Configuration Guide for Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Release 5.5
Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop for Administrators
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Table Of Contents

Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop for Administrators

Accessing the Administration Interface

Viewing Server Status and Port Resource Usage

How to Configure Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Settings

Configuring Settings for Single/Multiple-NIC Deployments

Configuring Desktop Server Network Interface

Configuring Gatekeeper IP Address

Configuring Call Bandwidth

How to Configure Meeting Control Settings

Configuring Server Type

Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU Server Settings

Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Server Settings

Defining Security Settings

Enabling Desktop Sharing and Chat

How to Configure Streaming Server Settings

Configuring This Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

Configuring an Alternate Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

Viewing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Online Help


Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop for Administrators

•Accessing the Administration Interface

•Viewing Server Status and Port Resource Usage

•How to Configure Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Settings

•Configuring Gatekeeper IP Address

•Configuring Call Bandwidth

•How to Configure Meeting Control Settings

•Defining Security Settings

•Enabling Desktop Sharing and Chat

•How to Configure Streaming Server Settings

•Viewing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Online Help

Accessing the Administration Interface

Procedure

Step 1 Enter the following URL into your browser:

http://<host>[:<port>]/cuvm/admin

where <host> is the location of your corporate Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server.

Step 2 On the Administration page, enter your user name and password.

Step 3 Click Sign In.

The default user name and password are both "admin".

Viewing Server Status and Port Resource Usage

The Servers tab displays status information about the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server and other servers with which it interacts:

•Gatekeeper—A Cisco IOS H.323 Gatekeeper.

•Streaming—The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Streaming Server. This information appears only if the Desktop Server is configured to manage streaming.

•Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU or Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager—An optional server used to moderate the Desktop meetings. If no server is configured to moderate Desktop meetings, no link appears on this tab.

Note In the Desktop Server GUI, Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU is referred to as `CUV MCU'.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Status in the sidebar.

Step 2 Click the link showing the IP address of a server to display the settings for that server.

Note The indicator next to each link shows whether or not the connection to the target server or registration with the Gatekeeper is successful. When the indicator is red, a tooltip containing error details is available. Click the red indicator to view further error information.

Related Topics   

•How to Configure Streaming Server Settings

•How to Configure Meeting Control Settings

How to Configure Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Settings

•Configuring Settings for Single/Multiple-NIC Deployments

•Configuring Desktop Server Network Interface

Configuring Settings for Single/Multiple-NIC Deployments

The Desktop Server can have multiple Network Interface Cards (NICs). Depending on the deployment and network configuration, you may want to control which NIC is used for various server communications.

For example, in secure multiple NIC deployments you can use a NIC configured behind the firewall to communicate with various servers, while using another NIC for Desktop clients to connect to. In this case you must configure the Desktop network interface address to represent the NIC behind the firewall, and then in the Public Address field enter a DNS name which resolves to the NIC outside the firewall and is accessible both inside and outside the corporate network.

For single NIC deployments, the network interface address represents the Desktop Server IP address that clients use to connect to Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop. In single NIC deployments with both internal and external clients, this value represents an external, statically-mapped Desktop Server IP address.

Desktop clients can connect to the Desktop Server either by an IP or a DNS name. If a DNS name is not specified in the Public Address field, the Desktop network interface address is used. However, in many deployments the Desktop Server network interface address is not accessible to clients outside the intranet, due to NAT or firewall restrictions. Therefore, it is recommended that you specify the Public Address, which must be a DNS name resolving to the correct Desktop Server IP address both inside and outside the corporate network.

Configuring Desktop Server Network Interface

The Desktop Server communicates with the following types of servers in the deployment:

•Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU and Cisco IOS H.323 Gatekeeper—For media and call setup.

•Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager or Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU—For moderation and meeting control.

•Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Streaming Server—For media and control.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Servers.

Step 2 From the CUVC Desktop Network Interface list, choose the IP address that the Desktop Server must use to communicate with various servers.

Note The indicator next to the Address field shows whether connection to the Desktop Server is successful or not. When the indicator is red, a tooltip containing error details is displayed.

Step 3 For secure multiple NIC deployments, enter a DNS name in the Public Address field.

Step 1 Choose the maximum call rate from the list.

Step 2 Click OK or Apply.

Configuring Gatekeeper IP Address

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop is designed to work with either a single Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU, or with Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager which manages multiple MCUs. If Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager is configured to moderate Desktop meetings, use the IP address of a gatekeeper managed by Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager. If Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager manages more than one gatekeeper, use the IP address of a gatekeeper assigned to the same Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager zone as the Desktop Server.

If a single Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU is configured to moderate Desktop meetings, use the IP address of the same gatekeeper to which the MCU is registered. If no server is configured to moderate Desktop meetings, use the IP address of a gatekeeper configured for the Desktop deployment.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Servers.

Step 2 Enter the required address in the Gatekeeper IP Address field.

Note The indicator next to the Address field shows whether registration to the Gatekeeper is successful. When the indicator is red, a tooltip containing error details is displayed.

