Table of Contents

Register the Cisco IP/VC 3525 with a Gatekeeper
Creating a Dialing Plan

Dial-string Aggregates

Service Prefixes
Zone Prefixes
E.164 Addresses

Routing

Configuring the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway

Starting the Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility
Selecting a Configuration Source
Setting Unit Identification Parameters
Setting Miscellaneous Parameters
Setting Bonding Parameters
Setting LAN Port Parameters
Setting Gateway Services
Setting WAN Port Parameters

Setting the Physical Line Configuration
Setting WAN Call Parameters
Selecting Supported Services

Saving the File and Uploading to Memory

Configuring the Gateway

After you have assigned the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway an IP address and connected it to the network, you can setup the gateway for operation. The setup involves:

• Identifying the router and gatekeeper IP addresses the gateway will use

• Setting gateway call routing parameters

• Defining delimiters the gateway will use for dialing calls

• Setting transcoding priority for the gateway

• Defining call services the gateway provides (these must be registered with the gatekeeper also)

• Setting the WAN port parameters

• Registering the gateway with a gatekeeper

• Register the Cisco IP/VC 3525 with a Gatekeeper

• Creating a Dialing Plan

• Configuring the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway

Register the Cisco IP/VC 3525 with a Gatekeeper

The Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway must register with a gatekeeper. You can register the gateway with an external gatekeeper such as the Cisco MCM or you can register the unit with a Cisco IP/VC 3500 embedded gatekeeper. The Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway automatically registers with an external gatekeeper when you bring it online. You must manually register the gateway with an embedded gatekeeper. For information on setting up the Cisco MCM gatekeeper to recognize the gateway, see "Registering with the Cisco MCM Gatekeeper" appendix. For instructions on registering the gateway with a Cisco IP/VC 3500 embedded gatekeeper, see the "Configuring the Embedded Gatekeeper"appendix. Be sure that the services the gateway is configured to provide are also registered.

Creating a Dialing Plan

Before you start configuring your videoconferencing components, we recommend that you give some thought to the kinds of calls that will be made in your environment and create a dialing plan. A dialing plan can anticipate your dialing needs and prevent potential call failures due to dialing conflicts. This section discusses key points and issues regarding videoconference dialing-plan implementation. The topics discussed include: the dial-string aggregate, service prefixes, zone prefixes, phone numbers, and routing.

Dial-string Aggregates

The string a user dials to initiate a videoconference call is composed of several number-clusters that provide information to various videoconference components regarding the call. This aggregate of number-clusters can include a service prefix, zone prefix, conference id, recipient phone number, dial suffix, and an invitation code. Although there is a general format regarding the order of the dial string, clusters may vary in lengths, clusters that are not required are excluded, component handling of the clusters can vary by manufacturer. Also, clusters that use the same set of numbers can confuse the components. For example, if an MCU service prefix is 70, E.164 addresses such as 703, 7010, or 7094585 can cause the gatekeeper to misinterpret the call request when a service prefix is not intended.

Service Prefixes

A service prefix (referred to as a technology or tech prefix in the Cisco MCM documentation) is an identifier assigned to a service provided by an H.323 MCU or gateway. A service is the set of parameters that define a videoconference call. Services can specify the videoconference bandwidth, format, and the number of call participants. The call initiator uses the service prefix to specify the call parameter when setting up the videoconference.

Service prefixes must be registered with the gatekeeper the service provider (MCU or gateway) registers with. When a call request is placed, the gatekeeper checks its list of services and forwards the call to the appropriate service provider. If the service is not registered, the gatekeeper rejects the call.

We recommend that you create service prefixes that are consistent in length, that cannot be confused with other number-clusters, and that are meaningful to users.

Zone Prefixes

A gatekeeper and the H.323 endpoints that register with it comprise a zone. The gatekeeper handles all access request for calls placed by the endpoints within the zone and for all calls coming into the zone. As a means of controlling access to terminals outside the zone, zone prefixes can be assigned. A zone prefix is a zone id that serves as a videoconferencing area code. Users outside the zone must dial the zone prefix to reach a recipient inside the zone.

