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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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..<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Any help, suggestions or comments are most welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Thanks in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Geoff Rhodes</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Director of Information Technology</span><span style='font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON</span><span style='font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>101 North Tryon Street, Suite 1900</span><span style='font-size:
8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Charlotte, NC 28246</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>P: 704.377-8188</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:
"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>F: 704-339-3488</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:grhodes@rbh.com">grhodes@rbh.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";
color:black'><a href="http://www.rbh.com">www.rbh.com</a></span><span
style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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