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CUCM Special Characters

2013-06-13T20:09:00.001-04:00

As you are all aware, the list of characters available to use when configuring various fields in CUCM depending upon the field type. I chose CUCM 8.5 for my sample below as it is what I'm using mostly these days (and will be a quick reference when my memory is shot), but I'm sure some of you can contribute some differences in other versions in the comment section down below.

Be sure to click the "more" link - it goes to the big and juicy Cisco CUCM System Guide for tons of great details!

CUCM 8.5 Special Characters [ more ]


Character	Description	Examples
@	The at symbol (@) wildcard matches all NANP numbers. Each route pattern can have only one @ wildcard.	The route pattern 9.@ routes or blocks all numbers that the NANP recognizes. The following route patterns examples show NANP numbers that the @ wildcard encompasses: • 0 • 1411 • 19725551234 • 101028819725551234 • 01133123456789
X	The X wildcard matches any single digit in the range 0 through 9.	The route pattern 9XXX routes or blocks all numbers in the range 9000 through 9999.
!	The exclamation point (!) wildcard matches one or more digits in the range 0 through 9.	The route pattern 91! routes or blocks all numbers in the range 910 through 91999999999999999999999.
?	The question mark (?) wildcard matches zero or more occurrences of the preceding digit or wildcard value.	The route pattern 91X? routes or blocks all numbers in the range 91 through 91999999999999999999999.
+	The plus sign (+) wildcard matches one or more occurrences of the preceding digit or wildcard value.	The route pattern 91X+ routes or blocks all numbers in the range 910 through 91999999999999999999999.
[ ]	The square bracket ([ ]) characters enclose a range of values.	The route pattern 813510[012345] routes or blocks all numbers in the range 8135100 through 8135105.
-	The hyphen (-) character, used with the square brackets, denotes a range of values.	The route pattern 813510[0-5] routes or blocks all numbers in the range 8135100 through 8135105.
^	The circumflex (^) character, used with the square brackets, negates a range of values. Ensure that it is the first character following the opening bracket ([). Each route pattern can have only one ^ character.	The route pattern 813510[^0-5] routes or blocks all numbers in the range 8135106 through 8135109.
.	The dot (.) character, used as a delimiter, separates the Cisco Unified Communications Manager access code from the directory number. Use this special character, with the discard digits instructions, to strip off the Cisco Unified Communications Manager access code before sending the number to an adjacent system. Each route pattern can have only one dot (.) character.	The route pattern 9.@ identifies the initial 9 as the Cisco Unified Communications Manager access code in an NANP call.
*	The asterisk (*) character can provide an extra digit for special dialed numbers.	You can configure the route pattern *411 to provide access to the internal operator for directory assistance.
#	The octothorpe (#) character generally identifies the end of the dialing sequence. Ensure the # character is the last character in the pattern.	The route pattern 901181910555# routes or blocks an international number that is dialed from within the NANP. The # character after the last 5 identifies this digit as the last digit in the sequence.
\+	A plus sign preceded by a backslash, that is, \+, indicates that you want to configure the international escape character +. Using \+ means that the international escape character + is used as a dialable digit, not as a wildcard. For more information on this character, see the "Using the International Escape Character +" section.	For examples, see the "Using the International Escape Character +" section.


Field	Valid entries
Call Park Number/Range	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - ] X * #
Calling Party Transform Mask	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X A B C D * # +
Called Party Transform Mask	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X A B C D * # +
Caller ID DN (Gateways and Trunks)	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X * # +
Directory Number	\+ [ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - ] + ? ! X * # +
Directory Number (Call Pickup Group Number)	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
External Phone Number Mask	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X * # +
Forward All	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * # +
Forward Busy	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * # +
Forward No Answer	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * # +
Meet-Me Conference Number	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - ] X * #
Prefix Digits	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D * # +
Prefix DN (Gateways and Trunks)	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * # +
Route Filter Tag Values	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - ] X * #
Route Pattern	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D - ] + ? ! X * # + . @ \+
Translation Pattern	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D - ] + ? ! X * # + . @ \+
Hunt Pilot	[ ^ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D - ] + ? ! X * # + . @ \+

Bonus Question

Can anyone tell me why "A B C D" are valid characters when configuring a route pattern in CUCM 8.5?

