UC on UCS

Wanted to make sure everyone was aware to make this change on all Virtualized Unified communications.  This is a known issue with VMware and Linux host.  I have seen this cause very weird issues on a UC deployment.  

http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Disable_LRO

Note:

After upgrading the ESXi host to 4.1 or 5.0 and upgrading VMs to VMwareTools to 4.1 or 5.0, you may experience slow TCP performance on VMs running on the 4.1 or 5.0 ESXi host. You can address this situation by disabling Large Receive Offload (LRO) on the ESXi host.

To disable LRO, follow this procedure:

1. Log into the ESXi host or its vCenter with vSphere Client.
2. Select the host > Configuration > Software:Advanced Settings.
3. Select Net and scroll down slightly more than half way.
4. Set the following parameters from 1 to 0:
   • Net.VmxnetSwLROSL
   • Net.Vmxnet3SwLRO
   • Net.Vmxnet3HwLRO
   • Net.Vmxnet2SwLRO
   • Net.Vmxnet2HwLRO
5. Reboot the ESXi host to activate these changes.
   

Your guest VMs should now have normal TCP networking performance.

Cisco TelePresence Video Communication Server (VCS) VM Appliance

Prefer the small footprint and virtualized deployment model?  VCS Control and Expressway appliances are now available as VMWare appliances with the VCS 7.1 code. 

For those interested in the minimum specs and supported configurations, please see the deployment guide.

It is important to note that there are some unsupported features with this initial version of the VM appliance.

1. ESXi 4.1 compatible, but not ESXi 5.  During testing there was a problem related to an LSI RAID card that caused an issue.
2. VMWare fault tolerant mode is not supported because the VCS uses dual cores.  VMotion IS supported.

What is all the jabbering about Jabber?

What is Jabber?  Is Jabber a product, protocol, some crazy mentality or what?  Cisco's Jason Shearer sheds some clarifying light on Jabber in this video.

Cisco's Enterprise connect Keynote.  Announcing and showing new Jabber clients and New High end video endpoint. 

https://communities.cisco.com/videos/9151
https://communities.cisco.com/videos/9147

VCS Setup

Great Doc that Wes point me to today. This Doc will walk you through the complete setup of a VCSc and VCSe.  The appendixes are great includes DNS, and firewall information.  


http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/telepresence/infrastructure/vcs/config_guide/Cisco_VCS_Basic_Configuration_Cisco_VCS_Control_with_Cisco_VCS_Expressway_Deployment_Guide_X7-1.pdf

Cisco Jabber Video FREE!

Got video?  Now there is no excuse.  Cisco is now offering Cisco Jabber Video for Free!  Jabber Video is the latest evolution of the already successful product, Movi.  To help make video the next voice, Cisco is offering the application in a hosted environment for free.  Now you can video enable your business partners, friends, family, etc.

Join now while all of the good usernames are available.

https://www.ciscojabbervideo.com/home

UC on UCS install video

I was doing some searching and found these great video from Jason Murray on How to install and configure UC on UCS.  He also has a 5 part video series on the BE6k.  Check it out.