RTP preservation Server Ed & 96x1 series

[mlaurence]

With release 9 sales reps are touting talk-path preservation when the IPO fails with both 96x1 IP phones as well as with Primary/Secondary server configurations.

For server Edition, on the KB i found:
"Media Connection Preservation - Server Edition can now preserve the RTP stream of active calls during network or call server outages where possible; the calls do not get re-routed."

For 96x1 phones i found this on the KB:
"96x1 H.323 Release 6.3 Phone Firmware
Direct Media Call Preservation. Maintain an existing Direct Media Call even when the connection to the Call Server has been lost."

The following was tested in a lab environment that includes:
Virtual Server Edition x 2 on the same 192.168.42.x/24 subnet configured with resiliency to each other
IP phones 9621 & 9608 with 6.3 firmware on a separate subnet, 192.168.60.x/24
Allow Direct-Media is enabled on both extensions

With an established call between both IP phones (and after confirming direct media as talk path in SSA); as soon as the Primary server's IPO service is stopped (simulating Primary server outage), the call fails and the IP phones immediately attempt to register to the secondary IPO, and do so after ~1:45.

This has always been the behavior of IP Phone resiliency, but nowhere am i finding any preservation of the RTP stream.

Has anyone else attempted this or gotten it working. Any replies are appreciated.

Cisco-CCNA; Avaya- ACSS

 

[henrybull]

Take a look at your System->Telephony->Telephony tab. There should be a box down on the bottom - Media Connection Preservation. Is it enabled there?

 

[mlaurence]

Haha, yeah, that setting hid from me for a bit but it is enabled.

I did get it to work though. Previously, to simulate an outage I was selecting "Stop" from the web interface into the Primary server. This soft shutdown was actually initiating a URQ message to the IP phones, thus triggering the immediate re-registration attempts. When I shut the Primary server down virtual management software (in this case vSphere) the call stayed up after the IPO was truly down.

I guess when using physical servers this wouldn't be an issue because you'd be pulling plugs and the such.

Cisco-CCNA; Avaya- ACSS

 

[tlpeter]

You should have pulled the Ethernet cable


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