RealPresence® Resource Manager

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v1.4 | September 2013 | Level 2

RealPresenceŽ Resource Manager™ Self-paced Technical Training

Student Guide and Lab Exercises


Disclaimer Š 2012 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. Polycom, Inc. 6001 America Center Dr, San Jose, CA 95002 USA No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Polycom, Inc. Under the law, reproducing includes translating into another language or format. As between the parties, Polycom, Inc., retains title to and ownership of all proprietary rights with respect to the software contained within its products. The software is protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provision. Therefore, you must treat the software like any other copyrighted material (e.g., a book or sound recording). Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Polycom, Inc., is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Information in this document is subject to change without notice.


Resource Manager Overview

Contents Course Overview ....................................................................................................................5 Intended Audience ...............................................................................................................5 Prerequisites ........................................................................................................................5 Course Objectives ................................................................................................................5 Lab Exercises .......................................................................................................................6 Resource Manager Overview ................................................................................................7 Resource Manager Defined ..................................................................................................7 Importance to Large Organizations and Service Providers ...................................................7 Feature Set ..........................................................................................................................8 Product Positioning ...............................................................................................................9 Large Scale Networks .......................................................................................................9 Service Provider / Cloud Implementation ..........................................................................9 Product Comparison............................................................................................................10 Device Management, Conference Scheduling and Conference Management ................. 10 Scheduling Conferences Using DMA MCU Pools ........................................................... 10 H.323 Gatekeeper........................................................................................................... 11 Advanced API Support .................................................................................................... 11 Server Operating System and Database and Redundant Implementation ....................... 12 Redundant Implementation ............................................................................................. 12 Firewall / NAT Traversal Support .................................................................................... 13 Licensing Capacity / Options ........................................................................................... 13 Installation Process .............................................................................................................15 Physical Connectivity and First-time Installation Wizard .................................................. 15 Request Certificates (optional) ........................................................................................ 16 Lab Exercise 1: Login and GUI Navigation .......................................................................17 Test Connectivity and Complete the Resource Manager Setup Worksheet ........................ 18 Simple Integration from the DMA........................................................................................21 DMA Integration via API Connection ..................................................................................22 Integrating the DMA ........................................................................................................ 23 DMA Call Server Services ............................................................................................... 24 Network Site Topology .................................................................................................... 24 DMA Conference Manager Capabilities .......................................................................... 25 Scheduling Capacity ....................................................................................................... 25 Lab Exercise 2: DMA Integration .......................................................................................27 Page 3 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

Configure a User with Gold Class of Service and Integrate the DMA .................................. 28 Scheduling Pooled Conferences ........................................................................................30 Scheduling with DMA MCU Pool Resources....................................................................... 30 DMA Administrator Responsibilities .................................................................................... 30 Creating Anytime Conferences ...........................................................................................32 Anytime Conferences Provide Flexibility ............................................................................. 32 Creating an Anytime Conference ........................................................................................ 33 Lab Exercise 3: Creating DMA Pooled and Anytime Conferences ..................................34 Create a Pooled Conference .............................................................................................. 34 Create an Anytime Conference........................................................................................... 35 RealPresence Resource Manager Multi-tenancy ...............................................................37 System Roles ..................................................................................................................... 37 Area Roles ......................................................................................................................... 37 Lab Exercise 4: Configure Areas to Support Multi-tenancy ..............................................38 Exercise Summary (10 Minutes) ......................................................................................... 38 Add a Global Administrator ................................................................................................. 38 Add Areas and Assign Objects to Areas ............................................................................. 39 Lab Exercise 5: Delegate Multi-tenancy Administration ...................................................42 Exercise Summary (10 Minutes) ......................................................................................... 42 Delegate Area Administration ............................................................................................. 42 High Availability Implementation ........................................................................................45 High Availability Redundant Configuration .......................................................................... 45 How Redundancy Works .................................................................................................... 46 High Availability Architecture .............................................................................................. 46 Implementing a Redundant System .................................................................................... 48 Reset Redundant Configuration.......................................................................................... 48 Lab Exercise 6: Implementing High Availability ...............................................................49 Verify Redundant Server and DNS settings ........................................................................ 50 Configure Resource Manager Redundancy ........................................................................ 50 Configure the Resource Manager Redundant License ....................................................... 52 Optional Lab Exercise 7: Test Failover to the Backup Server .........................................53 Optional Lab Exercise 8: Practise Skills and Explore the Resource Manger Interface ..54 Course Summary .................................................................................................................55

