New CCM 4.1

[Burgal]

I'm planning on getting a full CCM 4.1 system with 100 phones
10 7961g, 70 7941g and 20 7911g.

Replacing the entire network switches with
Dell 6024 gigabit aggregate swtich
and
9 dell 3448p 48port POE edge switches.

Anyone had a config similar to this with any advice that I sohuld know about before I go ahead?

 

[Burgal]

how could anyone afford a 41% software maintenance? It should be about 20%... That we could afford....

 

[jneiberger]

That is pretty ridiculous, I agree.

 

[jneiberger]

So, are you going to go without SMARTnet or are you going to pay their exorbitant prices?

 

[Burgal]

I know our annual budget could not afford that software maintenance. I'll have to work on alternatives.

 

[jneiberger]

Wow, that's pretty scary. Unless you have a LOT of CallManager experience, I don't know if I'd implement a Cisco solution without Cisco support. Are you going to get implementation, configuration, and troubleshooting support from Telus?

 

[Burgal]

The entire thing is turnkey, whith the exception of installation of lan, and placement of phones. Otherwise telus does everything else.

But no annual support.

 

[jneiberger]

That's unfortunate, because that means you won't have access to bug fixes (of which there are many, usually) or new features. I guess the good thing is that 4.1 SR2 is fairly stable and doesn't have a huge number of bugs, at least as far as I know.

Is Telus going to take care of ongoing maintenance and configuration changes, as well, or are you going to take care of that internally?

 

[Burgal]

I'll be doing configuration internally.


Here are the part numbers of the software upgrade support that they're suggesting. I have a feeling they include hardware, which I don't want...

CON-SAU-VM4100 for 100 unity users $1560
CON-SAU-CM4XK9DL for CCM4.1 on HP DL320s $3117 x 2

That's over $7000 a year in software support, over %41 of the software purchase price.

 

[jneiberger]

Burgal,

I got in touch with our Cisco account manager and she says that they should be able to help you out, but we need to get you in touch with your Cisco account manager.

Please send your contact info to me at jneiberger@gmail.com and I'll forward it along for you.

 

[jneiberger]

I'm also curious about your feature requirements. You have a pretty small shop but you said that CME didn't have some of the features you required. What are the features that you need that CME doesn't have?

I'm really beginning to wonder if CallManager is the right solution for you. I love Cisco and CallManager, but given your size I don't know if CallManager is the right tool for the job. Have you looked at some of the other smaller providers our there like ShoreTel?

 

[Burgal]

Well I know one of the things that we'd need already is more than 100VM that CCME Unity can provide. We use caller menus and DNs without phones to give some of our staff without desks VM. So in all, I think we currently have about 150VM boxes of some kind on our current Octel system.

Should give you the whole story.

We currently have a Meridian Opt 11c with 100 Digital TNs in use. Plus 16 analog, and 10 wireless. We want to expand our wireless with CCM to 20 units, plus grow more IP phones as time moves on.

So our whole picture right now is 2 CCME Servers, 1 Unity server, 100 IP phones, 3 different modesl, 20 Spectralink I640 wireless IP phones, 10 cisco APs, 9 inside and 1 outside and a new series of Dell switches with POE and Gigabit aggregate to replace our current mismatched aging switch network.

 

[Meridianman5]

One word BCM.

 

[jneiberger]

Yikes. Nortel. <shiver>

It actually might be a great fit here...but it's Nortel!

 

[Burgal]

BCM?

 

[jneiberger]

Nortel Business Communications Manager

http://products.nortel.com/go/produ...catId=null&parId=0&prod_id=43959&locale=en-US

It's probably a decent product, but Nortel really stinks as a company. If you go with their solution, make sure you have a VAR that has good support. You certainly won't get any from Nortel.

 

[Burgal]

well I'm still trying to stick with the CCM product.
I'm able to trim some cost by getting non-profit pricing on windows licensing, and leveraging our sponsorship agreement with TELUS, hopefully. Looking for higher discounts, and SOME kind of discount on the maintenance.

 

[hunterdw]

Burgal--

I run a 200+ phone/7 locations in 3 states CCM/Unity install for a very large non-profit Church in the States.

Let's talk off this list - daryl@lifechurch.tv

I'd like to help you with this from multiple facets - IT, Executive Management, etc.

--DW

 

[Burgal]

Thanks!

Oh, I looked at the BCM link, a max of 40 stations, umm. a little small, but thanks.

 

[Meridianman5]

no thats the BCM 50, I was thinking BCM 400 oh well, good luck!

 

[Burgal]

Well I'm still working with Cisco on this. They may discount the switches 50% and offer 0% financing, that would work. It's in progress, however.