We recommend that you create zone prefixes that are consistent in length, that cannot be confused with other number-clusters, and that are meaningful to users.

E.164 Addresses

In traditional telephone networks including H.320 networks, each phone line is assigned a specific telephone number by the telephone company. The device that connects to the phone line uses the number assigned to the line. Devices that connect to several lines can have several telephone numbers.

LAN-based H.323 uses IP technology to forward information, thus the need for a gatekeeper. The H.323 endpoint registration with a gatekeeper includes the endpoint IP address, alias, and E.164 address. The gatekeeper uses this information to identify call recipients and endpoints that provides the requested service.

An E.164 address is the dialing number used in IP networks for placing calls. The system administrator or user assigns a unique E.164 address to the endpoint. Other users dial the E.146 address to contact the endpoint. The system administrator or user can create a number to use as the E.164 address for the endpoint or a regular phone number can be assigned as the E.164 address.

We recommend that you use E.164 numbers that are consistent in length and that cannot be confused with other videoconference number-clusters. We also recommend that you organize their distribution is such a way that is meaningful to users. If you are using a telephone service that provide multiple phone numbers, make sure that each telephone company request is for numbers that have the same format (for example, all number have 7 digits the user dials).

Routing

Videoconference calls can be placed through a gateway to H.323 terminals on the LAN. Depending on how your system is set up, calls can be routed directly or indirectly to the LAN recipient. Incoming calls are routed through the gateway. Cisco IP/VC 3500 Series gateways provide four methods of routing incoming calls. The methods are:

• Multiple Subscriber Numbering (MSN): A direct dial method that supports MSN and DID lines provided by the telephone company. MSN and DID lines are assigned a bundle of telephone numbers, each of which you can assign to an H.323 terminal. This option allows the gateway to route the call directly to the terminal assigned an MSN or DID number.

• TCS4: A direct dial method that uses extensions to route calls to the LAN recipient. The E.164 address assigned to the terminal can be used as a TCS4 extension. When this option is enabled, WAN callers who dial the gateway number and include the TCS4 extension in the dial string are routed through the gatekeeper to the LAN recipient.

• Interactive Voice Response (IVR): An indirect dial method that uses an automated call answering service to route incoming calls to LAN recipient. The caller uses the keyboard or keypad to provide routing information.

• Default Extension: An indirect method that allows you to configure a specific LAN terminal to receive incoming calls. Incoming calls that do not satisfy direct dial criteria are routed to the default extension where an operator will complete the call.

Configuring the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway

This section describes how to use the Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility to configure the gateway.

Starting the Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility

To start the Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility and to choose the gateway you want to configure, perform the following steps:

Step 2 To choose a gateway to configure:

a. If the gateway is on the same network segment as the configuration computer, the IP address of the gateway you want to configure will appear in the
Unit IP window pane. Choose the IP address.

b. If the gateway and the configuration computer are on different network segments, enter the gateway IP address in the Unit IP field.

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Caution  The Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility can assign the IP address you type into the Unit ID field to any Cisco IP/VC device residing on the network segment that does not have an IP address associated with the segment.

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c. Click Next. The Enter Password window appears.

Step 3 Enter the gateway password and click Next. The default password is cisco. The Configuration Source window appears (see Figure 5-2).

The Configuration Source window provides version information about the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway hardware and software, allows you to change the password, and allows you to choose a Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway configuration set to use to configure the gateway. Table 5-1 describes the version information. If you want to change the password required to access the unit, click Change Password to access the Change Password dialog box. To continue with the gateway configuration, go to the section "Selecting a Configuration Source" to choose a configuration set.

Table 5-1 and Table 5-2 define the fixed parameters the Configuration Source window provides.