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Resource Manager Overview

Course Overview This course provides an overview of the RealPresence Resource Manager 7.0 solution. The course assumes a full understanding of the Polycom CMA solution and focuses on the specific features that are unique to the RealPresence Resource Manager, such as new service provider APIs, DMA integration, conference scheduling with DMA MCU Pool resources and the new high availability implementation. Hands-on labs will be included to reinforce learning. Intended Audience This course is intended for students that have a solid understanding of the device management and scheduling functionality and now want to learn the new functionality of the Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager solution. Prerequisites Students should have attended RealPresence Implementation, Configuration and Troubleshooting (Level 2) training or have equivalent experience with both the Polycom CMA and DMA solutions. Course Objectives On completion of the training students will understand:         

Resource Manager product overview and positioning Resource Manager feature set Installation process Login and GUI navigation DMA integration Conference scheduling using DMA MCU Pool Resources New Anytime Conference creation Multi-tenancy support New High Availability implementation

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Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercises Students will perform the following hands-on lab exercises using the CloudShare virtual environment: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Login and GUI Navigation DMA Integration DMA Pooled and Anytime Conferences Configure Areas to Support Multi-tenancy Delegate Multi-tenancy Administration High Availability Implementation

Following completion of the lab exercises we encourage students to use any remaining time to practice the skills covered in the course. They should also use their knowledge of Polycom CMA to explore other parts of the Resource Manager interface.

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Resource Manager Overview

Resource Manager Overview

Resource Manager is a critical application to monitor, manage and integrate your video conferencing network

Resource Manager Defined The Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager software application is an essential component of the Polycom RealPresence Platform for managing large scale video conferencing networks. The application monitors, manages and provisions thousands of video devices and provides directory, scheduling, management, and reporting services. From this single, powerful management solution, organizations can easily manage video devices across a global network, including video-enabled tablets and smartphones, desktop systems, conference room systems and immersive telepresence theaters. Importance to Large Organizations and Service Providers The organization benefits from both improved costs savings from resource optimization and operational efficiencies with API based provisioning and multi-tenant functions. End user experience is enhanced, providing easy dialing with presence and familiar directories, and low maintenance with remote configuration and automatic software updates.

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Resource Manager Overview

Feature Set The Resource Manager feature set includes:         

Device Management functions that provide centralized automated device monitoring, provisioning and software distribution Dynamic provisioning and directory support for desktop and mobile devices Centralized conference scheduling and management of ongoing conferences Active directory integration and global address book distribution to corporate endpoints API Suite for key integration with scheduling, monitoring and provisioning applications High Reliability via a second Resource Manager that runs in hot standby mode for immediate take-over Superior scale with up to 50,000 group, mobility and desktop clients supported from version 8 One-time cost maximizes investment with Multi-tenant capabilities for revenue generation Secure media and user authorization through latest encryption methods

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Resource Manager Overview

Product Positioning RealPresence Resource Manager may be integrated into a wide variety of deployment models, network designs and unified communications networks. The examples below show how customers can benefit from the inclusion of RealPresence Resource Manager in their videoconferencing solution. Large Scale Networks For large scale networks, RealPresence Resource Manager along with the Polycom RealPresence Virtualization Manager (DMA 7000) provides a scalable and highly reliable video management solution. Both are built on Linux operating system and incorporate database synchronization methods to reduce possible outage time. DMA provides super clustering for scale and resiliency for video call control and bridge virtualization while RealPresence Resource Manager focuses on the device monitoring, management, directories, and scheduling functions. For smaller scale networks, the Polycom CMA 4000 application includes the gatekeeper along with device management for up to 400 sites/devices. The Resource Manager is built on a Linux/Java core running on Application Server Architecture. This solid foundation allows:   

