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Cisco CallManager System Guide, Release 4.0(1)
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Index
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Preface
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Introduction
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Cisco IP Telephony Overview
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System Configuration Overview
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Multilevel Administration Access
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System-Level Configuration Settings
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Clustering
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Redundancy
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Call Admission Control
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Cisco TFTP
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Device Support
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Services
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Auto-Registration
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Partitions and Calling Search Spaces
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Understanding Route Plans
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Application Dial Rules Overview
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Understanding the LDAP Directory
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Managing User Directory Information
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Media Resource Management
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Annunciator
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Conference Bridges
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Transcoders
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Music On Hold
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Media Termination Points
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Cisco DSP Resources for Transcoding, Conferencing, and MTP
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Voice Mail Connectivity to Cisco CallManager
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SMDI Voice Mail Integration
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Cisco Unity Messaging Integration
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Cisco DPA Integration
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Call Park
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Call Pickup and Group Call Pickup
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Cisco IP Phone Services
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Cisco CallManager Extension Mobility and Phone Login Features
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Cisco CallManager Attendant Console
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Cisco IP Manager Assistant
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Understanding Cisco CallManager Voice Gateways
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Understanding IP Telephony Protocols
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Understanding Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
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Understanding Cisco CallManager Trunk Types
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Cisco IP Phones
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Understanding Video Telephony
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Computer Telephony Integration
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Cisco ATA 186 and Cisco ATA 188
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Administrative Tools Overview
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Administrative Accounts and Passwords
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Feedback
Table Of Contents
Understanding Conference Devices
Conference Bridge Types in Cisco CallManager Administration
Using Different Types of Conferences: Meet-Me and Ad Hoc
Initiating an Ad Hoc Conference Bridge
Initiating a Meet-Me Conference Bridge
Conference Bridge Performance Monitoring and Troubleshooting
Conference Bridge Configuration Checklist
Where to Find More Information
Conference Bridges
Conference Bridge for Cisco CallManager designates a software and hardware application that is designed to allow both ad hoc and meet-me voice conferencing. Additional conference bridge types support other types of conferences, including video conferences. Each conference bridge can host several simultaneous, multiparty conferences.
Conference Bridge includes the following features:
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Adding new participants to an existing conference call
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Note
This section covers the following topics:
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Understanding Conference Devices
Cisco CallManager supports multiple conference devices to distribute the load of mixing audio between the conference devices. A component of Cisco CallManager called Media Resource Manager (MRM) locates and assigns resources throughout a cluster. The MRM resides on every Cisco CallManager server and communicates with MRMs on other Cisco CallManager servers.
Cisco CallManager supports hardware and software conference devices; both hardware and software conference bridges can be active at the same time.
For conferencing, you must determine the total number of concurrent users (or audio streams) that are required at any given time. Then, if you plan to use a software conference device, you create and configure the device to support the calculated number of streams. You cannot configure the number of streams for hardware conference bridges. One large conference, or several small conferences, can use these audio streams.
Caution
For more information on hardware and software conference devices, see the following sections:
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Hardware Conference Devices
Hardware-enabled conferencing provides the ability to support voice conferences in hardware. Digital Signaling Processors (DSPs) convert multiple Voice over IP Media Streams into TDM streams that are mixed into a single conference call stream. The DSPs support both meet-me and ad hoc conferences by Cisco CallManager.
Hardware conference devices provide transcoding for G.711, G.729, G.723, GSM Full Rate (FR), and GSM Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) codecs.
MTP WS-X6608 DSP Service Card
This DSP service card provides DSP resources for both conference applications and transcoding applications. Because hardware conference devices are fixed at 32 full-duplex streams per WS-X6608 port, hardware conference devices support 32 divided by three (32/3), or 10, conferences. Users cannot change this value.
Caution
NM-HDV Network Modules
NM-HDV network modules (NM) provide DSP conferencing resources, which include a maximum of 15 T1-549 DSPs (three T1-549 DSPs in each of five SPMM slots). This network module utilizes the VG200 platform.
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NM-HDV-2E1-60 Module
NM-HDV-2E1-60 currently supports 30 sessions of a high-complexity codec (such as G.729) and 60 sessions of a medium-complexity codec (such as G.711). NM-HDV-2E1-60 supports a maximum of 90 channels of conferencing ports per module.
NM-HDV-2T1-48 Module
NM-HDV-2T1-48 supports 24 sessions of high-complexity codecs and 48 channels of medium-complexity codecs. NM-HDV-2T1-48 supports a maximum of 72 sessions of conferencing ports per module.
