IP Telephony Lab Network Verification

[ciscofreak1241]

I have went through many of the postings here on Tek Tips and found a lot of great info. The one thing that I'm noticing is that many people are looking for different home lab examples especially with a PSTN cloud.

From the information gathered and to make sure what is best, I made three network diagrams and wanted to know from the experts here which one or even all would be very good to have. If there are any mistakes or additional that info would be extremely helpful.

The general theme of the diagram shows two IP Phone on two different IP networks with all Call Processing through the Call Manager. The PSTN is simulated with either a router with FXS ports or an actual PSTN simulator with some extra functionality (PBX, Caller ID, etc)

The first URL below depicts the PSTN cloud using a Cisco Router with FXO ports:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-gw-rtr.gif

The second URL below depicts the PSTN cloud using a PSTN Simulator:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-gw-pstn.gif

The third URL below depicts the PSTN cloud with connection to the main location (with CCM) and the remote office.

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-gw-backup.gif

Any information and help on this will be extremely great.

Thanks in advanced

ciscofreak

 

[GoTellBigDaddy]

These are nice !

SUGGESTIONS:

ALWAYS label phone numbers with Area Code (NXX) and 555-1212 !!!! It's an unspoken courtesey.

Router to Router is via a DTE/DCE cable ? (If you are using to present to management- I'd say maybe- make a change in the CLOUD)

Analog Phone vs IP Phone. - Show the 2500 set for analog phone but find another icon for the IP Phone !

QUESTIONS:

What about showing direction connection to SS7 Network ?

 

[ciscofreak1241]

Thanks for your suggestions.

So, what are your thoughts are recommendations for the setting up the design? Pictures speak louder than words with me. Here is the voice network I want to accomplish:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

From the Voice Network Diagram ...

(1) I want all internal calls (between the IP Phone) to happen across the WAN, which will be primary
(2) I want the PSTN network to be the backup to the WAN network.
(3) Of course, any external calls I want them to go through the PSTN. The external analog phone that you see will only emulates some other phone somewhere on the PSTN trying to call into the network.

All Call Processing will occur with CCM server. There are so many things to do there, but that is probably the essential thing I would want to accomplish here because other companies I spoke with are doing that exact setup for there IP telephony network.

So between two solutions here is what I was looking at:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-dpstn-sim.gif

(I'm leaning towards this one)

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-dpstn-rtr.gif

So, do you believe that the following equipment would be useful as a Digital PSTN Cloud:

VConsole 2 Port T1/E1/PRI + 8 Port FXS PSTN Simulator

http://www.vconsole.com/cgi-bin/credit/simulators.pl?p_id=17

So, I know that cost will be there, but I want to focus little of my time with configuring the PSTN cloud and focus more with all necessary configuration inside the network.

Let me know your thoughts and opinions on the design, equipment, and other things I should be aware of?

Thanks again.

ciscofreak

 

[GoTellBigDaddy]

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

The one above !!!! That's it !!!!! I've seen your work before (dejavu ?)

Even I can understand this:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

The DTE/DCE thing just doesn't tell the story- the one above TELLS the story. I could spend an entire day talking about this illustration. It's good for training, good for showing, telling... (eg)

"Now folks- we are still dealing with a network environment that is still PREDOMINATELY ANALOG ! (PSTN) The local loops shown here with the yyy-444-3333 location are still a source of potential trouble with our IP network- since long loops can introduce ECHO due to High Loop Current. In spite of this we can still overcome these current obstacles until the network evolves....."

Now back to your questions- I'll try to answer:

[q](1) I want all internal calls (between the IP Phone) to happen across the WAN, which will be primary
(2) I want the PSTN network to be the backup to the WAN network.
(3) Of course, any external calls I want them to go through the PSTN. The external analog phone that you see will only emulates some other phone somewhere on the PSTN trying to call into the network.[/q]

Yes to 1: just label the links Primary / Secondary

Yes to 2: just LABEL the clouds IP WAN with Primary / Backup/ALternate/Public Routing

3- as is/as it shows.

The link:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-dpstn-sim.gif

is good - maybe the links labeled.

This link:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-dpstn-rtr.gif

use it if you want to shown the simulators but this would be for what purpose- techy stuff ???

Now- for the equipment:

http://www.vconsole.com/cgi-bin/credit/simulators.pl?p_id=17

This is pricey and I don't know what you want to do. If it is for testing internal only then check out ebay. I had a Canadian unit I used for years which was a 2line x 4 station simulator with dial tone and extensions--- If your work is LAB work and requires the PRI/T1 then still shop around but the last time I did a quick search for some pals doing testing ~ network simulation for numerous IP-PBX products and gear- I don't think the price is so bad now...again it depends upon what you doing with it. The gear shows up from time to time on ebay and for what it's worth- maybe check there too:

search terms:telephone network simulator

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50959&item=3847066440&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Then theres some s/w:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2228&item=2497574325&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Anyway- if it's on the cheap then shop around but if its for production and testing apps for customers then spend the money on the current goods- $3000 or so is not a bad price with the advanced feature set.

OTHER

I still like this the best:

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

Why ? It's simplistic and allows you to TELL the story or anyone else.

Whatever you do: you need to consider the audience- who's listening/seeing and what their needs are.

As for Cisco wares I know nothing. The connectivity is there and in place, and it works. As for the gear - very cool and I just saw the note that it's "NON-BLOCKING" which is nice too.

Keep in mind that the network simulator can't produce what's on my site or yours and it only emulates the ideal. My loops are short and not hot while my other customer loops are LONG and HOT and yes, they do introduce echo. But this is only one of numerous design considerations. I'm not sure what else you are asking or what your goals are.

Your system requires a Dial Plan which will dictate the routing- Primary, Secondary and Alternate routing. The WAN links be they T1 or PRI require CSUs for signalling~control and to invoke Alternate routing via the Dial Plan when a LINK fails. The Dial Plan(s) will do a lot of the work. The Switches, Routers, Firewlls - it all dependZ but guessing that your Cisco- I'd say you've already got it covered: QoS, policies and all those other things that go bump when not setup correctly. Your local ends if they are dumping voice and LAN traffic via the same cable or not is a LOCAL issue and then Prioritization of those packets.

Going back to the image: tp://

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

you can pretty much discuss all of this.... I wouldn't over label or over do the drawings because simple is good. Why not take the tp://

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

drawing and create OVERLAYS ? The next overlay would drop over the first drawing: tp://

http://www.geocities.com/fdeity/voice-overview.gif

and then show perhaps the LAN side..the next would show more detail for something else...etc.... Just a thought.

So am I making sense cause I'm not sure if I'm answering your questions ???








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