Table 5-1: Unit Version Numbers

Parameter	Description
Unit Type	The model number of the selected gateway
Hardware Version	The version of the gateway hardware configuration
Software Version	Allow you to view the versions of the software installed on the unit. To view the versions, click...

Selecting a Configuration Source

The Configuration Source window allows you to choose whether to configure the gateway or the embedded gatekeeper. To configure the gateway, you must choose a configuration source as described in this section. If you want to configure the embedded gatekeeper, skip to the appendix "Configuring the Embedded Gatekeeper."

The configuration parameters that appear in the Cisco IP/VC Configuration Utility can be taken from the gateway or from a file stored on the computer running the configuration utility. You must choose a configuration source you want to load into the configuration utility.

The Source section in the Configuration Source window lets you choose a source to load. The first time you configure a gateway on the configuration computer, there are two sources listed in the Source list box: Current and Plug & Play.

You can modify the parameters loaded into the Configuration Utility and upload the changes to the gateway Flash memory. The utility allows you to save the changes as a set. Save the set under a unique name. The set name is added to the Configuration Utility Source list box and can be chosen to configure other Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateways when using the current computer.

Step 3 Click Unit Setup. The source file populates the configuration utility and the Accepting Nodes window appears. The window displays the IP address of the gateway you have chosen and shows the progress of the file being loaded. The Unit Identification window appears after the file loads.

Setting Unit Identification Parameters

The Unit Identification window displays information regarding the chosen Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway. The window allows you to specify the location where the gateway is physically placed and to set the time differential for Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway if it is located in another time zone.

Table 5-3 shows the read-only parameters in the Unit Identification window.

Table 5-3: Unit Identification Window Read-only Parameters

Category	Description
Unit Name	Cisco product name.
Location	Area where the gateway is physically placed.
Contact	The Cisco URL.
Description	The gateway model number.
Date/Time	Opens the Date/Time Settings dialog box where you can view and set the time differential when the gateway is located in a different time zone.

Setting Miscellaneous Parameters

The Miscellaneous Parameters window (see Figure 5-3) allows you to set several important parameters for gateway operation.

To set the parameters in the Miscellaneous Parameters window, perform the following steps:

Step 2 In the Port field, enter the port number the gatekeeper you want the
Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway to use uses for communication. The default value is 1719, which is used by many gatekeepers including the embedded gatekeeper.

Step 3 In the Default Router IP field, enter the IP address of the router the
Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway will use to communicate to endpoints in other network segments.

Step 4 In the Transcoding Priority field, set the audio transcoding method you want to take priority. You can also disable this feature.

Step 5 If you want to use the native interactive voice response (IVR) feature, check the Internal IVR Service field. IVR is an automated answering service that handles nondirect dial calls. The service routes incoming call to the destination the caller specifies. The caller uses the keyboard or keypad to respond to IVR.

Step 6 In the IVR Operator field, enter the dialing prefix you want users to use to access the IVR operator. This is the number users will use to place calls to endpoints on the LAN that cannot be dialed directly. Be sure to enter this prefix when you register an endpoint to handle the IVR Operator function in the gatekeeper.

Step 8 If you are using an external IVR system, enter the port number the IVR uses in the Port field. For Cisco IP/VC IVR systems the default port is 1620.

Step 9 In the Second Number Delimiter field, create a string that shall serve as a delimiter to separate phone numbers in a dialing sequence. You can use the characters asterisk (*), comma (,) and pound (#) to create a string of up to
31 characters. This feature allows users whose dialing interface does not let them enter multiple numbers to include the second number of a 2B call in the dial string.

Step 10 In the TCS4 Number Delimiter field, enter a unique string that users making TCS4 calls can use to separate the recipient number from the TCS4 code. You can use the characters asterisk (*), comma (,) and pound (#) to create a string of up to 31 characters. There is no default TCS4 delimiter value.

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Note The values you use for TCS4 Number Delimiter and the Second Number Delimiter must be unique. If you enter an invalid string in one of these fields, an exception message is displayed.

