Homeworker solution

[Planetmaker]

Since our day one on Call Manager 4.2 that was installed by a 3rd party, we've used IP Communicator via a checkpoint VPN client for our homeworkers voice solution. I fail to remember why we can’t use a physical handset – could this be explained?

I had a chat recently where the possibility was raised that Call Manager 7 could allow us to use a physical handset for our homeworkers – can this be explained how this solution works?

 

[trvlr1]

As long as your PC works through the company firewall using the VPN it will be good, but you have no way to get the physical phone to log in using a VPN client, Unless you can get the phone to use the PC as access and I am not sure how you would go about doing that.

 

[omarrj]

You need a vpn router at your premise, we have a few people using them now, not sure how they set it up but they are using 7961 sets

 

[Planetmaker]

Thanks for the advice - i've look at a couple of solutions and basically the VPN Hardware Client looks ideal however I don't think anyone will want to pay that price to get 1 person in their home connected on a company ext when they can pay for a few pence for a mobile call!.

I did think of trying to use a usb LAN adaptor to connect the phone and use Windows Connection Services to configure a path to the VPN but we go to V7 in the summer and I'm led to believe that the phone can utilise its own VPN client.

Does anyone know if this is true??

 

[whykap]

I believe that is coming on version 8 which is already out but the feature is not available yet.

 

[meneerB]

for small offices, we use the checkpoint vpn-1 edge 900$, with 7961 phones.
mitel and avaya do have a vpnclient build-in the phones, cisco does not, but has TLS.


Whycap, I think you are talking about a ASA TLS Proxy.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/collateral/ns340/ns394/ns165/ns391/white_paper_c11-493584.html

@Planetmaker:
For teleworkers you'll need the ASA appliance. (from 24 users to 3000 users)
You can use CCM 4.x and higher!

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/asa/asa80/configuration/guide/unified_comm.html#wp1186051

so if you want only one phone at home at lots of locations, you use the ASA, but only used by the phones. Your pc still uses the checkpoint client/firewall.
Maybe shift from checkpoint to cisco vpn for your pc's also?

by the way, i.e. Mitel doesn't call it a firewall, but a teleworker server. maybe that helps, so that you don't have to exlain your manager you need a 2nd firewall;-)