Answer: [ source ]

There are 16 DTMF digits (arranged as four columns by four rows). In addition to the standard 12 keypad digits—0 to 9, *, and #—an additional four digits form an extra fourth column of digits called simply A, B, C, and D. Because the ABCD digits are unavailable on a normal phone keypad, you are unlikely to ever come across these for normal phone calls. They are used occasionally by voice mail systems to operate an intersystem exchange of voice messages between separate voice mail systems using a standard called Analog Message Interchange Standard (AMIS).

Some security-type phones also use the ABCD digits for initial negotiation. You may also see these used where there is a need to create telephone numbers that cannot be directly dialed from a phone keypad. One example of this is if you want to create nondialable phone numbers for intercoms. You normally place an intercom call by pressing a button specifically configured for intercom (this works somewhat like a speed-dial button), so you do not need to be able to enter individual dialed digits.

Codec Overview: Portmanteaux, Conjugate Structures and Lots of Code Excitement

2013-06-12T22:56:00.000-04:00

I have to admit something. I have short-term memory when it comes to studying certain topics in
preparation for the CCIE Voice or (now) the CCIE Collaboration certification. Codecs and DSPs are full to the rim with bit rates, acronyms and trickery that always have me scrambling to confirm my fleeting memory of them. So, I'm embarking to try to make more sense of it all. Here we go!

Definition of "Codec"

In a general sense, the word "codec" is a portmanteau of "coder-decoder" or "compressor-decompressor". As it pertains to voice technologies, it simply defines a method for converting analog voice signals to a digital form and then back to audio so that a remote party hears a rendition that closely approximates the original analog voice input. (i.e,. audio compression format)

Codecs that reduce quality in order to achieve compression are considered "lossy". This is an important concept when it comes to considering how to design network bandwidth requirements between call parties. The ideal codec will consume minimal network bandwidth AND provide excellent quality ( minimal loss ).

Read more »

Cisco Changing Position on CCIE Voice to CCIE Collaboration Transition

2013-06-06T20:15:00.001-04:00

In response to the criticism generated by their original announcement related to the "evolution" of the CCIE Voice certification to the CCIE Collaboration certification, Cisco has backpedaled some with this admission that they are listening and will be changing their stance:

"We are listening to the feedback from our valued CCIE community, and will be adjusting the CCIE Collaboration requirements. As a quick preview of the evolution of the CCIE Collaboration certification, a current holder of the CCIE Voice designation will now be able to migrate to a CCIE Collaboration credential by taking the CCIE Collaboration written exam only. We appreciate all of the great feedback and patience of the community while we update our webpages to reflect this change. We will be communicating further details about this modification as soon as possible."

This is a great announcement for all CCIE Voice folks out there!

Cisco's CCIE Collaboration Certification Announced

2013-05-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

Check your calendars folks! You have until February 13th, 2014 to pass the CCIE Voice lab before it is retired!

There's been quite a storm of criticism created following Cisco's announcement of the "new" Cisco CCIE Collaboration Certification AND the retirement of the 10 year old CCIE Voice certification. This criticism is focused squarely on the decision to retire the CCIE Voice program through what Cisco calls "evolution".

This means that anyone that is currently a CCIE Voice can continue to be so, assuming they continue to pass any of the CCIE written exams every two years. However, they will not be grandfathered and given the CCIE Collaboration Certification without actually taking the new CCIE Collaboration lab.

Given the relatively minor differences between IE Voice and IE Collaboration (20% maybe), I admit the logic of this change escapes me. The IE Voice already had elements of collaboration within it - why not simply rename it to more correctly describe the contents of the certification along with some needed updates?

