Table Of Contents

Cisco DPA Integration

Understanding the DPA 7630/7610

How the DPA 7630/7610 Works

Why is the DPA 7630/7610 Needed?

Can I Just Use SMDI?

What If I Cannot Use SMDI?

Where to Find More Information

Cisco DPA Integration

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The Cisco DPA 7630 and 7610 Voice Mail Gateways (DPA 7630/7610) enable you to integrate Cisco CallManager systems with Octel voice-mail systems, which might also connect to either Definity or Meridian 1 PBX systems. This integration enables you to use your existing third-party telephony systems along with your Cisco IP telephony system.

For example, you can ensure that features such as message-waiting indicators (MWI) for Octel voice messages are properly set on Cisco IP Phones (connected to Cisco CallManager) and traditional telephony phones (connected to Definity or Meridian 1 PBX systems).

Using the DPA 7630/7610, you can integrate the following systems:

•Cisco CallManager 3.1(1) or higher

•Octel 200 and 300 voice-messaging systems (using APIC/NPIC integration)

•Octel 250 and 350 voice-messaging systems (using FLT-A/FLT-N integration)

•Definity G3 PBX systems (DPA 7630 only)

•Meridian 1 PBX systems (DPA 7610 only)

These sections provide you with an overview of the DPA 7630/7610 and its interactions with the other components in traditional and IP telephony networks:

•Understanding the DPA 7630/7610

•How the DPA 7630/7610 Works

Understanding the DPA 7630/7610

The DPA 7630/7610 functions as a gateway between Cisco CallManager and an Octel system (which may connect to a PBX system), and performs these tasks:

•Determines the call type from Cisco CallManager and sends display, light, and ring messages to the Octel system.

•Determines when the Octel system is attempting to transfer, set message waiting indicators (MWI) and so on, and sends the appropriate messages to Cisco CallManager.

•Converts dual-tone multi frequency (DTMF) tones to Skinny Client Control Protocol messages.

•Provides companding-law transcoding and voice compression.

•Performs Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) encapsulation of the voice message.

How the DPA 7630/7610 Works

With the Cisco DPA 7630/7610, you can integrate your existing Octel voice-mail system with Cisco CallManager and either a Definity PBX system or a Meridian 1 PBX system. If you have a Definity PBX, use the DPA 7630; if you have a Meridian 1 system, use the DPA 7610.

The DPA 7630/7610 functions by emulating digital phone or PBX systems. This capability allows it to appear like these devices to Cisco CallManager, Octel, Definity, and Meridian 1 systems.

Figure 29-1 illustrates the Cisco DPA.

Figure 29-1 Cisco DPA

Why is the DPA 7630/7610 Needed?

If you want to migrate your telephony system from a Definity G3 PBX or a Meridian 1 PBX to Cisco CallManager, you must decide whether to do a complete cutover to Cisco CallManager or to migrate slowly. If you do a complete cutover to Cisco CallManager and Cisco voice-mail solution, you do not need the DPA 7630/7610. However, if you are slowly migrating your systems, you might want to maintain some phones on the Definity or Meridian 1 PBX while you are installing new phones on the Cisco CallManager system. You might want to use your existing Octel voice-mail system with your Cisco CallManager system. In these cases, the DPA 7630/7610 can assist your migration to Cisco CallManager.

Can I Just Use SMDI?

The fact is voice mail systems such as Octel were designed to integrate to only one PBX at a time presents one difficulty with migration. To resolve this difficulty, many people use Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI), which was designed to enable integrated voice-mail services to multiple clients.

To use SMDI, you must ensure that your voice-mail system meets several qualifications:

•It must have sufficient database capacity to support two PBX systems simultaneously and to associate each mailbox with the correct PBX to send MWI information on the correct link.

•It must be possible to physically connect the IP network to the voice-messaging system while maintaining the existing physical link to the PBX.

•It must support analog integration. SMDI primarily acts as an analog technology.

Additionally, SMDI requires reconfiguration of your existing telephony network.

What If I Cannot Use SMDI?

SMDI might not be an option for you, particularly if you are using a digital interface on your Octel systems. Octel systems with digital line cards emulate digital phones, and appears to the PBX as digital extensions, referred to as per-port or PBX integration cards (PIC). On PIC systems, the voice and data streams (for setting MWI) use the same path. The system sets and clears the MWIs via feature access codes on dedicated ports. Because these PIC ports use proprietary interfaces, you cannot use standard interfaces to connect them to the Cisco CallManager system.

The DPA 7630/7610 can, however, translate these interfaces to enable communication among the Cisco CallManager, Octel, and Definity or Meridian 1 systems. Depending on the needs of your network, you can choose among several different integration methods.

Where to Find More Information

Related Topic

•SMDI Voice Mail Integration, page 27-1

Additional Cisco Documentation

•Cisco DPA 7630/7610 Voice Mail Gateways Administration Guide