This topic provides a high-level summary of the ongoing tasks that are required for managing your system and the options for how these tasks can be performed. For detailed maintenance and operation guides for each component in your Cisco Unified Communications system, see the product documentation listed in Component Resources Documentation in the Resource Library.
System Management Tasks
Managing a Cisco Unified Communications system consists of performing the following activities:
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Integrating monitoring and management tools—Select, order, configure, integrate, and test a set of tools for monitoring and managing the Cisco Unified Communications system.
•Monitoring—Set thresholds, monitor events, and generate notifications when service-impacting events occur.
•Ticketing—Generate and track system trouble tickets for each event.
•Diagnosing incidents—Analyze and troubleshoot incidents to determine the cause.
•Resolving incidents—Define and execute an action plan which can include performing break and fix activities, applying software updates and patches, managing hardware replacements, and executing change management processes.
•Managing changes in the network—Define a change management process for performing moves, adds, changes, and disconnects (MACDs) for your Cisco Unified Communications system including network devices, phones/endpoints, software upgrades, voice- mail boxes, dial plan updates, security patches, OS applications, and voice applications.
•Archiving configurations—Back up device configurations daily and restore device configurations when necessary.
•Managing voice as a network service—Track, measure, and resolve quality of service (QoS) issues such as jitter, delay, and dropped packets, and monitor service level agreements (SLAs) with service providers.
•Managing security posture—Detect, analyze, and address security events.
•Reporting—Define, develop, and generate performance, availability, event, and inventory reports.
•Backing up and restoring system components—Define backup methodologies and schedules, define a verification process for backups, secure storage of backups, and document backup processes.
System Management Options
There are two options for managing a Cisco Unified Communications system:
•Do It Yourself—In this model, you are responsible for managing the entire Cisco Unified Communications System. This approach requires developing business processes; integrating, provisioning and maintaining network management tools; and developing data and voice management skills and knowledge. Cisco offers tools as a means for monitoring your network; see Using Network Monitoring Tools for more information.
•Outtasking Hybrid Model—Using the Cisco Lifecycle Services 
approach, Cisco and its partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your Cisco Unified Communications System's business value and return on investment. This approach includes two services that provide different levels of management:
–Cisco Unified Communications Essential Operate Service combines Cisco award-winning maintenance support with basic voice applications monitoring and reporting.
–Cisco Unified Communications Remote Management Service includes monitoring and reporting plus managing day-to-day system issues such logical moves, adds, changes, and disconnects; resolving incidents; performing configuration backups; and reporting.
For more information about the Cisco Unified Communications Essential Operate Service, Cisco Unified Communications Remote Management Service or other Cisco Unified Communications services, see http://www.cisco.com/go/ipcservices or contact your Cisco service account manager.