As organizations embrace videoconferencing and telepresence as necessary business communications tools, the need to provision new users and endpoints, configure reachability rules, and easily schedule video and telepresence meetings becomes imperative.
Cisco TelePresence® Management Suite Provisioning Extension (Cisco® TMSPE) is an extension for Cisco TelePresence Management Suite (Cisco TMS) that works in conjunction with Cisco TelePresence Video Communication Server (Cisco VCS) to enable rapid provisioning of telepresence users and endpoints for large-scale deployments (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Cisco TMSPE Users and Groups Administrative User Interface
Cisco TMSPE also enables users to set optional Cisco VCS FindMe preferences for the way they can be contacted based on availability, location, and preferred devices. This added flexibility makes it easier for users to be reached, resulting in improved productivity (Figure 2).
Figure 2. FindMe Interface for Setting Reachability Preferences
Additionally, the Smart Scheduler is a simple, easy-to-use interface that allows users to create single and recurring meetings. As the organizer, you can add to your meeting any Cisco TMS-managed telepresence rooms, personal telepresence systems, and additional call-in participants, and extend to virtually anybody using WebEx® (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Smart Scheduler Interface for Simple, Intuitive Scheduling of Single and Recurrent Meetings
Features and Benefits
Benefits of Cisco TMSPE follow:
• Scalable: Cisco TMSPE is designed to help administrators provision a large number of geographically distributed users quickly and cost-effectively.
• Extendible: It allows secure provisioning of users outside the enterprise firewall for increased working flexibility.
• Simple: Cisco TMSPE provides a centralized FindMe portal that increases users' reachability, making it easy for them to be contacted by allowing them to specify which video and audio devices should ring when someone calls.
• Accessible: Smart Scheduler allows any user with the appropriate permissions to easily create a meeting, add telepresence systems, and include WebEx for a truly seamless conferencing experience.
Features
Cisco TMSPE supports the following:
• Large-scale provisioning of up to 100,000 users across geographically dispersed locations inside and outside the firewall using Cisco VCS and Cisco VCS Expressway, enabling effective distribution of provisioned settings and phone books.
• Bulk import of a user accounts from external directories such as Microsoft Active Directory by scheduled or on-demand synchronization, with an option to automatically send an email message containing provisioning information to users as they are imported.
• Configure user groups based on geographical locations and set configuration parameters such as maximum bandwidth, endpoint device types, and access rights to phone books.
• A touch-screen friendly Smart Scheduler interface that enables users to easily book and edit single and recurrent meetings.
Table 1 lists additional features and benefits of Cisco TMSPE.
Table 1. Features and Benefits of Cisco TMSPE
Product Feature
Benefits
Large-scale provisioning
Cisco TMSPE simplifies provisioning for up to 100,000 users:
• Phone books are automatically created for all provisioned users. You can also create a customized phone book for specific user groups.
• Any phone book or corporate directory from Cisco TMS can be provisioned to any supported device.
Microsoft Active Directory user import
Several types of Active Directory and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) sources are supported for on-demand or automated import and synchronization of groups and users:
• Standard Microsoft Active Directory
• Secure Microsoft Active Directory with Kerberos
• Standard LDAP
• Secure LDAP with StartTLS
The administrator can choose to automatically send the email message containing provisioning information to users as they are imported from Active Directory.
Low-touch provisioning
Cisco TMSPE supports low-touch provisioning for a range of devices, including Cisco TelePresence C, E, EX, MX, and SX Series endpoints and Cisco Jabber Video™ for TelePresence.
This support enables rapid provisioning of user devices, avoiding the need for manual configuration by skilled technicians while saving time, labor, and shipping costs when provisioning users and their devices.
FindMe
• With FindMe, you can be reached on any device using a single ID.
• You can define your locations and specify which endpoints are available to you in those locations.
• You can also specify which endpoints (video and audio only) should ring when someone calls your FindMe ID.
• FindMe also allows you to specify additional devices to be called if the default devices are busy or not answered.
• Administrators can configure account IDs for each user, set up location and device templates, and choose whether to add new devices to FindMe automatically on provisioning.
• You can create FindMe accounts to define forwarding rules for groups such as support desks.
• The FindMe portal is located on the Cisco TMS Server, where you can log on with your Active Directory credentials.
• You can access your Cisco TMSPE account settings, see your username and video address (Session Initiation Protocol Uniform Resource Locator [SIP URI]), and change your provisioning password.
Smart Scheduler
The Cisco TMSPE Smart Scheduler allows administrators and self-service end users to create telepresence meetings quickly and easily.
The intuitive menus hide many of the technical configuration details (which are available in the traditional TMS Booking interface for advanced users), allowing you to easily schedule the resources you require.
With Smart Scheduler you can:
• Create and edit single and recurrent meetings (Note: Exceptions to a recurrent series are not supported at this time.)
• Include telepresence systems and WebEx in the same meeting.
• Allow additional call-in participants to join your meeting
• Set a personal identification number (PIN) to secure your meeting; meeting attendees must enter the PIN before they can join
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension diagnostics
• Cisco TMSPE provides updated status of each of the Cisco TMSPE services.
