20 Cisco Unified Communications Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is a software-based call processing system that helps organizations manage their voice and video communications. If you are applying for a position that involves working with CUCM, you can expect to be asked questions about your knowledge and experience during the interview process. In this article, we review some of the most common CUCM interview questions and provide guidance on how to answer them.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked Cisco Unified Communications Manager interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is Cisco Unified Communications Manager?

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is a software-based IP telephony call control system that provides enterprise voice, video, and data communications solutions. CUCM offers a robust set of features to support small businesses up to large enterprises. These features include call control, voicemail, conferencing, and mobility.

2. What are the main features of CUCM?

The main features of CUCM include call processing, voicemail, conferencing, and presence. CUCM also offers a number of features to help manage and maintain your system, such as call detail reporting, automatic device updates, and security features.

3. How does Cisco Unified Communications Manager work?

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is a software-based IP telephony system that uses the Internet Protocol (IP) to route calls. CUCM provides a centralized call processing and management system for enterprise voice networks. It uses a distributed architecture to provide high availability and scalability. CUCM also supports a wide range of features, including VoIP, voice mail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, call conferencing, and call recording.

4. What’s your understanding about Quality of Service (QoS) in CUCM?

Quality of Service (QoS) in CUCM is a set of tools and features that can be used to help ensure that voice and video traffic is given priority over other types of traffic on a network. This can help to ensure that calls are clear and free of interruptions, and that video conferences are smooth and uninterrupted. QoS can be configured at the network level, and CUCM provides a number of tools to help manage and monitor QoS settings.

5. How do you configure a cluster of nodes using CUCM?

In order to configure a cluster of nodes using CUCM, you will need to first create a new cluster. To do this, go to the “Clusters” page in the CUCM web interface and click “Add New Cluster.” Give your cluster a name and description, and then add the IP addresses of the nodes that you want to include in the cluster. Once you have saved your new cluster, you can then begin configuring the individual nodes.

6. Can you explain what SRST is and how it works with CUCM?

SRST is a Cisco IOS feature that allows a Cisco router to provide IP telephony services in the event that a connection to a Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is lost. When SRST is enabled on a router, it will take over the call processing functions of CUCM and allow IP phones to continue to make and receive calls.

7. What are some best practices for configuring a CUCM cluster?

There are a few best practices to keep in mind when configuring a CUCM cluster:

-Ensure that all devices in the cluster are running the same version of CUCM.
-Configure devices in the cluster to use the same time zone and NTP server.
-Ensure that devices in the cluster have unique IP addresses and hostnames.
-Configure devices in the cluster to use the same voice VLAN.

8. What are the different types of dial plans available in CUCM?

The three types of dial plans available in CUCM are Basic, Standard, and Advanced. Basic is the simplest type of dial plan and is typically used for small deployments. Standard dial plans are more complex and are typically used for larger deployments. Advanced dial plans are the most complex type of dial plan and are typically used for very large deployments or for deployments that require a high degree of customization.

9. What’s your understanding of call routing in CUCM?

Call routing in CUCM is the process of directing calls from one location to another. This can be done through a variety of means, including IP phones, VoIP gateways, and SIP trunks. Call routing can be used to direct calls to specific locations based on a variety of criteria, including time of day, caller ID, and destination.

10. What tools can be used to monitor and troubleshoot issues with CUCM?

The Cisco Unified Communications Manager has a number of tools that can be used to monitor and troubleshoot issues. The Real-Time Monitoring Tool can be used to monitor system performance in real-time, and the System Logs can be used to track system activity and identify potential issues. The Trace & Log Files tool can be used to generate detailed log files for further analysis, and the Cisco Unified Serviceability Reports tool can be used to generate reports on system performance and usage.

11. Can you explain how network partitioning works in CUCM?

Network partitioning is a feature in CUCM that allows for the creation of virtual networks within a single physical network. This can be useful in a number of scenarios, such as isolating different departments within a company or creating a test environment that is isolated from the production network. Partitions can be created at the router level, switch level, or within CUCM itself.

12. What happens when a node fails in a CUCM cluster? How will this affect users?

When a node fails in a CUCM cluster, the other nodes in the cluster will take over its responsibilities. This will result in a loss of some features for users, as well as increased traffic on the network.

13. Does CUCM support remote workers? If yes, then how?

Yes, CUCM supports remote workers through a number of mechanisms. One way is to use Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express, which is a version of CUCM designed for small and medium-sized businesses. This version of CUCM includes features specifically designed to support remote workers, such as the ability to connect to the system through a VPN. Additionally, CUCM can be configured to allow remote workers to connect to the system through a number of different types of clients, such as the Cisco IP Phone Softphone or the Cisco Jabber client.

14. How would you go about deploying CUCM across multiple sites?

There are a few different ways to deploy CUCM across multiple sites. One option would be to use Cisco Unified Communications Manager Session Management Edition, which is designed specifically for managing CUCM deployments across multiple sites. Another option would be to use Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition, which includes features for managing multiple sites but is not as focused on that functionality as Session Management Edition. Finally, you could also deploy CUCM in a centralized manner, with each site connecting to a central CUCM server.

15. What are some important considerations regarding hardware requirements when installing CUCM?

Some important considerations to keep in mind when it comes to hardware requirements for CUCM include making sure that the server has enough CPU and memory to support the number of users that will be on the system, as well as ensuring that the network infrastructure can handle the increased traffic that CUCM will generate. Additionally, it is important to have redundant power and cooling in place in case of any failures.

16. What is the difference between a local route group and a device pool?

A local route group is a collection of route patterns that are all within the same Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) cluster. A device pool, on the other hand, can span multiple CUCM clusters and contains a group of devices that can be used to place calls to any number of destinations.

17. What are the differences between an MGCP gateway and a H.323 gateway?

The main difference between an MGCP gateway and a H.323 gateway is that an MGCP gateway uses the Media Gateway Control Protocol to communicate with a Cisco Unified Communications Manager, while a H.323 gateway uses the H.323 protocol. H.323 is a more common protocol, so H.323 gateways are more likely to be compatible with a wider range of devices and systems.

18. What is the purpose of the Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP)?

The Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) is a Cisco proprietary protocol that is used to manage IP telephony devices within a Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) deployment. SCCP provides call control signaling and media stream management between CUCM and IP phones, and also handles device configuration and registration.

19. Why is DHCP needed for IP phones?

DHCP is needed for IP phones because it provides a way for the phone to automatically obtain an IP address, which is necessary for the phone to be able to communicate on the network. Without DHCP, each IP phone would need to be manually configured with an IP address, which would be a time-consuming and error-prone process.

20. What is the primary function of CallManager Express (CME)?

The primary function of CME is to provide VoIP call control and management for small to medium sized businesses. CME is typically deployed on a single server and can support up to 500 IP phones.