route
- Forced authorization codes (FAC)
- Time of day routing
- Client matter codes (CMC)
- Malicious Call Identification (MCID)
- Increased security through addition support for encryption
[edit] 2006 Cisco Unified Callmanager 4.2
CallManager 4.2 was released in parallel with Callmanager 5.0 on Monday the 6th of March [2006]. At the same time Cisco re branded the product "Cisco Unified CallManager"; they also added the Unified tag to all of their Voice and Video offerings (i.e. Cisco Unified Contact Center, Cisco Unified MeetingPlace).
Cisco Unified CallManager 4.2 runs on Windows 2000 and includes new PABX features over 4.1(3) (namely logging into hunt groups and call-forward on no coverage (so, if you forward a line to a hunt group, and the hunt group is unavailable or busy, you can forward calls somewhere else); Also introduced was Call Forward Unregistered, so that if you called a remote site, but the WAN link was down, you could automatically forward that call to the PSTN. This version does not include SIP end-point support.
[edit] 2007 Cisco Unified Callmanager 4.3
CallManager 4.3 runs on Windows 2003.
[edit] 2006 Cisco Unified Callmanager 5.0
CallManager 5.0 was released in parallel with Callmanager 4.2 on Monday 6 March 2006. Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 is Linux based and for the first time can use Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to IP end-points; apart from the addition of SIP it is feature compatible with CallManager 4.1(3). CallManager 5.0 servers are being sold as pre-installed appliances. Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 can also be installed on compatible MCS servers and Cisco approved HP and IBM servers. Users of CallManager 4.x can upgrade to Unified CallManager 5.0 and keep their current Databases by having another server on the LAN with a shared drive available during the upgrade process. Unified CallManager 5.0 comes with an introduction of a new licensing structure that is based on device-weights. A license file must be acquired and installed before any services can be activated.
[edit] 2007 Cisco Unified Callmanager 5.1
This version is essentially bug fixes for Communications Manager 5.0.
[edit] 2007 Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0
Cisco renamed the product to Unified Communications Manager. Version 6 was supposed to merge all features of the Linux appliance (SIP support and licensing requirements) between the Linux platform and Windows version. The released version of Unified Communications Manager will not support the Windows platform.
This version added an intercom feature between endpoints (station-to-station only), and integrated Mobility Manager (single number reach to multiple destinations, IP Phone, Cell Phone, etc.).
This version utilizes a slightly different licensing model from that found in 5.X. First off, CUCM 6.0 requires service licenses (for Communications Manager, etc.) and comes with a 'starter' license for a single node and 50 device weights (about 10 phones), and will install natively on VMWare for lab purposes; in addition it requires a 'feature license' to activate the CallManager feature.
NOTE: Upgrades to Communications Manager 6.X from Communications Manager 5.X require the acquisition of a new license; proceeding with the upgrade without acquiring this license will result in a non-functional system.
Also released was Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition (CUCMBE, aka Cucumber), which places Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0 and Cisco Unity Connections 2.0 (Voicemail) on the same server (an MCS 7828 with dual 250GB hard drives and 6GB of RAM).
Version 6.1 was released in January of 2008 and contained bug fixes.
[edit] 2008 Cisco Unified Communications Manager 7.0
To be released in Q2 2008, this version was originally slated to be available in both Windows and Appliance models. However Cisco have since stated that OS Independence will not be a feature of any version of CallManager after 4.3. Cisco refers to their entire suite of products to be released in 2008 as "System 7"; major updates are expected to Presence Server and Client at the same time as Communications Manager 7.0 is released.
The database will be standardized using IBM Informix (Microsoft SQL will not appear in any version after 4.3).
Since this is pre-release, all information is subject to change.
[edit] Operation
CUCM evaluates called numbers and activates gateway events to receive or send calls to the PSTN.
The Cisco CallManager is installed on either a Cisco Media Convergence Server (MCS) or Cisco approved server. Typically, multiple (up to twelve) MCS are clustered for distributed call processing and fault tolerance.
[edit] Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express
Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CUCME), formerly Cisco Unified CallManager Express and Cisco CallManager Express, is a Cisco IOS based IP-PBX for small medium business, enterprise branch office and commercial customers. It provides a rich set of call control and voice application features for the above mentioned customer profiles. It supports Cisco IP phones using Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Call Manager Express also provides a rich set of traditional PSTN connectivity options using both digital and analog lines.
For advanced customers, CUCME also provides integrations with TAPI clients, has a basic Automatic call distribution application, provides an integrated Auto Attendant, Voicemail and Interactive voice response systems.
