Setting Up and Managing Cisco UC520

Like most nonprofits, you may not be familiar with what a Voice over IP (VoIP) system entails in terms of setup and administration, or any Cisco device for that matter. Cisco’s UC520 allows for straightforward access to the most common features for tech-savvy staff or even accidental techies. This article presents an overview of the basic functions you’ll be setting up to get you started on your UC520 system, which is available on a limited pilot basis at TechSoup Stock.

Accessing the Device

In order to appeal to a less technical audience, Cisco has taken steps to make many of their devices more easily accessible to those who are not dedicated network engineers. The Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA), a graphical user interface (GUI)-based program for administering the UC500 series platform, was developed for easy setup and configuration of your UC500 series devices, such as the main chassis, the switch, the wireless controller and wireless access points. While you can also log in to each device individually via a Web browser, most networking and voice functionality can be set up via the CCA. For the administrator, it is convenient to see the entire network using a GUI. CCA is compatible with Microsoft Windows XP or later, and is available for download for those registered on the Cisco Web site. Refer to the complete documentation for more information on the CCA interface and navigation.

For more advanced voice setup options, you can also use a Web browser to access the Cisco Unity Express Web interface, at the default URL. http://10.1.10.1 Cisco Communications Manager Express (CME) is a subset of the software that allows you to set up auto attendant, voice mailboxes and other features, like paging and hunt groups. These features are available via CCA as well, which we will describe in more detail later in the article

Lastly, like all Cisco devices, the UC520 can be accessed via a serial cable using a terminal program, telnet/ssh or a Web browser to access the command-line interface (CLI), depending on your allowed settings. This option should be used for experts who are familiar with the Cisco CLI or who need to configure settings that would otherwise not be accessible via the previous two methods.

Setting Up Your Network

Before setting up any network devices, you should have determined your network setup beforehand. Whether you are adding the UC520 system onto an existing network or replacing it, you should have all your information written down. Some of this information may be:

• ISP login or IP information
• Fixed IPs for servers or devices
• DMZ (demilitarized zone) setup
• Dedicated ports for services
• WiFi setup

Although it is ideal for network changes to be as least disruptive as possible to your users, some downtime may be inevitable, especially if you are replacing network components. Especially for a voice system, you would most likely be running the two systems in parallel over a short period of time before migrating fully. Be sure to announce to your staff when you plan to perform any tests or upgrades and what sort of downtime you are expecting. Better yet, do the networking changes after hours and not around a special organizational event or when you are about to turn in a grant proposal.

In the CCA, if you click on the left pane under “Configure” > “Internet Connection,” a dialog box will appear, where you can modify your connection settings. You have a choice between PPPoE, Static IP and DHCP. Enter the credentials and information as appropriate for your office setting.

Once you have entered the external network information, you should enter that of the internal network. If you decide to use the UC520 as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, you would enter that information under “DHCP” in the left pane.

VLAN

A VLAN, or virtual LAN (local area network), is the method by which devices are segmented and grouped within a network. Although you would be plugging in your computer to a phone to access the network, voice and data are carried on different VLANs. By default, the UC520 denotes VLAN id 1 as the “data” network and VLAN id 100 as the “voice” network. This allows for efficient use of your network bandwidth, as well as high voice quality. If you wish to add more VLANs, you can do so by accessing the VLAN option on the “Configure” > “VLANs” link in the left pane of the CCA window.

VPN

Virtual private networking, or VPN, is a way for remote users to connect to your internal network in a secure fashion. If you have considered installing a VPN but balked at the idea of complex monitoring and overwhelming options, the UC520 uses the Easy VPN (“EzVPN”) setup, which makes it easy for both users and administrators to allow for secure external access. The UC520 allows for ten remote users to access the network via the UC520. This option can be found under “Configure” > “Security” > “VPN Server.” If you currently utilize VPN already, you may consider using the one on the UC520 for unified administration and monitoring. Cisco’s VPN client can be downloaded by SMARTNet customers from their Web site.

WiFi

If you have WiFi at your organization now and are switching to using it from within the UC520 system, you are going to find many more options available to you, especially if you were using retail-grade access points. Using a controller in conjunction with lightweight access points, you can manage multiple wireless local area networks (WLANs) using the CCA under “Configure” > “WLAN” > “Wireless SSIDs.” It makes adding a “guestnet” easy, especially when you need to grant Internet access to funders or workshop attendees who are on the premises on a temporary basis, without having to divulge security information or reconfiguring your network settings. If you have a larger office, you can also more easily roam with a controller/lightweight access point setup. It’s also possible to simplify authentication using an 802.1x/RADIUS system if you had the WLC controller–based lightweight access points. If you plan to deploy WiFi phones in your organization, and have a centrally managed wireless network multiple access points are integral to high and consistent voice quality throughout the office.

Voice Features

As most small and medium nonprofits currently outsource their voice setup to their local telecom company, using an in-house VoIP solution like the UC520 will enable a nonprofit to take control of all aspects of their voice system. If you need a new extension, it can be done as fast as it takes to plug in a phone and populate some fields in the CCA or Web browser. If you need to change your greeting for your menu prompt, you can upload a new voice file through the interface. If you need to set or change calling restrictions for different users, it can all be done in one place. From a user’s perspective, having a more advanced voice system would also be beneficial to your nonprofit’s impact, especially for service-oriented organizations. Lastly, depending on your current voice service plan, using an in-house VoIP system could be a way to control and better anticipate costs. In a sector with dwindling margins and increased competition, telephone companies can raise their service fees as allowable from their contract.

While specific details for all features are beyond the scope of this article, the following are some key features you will be using and implementing in your network:

• Auto Attendant:

  Auto Attendant is the voice prompt you use to personalize the greeting and to forward the caller to the right recipient, depending on their input. You may, however, choose not to use this feature and instead route calls directly to a receptionist.

• Groups:

  If there are several individuals in a particular program or the development team, for example, it may be useful to set them up as part of a group or for members to have a group mailbox. This way, a queue can be set up. This can be particularly useful for interns or volunteers without set schedules, so that no messages will be left unanswered.

• Call handling:

  By using an on-site VoIP system, you can handle call routing based on staff availability, workflow or projects. In a “hunt group,” you can set that calls ring in a certain order to ensure that a call reaches a live person rather than just a voice mailbox.

• Call restrictions:

  If you wish to limit the calling features, such as internal only, domestic or tolled calls, you can do so out-of-the-box from the CCA. This can be helpful if you wish to grant local calling to a lobby phone but keep long distance separate. In addition, you can also set up access codes and PINs using the CLI.

Advanced Features

The UC520 can handle much more beyond basic networking and voice features. Because it shares the same operating system code as its enterprise counterpart, here are some traits that you may not expect from a small business device:

• SIP trunking:

  The UC520 supports using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking to carry your voice calls. What that means is that you can use an Internet telephone service provider (ITSP) to fully make your system a VoIP one. The UC520 can manage quality of service (QoS) and traffic prioritization natively on the device.

• Unified messaging:

  As part of a Unified Communications platform, there are ways to unify your voice and email messaging. You can, for example, be notified via email of a voicemail message and retrieve it in your mailbox as a .wav file. This can be particularly useful for remote and mobile workers who have access to their mail but not their phones.

• Integrated fax-to-email:

  The UC520 can be configured to receive faxes as a fax gateway. This means you can receive faxes as an image attached in an email message to an arbitrary mailbox. This removes the need for a dedicated fax machine connected to the UC520 chassis, and yields paper and power savings in the long term.