Cisco 3640 Question

joey74055

Hello, I have a question about using a Cisco 3640 with the Voice IOS and CME. I know that I can use this router to study for CCNA Voice and CCVP but I am not to that point yet. Would this router suffice for my CCNA studies or would it need to have the regualer IOS not the Voice IOS installed for the regualer CCNA. If it can do both that would be great I just don't know enough yet about the different IOS's to know if I can use a voice IOS for frame relay and etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

hypnotoad

joey74055 wrote: »

Hello, I have a question about using a Cisco 3640 with the Voice IOS and CME. I know that I can use this router to study for CCNA Voice and CCVP but I am not to that point yet. Would this router suffice for my CCNA studies or would it need to have the regualer IOS not the Voice IOS installed for the regualer CCNA. If it can do both that would be great I just don't know enough yet about the different IOS's to know if I can use a voice IOS for frame relay and etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

You'll be ok for CCNA. The voice features won't change anything - if you go CCNP, you might have to get an enterprise image.

joey74055

OK, Thank you very much hypnotoad.

hypnotoad

joey74055 wrote: »

OK, Thank you very much hypnotoad.

No problem. The IOS feature set is clear as mud. You know, as if learning/operating networks wasn't hard enough

mikej412

Check out the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Compatibility Information web page.

The Cisco Unified CME and Cisco IOS Software Version Compatibility Matrix shows you the IOS Version and the supported CME Version.

If you dig through the "Supported Firmware, Platforms, Memory, and Voice Products" documents, you'll find that the last version of CME the 3640 supported was 3.3

I've got a full set of 3640s in my home CCIE R&S Lab, but I went with 1760-V routers (and MC3810s) for my Voice Lab -- and I have a 2650XM that I use for CME (and the AIM-CUE for Unity Express). I've got a spare 3640 on the Voice side, but its just another voice gateway router since it does support the NM-1V, NM-2V, and NM-HDV.

Slowhand

Yup, that seems to be Cisco's thing. They like to add additional features to various versions of the IOS, but they don't like to rip out the basics.

joey74055

Wow! Ok, thank you too mikej412. Also thank you for the links. I don't know anything on the voice side yet as I am just starting my Cisco journey but came across this 3640 with voice capabilities. I thought that if I could use it now for CCNA labs and later for CCNA Voice labs that I might be able to save some money from not having to buy an additional voice router later. You also noted that CME 3.3 was the last supported version per the links you provided, for the current CCNA Voice is the 3.3 to old? Again, thanks for the help!

joey74055

Thats good to know Slowhand. Thanks for the reply.

mikej412

joey74055 wrote: »

You also noted that CME 3.3 was the last supported version per the links you provided, for the current CCNA Voice is the 3.3 to old?

I think the UC500 series is running 7.x -- and the exam blueprint makes the CCNA:Voice sound UC500 focused.

I haven't read the CCNA:Voice Exam Certification Guide yet, so I'm not even sure if my 2650XM (with 4.x CME and AIM-CUE for Unity Express) will be enough. But I'd guess that ANY version is better than NO version.

pitviper

joey74055 wrote: »

You also noted that CME 3.3 was the last supported version per the links you provided, for the current CCNA Voice is the 3.3 to old? Again, thanks for the help!

I've personally never used version 3.3 but would have to assume that all of the "core" configuration items and syntax are the same.

I have a setup almost identical to Mike's in my lab (2651XM, CME 4.x, AIM-CUE) which I used for CCNA:V preparation with no problems what so ever - Honestly, we use CME 4.3 in production environments and with the exception of a few really new non-essential
items you can't tell the difference. I believe that they changed the CME version names from 4.x to 7.x only to keep them in line with the full blown CM version numbering = same animal.

hypnotoad

So, not to thread hijack, but im thinking about doing CCNA:V and no further (got my hands full with other stuff, but cisco has a promo right now and I might need some new adventure).

What do you voice guys think of...

Have:
1x 3640 128/32
2x 2610xm 128/32

Dont have yet:
NM-CUE (maybe)
FXO/FXS cards
2x 7640 phones
Analog Phone
Some version of CCME

And using:
Jeremy C., et al., CCNA:V Book
Jeremy C's CBT Nugs.

ColbyG

hypnotoad wrote: »

So, not to thread hijack, but im thinking about doing CCNA:V and no further (got my hands full with other stuff, but cisco has a promo right now and I might need some new adventure).

What do you voice guys think of...

Have:
1x 3640 128/32
2x 2610xm 128/32

Dont have yet:
NM-CUE (maybe)
FXO/FXS cards
2x 7640 phones
Analog Phone
Some version of CCME

And using:
Jeremy C., et al., CCNA:V Book
Jeremy C's CBT Nugs.

You could probably get by just using the 3640 + CME (you can use Cisco IP Communicator to get some practice with phones), without buying a NM-2V, FXO/FXS cards, phones if you have the CBTNugget vids.