Enhanced scale with support of up to 50,000 group, desktop and mobile devices Enhanced reliability – clustering without an external database Integration to a clustered DMA gatekeeper for enhanced solution redundancy

Service Provider / Cloud Implementation The Resource Manager offers specific multi-tenant features that allow you to host numerous customers or departments on a single platform. This provides great operational efficiencies and lowers the total cost of ownership. Management is assisted by the enhanced monitoring and reporting features which are available for desktop and mobile endpoints.

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Resource Manager Overview

Product Comparison CMA

Resource Manager

Server Operating System

Windows Server

Linux

Database Implementation

Internal or External SQL External Database VBP

Internal only Hot Standby

Devices and concurrent calls 400 / 5,000 device seats

Devices and features 50,000 device seats

Device Management Conference Scheduling and Management Schedule Conferences Using DMA MCU Pools H.323 Gatekeeper Advanced API Support

Redundant Implementation Firewall / NAT Traversal Support Licensing Model Capacity

VBP, RPAD

Device Management, Conference Scheduling and Conference Management The Resource Manager shares many features with the Polycom CMA product, including a very similar graphical user interface. Both products can be used to monitor, manage and provision thousands of video devices and provide directory, scheduling and reporting services. Centralized conference scheduling and conference management can also be done, in a very similar fashion, with both products. Scheduling Conferences Using DMA MCU Pools When integrated with the DMA, the Resource Manager provides the ability to schedule conferences to DMA MCU Pools. Instead of scheduling to a specific MCU resource, a conference can now be scheduled to a virtualized pool of resources. This integration allows the scheduled conference to take advantage of the power of the DMA conference manager, so at the scheduled conference start time the DMA will select the most appropriate MCU resource on which to host the conference. Another way to use the power of the DMA is the creation of the new Anytime conference. This is an always-ready DMA Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) that is very easy to create and allows specified participants to be automatically dialed at conference start time.

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Resource Manager Overview

H.323 Gatekeeper Unlike the CMA, the Resource Manager does not include gatekeeper capabilities. The Resource Manager can provision endpoints to use an external gatekeeper, which in most deployments will be the Polycom DMA 7000. The DMA offers complete call server functionality, including both H.323 gatekeeper and SIP registrar / proxy functions. Advanced API Support The RealPresence APIs allow the enterprise to customize applications that meet business needs and integrate into existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and support systems. These are solution-oriented functional APIs that can be used for:    

Conference scheduling Conference monitoring and management Reporting and billing Provisioning and resource planning

The APIs use XML encoding over HTTPS transport and adhere to Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. These modern APIs use basic web design concepts, which make them simple, scalable and secure. An example of an application developed using these APIs is shown at right. This is a conference moderator application that allows a wide range of conference controls from a smart phone. The user can mute participants, lock the conference, and even and or remove participants during the conference. The Service Provider APIs is a licensable feature that includes the interfaces, not the actual applications. Polycom provides the Software Developer Kit with documentation and sample code. The customer can choose to develop the application in-house, purchase an off-the-shelf application from a Polycom partner, or engage Polycom Professional Services or a Polycom partner to develop and integrate a custom application.

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Resource Manager Overview

Server Operating System and Database and Redundant Implementation The Resource Manager is built on the Linux operating system, while the CMA application relies on Windows Server. The CMA application can be deployed using the internal database, while larger implementations require the use of an external Microsoft SQL server. The Resource Manager is always deployed with a powerful internal database, even in a redundant configuration. Redundant Implementation The two products use very different approaches to implement redundancy. The CMA redundant implementation requires two CMA 5000 servers, an external Microsoft SQL Server database and a shared virtual IP address. Only the primary CMA is active and the secondary server maintains a heartbeat connection. In the event of an outage on the primary server, the secondary CMA will initiate a fail-over and take over the primary responsibilities. Both servers in this implementation rely upon a single Microsoft SQL server database.

