[cisco-voip] Options for upgrading 4.2(3) ?

[Rhodes, Geoff]

Hello.  We are currently running Call Manager 4.2(3) and Unity 4.2, with
an installed base of around 300 phones.  One large site with 95% of
phones, with 2 smaller sites connected via MPLS circuits, which both run
SRST for backup.

 

Our lease is running out and we have to make some tough decisions.  The
majority of our phones are 7970s, which we have decided to buy out and
keep (at least another year).  The problem is the back end.  EOL/EOS for
CM 4.2 is next spring, so we feel pressured to do something.  Here is
what I see our options to be.

 

1 - upgrade the backend to v8.x on MCS boxes.  Not cheap, but doable.  I
hate doing this since what we have right now just WORKS..

 

2 - upgrade the backend to v8.x and run on B-series blades on our new
UCS chassis.  At first, this seemed really a great solution (having all
the UC, Unity and Presence server virtualized) until we started hearing
about Cisco's requirements.  We have a 10-gig iSCSI framework built with
our UCS and SAN, using Nexus 5000 switching and everything works
perfectly.  Cisco says we have to use fiber optic connections back to
the SAN, and require us to boot from SAN for the virtual servers.  So
that mean we either buy fiber modules for the Nexus 5000s (expensive due
to license) or use a couple of MDS fiber switches, plus buying converged
net. Adapters throughout.  This solution is actually LESS EXPENSIVE than
going the MCS route above, but it involves adding a lot more complexity
to our core, just for UC running 300 phones...

 

3 - upgrade to 4.3 and maybe virtualize it?  Is anyone running 4.3 in a
VM?  What is the EOL for 4.3?  I know we'd be missing Presence, but
that's not a huge problem.  We would plan on upgrading to v8.x sometime
next year or when Cisco decides to support UC on UCS with iSCSI.

 

Any help, suggestions or comments are most welcome.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Geoff Rhodes

Director of Information Technology

ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON

101 North Tryon Street, Suite 1900

Charlotte, NC 28246

P: 704.377-8188

F: 704-339-3488

grhodes at rbh.com

www.rbh.com

 

 

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