Step 3 Click OK or Apply.

Configuring Call Bandwidth

This section describes how to set the maximum bandwidth rate that Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server uses for all conferences on the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Client side. If you define a service on the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU that enables H.323 endpoints to use a higher bandwidth rate, calls using this service are transcoded down to the lower rate for the Desktop Client. If you select a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU service with a bandwidth rate lower than the value set in the Maximum Call Rate (Kb/s) list, the rate used on Desktop Server is the rate set in this field.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Servers.

Step 2 Choose a bandwidth rate from the Maximum Call Rate (Kb/s) list.

Step 3 Click OK or Apply.

How to Configure Meeting Control Settings

The term "moderate" refers to the ability of a participant to perform actions on a meeting such as:

•Inviting other participants

•Muting or unmuting participants

•Locking or unlocking a meeting

•Granting the permission to speak

•Disconnecting participants from a meeting

•Terminating the meeting

Using the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Administration interface, you can enable or disable the Raise Hand feature that allows a muted participant to request the permission to speak.

This section describes how to configure which type of server is used to moderate Desktop Server meetings as well as configuring settings of servers used for moderation.

•Configuring Server Type

•Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU Server Settings

•Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Server Settings

Configuring Server Type

Configure the type of server according to the following recommendations:

•For a simple deployment including a single Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU, configure the MCU.

•For deployments containing Desktop with multiple Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCUs but without Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager, you can connect to multiple MCUs but you do not have moderation control. Without Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager, the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCUs do not cascade MCUs into virtual meetings.

•For more complex deployments, select the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager.

Note When you configure Desktop to work with Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager, participants can access their own virtual room settings via the Virtual Room button in the Preferences screen on the Desktop entry page.

Related Topics   

•Configuring Settings for Single/Multiple-NIC Deployments.

•Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU Server Settings

•Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Server Settings

Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU Server Settings

This section describes how to configure a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU to moderate your Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop meetings.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Meeting Control.

Step 2 From the server type list, choose CUV MCU.

Step 3 Enter the MCU IP address.

Note The indicator next to the Address field shows whether or not the connection to the target server is successful.

Step 4 Enter a user name and password for accessing the MCU Administration web user interface.

Step 5 Re-enter the password in the Confirm field.

Note The default user name is "admin". By default, there is no password.

Step 6 From the CUVC Desktop Network Interface list, choose the IP address that the Desktop Server.

The Desktop Server uses this IP address for MCU Server communications.

Step 7 If necessary, click Enable Raise Hand feature in Desktop meetings.

Note For deployments with multiple Desktop Servers, it is recommended that you clear this check box. A moderator using one Desktop Server cannot see a request made by a participant using another Desktop Server.

Step 8 Click OK or Apply.

Configuring Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Server Settings

The source H.323 ID is used only for advanced routing with Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager. Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager contains a corresponding field and uses the source H.323 ID to identify clients from a particular Desktop Server, and then route clients to the appropriate Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Meeting Control.

Step 2 From the server type list, choose Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager.

Step 3 Enter the address of the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager server.

Note When using Single Sign-On (SSO) with the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager, it is recommended to enter the local server name rather than the DNS name or IP address. For example, if the DNS name is <server1.company.com>, configure this setting to <server1>.

Step 4 Enter the HTTP port of the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager server.

The default HTTP port is 8080.

Step 5 Enter the source H.323 ID of the Desktop.

Step 6 From the CUVC Desktop Network Interface list, choose the IP address. The Desktop Server uses this IP address for Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager Server communications.

Step 7 If necessary, click Enable Raise Hand feature in Desktop meetings.

Note For deployments with multiple Desktop Servers, it is recommended that you clear this check box. A moderator using one Desktop Server cannot see a request made by a participant using another Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server.

Step 8 Click OK or Apply.

Note The indicator next to the Address field shows whether or not the connection to the target server is successful.

Defining Security Settings

This section describes how to define access control to the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Administration web user interface and to enable sRTP media encryption between Desktop Clients and the Desktop Server.

Encrypting media (audio, video, presentation) between Desktop Server and the Desktop Client may be used, for example, in a corporate deployment where the Desktop Server is used to bring in people from outside your network.

Choosing the Allow Users to have CUVC Desktop call them back option enables the video device callback option on the Desktop user entry page. When users select Use my computer for presentation only on connecting to a meeting, the Callback my video device number option becomes available. The Callback my video device number provides the option to call back the H.323 device when the users connect, so that users can connect in the "data only" mode to a meeting from their computers and automatically connect their H.323 devices at the same time.

Note In the "data only" mode users can see the participant list, moderate, chat, and show or view presentations. Users can view or send neither audio nor video.

The H.323 device can be disconnected automatically when users disconnect their computers from the call.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Settings in the sidebar.

Step 2 Locate the Access Control area.

Step 3 Enter the administrator login information in the relevant fields.

Step 4 Locate the Security area.