Co-located HA pair Primary CMA

Heartbeat

Virtual host name

Microsoft SQL Server Secondary CMA

The Resource Manager redundant implementation looks very similar in that it also employs two servers and a shared virtual IP address. This new implementation, however, is actually quite different. This is an advanced redundant implementation with internal database synchronization and a hot standby mode of operation. It is also required that both servers connect to a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server to maintain reliable time synchronization. This high availability configuration is designed to reduce single points of failure and maximize system uptime in the event of a failure.

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Resource Manager Overview

Co-located HA pair Primary RM

NTP Server

Heartbeat

Virtual host name

Secondary RM

This implementation will be covered in greater detail later in the course and the actual configuration will be covered in a hands-on lab exercise. Firewall / NAT Traversal Support Both products support the Polycom VBP as a firewall / NAT traversal solution. Only the Resource Manager, however, includes support of the newly released RealPresence Access Director (RPAD) solution. Resource Manager can be configured to integrate with devices that allow it to manage remote endpoints. An example of this is the RealPresence Access Director (RPAD) which provides secure firewall / NAT traversal. Details of the RealPresence Access Director (RPAD) are covered in a separate training module. Another supported device is Acme Packet速 Net-Net ESD, which provides session border controller (SBC) functions to enable voice, video and multimedia sessions across IP network borders. Licensing Capacity / Options The CMA 4000 had a device capacity of just 400 device seats while the CMA 5000 could scale to 5,000 device seats. The device management capacity for a RealPresence Resource Manager system scales from 500 to 10,000 devices. The entry-level platform comes preconfigured with a capacity of 500 CAL (Client Access Licenses). Additional licensing is offered in 100, 500, and 1000 license pack sizes. Device licenses are consumed on a 1:1 basis for any managed device that has been registered to the system for management services or Global Address Book services. This includes room, desktop and mobile endpoints along with MCUs. When a desktop or mobile device is provisioned by the Resource Manager system it automatically consumes a license, which is then reserved for that client. The system can be configured to automatically release a RealPresence client license after a set number of days of activity. Licenses consumed by registered hardware devices are never automatically released. To release a license from a registered hardware device, an administrator must manually delete the device from the system. Page 13 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

The following is a list of features that must be purchased and licensed for the Resource Manager system:    

Client Access Licenses – determines the number of devices the system can manage Multi-tenant Support – enables the Areas feature to partition system resources Service Provider API – enables access to the RealPresence Resource Manager via the API Redundant System Licenses – primary and redundant licenses allow configuration of high-availability, redundant system

The Resource Manager comes with a Default Trial license file that is valid for 60 days after activating the system. The Default Trial License also enables the optional Polycom DMA system integration, multi-tenancy, and Service Provider API capabilities for 60 days. With each system order, you will receive one License Certificate. The License Certificate must be activated to receive a license file, which must then be uploaded to the Resource Manager system. When you update this license file, it overwrites the Default License File.

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Resource Manager Overview

Installation Process The installation process for the Resource Manager is very similar to the process used to install the Polycom CMA system. Physical Connectivity and First-time Installation Wizard A single-server RealPresence Resource Manager shipment should include:        

1 Polycom Resource Manager system server 1 power cords and power cord retention brackets 1 rack-mount kit (four-post) 1 bezel key 1 server documentation set 1 copy of the Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager System Quick Start Guide 1 RealPresence Resource Manager System Recovery Disk (included for recovery purposes; the software on the disk is already installed on the server) 1 USB memory stick containing Dell Diagnostics server utilities (intended only for use under Polycom Global Services direction)

The Resource Manager is a physical server that requires connection to your network via the GB 1 ethernet port. In a redundant configuration, both servers are connected together via the GB 2 ethernet port using a standard ethernet cable. This connection is required to keep the internal databases in sync and to allow a continuous heartbeat between the two servers. Once the Resource Manager is connected to your network and powered on, an internet browser pointed to the system’s default IP address of 192.168.1.254 will allow you to complete the first-time installation wizard to enter the initial configuration settings. The default login UserID is admin and the password is admin. Prior to completing the installation wizard, however, it is recommended that you complete the First Time Setup Worksheet. This worksheet can be found in the Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager System Getting Started Guide, which can be downloaded from www.polycom.com. The first lab exercise requires completion of the worksheet from an already configured system.

