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Table Of Contents
Push-to-Talk Management Center
Cisco CallManager Functionality and Voice over IP Services
Cisco IPICS Administration Console
Accessing the Administration Console
Exiting the Administration Console
Entering Required Information in Administration Console Windows
Getting Help in the Administration Console
Administration Console Timeout
Introducing Cisco IPICS
Cisco IP Interoperability and Collaboration System (IPICS) provides voice interoperability among disparate systems. It offers an IP standards-based solution that interconnects voice channels, talk groups, and virtual talk groups, and that provides powerful and flexible management of personnel and media resources.
This chapter provides an overview of Cisco IPICS. It also introduces the Cisco IPICS Administration Console, which gives you complete control over Cisco IPICS operation and administration. Read this chapter if you are setting
up Cisco IPICS for the first time or if you want to learn about the basic components and concepts of Cisco IPICS.
Tip
If you use Cisco IPICS only for communicating with other users and you do not require any introductory material, go to "Administration Console: User Tasks." That chapter describes how to log in to Cisco IPICS, download your Push-to-talk Management Center (PMC), set up push-to-talk (PTT) channels for the PMC and Cisco IP Phone, and complete your user profile
This chapter includes these sections:
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Getting Started
After you install Cisco IPICS, you perform a series of procedures in sequence to set up and configure Cisco IPICS for use. Table 1-1 lists these procedures and provides references to more information about each one.
Use this information as a guide when you set up Cisco IPICS for the first time.
For information about installing Cisco IPICS, refer to Cisco IPICS Server Installation Guide.
Table 1-1 Overview of Getting Started with Cisco IPICS
Become familiar with Cisco IPICS
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Set Up and Configure Cisco IPICS
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See the "Managing the RMS" section
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See the "Managing Locations" section
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See the "Managing VTG Templates" section
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See the "Managing Policies" section
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See "Setting Up and Using the Cisco IP Phone with Cisco IPICS"
Cisco IPICS Overview
Cisco IPICS can be deployed in a variety of configurations. Your configuration will depend on the types of communications devices that users will employ, the media types that will be used, your interoperability requirements, and so on. A Cisco IPICS deployment will include various hardware and software components to provide the functionality that you require, including some or all of the following:
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Figure 1-1 illustrates a typical Cisco IPICS deployment.
Figure 1-1 Cisco IPICS Components in a Typical Deployment
Cisco IPICS Server
Every Cisco IPICS deployment includes a Cisco IPICS server, which is the center of all Cisco IPICS activity. The Cisco IPICS server software runs on the Cisco Linux operating system. It performs the following functions:
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Push-to-Talk Management Center
The Push-to-Talk Management Center (PMC) is a PC-based software application that enables end-users, dispatch personnel, and administrators to participate, via an IP network, in one or more talk groups or VTGs at the same time. The PMC acts as a land mobile radio (LMR) or push-to-talk (PTT) audio application. Through an intuitive interface, the PMC application lets users monitor and participate in one or multiple PTT channels or VTGs at the same time.
The PMC runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems.
You install the PMC application on your PC after downloading the software from the Cisco IPICS server. For more information, see the "Downloading the PMC" section. After you install the application the first time, Cisco IPICS automatically upgrades your PMC with new versions when they become available.
The Cisco IPICS operator sets up user access to the PMC. The operator also assigns specific PTT channels that PMC users can monitor and use to participate in conferences with other Cisco IPICS users.
Figure 1-2 shows an example of the PMC application user interface. You can change the look of the PMC user interface by choosing another Cisco-provided or custom skin, as explained in Cisco IPICS PMC Installation and User Guide.
Figure 1-2 4-channel PMC
LMR Gateways
Gateways provide radio network interoperability using the Cisco IOS Hoot `n' Holler feature. They provide a bridge between radio frequencies and IP multicast streams. The LMR gateway functionality is often installed as an additional feature in a router.
RMS
A router media service (RMS) provides a variety of functions for Cisco IPICS, including:
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Networking Components
Networking Components include switches, routers, firewalls, mobile access routers, and wireless access points and bridges.
Cisco CallManager Functionality and Voice over IP Services
Cisco CallManager and VoIP services enable selected Cisco IP Phone models to participate in channels and VTGs.
Audio Clients
Audio clients are devices through which users participate in VTGs. They include LMRs and the Cisco IP Phone models 7960G and 7970G.
Cisco IPICS Roles
Every person who uses Cisco IPICS is assigned one or more roles. Roles define what Cisco IPICS features a user can access and what functions that user can perform. In this way, roles help provide system security.
Table 1-2 describes the Cisco IPICS roles.
Cisco IPICS Administration Console
The Cisco IPICS server provides a web-based application called the Administration Console. You use the Administration Console to manage Cisco IPICS activities. A user uses the Administration Console to maintain personal information and update the PMC. A system administrator and operator use the Administration Console to set up system resources and participants. A dispatcher uses the Administration Console to view and manage active and stored VTGs.
This section includes these topics.
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Browser Guidelines
When you access the Cisco IPICS Administration Console by using a browser, follow these guidelines:
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Accessing the Administration Console
After you install Cisco IPICS, you can access the Administration Console from any computer that meets these requirements:
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To access the Cisco IPICS Administration Console, perform these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
The Authentication window displays.
Step 2
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User names and passwords are case-sensitive, so make sure to enter them exactly as they are configured.
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Step 3
The User Details window displays, as shown in Figure 1-3. This example shows tabs for each of the Cisco IPICS user roles. The tabs that appear in your window will correspond to your roles, so you may not see all four tabs in your window.
Figure 1-3 User Details Window
You can perform a variety of activities in the User Details window. Table 1-3 describes these activities.
Table 1-3 User Details Window Activities
Update your user information
Access the Download PMC window (when the User tab is selected)
See the "Downloading the PMC" section
Choose a tab to access additional windows for its corresponding role (if you have a role other than user)
See the appropriate chapter:
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Obtain online help
See the "Getting Help in the Administration Console" section
Log out and exit from the Administration Console
Exiting the Administration Console
You can exit the Administration Console from any window within the application. To do so, follow these steps:
Step 1
Step 2
Entering Required Information in Administration Console Windows
Many of the Administration Console windows let you enter a variety of information. You might enter information by typing in fields, choosing from drop-down lists, checking check boxes, or clicking radio buttons, depending on the window.
An asterisk (*) next to a field, drop-down list, check box, or radio button indicates required information. You must provide this information before you can save your changes and exit the window.
Getting Help in the Administration Console
You can access the Cisco IPICS help system from any window in the Administration Console. The help system provides online access to the information that is in this Cisco IPICS Server Administration Guide.
To access Cisco IPICS online help, click Help in any Administration Console window, as shown in Figure 1-4.
Figure 1-4 Accessing Cisco IPICS Help
Administration Console Timeout
For increased system security, the Administration Console will time out after 30 minutes of non use. In this situation, the current Administration Console window remains displayed, but Cisco IPICS will prompt you to log back in when you attempt to perform a function. To log back in, enter your user name and password, and then click Log In.