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Step 11 If you are using the embedded gatekeeper and you want to hide the caller identity from recipients in the current zone, click Advance. The Advanced dialog box for Presentation Restriction Support appears (see Figure 5-4).

Note If you are not using a Cisco embedded gatekeeper, we recommend that you disable this feature.

Step 12 After you have set the parameters, click Next. The Bonding Parameters window appears.

Setting Bonding Parameters

The Bonding Parameters window (see Figure 5-5) allows you to set bonding parameters for the gateway. Setting this parameter enables the gateway IMUX functionality and allow the gateway to accept bonded, high bandwidth calls.

Step 2 Click the Max. Call Bandwidth field and choose a value for the maximum amount of bandwidth you want to use for bonded calls.

Setting LAN Port Parameters

The LAN Port Settings window allows you to set the IP address information and to enter a description. Since the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway has only one LAN port, the port IP address is the same as the gateway IP address that was set when the gateway was configured to install on the network. You can use this window to change the gateway IP address.

To change the gateway IP address, perform the following steps:

Step 2 To change the IP mask for the gateway, type the new IP mask into the IP Mask test box.

Note If you change the IP address of LAN port 1, you will change the IP address of the gateway and of the embedded gatekeeper.

Step 3 You can enter a brief comment of up to 31 letters in the Description field.

Step 4 Click Next. The LAN Parameters window appears.

The LAN Parameters window lets you review LAN Parameter changes.

Step 5 Click Yes to continue. The Services Definition Table appears.

Note If you are only changing the unit IP address, you can skip the remaining configuration windows. Click Finish to go directly to the Save Setup window that allows you to save the configuration parameters in a file and to upload the file onto the unit Flash memory.

Setting Gateway Services

The Services Definition Table (see Figure 5-6) allows you to create up to 50 call services the gateway will perform. Service parameters define the call bandwidth and the dialing prefix users can use to place calls having the parameters defined in the service. You must also register these call services with the gatekeeper. This section describes how to define calling services in the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway.

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Note The Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway is shipped with predefined services. The service configurations are saved on the gateway Flash memory and may be edited or deleted. The Edit button allows you to edit the selected service. The Delete button deletes the selected service.

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Figure 5-6:

To define a gateway service, perform the following steps:

Step 3 In the Prefix field, enter a unique string that users can dial to access this service. The string may have up to 31 characters and use the numbers 0 through 9 and pound (#), asterisk (*) and comma (,). Be sure that the prefix is not used elsewhere on your network for another service.

Step 4 Click the Call Type field to display the list of available call types, and choose the type you want for this service. The available call types are:

Step 5 If you are defining parameters for H.320 calls, click the Max.Bit Rate per channel field to display the list of data transfer rates and choose the rate you want to use for this service.

Step 6 If you wish the call to adhere to restricted mode criteria, check the
Restricted Mode check box.

Step 7 Click OK to create the service entry.

Step 8 Repeat steps 1 through 7 to create additional services. Click Next to continue the configuration. The WAN Port Settings - ISDN PRI window appears.

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Note Any service additions or deletions made in the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway must be reflected in the gatekeeper the gateway is registered with.

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Setting WAN Port Parameters

The WAN Port Settings - ISDN PRI window (see Figure 5-8) lets you set the parameters of the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway PRI WAN port.

Step 2 In the Phone Number section in the Range fields, enter the starting and ending bonded phone numbers assigned to the PRI connected to the gateway. If a block of number is assigned, you can enter the last significant digits of the number. For example, if the block assigned to line is 5550000 to 5550212, the range you enter can be 000---212. Phone numbers can have up to seven characters.

Step 3 Click Physical Line Configuration. The Physical Line Configuration dialog box appears. This dialog box allows you to set attributes for the line connected to the gateway.

Setting the Physical Line Configuration

The Physical Line Configuration dialog box (see Figure 5-9) allows you to set the PRI line parameters for the gateway.