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Resource Manager Overview

Request Certificates (optional) Certificates and certificate chains are a security technology that allows networked computers to determine whether to trust each other. By default, to support encrypted communications and establish a minimal level of trust, the system includes a default key and self-signed certificate. However, to implement a full chain of trust to a root certificate authority (CA), the system requires both a root CA certificate and an identity server certificate signed by the same root CA. Therefore, at some time you must request these certificates from your CA. The CA used may be a public CA but can also be part of an Enterprise Directory such as Microsoft Active Directory. It is possible to install the root CA certificate during first time setup and the certificate must therefore be requested from your CA before beginning this process. However, with regard to the identity server certificate you have three options: 





The RealPresence Resource Manager system First Time Setup Wizard supports the function of creating a certificate signing request (CSR). Therefore, you may choose to create the CSR for the identity server certificate during first time setup and suspend the process while you wait for your CA to provide the certificate. You can also choose to install the identity server certificate after first time setup, because you can complete first time setup with just the root CA certificate and the system default certificate information. The third option is to request the identity server certificate in advance of first time setup, but to do this you must have extensive knowledge of certificates, certificate templates, and CSR structures to ensure that the certificate requested is in a format that is supported by Resource Manager.

Note: For students not familiar with the nature and function of certificates, Polycom recommends the training module Communication Security Essentials for Polycom Solutions. This self-paced training with labs is available and delivered online.

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Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercise 1: Login and GUI Navigation Objective During this lab, you will access your personal CloudShare training environment and do the following: • • • •

Use the Windows 2008 R2 Entry machine to verify connectivity to all the Polyom servers and login to the Resource Manager A Navigate the Resource Manager web GUI to discover the current system settings Complete the blank First Time Setup Worksheet with the current system settings View current license information

Duration Estimated time to complete this lab: 10 minutes What You Will Learn After completing the exercises you will be able to: • •

Login to the Resource Manager Navigate the web GUI to determine the current system settings and license information

Lab Architecture

Polycom Resource Manager A IP Address: 172.16.1.18

Windows 2008 R2 Microsoft Active Directory/DNS IP Address: 172.16.1.201

Polycom Resource Manager B IP Address: 172.16.1.19

Polycom DMA 7000 Mgmt IP Address: 172.16.1.25 Local Network

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Resource Manager Overview

Test Connectivity and Complete the Resource Manager Setup Worksheet Initiate CloudShare Environment and Connect to Entry Machine All lab exercises will be run in your personal CloudShare environment 1.

Full instructions on the CloudShare learning environment can be found in the Getting Started Guide you received with your course registration. Follow the instructions in the guide to login to your CloudShare environment using the link from your invitation email

2.

It will take a view minutes to launch the environment. Once a message appears that the environment is ready click on the Virtual Machines tab

3.

Open a console to the ENTRY machine by clicking the button View VM

4.

The entry screen will show the error message “The user name or password is incorrect.” Click OK and then select the option to Switch User / Use another account. Select the Other User icon and login as user medeatalk\administrator with password Polycom!23

5.

Use the Resolution drop down list at the top of the web page to select a resolution that is appropriate for your computer display

6.

It is recommended that you use Full Screen RDP to complete the exercises to provide better readability of the screen, this option is found at the top right corner, just above the entry machine screen

7.

8.

9. 10.

