Recording UCCX Prompts
I have two minutes before my next meeting so this post will be short.
UCCX is picky about the format of the prompts used. Here are the requirements:
- Bit Rate: 64 kbps
- Audio sample size: 8 bit
- Channels: 1 (mono)
- Audio sample rate: 8 kHz
- Audio format: CCITT u-Law
The best way to get these formats packed into that lovely little WAV file is a two step process:
- Record the prompt in Audacity and export as a standard WAV file
- Convert the WAV file to the previously mentioned settings using Switch Sound File Conveter (free).
For my own sake, I am going to host this install file on my blog. That way, I won’t forget. Click here to download (right-click, select “Save As”).
Basic Configuration of Dial-Peers
Dial-Peer Requirements
If Voice-Network (VoIP, VoFR, VoATM) and POTS dial-peers are not valid and in the "operational status", they are not considered for the Cisco IOS router/gateway inbound and outbound dial-peer matching process. In order to be considered valid/operational, dial-peers must meet one of these criteria:
- Destination-pattern and a voice-port or session target is configured.
- Incoming called-number is configured.
- Answer-address is configured.
SIP-based Dial-Peer to CUCM
dial-peer voice 50 voip
destination-pattern 5…
session target ipv4:10.10.210.11
preference 10
voice-class codec 1
voice-class sip 1
no vad
dtmt-relay rtp-nte
translation-profile outgoing E164-ANI
POTs Dial-Peer to T1 PRI on Serial 0/0/0:23
dial-peer voice 60 pots
destination-pattern 9[2-9]..[2-9]……
port 0/0/0:23
no vad
preference 10
dtmf-relay h245-alphanumeric
translation-profile outgoing E164-ANI
prefix 0
Validate Dial-Peers
In order to check the validity of the dial peer configuration, use the Cisco IOS command show dial-peer voice summary. You can also perform debugging while sending calls out the gateway using debug voice dialpeer.
2009 Cisco Live! CCIE Voice Techtorial
A friend of mine in Europe, Iwan Hoogendoorn, was good enough to pass on the slide deck from the 2009 Cisco Live! CCIE Voice Techtorial session. If I could go to Cisco Live! this year, I’d do it just for the techtorial. This PDF has some great information regarding the lab setup and the technologies we’re going to be tested on.
One more note: I’ve been impressed with IPexpert’s materials and how closely they parallel the material covered in the exam. If you’re just getting started in your pursuit and are looking for quality training materials, check them out!
Click here to download (Right-click, select “Save As”)
Strategy Insight from Ben Ng
I was a little jealous because my friend Roger won a hat from the “Ask the Expert” forum on Cisco’s site. So I wrote Ben Ng a note on the forum – not asking for a hat, but running some strategy questions by him.
This is what I asked:
Ben,
In your opinion, when do you “know” that you’re ready to take the lab? There’s a plethora of Cisco documents to review, hands-on training to get, etc. For someone like me who is having to shell out the money myself (going on $10k without booking the lab), how do you know? What can a candidate use to gauge his confidence level?
I know some guys have the mindset that they’ll take it once, expecting to fail. Most of those guys are probably getting it paid for by their employer. For guys like me, who want to take the lab (and actually have a chance of passing the first time), what would you say? Any sagely words of wisdom?
Words of Wisdom From Ben Ng
Cisco is currently running an “Ask the Expert – CCIE Voice” forum over at the Cisco Support Community. Ben Ng, is answering all your CCIE Voice lab-related questions through tomorrow, February 12th.
Ben’s Profile
Ben Ng is a program manager with the CCIE program at Cisco Systems, Inc., where he manages exam content for the CCIE Voice track. Prior to joining the CCIE program, Ng worked in Cisco’s Technical Assistance Center (TAC) where he provided technical and escalation support to Cisco customers on WAN, LAN switching, Multi-Service, and Unified Communications technologies. Ng is excited about how Cisco technologies, UC in particular, are redefining how people communicate with one another; and he is passionate about enabling engineers to excel in Cisco UC careers via training and certifications. Certified in CCIE R&S and Voice, Ng also holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from Oklahoma State University.
