Monday, July 30, 2012

Lesson Learned about Flash File Systems

I came across something interesting (well, at least mildly interesting) a couple of weeks ago when I was rebuilding my home lab. My plan was to set up an archive directory on each device so that I can archive configurations and easily rollback or reset the lab to a specific configuration. All was well until I tried to use the mkdir command on one of the 2800 ISRs I inherited from a colleague. 

I was a little surprised to see that the command was not found. I used the ol' context sensitive help method (i.e. I typed in "?") and sure enough, no sign of "mkdir" in the list of commands. This sparked a memory on the different file systems that IOS supports on PCMCIA flash drives. Since I "purged" the specifics a while ago, I had to RTFM. After a quick read, the problem is solved and I figured this would be something to throw in the blog-blender.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Using SQL to Fix CUCM Enterprise Services

In this installment of the SQL query series I wanted to actually explore some queries that came in handy during a CCIE-V mock lab. One of the lab questions was to disable the Corporate Directory look-up functionality on one of the phones in the lab. There are several ways to approach this. I did a write up discussing how to disable the Corporate Directory on my NetCraftsmen blog some time ago.  

It just so happens that one of my fellow classmates went the path of deleting the Enterprise Subscription completely. Of course, this broke other phones in the lab. So, what do you do? You re-add the Enterprise services and all is well, right? Not quite, this creates a problem that can only be resolved by using your handy-dandy SQL commands.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

VMware vCenter Converter Saves the Day

While VMware vCenter Converter isn't really what I would consider a common Unified Communications (UC) tool, it is a handy tool for anyone that has a lab environment with guest virtual machines (VMs) on different flavors of VMware. I have VMware Workstation, Fusion, Server 2.0, and ESXi hypervisors running in my lab. 

This didn't happen because I am a VMware fanatic (well, I am a big fan, if that counts). It happened because I have been running Cisco UC applications in VMware since CCM 4.1. As anyone with a home lab knows, VMware was king of the lab before it became the ruling monarch of Cloud City!

But that isn't what this blog is about. No, what this blog is about is how VMware vCenter Converter saved me a lot of time by allowing me to move guest VMs from Server 2.0 to ESXi.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Side Effects of CCM-MANAGER Config

One of the lessons I learned this past week has to do with the logistics of shutting down and turning up my home lab gear. I just recently decided that my wallet may appreciate me more if I shut down the equipment rack I have in my lab on a nightly basis. Being as "nice" to my lab as possible, I shut everything down gracefully. I shut down all of my VMs first. A little later in the evening, I saved router/switch configs and powered off the rest of the gear. 

As I found out the next time I turned up the gear to do some studying, this was a mistake.


Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Road to CCIE-V

I meant to start a series on my "Road to CCIE-V" a while ago. Actually, it was one of the reasons I started a new blog. Of course, I didn't account for how much time I would be spending on studying and how it would affect my other extra curricular work activities (like blogging).

I guess we can say "better late than never?" as it has meaning that goes well beyond the confines of this blog. I have been working with Cisco voice technologies for a long time and I have conveniently excused myself from pursuing the CCIE Voice (CCIE-V). I have always spent a lot of time outside of normal work hours studying, exploring, and testing. So, working hard is not an issue. The issue was making the commitment. Well, this cowboy has put on his spurs and that horse is riding head first into battle. 


I say horse but it started off as more of a slow pony. It took a CCIE bootcamp to truly light a fire under my you-know-what. I have been working on CCIE studies for a few months now and it is progressing. To save me from going back in time and doing a play-by-play, I think it best to focus this entry on the one event that made a difference: the CCIE Bootcamp.


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Cisco Jabber for iPad Now Has Video

I know there are a fair number of people out there in Cisco land that have been waiting for Cisco to bring video capabilities to the iPad via their Jabber client. Well, the wait is finally over. 

On July 11, 2012 the Cisco Jabber for iPad client appeared in the AppStore. The new Jabber client (yes, it is a 1.0 release) is an application that provides instant messaging (IM), video and voice calling, corporate directory, and presence all in one client.