Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Interoperability Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS Release 15M&T

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Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Interoperability Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS Release 15M&T

Configuring MGCP Gateway Support

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Updated: December 6, 2012

Chapter: Configuring MGCP Gateway Support

Configuring MGCP Gateway Support

This chapter describes the basic tasks for configuring Cisco IOS MGCP gateways to interoperate with Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Feature History for MLPP for Cisco IOS Voice Gateways

This feature was introduced.

This feature was integrated into Cisco IOS Release 12.3(11)T.

Feature History for MGCP Generic Configuration Support for Cisco Unified Communications Manager

This feature was introduced.

This feature was integrated into Cisco IOS Release 12.2(11)T.

Feature History for Multicast Music-on-Hold

This feature was introduced.

This feature was integrated into Cisco IOS Release 12.2(11)T.

Feature History for MGCP Support for Cisco Unified Communications Manager

This feature was introduced for Cisco Unified Communications Manager 3.0 (formerly known as Cisco CallManager 3.0).

H.323 support was added for E1 and T1 PRI, E&M, E1-CAS, and BRI. Analog support for MGCP and analog DID were added.

Support was added for Cisco Unified Communications Manager 3.0(8) (formerly known as Cisco CallManager 3.0(8)).

Support was added for Cisco Unified Communications Manager 3.1 (formerly known as Cisco CallManager 3.1). New MGCP features included ISDN PRI Backhaul and T1 CAS, Single-Point Configuration, MGCP Gateway Fallback, and Multicast Music-on-Hold (MOH).

Support was added for Cisco Unified Communications Manager 3.2 (formerly known as Cisco CallManager 3.2).

Finding Support Information for Platforms and Cisco IOS Software Images

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco IOS software image support. Access Cisco Feature Navigator at http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​go/​fn . You must have an account on Cisco.com. If you do not have an account or have forgotten your username or password, click Cancel at the login dialog box and follow the instructions that appear.

For more information about this and related Cisco IOS voice features, see the following:

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the feature information table at the end of this module.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/​go/​cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Prerequisites for Configuring MGCP Gateway Support

Restrictions for Configuring MGCP Gateway Support

Any configuration update that affects MGCP should be performed during a planned maintenance window while MGCP is disabled; otherwise, updating the configuration could disrupt MGCP functionality. Before making any configuration changes, disable MGCP using the no mgcp command. After all configuration changes are completed, use the mgcp command to enable MGCP.

Information about MGCP Gateway Support

MGCP Gateways and Cisco Unified Communications Manager

MGCP enables the remote control and management of voice and data communications devices at the edge of multiservice IP packet networks. Because of its centralized architecture, MGCP overcomes the distributed configuration and administration problems inherent in the use of protocols such as H.323. MGCP simplifies the configuration and administration of voice gateways and supports multiple (redundant) call agents, eliminating the potential for a single point of failure in controlling the Cisco IOS gateway in the network.

MGCP can be configured as a master or slave protocol to ensure that the gateway receives and executes the configuration, control, and management commands that are issued by Cisco Unified Communications Manager. The MGCP gateway is under the control of Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

MGCP uses endpoints and connections to construct a call. Endpoints are sources of or destinations for data and can be physical or logical locations identifying a device. The voice ports on the Cisco MGCP gateway are its endpoints. Connections can be point-to-point or multipoint. Cisco Unified Communications Manager acts as the MGCP call agent, managing connections between endpoints and controlling how the Cisco IOS gateway functions.

The figure below shows a typical MGCP gateway that is controlled by an MGCP call agent.

Figure 1. MGCP Gateway Controlled by Cisco Unified Communications Manager

The MGCP gateway receives most of its required configuration from the call agent. To configure an MGCP gateway, you simply identify the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server associated with the gateway and identify the gateway to the call agent. The MGCP gateway handles the translation between voice signals and the packet network and interacts with the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server. The server performs signal and call processing.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Switchover and MGCP Gateway Fallback

This section describes how to configure Cisco Unified Communications Manager failover capabilities on the MGCP gateway.

Switchover

Cisco IOS gateways can maintain links to up to two backup Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers in addition to a primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager. This redundancy enables a voice gateway to switchover to a backup if the gateway loses communication with the primary. The backup server takes control of the devices that are registered with the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager. The second backup takes control of the registered devices if both the primary and first backup Cisco Unified Communications Manager fail. The gateway preserves existing connections during a switchover to a backup Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

When the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager server becomes available again, control reverts to that server. Reverting to the primary server can occur immediately, after a configurable amount of time, or only when all connected sessions are released.

Switchback

Switchback is the process a voice gateway uses to reestablish communication with the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager server when the server becomes available again. Switchback can occur immediately, at a specified time after the last active call ends, or after a specified length of time.

MGCP Gateway Fallback

The MGCP gateway maintains a remote connection to a centralized Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster by sending MGCP keepalive messages to the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server at 15-second intervals. If the active Cisco Unified Communications Manager server fails to acknowledge receipt of the keepalive message within 30 seconds, the gateway attempts to switch over to the next available Cisco Unified Communications Manager server.

If none of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers respond, the gateway switches into fallback mode and reverts to the default H.323 session application for basic call control. H.323 is a standardized communication protocol that enables dissimilar devices to communicate with each other through use of a common set of codecs, call setup and negotiating procedures, and basic data transport methods. The gateway processes calls on its own using H.323 until one of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager connections is restored.

The figure below illustrates a typical VoIP network topology in which MGCP gateway fallback is supported.