Step 2 Click in the Signaling Protocol field and choose the signaling protocol you want to use.

Step 3 In the Country field, choose the supported country where the line is installed.

Step 4 In the Network Access field, choose the termination configuration you want for the gateway.

a. Choose TE to operate the gateway in terminal equipment mode. TE is the default setting.

b. Choose NT if you want the gateway to operate as a network terminator. In NT mode, the gateway to supply the network clock.

Step 6 Click Advanced. If the gateway is connected to the PRI line through a device that supports channel fractioning, the Advanced Settings dialog box in Figure 5-10 appears. If channel fractioning is not supported, the Advanced Settings dialog box in Figure 5-11 appears.

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Note T1 and E1 have 24 and 31 channel respectively. All channels can be disabled except the D-channel, which is greyed-out in the Channel Selection Table. The channels you choose to enable and disable must match the channels set on the Central Office Switch or the local PBX.

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Figure 5-11:

The Advanced Settings dialog box allows you to configure the line-operating parameters for the PRI line you connect to the gateway. The channels you choose must match the channels set for the Central Office Switch or the local PBX. To configure the line operating parameters when Figure 5-10 appears, go to Step a of the instructions that follow. To configure the line operating parameters when Figure 5-11 appears, skip to Step c.

a. If you want to specify the T1/E1 channels your system uses, check the Fractional Mode check box. The Channel Table activates.

b. Check the check boxes for the lines you want to use.

c. Click the Line Coding field and choose the modulation method the phone system is using.

d. Click the Framing field and choose the framing and error detection method the phone connection is using.

e. Click the Signaling Type field and choose the signaling mode the phone system is using.

f. Click OK.

g. Click OK to exit the Physical Line Configuration dialog box.

Setting WAN Call Parameters

The WAN Call Parameters dialog box allows you to set the internal routing methods available for the gateway to use. The gateway can be configured to route direct dial calls or calls that need operator assistance.

• MSN: Enables Multiple Subscriber Numbering (MSN) support. Allows LAN endpoints that have MSN numbers to be dialed directly. The gateway permits the call, but is otherwise invisible.

• TSC4: An alternative routing method for dialing video calls when MSN is not available. The caller dials the gateway phone number and appends the TSC4 extension of the endpoint.

• IVR: Enables interactive voice response (IVR) support. IVR is an automatic voice answering service that routes calls for inbound callers. The caller uses the keyboard or keypad to specify the call service and phone number. The Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gatekeeper IVR can handle up to 8 simultaneous calls. The calling terminal must support dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) to use this feature.

• Default Extension: Allows you to assign a LAN endpoint to receive calls that are not direct dial. The endpoint can route the call. An extension must be assigned for this feature in each WAN port for which Default Extension is enabled.

Step 7 Click Supported Services to set the services the port supports.

Selecting Supported Services

Supported Services allows you to choose the gateway services you want the PRI line to support. Only calls that satisfy a supported service can be sent or received by this line.

To set the services, perform the following steps:

Step 6 Verify that the WAN parameters are set correctly and click Next. The Save Setup window appears (see Figure 5-14).

Saving the File and Uploading to Memory

This section describes how to save the parameters you have set to a file and how to upload the file the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway Flash memory.

You can save the parameters as a configuration set and upload the parameters to the Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway Flash memory. The set is stored in the Cisco IP/VC directory on the current computer and can be used to restore the configuration to the current Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateway and to configure other Cisco IP/VC 3525 Gateways. The name you use to save the set appears in the Source list in the Configuration Source window.

To save and upload the file, perform the following steps:

a. Enter a name you want to use for the new configuration set. If you want to update an existing set, click the Save as arrow and choose the set. The new name will appear in the Source list box of the Configuration Source window the next time you access the gateway using the current workstation.

b. Click Yes. The Confirm window appears.

Posted: Mon Jun 5 12:40:21 PDT 2000
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