• An alarms pane lists problems and incidents.
• Corrective actions are included in the alarm details.
• You can download a list of all provisioned devices as comma-separated values in a file that you can open in Excel or other applications for further processing.
System Requirements
Table 2 lists system requirements for Cisco TMSPE.
Table 2. System Requirements for Cisco TMSPE
System Requirements
Cisco TMS requirements
• Version 14.2 or later is required.
• Refer to hardware recommendations later in this table.
Cisco VCS requirements
• Cisco VCS Control must be Version X7.2 or later.
• Option keys must be added for Cisco VCS Device Provisioning and FindMe, if applicable.
SQL Server connection
• TCP/IP or Named Pipes protocol must be enabled. TCP/IP is the preferred protocol (refer to next entry).
• SQL Server Browser must be running.
Microsoft Windows Server
If using the Named Pipes protocol for database connection, the following security updates and hotfixes to Windows Server are required:
Note that the default connection protocol is TCP/IP. If this protocol is used, no hotfixes are required.
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension Option key
• The key must be added in Cisco TMS under Administrative Tools > General Settings, in the Licenses and Option Keys pane.
• License consumption is based on usage-the number of concurrent signed-in and provisioned devices. A user signed in to several devices simultaneously will consume one license per device.
Java
Cisco TMSPE supports Java 7 update 17 (32- or 64-bit). For Windows Server 2003, only 32-bit Java 7 is supported. The latest installer is available from http://www.java.com.
Scheduling WebEx and TelePresence together
In order to use Cisco TMSPE Smart Scheduler to book telepresence meetings that include WebEx, you will need:
• Cisco TMS 14.2 or later
• Cisco TMSPE 1.1 or later
• A zero cost Cisco WebEx and TelePresence integration option L-WBX-TPINT or L-WBX-TPINT=
(includes TMS option key L-TMS-WXOT)
For guidance on scheduling WebEx and TelePresence together, refer to the WebEx Enabled TelePresence 2.0 Configuration Guide for Cisco TelePresence Management Suite.
Hardware recommendations
We recommend the following hardware specifications depending on the size of your deployment and user base:
• Small deployments: 4-GB RAM, 2-GHz dual-core processor
• Medium deployments: 4-GB RAM, 2-GHz quad-core processor
• Large deployments: 8-GB RAM, 2-GHz quad-core processor
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Server requirements
A valid SMTP server that will accept SMTP relay from the Cisco TMS server is required to send account information to users from Cisco TMSPE.
Upgrade endpoints to the latest software
Endpoints
Software Version
• Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence
4.2 or later
• Cisco IP Video Phone E20
TE4.1.1 or later
• Cisco TelePresence System EX and MX Series
TC5.1 or later
Ordering Information
Cisco TMSPE software is available to download for existing Cisco TMS customers with a current support contract. The software can be installed and features such as Smart Scheduler are available to use freely, with no additional costs. Customers needing to provision users and devices using Cisco TMSPE will need to order the appropriate licenses listed in Table 3.
Table 3 provides ordering information for the Cisco TelePresence Management Provisioning Extension.
Table 3. Ordering Information
Product Family Name
Part Number
Initial Ordering Options for the Cisco TelePresence Management Provisioning Extension
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 25 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-25
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 100 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-100
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 500 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-500
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 2000 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-2000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 10000 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-10000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 100000 additional active devices
LIC-TMS-PE-100000
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 25 user additional active client licenses
LIC-MOVI-25
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 100 additional active client licenses
LIC-MOVI-100
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 500 additional active client licenses
LIC-MOVI-500
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 2000 additional active client licenses
LIC-MOVI-2000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 25 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
LIC-JAB-MOB-25
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 100 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
LIC-JAB-MOB-100
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 500 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
LIC-JAB-MOB-500
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 2000 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
LIC-JAB-MOB-2000
Add Device Licenses or Optional Features for Existing Installations
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 25 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-25
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 100 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-100
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 500 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-500
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 2000 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-2000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 10000 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-10000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension - 100000 additional active devices
L-TMS-PE-100000
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 25 additional active client licenses
L-MOVI-25
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 100 additional active client licenses
L-MOVI-100
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 500 additional active client licenses
L-MOVI-500
Cisco Jabber Video for TelePresence - 2000 additional active client licenses
L-MOVI-2000
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 25 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
L-JAB-MOB-25
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 100 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
L-JAB-MOB-100
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 500 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
L-JAB-MOB-500
Cisco TMS Provisioning Extension TMSPE - Add 2000 Active Jabber Mobile Client Registrations
L-JAB-MOB-2000
Cisco Services and Support
Cisco offers a wide range of services programs to accelerate customer success. These innovative services programs are delivered through a unique combination of people, processes, tools, and partners, resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction. Cisco Services help you protect your network investment, optimize network operations, and prepare your network for new applications to extend network intelligence and the power of your business. For more information about Cisco Services, visit Cisco Technical Support Services or Cisco TelePresence Services online.
For More Information
For more information about the Cisco TelePresence Management Suite, please visit Cisco TelePresence Management Suite or contact your local Cisco account manager.