Cisco IOS Enhanced Conference Bridge
For more information on this type, see the "Conference Bridge Types in Cisco CallManager Administration" section.
Software Conference Devices
For software conference devices, you can adjust the number of streams because software conference devices support a variable number of audio streams. You can create and configure a software conference device and choose the number of full-duplex audio streams that the device supports. To calculate the total number of conferences that a device supports, divide the number of audio streams by three. The maximum number of audio streams equals 128. For more information on software conference devices, see the "Conference Bridge Types in Cisco CallManager Administration" section.
Video Conference Devices
The Cisco video conference bridge, a dual multimedia bridge, provides video conferencing. Cisco CallManager controls this conference bridge type upon appropriate configuration. The Cisco video conference bridge provides audio and video conferencing functions for Cisco IP video phones, H.323 endpoints, and audio-only Cisco IP Phones. Administrators can partition the resources of the Cisco video conference bridge between the video telephony network and the H.323/SIP network. The Cisco video conference bridge supports the H.261 and H.263 codecs for video.
To configure this type of conference device, the user chooses the Cisco Video Conference Bridge (IPVC-35xx) conference bridge type in Cisco CallManager Administration.
To ensure that only a video conference bridge gets used when a user wants to hold a video conference, add the video conference bridge to a media resource group. Add the media resource group to a media resource group list and assign the media resource group list to the device or device pool that will use the video conference bridge. Refer to the Conference Bridge Configuration, Media Resource Group Configuration, Media Resource Group List Configuration, and Device Pool Configuration sections of the Cisco CallManager Administration Guide for details. Refer to the Cisco IP/VC 3511 MCU and Cisco IP/VC 3540 MCU Module Administrator Guide for more information about the Cisco video conference bridge.
Conference Bridge Types in Cisco CallManager Administration
The conference bridge types in Table 20-1 exist in Cisco CallManager Administration.
Using Different Types of Conferences: Meet-Me and Ad Hoc
Cisco CallManager supports both meet-me conferences and ad hoc conferences. Meet-Me conferences allow users to dial in to a conference. Ad hoc conferences allow the conference controller to let only certain participants into the conference.
Meet-me conferences require that a range of directory numbers be allocated for exclusive use of the conference. When a meet-me conference is set up, the conference controller chooses a directory number and advertises it to members of the group. The users call the directory number to join the conference. Anyone who calls the directory number while the conference is active joins the conference. (This situation applies only when the maximum number of participants that is specified for that conference type has not been exceeded and when sufficient streams are available on the conference device.)
Initiating an Ad Hoc Conference Bridge
Initiate ad hoc conferences in two ways:
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Using Conference Softkey for Ad Hoc Conference
The conference controller controls ad hoc conferences. When you initiate an ad hoc conference, Cisco CallManager considers you the conference controller. In an ad hoc conference, only a conference controller can add participants to a conference. If sufficient streams are available on the conference device, the conference controller can add up to the maximum number of participants that is specified for ad hoc conferences to the conference. (Configure the maximum number of participants for an ad hoc conference in Cisco CallManager Administration, Cisco CallManager Service Parameters Configuration by using the Maximum Ad Hoc Conference service parameter setting.) Cisco CallManager supports multiple, concurrent ad hoc conferences on each line appearance of a device.
When the conference controller initiates a conference call, Cisco CallManager places the current call on hold, flashes the conference lamp (if applicable), and provides dial tone to the user. At the dial tone, the conference controller dials the next conference participant and, when the user answers, presses Conference softkey again to complete the conference. Cisco CallManager then connects the conference controller, the first participant, and the new conference participant to a conference bridge. Each participant Cisco IP Phone display reflects the connection to the conference.
The conference controller can drop the last conference participant from the conference by pressing the RmLstC softkey on the Cisco IP Phone model 7960 or 7940. If a conference participant transfers the conference to another party, the transferred party becomes the last conference participant in the conference. If a conference participant parks the conference, the participant becomes the last party in the conference when the participant picks up the conference. When only two participants remain in the conference, Cisco CallManager terminates the conference, and the two remaining participants reconnect directly as a point-to-point call.
Participants can leave a conference by simply hanging up. A conference continues even if the conference controller hangs up, although the remaining conference participants cannot add new participants to the conference.
Conference by Using Join Softkey
The user initiates an ad hoc conference by using the Select and Join softkeys. During an established call, the user chooses conference participants by pressing the Select softkey and then presses the Join softkey, making it an ad hoc conference. Up to 15 established calls can be added to the ad hoc conference, for a total of 16 participants. Cisco CallManager treats the ad hoc conference the same way as one that is established by using the Conference softkey method.
