Building CallManager Lab

[rmeuchel]

Does anyone have any suggestions for building an inexpensive Call Manager lab? I attended a free Cisco VoIP class today and was told that I can purchase a NFR (not for re-sale) version of Call Manager 4.0 for $100 and that I can download Unity off the Cisco web site for free. I was thinking that I could run VMWare with
1) Call Manager
2) Unity
3) IP Communicator #1
4) IP Communicator #2
5) IP Communicator #3

and run all of these on one machine.

My only other alternative is to rent rackspace from IP Expert which is rather expensive, although I know it would be better working with real gateways, gatekeepers etc...

Does anyone have any suggestions / opinions about this scenario? I could probably convince my work to purchase a couple routers or switches or add one more VMWare machine if that would make more lab more realistic.

Thanks!
Russ

 

[RX3]

NFR License? I would love to get that. Where did you hear about that?

 

[rmeuchel]

You can get the CallManager NFR version through Cisco. It's either the Cisco Account Manager (CAM) or Cisco Channel Manager (CCM). I'd have to double-check and find out. It's a SWEET deal though. Your CAM/CCM has to call Tech Data, Ingram Micro or whoever your distributor is and specially set it up for you to purchase at the $100 price. I hope it works out for you. Thanks.
Russ

 

[pndscm]

There are a lot of older Cisco supported servers available on eBay or look thru this forum for instructions on how to build a CCM on Generic equipment.

 

[BuckWeet]

Yea, use VMWare.. I do it myself.. saves power/money, etc..


just gotta make sure you have an overall box with enough memory to run all the virtual machines.