CCVP Study..Unified Communications Manager...was Callmanager

pullin-gs

Lab CallManager stuff post here.

In study for my CCVP voice.
I noted that there are currently TWO directions I can take:
642-444 CIPT 4.1 (focus on CallManager 5.x)
642-445 CIPT 5.1 (focus on CallManager 5.1)
I expect a 642-446 is in the works? May as well study the new stuff in anticipation.

Target config is a CallManager 6.x system (Communications Manager) on a LAB x86 box.
Components include:
Home-built 64-bit AMD system of some sort. 2gig RAM, 200gig disk, and one 10/100/100 NIC.

VMware
Red-Hat LINUX
Full version CCM 6.x (much more lab-friendly...good for about 6-10 handsets default license).

What do you have for a callmanager setup?

mikej412

I did the CCVP when the 4.x CIPT was the only option. I'm staying with 4.1 in the home lab since the CCIE Voice Lab still tests on that.

# CCM version 4.1(3) with latest SR
# Unity version 4.0(5)
# CRS version 4.0(1)

suk

Mikej,

I need to know how you set up your CCM, did you buy the software and install it on an old box, did you buy a 7800 series with the CCM on it,...Just need ideas on how to setup one and how much it cost you.

pullin-gs

I ditched the CCM5 (licensing is a B_TCH!). Only way to get 5.x working was to get a valid license....load CCM5 up....change the MAC address (in a separate RedHat Virtual Machine, because cisco DISABLES root in the CCM5 build) to the SAME MAC as the host of the "borrowed license.

I also ditched the notion of building my own box. The $$$ did not add up....so I went with a Circuit-City christmas special sale laptop.

I went CCM6 instead. I got a new compaq F755US laptop (AMD Turion X2) loaded up with VISTA. 2MB DRAM, 160GB disk.
I went the VMWARE route. I loaded it on top of my host machine's MS VISTA.
I built a Virtual Machine(VM) setting asside 512MB RAM, and 72GIG disk for CCM6.
I loaded CCM6 onto the VM.
FYI CCM6 uses an "appliance"version of RedHat(?) which is included on the media install.
I created another VM and loaded up RedHat 5.1 Enterprise Workstation....this is my LAB configuration/management server where I wearhouse all my configs, SNMP management, TFTP/FTP/etc. services, config libraries, TCP/IP traffic generation, packet analysis, etc.

mikej412

I bought my first 7825 CallManager on eBay used for $200 bucks.

Then I got a media pack with the starter license and loaded that on a supported server -- a Compaq/HP DL320. The total for this was under $200 on eBay.

I did a 3rd one on a generic server with the registry hacks.

For version 5 & version 6 I've gone the VMWare route too, and I can also use those servers for more 4.x CallManagers and a 2nd cluster.