Cisco Conference Connection is a voice conferencing solution that uses voice over IP (VoIP) technology. Although you must have a voice over IP telephony system to install and use Cisco Conference Connection, callers on any type of telephone can join conference calls hosted by Cisco Conference Connection.
These topics introduce Cisco Conference Connection and help you understand how it fits into your existing telephony network:
Table 1-1 lists the major features of Cisco Conference Connection.
Table 1-1 Cisco Conference Connection Features
Feature
Description
Create conferences
Users can create new conferences, as well as change and delete conferences that they scheduled through the Cisco Conference Connection web interface.
If the conference requires security, users can set up passwords and hide the conference so that other users cannot view the conference information through the web interface or on their Cisco IP Phones.
Join conferences
Users can dial into a conference. They can also join a conference through the Services menu on their Cisco IP Phones that support IP Phone Services, if you set up the appropriate service.
View conferences in progress
Users can view and search for currently running conferences by using the web interface.
View scheduled conferences
Users can view and search for scheduled conferences by using the web interface.
View past conferences
Users can view and search for past conferences by using the web interface.
Perform administrative tasks and run reports
Beside doing all the regular user tasks, you can create usage reports, delete old conferences, customize the information shown to users, set up default system passwords to force password protection for all conferences, and manage the Cisco Conference Connection port licenses.
How Cisco Conference Connection Fits Into Your Network
You must have a functioning voice over IP telephony network before you can install and configure Cisco Conference Connection. Figure 1-1 illustrates the components required, including the Cisco Conference Connection server. Table 1-2 describes the components in more detail.
Figure 1-1 Cisco Voice Over IP Telephony Network for Cisco Conference Connection
Table 1-2 Cisco VoIP Network Requirements for Cisco Conference Connection
Item
Software Version
Description
Cisco CallManager
3.1 or later
The software that runs the telephony network. You must have a Cisco CallManager system installed and functioning correctly before you can install Cisco Conference Connection.
Cisco IP Telephony directory
Any version supported by Cisco CallManager
The LDAP directory installed for Cisco CallManager's use. Cisco Conference Connection uses the directory to obtain user information, store the CRA Engine configuration, and to store the Conference Director IVR application (this is stored in the repository subdirectory). The repository maintains a backup copy of the application, which you can restore if necessary.
Web browser
Netscape Navigator 4.5 or higher
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later
The configuration programs for Cisco CallManager and Cisco Conference Connection are web-based applications. This allows you to configure the system from remote locations.
Gateways
N/A
The hardware that connects your telephony system to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Configure your gateways to transmit caller IDs. This ensures that you see a conference call participant's telephone number instead of IP address when you view past conference information.
Also, configure the gateways so they provide error or busy tones to callers.
The Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) database used to hold conference call information. This is the Scheduling Database component of the Cisco Conference Connection server.
Cisco Conference Connection server
N/A
The server that hosts conference calls. The server includes these components:
Conference Director—An interactive voice response (IVR) application that asks callers to identify the conference call they want to attend, and that transfers the caller to the appropriate call.
Cisco Customer Response Applications (CRA) Engine and Application Administration interface—The CRA Engine runs the Conference Director application. You use the Application Administration web interface to configure the Conference Director script and other elements used by Cisco Conference Connection.
Scheduling Engine and Web Interface—The web interface used to create and manage conference calls.
Call Control and Conference Mixer—The components that host the conference calls. The Conference Mixer is treated as an H.323 gateway.
Cisco IP Phones (not shown)
Cisco IP Phones 7940/7960 series telephones or other phones that support IP Phone Services
(Optional)
Callers on any type of phone can create and attend conference calls. However, if you set up the Cisco Conference Connection IP Phone Service, users who have these phone models can connect directly to conference calls through the Services menu on their phones, bypassing the Conference Director IVR application.
How Conferences Work with Cisco Conference Connection
When someone wants to join a conference defined on the Cisco Conference Connection server, they call the conference call number (which is a CTI route point). Cisco Conference Connection then runs the Conference Director interactive voice response (IVR) application, requesting that the caller identify the desired conference. When someone calls the conference call number, Cisco Conference Connection:
Plays a welcome prompt.
Asks the caller to enter the conference ID followed by the # key.
The caller gets three attempts to enter a valid conference ID. The start time for the conference must be reached before callers can be connected to the conference, and Conference Director tells the caller if they are early.
If the conference ID is for a password-protected conference, the caller is also asked to enter the password.
If the caller cannot enter a valid conference ID or password in three tries, the caller is transferred to the operator (if you have identified one to Conference Director), or Conference Director hangs up.
The caller can get help by pressing the * key.
When the caller enters a valid conference ID (and password, if required), Conference Director transfers the caller to the conference call.
When connected, people on the conference call hear an entry tone that indicates a caller has joined the conference.
If there are not enough ports for all of the callers (the conference is already full), new callers hear a busy tone and are not connected to the call.
The conference owner cannot dynamically add ports to an in-progress conference. Instead, if the owner wants to add ports, everyone must hang up, and the owner must delete the conference and then create a new one with an adequate port count. Then, callers can dial into the new conference.
Try not to put a conference on hold. When you put a conference on hold, conference attendees might hear music or other misleading announcements.
Five minutes before the appointed end time for the conference, Cisco Conference Connection determines if the conference can be extended. If there are sufficient ports available, Cisco Conference Connection automatically extends the conference. If there are insufficient ports to extend the conference past the end time, Cisco Conference Connection announces how much time is left for the conference, and the conference call is disconnected promptly at the end time.
If a caller hangs up on the conference call before the call ends, conference attendees hear an exit tone.
