Media Resources

Session Number
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 Media Resources

A media resource or media processing resource is a software-

based or hardware-based entity that performs some media
processing function on the data streams that are connected to
it. Media processing functions include mixing multiple streams
to create one output stream, passing the stream from on
connection to another, or transcoding the data stream from one
codec type to another.

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 Media Resources

• Why share resources?

Allow hardware and software resources to coexist.
Enable Cisco CallManager access resources available in the cluster.
Load distribution within a group of similar resources.
Allocate resources based on user preferences.

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 Media Resources

CallManager allocates and uses six types of media resources:

1. Unicast conferencing resources
2. MTP resources
3. Transcoding resources
4. MOH resources
5. Announciator resources
6. Built-in bridge resources.

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 Media Resources

Media resources in CallManager are implemented in two ways:

1. Software Media Resources
2. Hardware Media Resources

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 Media Resources

Unicast conferencing resources

It is a device that accepts multiple connections for a given
conference, up to the maximum number or participants allowed
for a single conference on that device. There is one to one
correspondence between full-duplex media streams connected
to a conference and participants connected to the conference.

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 Media Resources

The conference bridge mixes the input streams together and

creates a unique output stream for each participant. The stream
of each participant is usually the composite of all participants’
streams minus their own. Others only mix the audio of the three
loudest talkers on the conference.

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 Media Resources

These can be software of hardware. Some hardware CFB’s can

handle streams in different codecs but the software CFB’s
cannot. Software CFB’s can only support G711alaw, G711ulaw
and wideband.
There are some devices capable or supporting a small three-
party G711 conference due to their internal DSP (Digital Signal
Processor) resources. This CFB is used by the Barge feature.
System-based conference resources are always used for Ad-
hoc, Meetme or Join conferences.

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 Media Resources

MTP resources
An MTP is an entity that accepts two full-duplex stream
connections in order to provide supplementary services when
one of the parties does not support them.
Software MTP’s can transcode between G711alaw to G711ulaw
and viceversa and adjust packet size as required.
A single software-based MTP device can handle many more
calls than it counterpart but it can handle only G711 and
wideband codecs.

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 Media Resources

A hardware MTP is really a transcoder being used as an MTP,

because transcoders have MTP capabilities.
Some hardware MTP’s can also support transcoding operations
between G711, G729, G723 and GSM. Codecs supported by a
given hardware-based MTP vary depending on its transcoding
capabilities.
Transcoding resources
It is a hardware based MTP.

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 Media Resources

MOH resources
They are software based MOH. Each MOH server can supply up
to 500 Unicast output audio streams or up to 204 multicast
audio streams. It can supply both streams simultaneously but
the total stream count including both types cannot exceed the
maximum. The maximum number of streams really depends on
the platform considering things as speed and these limits are
normally achieved with dedicated servers.

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 Media Resources

MOH server can also support up to 51 different audio sources

and one Fixed Audio source, which is an external audio source
that the CCM captures through a USB sound card.
MOH supports four codecs, G711a, G711u, G729 and Wideband.
The number 204 comes from 51 audio sources times 4 codecs
each.

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 Media Resources

Annunciator resources
They are provided by software-based Annunciator servers in
order to provide information messages as required, like “ your
call cannot be completed as dialed…” Each Annunciator can
supply up to 400 simultaneous streams of either tone or
announcements. Tones and announcements are considered the
same from the annunciator perspective.

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 Media Resources

Built-in bridge resources.

• Cisco IP Phones have an internal DSP that acts as a small
conference bridge. This capability is referred to as built-in
bridge. The capability is used only to support the barge feature
as mentioned before. It can only support a maximum of three
parties, including the phone itself as one of them.
• During Barge operation, this bridge supports G711 codec. The
built-in bridges are handled automatically by CallManager and
are not visible in the resource pools.