Progress Indicators (PIs) in ISDN Q.931
According to Bellcore and ANSI specifications, in-band progress tones and announcements are required for PSTN services and for ISDN speech and 3.1-kHz voice services. In order to guarantee that the necessary in-band tones are generated when required (and at the right switch), Cisco H.323 gateways must ensure that Progress Indicators or PIs are carried end-to-end in called signaling messages between the calling and called parties. The PI is an IE that signals when in-band tones and announcements are available. The PI is configured by the "progress_ind" command. Below is a list of PIs that can be configured on a Cisco H.323 gateway:
Configurable Progress Indicator Values for H.323 Gateways
- PI=0 No progress indicator is included. Message type: Setup
- PI=1 Call is not end-to-end ISDN; further call progress information may be available in-band. Message type: Alert, setup, progress, connect
- PI=2 Destination address is non-ISDN Message type: Alert, progress, connect
- PI=3 Origination address is non-ISDN Message type: Setup
- PI=8 In-band information or appropriate pattern is now available Message type: Alert, progress, connect
Configuring RAS Retries and Timers
I am reading in the Cisco IOS H.323 Configuration guide this morning. Yes, it’s exhilarating to read at 5:00am (NOT!). Since I’m nodding off to sleep, I am writing another post to pass on the next bit of knowledge – configuring RAS retries and timers.
Normally, you would never need to touch this piece of H.323 gateways, but we’re not dealing with “normal,” real-world experience. We’re dealing with the psychotic CCIE voice lab. You need to know everything.
Debug RAS Command
Usage Guidelines
Use the debug ras command to display the types and addressing of RAS messages sent and received. The debug output lists the message type using mnemonics defined in International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication (ITU-T) specification H.225.
Examples
Practical Example
In the following output, gateway GW13.cisco.com sends a RAS registration request (RRQ) message to gatekeeper GK15.cisco.com at IP address 10.9.53.15. GW13.cisco.com then receives a registration confirmation (RCF) message from the gatekeeper.
If there is no response, it could mean that the gatekeeper is offline or improperly addressed.
If you receive a reject (RRJ) message, it could mean that the gatekeeper is unable to handle another gateway or that the registration information is incorrect.
Router# debug ras
*Mar 13 19:53:34.231: RASlib::ras_sendto:msg length 105 from 10.9.53.13:8658 to 10.9.53.15:1719
*Mar 13 19:53:34.231: RASLib::RASSendRRQ:RRQ (seq# 36939) sent to 10.9.53.15
*Mar 13 19:53:34.247: RASLib::RASRecvData:successfully rcvd message of length 105 from 10.9.53.15:1719
*Mar 13 19:53:34.251: RASLib::RASRecvData:RCF (seq# 36939) rcvd from [10.9.53.15:1719] on sock [0x6168356C]
IOS Dial-Peer Destination-Pattern Commands
Below are the following destination-pattern operators that can be used in IOS dial-peers for voice:
Standard Operators
- Asterisk (*) and pound sign (#)—Keys that appear on standard touchtone dial pads.
- Brackets ([ ])—Range of digits. Digits (0 to 9) are enclosed in brackets. Similar to a regular expression rule.
- Parentheses (( ))—Define specific pattern. Same as the regular expression rule—for example, 408(555). Use parentheses in conjunction with symbols ? or %.
- Period (.)—Match to any entered digit (used as a wildcard).
- Comma (,)—Pause between digits.
“Repeating” Operators
- Percent sign (%)—The previous digit or pattern zero or multiple times, similar to wildcard usage in the regular expression.
- Question mark (?)—The previous digit occurred zero or one time.
Other Operators
- Circumflex (^)—Match to the beginning of the string.
- Dollar sign ($)—Match to the null string at the end of the input string.
- Backslash (\)—Is followed by a single character matching that character or used with a single character having no other significance (matching that character).
- T—Control character indicating that the destination-pattern value is a variable-length dial string.
Shutting Down and Enabling VoIP Services
This is just a thought, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the proctor try to “pull a fast one” by shutting down VoIP services on an H.323 gateway. I suppose this could be easily identified by executing a “show gateway” or “show run.” I came across this while reading the Cisco IOS H.323 Configuration Guide.
