Chesapeake NetCraftsmen

In the recent past I was helping one of our customers with some special SRST configuration requirements.  The customer had several key DIDs that were associated to a site that were not assigned to IP Phones on the site.  For example, a hunt pilot that would ring a group of operator lines or a UCCX trigger, or an automated attendant.  When a site transitioned to SRST mode, calls to these special services would have no place to go and callers would get a fast busy.  The customer wanted some solutions that could be applied to redirect calls to ephone extensions as well as hairpin calls to the PSTN.  I wanted to capture some of the ideas and features I reviewed and tested in the lab.  Just in case someone else finds themselves in a similar situation.

Comment (0) Read More...

Because NetCraftsmen is now offering a free 30 dial trial of Netcordia's NetMRI software (at Netcordia NetMRI 4 Trial Download), we have had some recent discussions on the best way to run a trial.

Comment (0) Read More...

As a departure away from my standard "how to" blog style, I wanted to touch on a topic that I think many of IT professionals take for granted.  I am talking about the need for operational discipline.  Particularly in large enterprises where being unprepared could impact a large amount of folks who are unwitting victims.  I want to also discuss a concept NetCraftsmen calls "lower environment validation".  By "lower environment", I don't mean a "test lab".  I am talking about an environment that hosts production users running the latest and greatest technology before you roll it out to the whole organization.

Comment (0) Read More...

This is part 3 of a series about Layer 2 over Layer 3, although I changed the titling somewhat. This blog takes a look at a very practical application of some of the Layer 2 (L2) over Layer 3 (L3) techniques discussed in prior articles. Specifically, how L2 over L3 can help with server relocation and re-addressing, especially in VMotion form. 

Comment (0) Read More...

This article continues and builds upon my prior blog Understanding Layer 2 over Layer 3 (Part 1), which sets the necessary context and background. (And provides a bunch of good links!)

Comment (0) Read More...

I've had Layer 2 on the brain for a while. Or rather, mitigating Layer 2. Several prior blog articles reflect aspects of this:

Comment (0) Read More...

I've run into some interesting situations in working with customer VPNs. I am hoping a couple of them might be of general interest, and so will discuss them in this blog / article.

Comment (0) Read More...

This is one of those blogs where I am wondering if I should open this can of worms.  Despite my reservations I am going to post it anyway.  I see a lot of folks in various forums asking the question:  "How can I push a background image to a Cisco IP phone without selecting it from the phone itself?"  I even had a few customers ask about the same topic.  Basically, the problem is that admins want to control what is pushed out to a phone display. More often then not this desire is realized after phones are already deployed which means that admins need a tool that they can use to push images out to production IP phones.  This capability isn't built into the CUCM but there are options for those who wish to pursue this.  I stumbled across one option that may be used to solve this problem. It is just a concept, but I have tested it out successfully.  Curious?

Comment (0) Read More...

Earlier this year I started my "Potentially Infinite Series" on What It's Like to be a NetCraftsmen.  As promised, this won't be a one and done top ten list.  A fair amount of time has passed since my original blog, so it is now time for Installment 2 (aka, Part Deux):

• We live in "virtual reality".  NetCraftsmen is unlike most companies you may have come across.  We are a "virtual" company in that we do not have an office or offices that we report to everyday.  Instead, we work from home when we can or, based on client preferences, at a client site.  Some folks have FTE positions so they see a client office on a regular basis.  Some of us (like the majority of the UC team) do project-based work so we see a mix of both.  Currently, I'd say Bill and I are enjoying a nice stretch of working from home as we are collaborating for a large client on the west coast (which requires that we work remotely unless an onsite visit is requested/arranged).  So that's the "virtual" part of our company.  The "reality" part is that NetCraftsmen is for real.  We've built a solid reputation with our partners and clients and we have real contracts, have solid financials, and (from my perspective) have more than weathered the "recession" many companies have been hurt by.  We're selective but we're seeking strong candidates with strong skills across several disciplines.

  Comment (0) Read More...

I've been surprised recently by how many people have asked me about the WebEx Meeting Center for iPhone application.  It's not only clients inquiring but also just the "Average Joes" (neighbors, friends, etc).  A good example is that not too long ago, I was hanging out a neighbor's house toward the end the day on a Friday and I remembered I had to hop on a WebEx meeting and I did...via iPhone.  Long story short, this aroused a number of questions and just "cool factor" comments from the small crowd of non-technical bystanders.  This is when I realized that for every person I've assumed knows about this application already, there is at least one person that doesn't and should.

Some of the typical questions/comments I've received include:

"You use that app?  Is it any good?" - Yes, I use the app.  Yes, it's good.

"Was it worth the money?" - Yes, it's FREE.  As in, no cost, no obligations, purely FREE, FREE.

"I heard such and such about it so I didn't bother with it." - Varies depending on what was "heard"  but typically my answer is, "Actually you can do that" or "True, but you can still do this....".

"At my work, most people don't even know how to reserve a conference room and here you are talking and viewing the presentation on your phone from your recliner." - That's called, "work smarter, not harder".

Comment (0) Read More...