Mark Snow from INE has a very comprehensive review of the announcement that has generated quite a lively number of opinions/comments. Check it out for some great analysis!

Want to voice your displeasure? Take it to Twitter: @LearningatCisco

Important Dates
CCIE Voice Written exam [350-030] is retired after November 20, 2013.
CCIE Voice Lab exam is retired after February 13, 2014.
CCIE Collaboration Written exam [400-051] is born November 21, 2013.
CCIE Collaboration Lab exam is born February 14, 2014.

Cisco IOS Voice Library

2013-01-22T20:20:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure if this was recently added or if I've just never happened to find it, but this has to be the SINGLE MOST USEFUL page I've ever found while working on Cisco voice products:

Included in this extensive compilation:

Cisco IOS Voice and Telephony Highlights
Cisco IOS Command Reference
Physical and Virtual Voice Interfaces
Troubleshooting
Cisco IOS Call Control Technology
PBX Interoperability, ISDN, and Trunking
Voice Over Layer 2 Protocols
Video Applications
Fax, Modem and Text Support
Mobility Support
Cisco IOS Telephony Applications
Security
Additional Voice Applications
Related Documents
Tcl IVR and VoiceXML
Quality of Service

IE Voice Alchemy by Kevin Wallace

2013-01-03T13:22:00.000-05:00

Kevin Wallace has put out yet more great videos that assist the CCIE Voice student. Having recently passed the exam himself, he's shared many great strategies that he personally used to pass his CCIE Voice lab exam in this insightful product, "IE Voice Alchemy".

He's made available the following free videos to give you a taste of the full wisdom you can get in the complete product, IE Voice Alchemy. They're free, but still very useful to CCIE Voice lab students - I've heard from a few I know and they agree.

IE Voice Alchemy - The Bomb Run

Read more »

New Gateway Feature - Toll-Fraud Prevention in IOS 15.1(2)T

2012-07-29T15:03:00.000-04:00

This post is a big warning for anyone upgrading a voice gateway to 15.1(2)T or later. Without additional configuration, all inbound VoIP call setups will be blocked after the upgrade. Yup. Blocked. Additionally, two-stage dialing is no longer enabled by default.

Per Cisco's explanation of the new Toll-Fraud Prevention Feature, a "trusted list" must be configured on the voice gateway so that the sources generating the VoIP call setups will be accepted.

Note: If you have "session target" defined within dial-peers that you currently use, those calls will be accepted even if no "trusted list" is defined.
Read more »

Cisco Gateway Tip: Toll-Free Dial-Peer

2012-07-26T21:08:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to illustrate a useful dial-peer that I find useful quite frequently on voice gateways. While quite simple, it's very useful and shows how you can be a little creative with your dial-peers to limit how many you must use on the gateway.

With just one dial-peer the following types of toll-free calls would be matched by the voice gateway:

1-800-xxx-xxxx
1-855-xxx-xxxx
1-866-xxx-xxxx
1-877-xxx-xxxx
1-888-xxx-xxxx

Toll-Free Dial-Peer Examples

dial-peer voice 80 pots
trunkgroup ToTheTelco
description Toll Free Dial-Peer
destination-pattern 18[00,55,66,77,88][2-9]......
forward-digits all

or

dial-peer voice 80 voip

 description Toll Free Dial-Peer 

 destination-pattern 18[00,55,66,77,88][2-9]...... 

 session protocol sipv2 

 session target dns:MySIPProvider.com 

dtmf-relay rtp-nte

QoS Simplified: Cisco Catalyst 3560 and Cisco Catalyst 3750

2012-05-14T10:26:00.000-04:00

Yet another great video from Kevin Wallace!

Over 1 hour and 45 minutes in length, this video is a fantastic review of QoS for all Cisco CCIE Voice and Cisco CCIE Route/Switch candidates.

