Table Of Contents
Overview
The Bulk Administration Tool (BAT), a Web-based application, lets you perform bulk transactions, such as adding, updating, or deleting, on a large number of phones, users, Cisco VG200 gateways and ports, and ports on a Cisco Catalyst 6000 FXS analog interface module to the Cisco CallManager database. Where this was previously a manual operation, BAT helps you automate the process and achieve much faster add, update, and delete operations. BAT also provides the Tool for Auto-Registered Phones Support (TAPS), an optional component of BAT.
While BAT is particularly helpful when adding a batch of new devices or users, you can also use it to update or delete existing devices. For example, you have recently upgraded to Cisco CallManager Release 3.1(1) and plan to utilize the extension mobility feature to all users in your enterprise. Extension mobility lets a user download their phone profile to any Cisco IP Phone model 7960 or 7940 in the same cluster. So in a group of traveling salespeople, you may allocate one office to ten salespeople. Each time one of the salespeople returns to the office, he or she can log into the phone and download his or her device profile. This enables a Cisco IP Phone 7960 or 7940 to temporarily become that user's standard phone, providing all the same services and features that the user had previously configured. The user's subscribed services are available, and he or she can press the messages button to be connected to voice mail, and use his or her speed dials. You can use BAT to update all Cisco IP Phone models 7960 and 7940 in your enterprise so that they are enabled for extension mobility. You can make this update quickly and with minimal effort.
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Run a query in BAT to locate all Cisco IP Phone models 7960 and 7940. (Configure > Phones > click the link to Update Phones).
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This process enables extension mobility for all devices that can support it. The extension mobility feature only works on Cisco IP Phone models 7960 and 7940, requires configuration on the Cisco Customer Response Application, configuration in Cisco CallManager, and a logon XML service. For more information about extension mobility requirements and configuration, as well as about Cisco IP Phone services, refer to the Cisco CallManager Administration System Guide.
When used with TAPS, BAT further reduces the manual labor involved in administering a large system by allowing you to add phones with dummy media access control (MAC) addresses instead of entering each MAC address in the comma separated value (CSV) file. Using TAPS, you can correct the dummy MAC addresses in the Cisco CallManager database later simply by dialing into the TAPS directory number and following a few voice prompts. You must individually update each phone that was added using a dummy MAC address, but you can pass this task onto the phone's user by providing simple instructions on how to use TAPS. See the "TAPS for End Users" section on page 6-12 for more information.
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BAT Specifications
The following specifications apply to BAT Release 4.2(1):
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Using BAT
BAT, a web-based application, requires Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2 or later or Netscape 4.5 or later, with the exception of Netscape 6.0, which is not supported. Cisco CallManager Administration provided the model for the look and feel of BAT.
You can access BAT from Cisco CallManager Administration and vice versa using the Application menu. Access BAT directly from the server on which BAT is installed, or from a remote PC.
Caution
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Starting BAT
Start BAT from Cisco CallManager Administration (Application > BAT), the Start menu (Start > Program > Cisco CallManager 3.1 > Bulk Admin Tool > BAT 4.2), or by double-clicking the BAT desktop icon. You can also access BAT by browsing into Cisco CallManager Administration from a remote PC. To begin using BAT, open Cisco CallManager Administration and click Application > BAT.
Logging On to BAT
When you start BAT, a prompt asks for user ID and password. For BAT, use the same user ID and password as the user ID and password you use to access the Publisher database server.
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Obtaining Online Help
To access BAT online, click the Help menu. The Help menu provides two help features: Contents and Index and For This Page.
Contents and Index opens the BAT help file and allows you to browse for information or search the index.
For This Page opens the help directly on the page you are currently viewing. You can still browse the remainder of the help or use the index.
Online help provides a multi-volume system that allows you to access several different help systems, all from the same window. A comprehensive search engine and index is also provided.
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Finding the BAT Version
You can find the current version of BAT by clicking Help > About Bulk Administration Tool and click the Details button.
You can also right-click on bat-ffr.4-2-1.exe and click Properties, and then Product Version.
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Finding the TAPS Version
You can find the current version of TAPS by right-clicking on bat-taps-ffr.4-2-1.exe and click Properties, and then Product Version.
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Stopping BAT
BAT provides a tool to stop BAT transactions if they are in progress. This can be useful when you have started a BAT transaction but are noticing a degradation in Cisco CallManager performance and want to stop the transaction. You can always run the BAT transaction later when impact to Cisco CallManager performance may be reduced.You may also want to stop BAT if you realize the wrong transaction has been started or you need to make additional changes before running the transaction.
You can access the Stop BAT feature only from the Publisher database server. Stop BAT does not halt the BAT process immediately because it can take some time to stop the transaction.
To stop BAT, choose Start > Programs > Cisco CallManager 3.1 > Bulk Admin Tool > Stop BAT
View the log file for details about how many records that were processed passed or failed. See Chapter 7, "Troubleshooting BAT and TAPS", for information on log files.
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