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 Media Resources

Software Media Resources:

• A software based media resource is typically a Microsoft
Windows 2000 server that is running a Cisco IP Voice Media
Streaming Application. The Cisco IP voice Media Streaming App
can be configured to operate and register with CallManager as
four different device types. Each type of device provides a
specific function or set of functions to CallManager. The four
device types are as follows:
• Software conference bridge
• MTP
• MOH Server
• Annunciator

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 Media Resources

Hardware Media resources:

• They are resources that either exist on hardware blades that plug into a
network switching platform such as a Cisco Catalyst 6500 or another
switching platform, or are DSOP farms on various IOS gateways.
• They have a complement of DSPs and other processors that give them
additional capabilities, such as the capability to act as a transcoder or
process video, not available in software based resources.
• Three common types of hardware based media resources are:
1. Hardware audioconference bridge.
2. Hardware videoconference bridge.
3. Transcoder.

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 Conference Bridge (CFB)

In an Ad-Hoc conference, a conference controller can add

participants to a conference.
In a Meet-Me conference, the conference controller provides
a bridge or directory number for participants to dial.

Meetme is a feature in CallManager and addition for additional information see:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/admin/4_1_3/ccmsys/a05confb.html

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 Media Resources

Software Media resources

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 Conference Limits

Software Conference Limits

Up to 128 full-duplex streams are configurable.
48 users in a single conference or 16
conferencing resources with three users per
conference

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 Activate Cisco IP Voice Media Streaming App

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 Software Conference Bridge Configuration

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 Meet-Me Directory Number Configuration

Ensure
Ensuredirectory
directorynumber
numberor
orrange
rangeis
isunique
uniquewithin
withinthe
thecluster
cluster

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 Media Termination Point (MTP)
Cisco CallManager
Cisco IP Voice Media Streaming Application
SW MTP IP WAN

1002
PSTN
Router/GW
1001
H.323v1
Enables supplementary services to calls routed through an H.323v1 gateway.
Supplementary services are such features as:
call hold
call transfer Incoming Stream
call park Initial Stream
conferencing Supplementary
Service Stream

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 MTP and Transcoding Limits

Media Termination Point

Up to 128 full-duplex streams are configurable.
64 resources are available for media termination point
application.

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 Music On Hold (MOH)

Cisco CallManager
Cisco IP Voice Media Streaming Application
• Types of Hold
User Hold
Network Hold
Transfer hold
Conference hold
Call park hold
• Audio Sources
Recorded Audio
Live Audio

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 Music On Hold

New Files are MOH Master Default MOH

automatically detected
Audio Translator A
Service Storage Directory TFTP Server
and processed.

Cisco CallManager
Administration Copies
Audio Source files TFTPPath
Audio Source Input Directory
when they are mapped Directory
C:\Cisco\DropMOHAudioSourceFilesHere

Start B
Administrator copies Hard Coded MOH
MOH C Server Audio
audio source into Server
this directory Source Directory
H G D
E
I Kernel Mode RTP F DirectShow
Streaming Driver Filters

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 Music On Hold Server Limits

Up to 500 Unicast output streams of audio and 204

Multicast streams simultaneously.
Up to 51 different audio sources can be configured.

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 Audio Translator Configuration

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 MOH server Configuration

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 MOH Service Parameters

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 Adding and Configuring Audio Source Files

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 Finding the Fixed Audio Source Name

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 Configuring the Fixed Audio Source

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 Audio Source ID selection Rules

System Administrator defines the Audio Source

IDs.
System Administrator Selects the Audio Source
IDs for the user(s) or device(s).
The holding parties decide which Audio Source ID
will apply to the held parties.
Four Levels of Audio Source IDs

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 Four Levels of Prioritized Audio

• Level four has the highest priority and level

one has the least .
Level four is directory/line based
Level three is device based.
Level two is Device Pool based.
Level one audio source IDs are service wide
service parameters.

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 Media Resources

• Summary

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