[cisco-voip] Media Resources for Dummies

[steve.siltman at assurant.com]

I've been doing this awhile now and while I've learned a ton, I still 
can't quite grasp some of the Media Resource usage and why.  We recently 
put in a SIP proxy and are now routing a dozen+ call centers through it 
using 1 ICM instance and 3 Call Manager clusters.  I'm very excited to 
turn on significant digits but I want to iron out all of these new issues 
that popped up.  With the SIP proxy, we now have separate trunks to Call 
Manager based on location.  This is what we wanted to help iron out some 
other issues with MOH and internal transfers.  My plan was to throw 
resources at these trunks and let them get used when needed.  This didn't 
work out at all like I planned.  Calls started using these resources 
because they could not because they needed too.  After cleaning it all up, 
I've still got a few intermittent issues that I'm working with TAC on. 
One-way audio and conference calls get dropped when the original agent 
leaves the call.  These are fun and we'll eventually figure out what is 
causing them.  What I ask of you is this.  Is there a Media Resource for 
Dummies document out there that describes what resources get used and 
where?

For example:
The SIP trunk to the SIP Proxy in Call Manager.  This trunk is used for 
two things.  To deliver a call to an agent extension from ICM and to 
deliver the label from ICM via a CTI Route point back thru CVP to ICM.  In 
our case, I know that I need a Unicast MOH resource on this trunk for when 
an agent puts a customer on hold.  (Unicast because the ingress gateways 
are 5400's) 

Internal transfers back into ICM.  I believe the CTI Route Point device 
pool/MRGL will need software MTP's built using a DSPFARM on a router local 
to the ingress gateway to allow the internal transfer to work correctly.

My biggest hurdle is that these locations all do something a little 
differently when it comes to call routing.  Add Cisco Mobile Agent to this 
mess and the need for MTP is required checked on some gateways is deadly.

The smallest of changes always seem to test well with a handful of users 
after hours but when the real work force comes in, there are intermittent 
issues that always pop up.   A majority of the locations receive incoming 
call center calls at one of our main locations and since the agents are 
across the WAN the call needs to be G.729.  So it's not only Media 
Resources but Region settings
that crush the very fabric of my inner soul.  That is a stretch but I'm 
hoping your seeing where I'm coming from.  It has to be easier than this.

Looking for that Dummies book and fast!

Steve Siltman
steve.siltman at assurant.com

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