Step 5 If necessary, click Encrypt Media (between Desktop and Server).

Step 6 If necessary, click Allow Users to have CUVC Desktop call them back.

Note This option is available only after you define a meeting control server for Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop.

Step 7 Click OK or Apply.

Enabling Desktop Sharing and Chat

This section describes how to enable the Desktop Sharing and Chat options. When the Desktop Sharing option is enabled, the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktopparticipants can take part in presenting applications and share their desktops with other participants.

When this the Desktop Sharing options is not enabled, the video display layout in the Desktop Client changes to display the local video in a small frame and the remote video in a large frame. The Present and PIP buttons are unavailable and participants cannot change this layout.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Settings in the sidebar.

Step 2 Under Meeting Features, define the Enable Desktop Sharing and Enable Chat options as desired.

Note For deployments with multiple Desktop Servers, it is recommended that you do not enable the chat option. A participant using one Desktop Server cannot join the chat started by a participant using another Desktop Server.

Step 3 Click OK or Apply.

How to Configure Streaming Server Settings

This section describes how to configure Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop streaming settings of the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Manager. Streaming can be managed either by a single Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server or by multiple Desktop Servers. If a single Desktop Server is set to manage streaming, all other participants are directed to this server. If multiple Desktop Servers are configured to manage streaming, they manage streaming independently.

To designate a single Desktop Server to manage streaming, configure this Desktop Server to manage streaming. In this case you must configure other Desktop Servers in the same deployment to use an alternate Desktop Server to manage streaming.

To enable multiple Desktop Servers for managing streaming, configure each Desktop Server in this deployment to manage streaming.

Note When multiple Desktop Servers manage streaming, streaming must be enabled or disabled on each individual Desktop Server. For example, if streaming is enabled for a meeting or virtual room, a moderator cannot disable it, because each Desktop Servers manages streaming independently. If a moderator connected to one Desktop Servers disables streaming, the other Desktop Server still continues to stream, unless it is disabled by its moderator as well.

Table 29-1 compares using single Desktop Server to using multiple Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Servers for streaming.

Table 29-1 Comparison of Deployment Characteristics 

Characteristic
Single Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server enabled for streaming
Multiple Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Servers enabled for streaming

HTTP performance

Slower HTTP performance over the Internet between dispersed sites and the designated Desktop Server.

Faster HTTP performance within local sites.

Load on Streaming Server

Many streaming clients at different sites sharing the resources of a single streaming server.

Streaming clients at individual sites share a local streaming server.

Desktop Server management

Single location for managing streaming.

Streaming must be enabled or disabled on each individual Desktop Server.

Participant count

All participants connected to the central Desktop Server are shown in the meeting display.

Only participants connected to a specific local Desktop Server are shown.


•Configuring This Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

•Configuring an Alternate Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

Configuring This Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

This section describes how to enable this Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server to manage streaming and to configure settings for this server.

The public address you define during this procedure performs a similar role to the public address defined for the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server. If the Streaming Server resides behind a NAT, the clients may not resolve the Streaming Server IP address. In this case the clients use the public address to connect to the Streaming Server.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Streaming.

Step 2 From the Deployment list, choose Use Desktop to manage streaming.

Step 3 Enter the IP address of the Darwin Streaming Server.

Step 4 From the CUVC Desktop Network Interface list, choose the IP address.

The Desktop Server uses this IP address for Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Streaming Server communications.

Step 5 In the TCP Port field, enter a TCP streaming port.

This port is used by clients to access the meeting in case a UDP connection fails. The default port is 7070.

Note If you use a TCP port different from the default value of 7070, you must configure the TCP port on the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Streaming Server and open this port on the firewall.

Step 6 In the Public Address field, enter a FQDN.

Note It is recommended that you use a FQDN that clients can resolve.

Step 7 Define the size of the video used for streaming by choosing one of the options: Small (QCIF) or Medium (CIF).

Step 8 From the Rate (Kb/s) list, choose a value to define the bit rate for the streaming feed between Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3500 MCU and the Desktop Server.

Step 9 Click OK or Apply.

Note The indicator next to the Address field shows whether not registration to the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Streaming Server is successful. When the indicator is red, a tooltip containing error details is displayed.

Related Topics   

•Configuring Settings for Single/Multiple-NIC Deployments

•How to Configure Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Server Settings

Configuring an Alternate Desktop Server to Manage Streaming

This section describes how to configure this Desktop Server to refer to an alternate Desktop Server which is used for streaming.

Before You Begin   

•Navigate to the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Procedure

Step 1 Click Streaming.

Step 2 From the Deployment list, choose Use alternate Desktop to manage streaming.

Step 3 In the Server URL field, enter the URL of the alternate Desktop Server.

Step 4 Click OK or Apply.

Viewing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing Desktop Online Help

Procedure

Step 1 Access the Desktop Server Administration web user interface.

Step 2 Click the Help icon in the top right corner of the Administration web user interface.

Related Topics   

•Accessing the Administration Interface