From his youtube channel:

"A particularly challenging topic for many CCIE R/S and CCIE Voice candidates is the configuration of Quality of Service (QoS) on a Cisco Catalyst switch, specifically the 3560 for CCIE R/S candidates and the 3750 for CCIE Voice candidates. Fortunately, the QoS architectures of these switches are identical. So, this video, which seeks to simplify QoS theory and configuration topics, is applicable to both CCIE R/S and Voice candidates."
Read more »

CCIE Voice Lab Strategies by Kevin Wallace

2012-04-24T18:00:00.001-04:00

For anyone preparing to take the CCIE Voice lab, you'll need to have a practiced plan of attack if you want to be successful. Kevin Wallace outlines his 12 steps for success in this 30 minute video that introduces a series of videos that he has promised to be upcoming.

While you can find many different CCIE Voice lab strategies out there, he has a great way of presenting his ideas and has a few twists on popular approaches. This is a must-watch video for any CCIE Voice candidate!
Read more »

The Evil of Dial-Peer 0 (pid:0)

2012-04-16T20:06:00.000-04:00

Certification Focus: CCNA Voice, CCNP Voice, CCIE Voice

I remember sitting in my first Cisco voice class many years ago when the subject of dial peers was first discussed. I also remember how absolutely lost I felt trying to get my head around the Cisco IOS voice gateway concepts of call legs, inbound and outbound dial peer matching, and the now infamous, "Dial Peer 0".

My goal with this post isn't to write a book on the subject - those exist already. I'm going to instead summarize into (hopefully) easily digestible parts for Cisco voice students of all levels. For the seasoned voice engineers out there, make sure you see the section below on the new Toll-Fraud Prevention Feature that is now included in IOS, starting with IOS 15.1(2).
Read more »

My "Simplified" CCIE Voice Strategy

2012-04-09T22:25:00.000-04:00

Updated: 4/10/2012

Two years have passed since I made (and failed) my first CCIE Voice lab attempt. Why did I fail it? Well, I didn't know everything I needed to know.

Since then, I've put my CCIE Voice aspirations on hold due to business and family obligations. So, now, after two years of additional experience with Cisco voice products and most recently, a new employer, I find that I'm recharged and ready to dedicate myself to study and preparation for the CCIE Voice certification (for real this time).

That all sounds great, huh? But how am I going to do it?

One of the things that I learned from my 1st CCIE Voice lab attempt - don't take any topic for granted. This certification requires a large accumulation of knowledge and then the skill to apply all of that knowledge. Rushing through the CCIE Voice written portion won't do you any favors. So, this time - I'm going to rededicate myself to studying each component on the CCIE Voice blueprint with a careful and methodical approach.
Read more »

Test Question: What Is PLAR? PLAR-OPX?

2012-03-23T20:35:00.000-04:00

Certification Focus: CCNA Voice, CCNP Voice, CCIE Voice

What is PLAR and how is it different from PLAR-OPX?
Is this the same as Hotdial or Autodial?

Read more »

Test Question: Cisco IP Phone Security Modes

2012-03-16T21:34:00.001-04:00

Certification Focus: CCNA Voice, CCNP Voice, CCIE Voice

Cisco IP phones can use three different security modes of operation.
What are they?

Read more »

Troubleshooting Exercise: Cisco IP Phone Registration

2012-03-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

"My Phone Doesn't Work"

Mrs. Phelps

Probably the most common issue that any voice engineer will encounter is the dreaded report, "my phone isn't working, please help". If you are currently supporting users then you know what I mean. If you're lucky, you got a little more information on the initial report than that, but more than likely you'll need to do some digging to get it all.

On the other hand, if you are studying for CCNA Voice or CCNP Voice - you've probably done some reading but may not have any experience trying to deal with this kind of report.

So, this post will be a role-playing social exercise that I hope you enjoy. I will be the user and answer things to the best of "the user's" knowledge. I will also answer questions about the environment as though you dispatched a field engineer, if that's necessary.
Read more »

Over 25 Hours of Free CCNA Voice Training

2012-03-04T06:57:00.000-05:00

For the month of March 2012, INE is offering free access to their entire 5-Day CCNA Voice Bootcamp. No strings and no purchase required, just register and create an account if you are not already a member.