Conference by Using cBarge
You can initiate a conference by pressing the cBarge softkey. When cBarge gets pressed, a barge call gets set up by using the shared conference bridge, if available. The original call gets split and then joined at the conference bridge. The call information for all parties gets changed to Conference.
The barged call becomes a conference call with the barge target device as the conference controller. It can add more parties to the conference or can drop any party.
When any party releases from the call, leaving only two parties in the conference, the remaining two parties experience a brief interruption and then get reconnected as a point-to-point call, which releases the shared conference resource.
For more information about shared conferences using cBarge, see Barge and Privacy in the Cisco CallManager Features and Services Guide.
Initiating a Meet-Me Conference Bridge
Meet-me conferences require that a range of directory numbers be allocated for exclusive use of the conference. When a meet-me conference is set up, the conference controller chooses a directory number and advertises it to members of the group. The users call the directory number to join the conference. Anyone who calls the directory number while the conference is active joins the conference. (This situation applies only when the maximum number of participants that is specified for that conference type has not been exceeded and when sufficient streams are available on the conference device.)
When you initiate a meet-me conference by pressing Meet-Me on the phone, Cisco CallManager considers you the conference controller. The conference controller provides the directory number for the conference to all attendees, who can then dial that directory number to join the conference. If other participants in a meet-me conference press Meet-Me and the same directory number for the conference bridge, the Cisco CallManager ignores the signals.
The conference controller chooses a directory number from the range that is specified for the conference device. The Cisco CallManager Administrator provides the meet-me conference directory number range to users, so they can access the feature.
A conference continues even if the conference controller hangs up.
Dependency Records
To find out which media resource groups are associated with a conference bridge, click the Dependency Records link that is provided on the Cisco CallManager Administration Conference Bridge Configuration window. The Dependency Records Summary window displays information about media resource groups that are using the conference bridge. To find out more information about the media resource group, click the media resource group, and the Dependency Records Details window displays. If the dependency records are not enabled for the system, the dependency records summary window displays a message.
For more information about Dependency Records, refer to Accessing Dependency Records in the Cisco CallManager Administration Guide.
Conference Bridge Performance Monitoring and Troubleshooting
Microsoft Performance Monitor counters for conference bridges allow you to monitor the number of conferences that are currently registered with the Cisco CallManager but are not currently in use, the number of conferences that are currently in use, the number of times that a conference completed, and the number of times that a conference was requested for a call, but no resources were available.
For more information about performance monitor counters, refer to the Cisco CallManager Serviceability System Guide and the Cisco CallManager Serviceability Administration Guide.
Cisco CallManager writes all errors for conference bridges to the Event Viewer. In Cisco CallManager Serviceability, you can set traces for the Cisco IP Voice Media Streaming Application service; to troubleshoot most issues, you must choose the Significant or Detail option for the service, not the Error option. After you troubleshoot the issue, change the service option back to the Error option.
Cisco CallManager generates registration and connection alarms for conference bridges in Cisco CallManager Serviceability. For more information on alarms, refer to the Cisco CallManager Serviceability Administration Guide and the Cisco CallManager Serviceability System Guide.
If you need technical assistance, locate conference bridge logs from C:\Program Files\Cisco\Trace\CMS\cms*.* and C:\Program Files\Cisco\Trace\CMM before you contact your Cisco AVVID Partner or the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC).
Conference Bridge Configuration Checklist
Table 20-2 provides a checklist to configure conference bridge.
Table 20-2 Conference Bridge Configuration Checklist
Step 1
Configure the conference device(s).
Adding a Software Conference Device, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Adding a Hardware Conference Device, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Adding a Cisco IOS Conference Bridge Device, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Adding a Cisco Video Conference Bridge Device, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Step 2
Configure the Meet-Me Number/Pattern.
Meet-Me Number/Pattern Configuration, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Step 3
Add a Conference button for ad hoc or Meet Me Conference button for the meet-me conference to the phone templates, if needed.
You only need to do this for Cisco IP Phone models 12 SP, 12 SP+, and 30 VIP.
Modifying Phone Button Templates, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Step 4
If users will use the Join softkey to initiate ad hoc conferences, assign the Standard Feature or Standard User softkey templates to the user device.
Modifying Softkey Templates, Cisco CallManager Administration Guide
Step 5
Notify users that the Conference Bridge feature is available.
If applicable, notify users of the meet-me conference number range.
Refer to the phone documentation for instructions on how users access conference bridge features on their Cisco IP Phone.
Where to Find More Information
Related Topics
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Additional Cisco Documentation
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