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Call Manager and CME

Crunchyhippo

Could someone educate me about Call Manager and CME as far as how to get them for one's home lab? I know I'll need them for part of the CCVP track, and I'd like to get started in using them. I haven't used them at all yet. Thanks.

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Comments

rebelrat

Crunchyhippo wrote:

Could someone educate me about Call Manager and CME as far as how to get them for one's home lab? I know I'll need them for part of the CCVP track, and I'd like to get started in using them. I haven't used them at all yet. Thanks.

You can buy CallManager servers reasonably priced on Ebay - I bought a MCS7835 with CallManager 4.2(3) installed for $230 shipped. I also won a Campaq DL320 server (it is on the hardware compatility list for CallManader server and is essentially the hardware platform for the MCS7825) with 1 GB RAM and 1GHZ CPU (required) for $80 shipped and plan to install another CallManager Server on it - I bought the software separately for $75. There have been some very good deals on Ebay lately for CallManager servers.

You can get CallManager Express with certain IOS images for 1760-V, 2650XM, and 3640 routers. You will need a CCO account and license for the software.

mikej412

If you get one of the CallManager "media packs" off of eBay -- do your homework and read the descriptions carefully.

Some CallManager/Unified Communications Manager versions give you a starter license, which is good enough for a lab environment. Others don't. Or you may run into a guy who's building servers and selling them, using the starter license for those, and then sells you the "used media" without the starter license key.

I've seen overpriced 3640s and 1760s that are loaded with CME being sold on eBay.... but the standard licensing issues and requirements apply.....