Overview

The Cisco APIC-EM (Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module) provides centralized access to all fabric information, optimizes the application lifecycle for scale and performance, and supports flexible application provisioning across physical and virtual resources. It enables a UC communication controller, such as Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified Communications Manager), to apply QoS policies to media flows between UC endpoints.

When setting up a call, Unified Communications Manager uses APIC-EM’s northbound interface to create a flow with the appropriate media type. APIC-EM then uses this information and its configured DSCP value for each media type to instruct all underlying network routers to overwrite the DSCP value for packet flows from one IP port to another. This allows real-time media flows to have a higher priority than other network traffic, thereby providing improved media quality for calls established through Unified CM.

With this approach, there is no need for all endpoints to mark DSCP for their media packets. All QoS settings are managed in one place. The request for setting comes from a trusted application, such as Unified Communications Manager, and the network manager can trust that the settings will be applied to all devices.

APIC-EM is end of support on February 29, 2024.

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Products Affected

Problem Description

The following feature is deprecated and is not supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified Communications Manager) for the version mentioned above:

• Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) Integration

Background

Cisco announced the end-of-life for the Cisco APIC-EM Hardware Appliance.

• End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for the Cisco APIC-EM Hardware Appliance

• Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) Apps: Network Plug and Play (PnP), Easy QoS, Path Trace, Cisco Active Advisor (CAA), Identity Verification Engine (IVE), IWAN Application, Wide Area Bonjour, Remote Troubleshooter and Network Visibility Product Bulletin

Problem / Symptom

Integration between the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Enterprise Module (APIC-EM) and Unified Communication Manager will not work.

Product Migration Options

Customers are encouraged to use Unified Communication Manager-based Service Parameter–based DSCP QoS management instead of APIC-EM.

Opening a Case with TAC

If you require further assistance, or if you have any further questions regarding this field notice, contact Cisco Systems Technical Assistance Center (TAC) by one of the following methods:

• Open a Service Request on cisco.com

• By Email

• By Telephone