Update: INE will keep these videos available for free!!

Mark Snow, CCIE #14073, provides over 25 hours of expert guidance for anyone that is looking to take the CCNA Voice certification. Take advantage of this free training before it expires on March 31st, it is a great example of the high quality you can expect throughout all of INE's products.
Read more »

TranslatorX - Quick & Easy Call Manager Trace Analysis Tool

2012-01-06T09:42:00.000-05:00

Updated:4/4/2013
TranslatorX is an extremely powerful tool for Windows, Linux and Mac that allows for rapid parsing of Call Manager traces. Just point it to the root directory used by RTMT to pull traces and TranslatorX will search all traces in the folder.

You won't have access to this tool (or any others like it) on the CCIE Voice lab or during any other certification exams, but I like to review the traces when doing lab testing in preparation for the CCIE Voice or CCNP Voice certifications. It goes a long way to help understand how a protocol works - as well as help troubleshoot something that you just swear should be working, but isn't.

TranslatorX - Call Manager Trace Tool

TranslatorX allows you to quickly parse through Cisco CallManager trace files and search for Q.931, H.225, SCCP (Skinny), MGCP, or SIP messages.
Read more »

Video: QoS Theory and QoS Configuration for Cisco Catalyst 3560 and 3750

2011-12-22T18:23:00.000-05:00

When preparing for the Cisco CCIE Voice and CCIE R/S exams, you'll need to have a comprehensive understanding of how QoS functions on on the Catalyst 3750 and Catalyst 3560 switches. When preparing for the CCIE Voice exam, I can personally attest to how easy it was to focus on all of the other voice-specific topics on the exam and neglect the needed complete understanding of QoS theory and QoS configuration on the Catalyst 3750.

Cisco Voice over IP

Kevin Wallace (CCIE #7945) aims to simplify QoS theory and QoS configuration in this extensive 100+ minute video. The topics discussed apply to the common architecture found on the Catalyst 3560 and Catalyst 3750 switches, so it applies to both CCIE Voice and CCIE R/S students. Kevin is also the author of several highly recommened Cisco Press books which always end up on my personal bookshelf.
Read more »

Cisco Cius Video Deep Dive

2011-12-06T18:36:00.001-05:00

Cisco Cius

In this hour-long video, the TechWiseTV team takes a deeper look into the new Cisco Cius tablet. While I'm not aware of this content being found on any of the current Cisco certifications, you can count on it being added in the near future wherever it makes sense.

Most companies are integrating new collaboration tools, including the Cisco Cius, in order to find new efficiencies in how they do business - and Cisco is pushing adoption of the Cius via their sales channels - hard!

All Cisco voice engineers need to have at least a basic understanding of this device and what it can provide. This video is a great starting point. So, grab some popcorn, a big box of Raisinets and a huge Coke and enjoy the show.
Read more »

Calling Search Space Clauses and Partition Name Limitations

2011-11-21T17:26:00.001-05:00

You would be wrong if you're thinking that calling search space (CSS) clauses have something to do with Christmas. Actually, a "CSS clause" is used internally within a call manager (CUCM) during call processing. It is a text string that contains the ordered list of partitions found within both the device CSS and the partitions found within the CSS for the directory number (DN) or route pattern associated by the device.

Ultimately, the contents of the CSS clause is the ordered list of partitions available to be considered when a call routing decision must be made. This order is the sequence in which they are configured within the CSS AND the sequence in which they are considered for matches.

If a duplicate route pattern is found within two different partitions contained within a singular calling search space clause, the order in which the partition is listed will be the tiebreaker. Cisco recommends that this situation be avoided as it can create confusion when anticipating where a call would be routed.
Read more »

CUCM CLI: 'utils network capture'

2011-11-17T09:24:00.001-05:00

Back to CUCM CLI Index

This is a very powerful and useful command that should be part of every voice engineer's toolbelt. It allows you to perform an immediate network capture ("sniffer", packet capture, etc.) of traffic as it is hitting the Unified Communications server. It also includes configurable filters to limit the information that is captured to ensure you see only what you want!