Figure 2. Typical VoIP Network Topology Supporting the MGCP Gateway Fallback Feature

The MGCP Gateway Fallback feature provides the following functionality:

Any transient MGCP calls (that is, calls that are not in the connected state) are cleared at the onset of the fallback transition and must be attempted again later.

Except for ISDN T1 and E1 PRI calls, all the MGCP calls that are active at the time of fallback are preserved, but transient calls are released. When a user completes (hangs up) an active MGCP call, the MGCP application handles the on-hook event and clears all call resources.

When the fallback mode is in effect, the affected MGCP gateway repeatedly tries to open a TCP connection to a Cisco Unified Communications Manager server in the prioritized list of call agents. This process continues until one of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers in the prioritized list responds.

The TCP open request from the MGCP gateway is honored, and the gateway reverts to MGCP mode. The gateway sends a Restart-in-Progress (RSIP) message to begin registration with the responding Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

All currently active calls that are initiated and set up during the fallback period are maintained by the default H.323 session application, except ISDN T1 and E1 PRI calls. Transient calls are released. After rehome occurs, the new Cisco Unified Communications Manager assumes responsibility for controlling new IP telephony activity.

The following types of interfaces on the gateway are supported:

MGCP Gateway Registration with Cisco Unified Communications Manager

The table below describes what can happen when either the gateway loses connection to the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager or the gateway also loses connection to all backup Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers.

Gateway Connection to Primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Failover (also called switchover)

Gateway loses connection to primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Gateway switches over to a backup.

Gateway reconnects to primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

Gateway switches back to the primary.

Gateway connection to all Cisco Unified Communications Manager Servers

Gateway loses connection to primary and all backup Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers.

Gateway falls back to H.323 call processing.

Gateway reconnects to one of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers.

Gateway rehomes, resuming MGCP call processing.

Any calls at the time of reregistration (even those in a transient state such as call setup) remain undisturbed. The newly registered Cisco Unified Communications Manager determines the status of existing calls and maintains or deletes them as appropriate.

Benefits of Cisco Unified Communications Manager Switchover and MGCP Gateway Fallback

MGCP Gateway Fallback and Cisco SRST

Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) provides Cisco Unified Communications Manager with fallback support for Cisco IP phones that are attached to a Cisco router on your local network. Cisco SRST enables routers to provide call-handling support for Cisco IP phones when they lose connection to remote primary, secondary, or tertiary Cisco Unified Communications Manager installations or when the WAN connection is down.

MGCP gateway fallback is a different feature than SRST, and when MGCP gateway fallback is configured as an individual feature, it can be used by a PSTN gateway if you configure H.323 (or some other voice application) as a backup service. To use SRST as your fallback mode on an MGCP gateway, you must configure SRST and MGCP fallback on the same gateway. MGCP and SRST have had the capability to be configured on the same gateway since Cisco IOS Release 12.2(11)T.

Cisco SRST Description

Cisco Unified Communications Manager supports Cisco IP phones at remote sites that are attached to Cisco multiservice routers across the WAN. Prior to Cisco SRST, when the WAN connection between a router and the Cisco Unified Communications Manager failed or when connectivity with Cisco Unified Communications Manager was lost for some reason, Cisco Unified IP phones on the network became unusable for the duration of the failure. Cisco SRST overcomes this problem and ensures that Cisco Unified IP phones offer continuous (although minimal) service by providing call-handling support for Cisco Unified IP phones directly from the Cisco SRST router. The system automatically detects a failure and uses Simple Network Auto Provisioning (SNAP) technology to autoconfigure the branch office router to provide call processing for Cisco Unified IP phones that are registered with the router. When the WAN link or connection to the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager is restored, call handling reverts back to the primary Cisco Unified Communications Manager.

For more information on Cisco SRST, see Overview of Cisco IOS SRST .

Configuring MGCP Gateway Fallback and Cisco SRST

To make outbound calls while in SRST mode on your MGCP gateway, you must configure two fallback commands on the MGCP gateway. These two commands allow SRST to assume control over the voice port and over call processing on the MGCP gateway. With Cisco IOS releases prior to 12.3(14)T, you must configure MGCP gateway fallback by using the ccm-manager fallback-mgcp and call application alternate commands. With Cisco IOS releases after 12.3(14)T, you must configure MGCP gateway fallback by using the ccm-manager fallback-mgcp and service commands.

You must configure both commands. For instance, your configuration will not work if you only configure the ccm-manager fallback-mgcp command.

Enabling SRST on an MGCP Gateway

To use SRST as your fallback mode with an MGCP gateway, you must configure both SRST and MGCP fallback on the same gateway. The following configuration allows SRST to assume control over the voice port and over call processing on the MGCP gateway.

Gateway Single-Point Configuration for MGCP Gateways

When you configure MGCP gateways to support Cisco Unified Communications Manager, you can use a centralized TFTP boot directory on a host device in your network to automatically download most of the configuration in the XML files. Each MGCP gateway in your VoIP network has an associated gateway-specific configuration that is stored in the centralized TFTP boot directory. A tailored XML file can be created and downloaded from the TFTP server to your designated MGCP gateway. The Cisco Unified Communications Manager server can be configured concurrently as a TFTP server.

When you make changes to the configuration in the database, a message is sent by Cisco Unified Communications Manager to the affected MGCP gateway, instructing the gateway devices to download the new XML configuration file. Each device has an XML parser that interprets the XML file according to its device-specific requirements. Cisco MGCP gateways, for example, translate the content of the XML file into specific Cisco IOS commands for local execution.

When an MGCP gateway is first started up, it is preconfigured with the following information or it obtains the information through Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP):