Using SQL to Validate CUCM Extension Mobility

In this installment of the SQL query series I wanted to expand on the last installment where we explored a query that listed phone subscriptions to Cisco IP Phone Services . An administrator provisions IP phone services on the Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM). 

For this week's queries, we are going to take a look at ways to view a summary of how services are provisioned and an example leveraging SQL queries to identify configuration issues.

Cisco Live 2012 Recap

It has been two weeks since Cisco Live and I am finally finding some time to do a write up. The original plan was to write a "daily" blog series on my experience at Cisco Live 2012 in San Diego, CA. Well, as anyone who has attended Cisco Live knows, Cisco's annual networking event has a way of warping space and time. My Cisco Live experience technically was five 24-hour chunks of time more commonly known as "days". In reality, it felt like one, long day. I barely remember going back to the hotel, much less sleeping.


Following Live!, I found myself 460 miles north of San Diego in San Jose, CA. feeding my brain at a CCIE bootcamp. Here I am two weeks after Live! started and I am finally finding some time to blog about the experience. So, instead of a series of short "dailies" I will try to capture the key pillars of my Live! experience.

Cisco RTMT on Mac OS X

Typically, it isn't my style to post what I call a "cover blog". But I had to make an exception this time around. While I was at Cisco Live 2012 I got into a conversation about switching to the Apple Mac OS X platform and porting applications that are traditionally Windows-based. Specifically, the conversation revolved around applications that end users and administrators of Cisco UC solutions can use. 


Whenever I get into this discussion, the question of running Cisco's Real Time Monitoring Tool (RTMT) application on OS X is a popular talking point, right behind soft phones. In this brief blog spot I wanted to highlight a resource I stumbled across a while ago that was very helpful in getting RTMT running on Mac OS X. 


Of course I am talking about @ciscomonkey's article that is aptly titled "Real Time Monitoring Tool on Mac OS X" (http://www.ciscomonkey.net/rtmt-on-mac/). There isn't much to say except that the article is well written, accurate, and an indispensable book mark. In fact, there was a period of time where I couldn't find the article after I first discovered it. Fortunately, the author was kind enough to re-publish this invaluable resource (and I promplty archived an offline copy). 

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Querying IP Phone Service Subscriptions

In this installment of the SQL query series I wanted to explore IP phone service subscriptions. An administrator provisions IP phone services on the Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM). To leverage these services on an IP phone, the phone must subscribe to the appropriate service, with the appropriate parameters. On this initial foray into the IP phone service arena, we will focus on reporting on service subscriptions.

I typically leverage this type of query when doing deployments or upgrades. For deployments, I have had instances where I needed to double check how devices or device profiles were provisioned. For upgrades where we are migrating to a new CUCM version, we'll use queries like this to prepare for the data move. We also query phone services when doing clean up.

Troubleshooting: Protocol Captures on Cisco VCS

This is just a quick write up on how to pull network traces from the Cisco Video Communications Server (VCS). As anyone who has been in the business of integrating solutions in existing networks knows, having the ability to pull protocol traces goes a long way to streamlining the troubleshooting process. Deploying a VCS is no different.

Cisco Live 2012 is Right Around the Corner

The hours are ticking away quickly and over the course of the next few days, techies of all ages will begin to converge on San Diego, CA. By Monday of next week throngs of back-pack wielding techno-geeks will be filing down 1st Avenue, Front Street, and West Harbor Drive. With badges swinging to and fro, these back-packing silicon adventurers will be marching steadily to the San Diego Convention Center (SDCC) to pay homage to all that is Cisco. That's right, I am talking about Cisco Live packet fans.


I am amazed at how fast a year has come and gone. In just 24 hours or so, I will be hopping on a "short flight" from Washington, D.C. to San Diego. To join my fellow cyber lemmings in the great "Gathering".

Prolific PL2303 USB to Serial Adapter and Mac OS X

This is a quick note on getting a USB-to-serial adapter working on my MacBook Pro so that I can console into Cisco routers, switches, etc. You may say this is a boring topic, that's because it is. Very perceptive of you! Nonetheless, it was an annoying journey to get my specific configuration working and I'd like to save someone some time if at all possible.

The gear: an old IOGear GUC232A USB to serial host adapter and Zoc Pro terminal program for Mac.