For example, having trouble with NTP synchronization on your publisher to an external time source? How about SDL Link OOS between nodes in your cluster? Want to see what traffic you are receiving from an unknown network device? There are literally an endless number of uses for this tool to assist with your troubleshooting. Read below for syntax examples.
Read more »

Cisco "Connected Justice": Collaboration From Police Car to Court Room

2011-11-16T19:59:00.001-05:00

The "Connected Justice" vision from Cisco given by John Chambers (CEO) and Jim Grubb (VP Corporate Communications) offers a very compelling demonstration of what could be the future of law enforcement and our judicial system. Using a variety of Cisco products put together in a collaborative manner, they make a case that any business could be run more efficiently with the presented technologies.

In this twelve minute demonstration, the Cisco CIus is utilized within a police vehicle to perform functions that range from receiving dispatch calls, ability to review audio complaint calls, capture witness accounts, take photographic evidence, and a video call to a judge to obtain an immediate search warrant (after checking their telepresence availability, of course). All information is saved within "the cloud" so that there is no risk of losing the information if the Cius becomes damaged.
Read more »

Cisco Unified Communications Components

2011-11-15T18:47:00.001-05:00

The Cisco Unified Communications suite of products has many different components that provide a variety of different services. Let's discuss the "big picture" in this post so that you can start to gain an overall understanding of the components and features provided. Note that I have kept things at a high level intentionally.

Among the most popular components found in a Cisco Unified Communications System are the following. These products provide enterprise-grade IP telephony, messaging, voice mail, presence, and contact center functionality:

Cisco IP Phones
Infrastructure including Switches, Gateways and Gatekeepers
Unified Communications Manager
Unity & Unity Connections
Unified Presence
Unified Contact Center

Seems pretty straight forward, doesn't it? Well, take a look at the full suite of voice and unified communications products offered by Cisco. Don't let this seem overwhelming, I've summarized down below so it's not quite so intimidating.
Read more »

Cisco Unified Presence Components

2011-11-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

Cisco Unified Presence is a very flexible, powerful and often confusing product. The confusion comes simply from the number of ways that it can be used and implemented to provide a number of different services. As such, this post is intended to lay the groundwork for additional learning in the world of Unified Presence. If you're like me - your first question is "what does it do?"

Cert Alert: The CCNA Voice certification requires that you be able to "Describe Cisco Unified Presence". This post builds the foundation to do exactly that. I also recommend that students pay attention to the "Additional Information" at the bottom of the post.


Unified Personal Communicator

In it's simplest form, Cisco Unified Presence magnifies the value of the Cisco Unified Communication System by utilizing two main pieces of information about each user:

Availability Status - Is the user actively using a particular device? I.e., phone, etc.
Capabilities - What services can be accessed by the user? I.e., web collaboration, video conferencing, basic audio, or enterprise instant messaging.

This information is then used to provide services to users through the Cisco Unified Personal Communicator (CUPC), an application that runs on the user's desktop. In lieu of CUPC, presence information can also be used by Cisco Unified Communications Manager applications or 3rd Party applications in various ways.
Read more »

New Survey: Cisco Certifications are Most and Least Valuable

2011-11-14T10:20:00.001-05:00

In a recent Network World survey in which 700 people participated, over 60% said that certifications aided their ability to get a new job. In the minority, 26% said that they saw no value in certifications and held none themselves.

"The highest-paid IT professionals who had certs, 58% said a cert led to a salary boost or bonus, 63% said it led to a promotion, and 30% to a new job. These numbers are similar to those in the lower salary brackets, who also overwhelmingly said that certs lead to a salary boost or bonus (55%), new job (62%), or promotion (27%)."