Verify Connectivity and Login to Resource Manager A Open Internet Explorer and enter the Resource Manager B IP address in the address bar: 172.16.1.19. You will receive the security warning “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate.” Click the option to Continue to this website (not recommended). If prompted that Internet Explorer has blocked the website from displaying content, click the Show content button at the bottom of the window Verify that the login page for Resource Manager is displayed Repeat the steps above to verify that you can connect to the DMA using the IP address 172.16.1.25 Note: occasionally the DMA Server will not respond when the CloudShare environment is first created. To solve this issue: a) Minimize Remote Desktop b) Select the Virtual Machines tab c) Locate the RPVM machine and click the Reboot VM link Page 18 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

d) Click the Reboot button to confirm

11.

12.

13.

14.

Note: as with a physical DMA Server it may take up to 15 minutes for the server to reboot and accept logins to the administration interface. Open Internet Explorer and enter the Resource Manager A IP address in the address bar: 172.16.1.18. You will receive the security warning “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate.” Click the option to Continue to this website (not recommended). If prompted that Internet Explorer has blocked the website from displaying content, click the Show content button at the bottom of the window Login in with local user: admin and password: Polycom!23 and then click OK in response to the Login Information window Notice the similarities in the dashboard layout between the CMA and Resource Manager applications. Complete the Resource Manager Setup Worksheet The following page contains a modified Resource Manager First-time Setup worksheet. You will navigate the Resource Manager GUI to locate and record the current system settings in the spaces provided. A copy of setup work sheet is also available on the Resource Manager Delegate Worksheet which can be downloaded from the Cloudshare Overview tab.

15.

From the Dashboard, navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings > Network Copy the relevant information seen on that page into the Current System Values column of the table below, which is based on a modified first-time setup worksheet. Note: do not use the Update option on this page, as it will force a system reboot.

16.

You will also need to navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings > System Time to complete the final entries.

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Resource Manager Overview

Current System Values

Item

System Name

Factory-set Default Values

Description

POLYCOM<7 random characters>

NetBIOS name of the system server. Name must be 6-15 characters and can include dashes and underscores.

192.168.1.254

Static, physical IP address

IPv4 Address

Virtual IP Address

For redundant system configurations only

N/A

IPv4 Subnet Mask

255.255.255.0

Network subnet mask of the system server

IPv4 Default Gateway

192.168.1.1

IP address of the system server. DNS domain name suffix for the network in which the domain name server and the system server reside

DNS Domain Preferred DNS Server

IP address of the domain name server IP address of an alternate domain name server. Must be in the same IP address format as the preferred DNS server

Alternate DNS Server System Time Zone External NTP Server

17. 18.

IP address of external NTP time server (optional)

View Current License Information Navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings > Licenses Notice this is a Primary license with all four features enabled. Enter the number of device licenses here: __________________________ End of practical exercise

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Resource Manager Overview

Simple Integration from the DMA The Polycom DMA 7000 has the ability to directly integrate to either the CMA or the Resource Manager system. This simple integration allows the DMA to receive the network site topology from either the CMA or Resource Manager application.

DMA

Simple integration of the DMA with Resource Network Site Topology Manager is configured from the DMA by navigating to Admin > Integrations > Resource Management Server. The only available action on this page is to Join Resource Manager or CMA Resource Management Server. The dialog box requires the host name or IP address of the CMA or Resource Manager system and a user name and password with the administrative role assigned. Once the integration is complete, the current DMA site topology will be overwritten with the site topology from the system you specified. The network site topology will be viewable on the DMA, but can only be modified on the source system. This integration does not require any additional licensing.

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Resource Manager Overview

DMA Integration via API Connection

API DMA

Resource Manager Network Site Topology

H.323 Endpoint Info

Endpoint-user Association

MCU Pool Info

Conference Templates

MCU Conference Monitoring

The Resource Manager offers a new method of integrating with the DMA that establishes a powerful API connection between the two applications. This API connection allows a flow of information between the two systems and enables the following capabilities in the Resource Manager:    

The Resource Manager becomes the sole provider of network site topology information The Resource Manager will provide the DMA with endpoint-user association information The DMA will send endpoint information from any H.323 endpoints that register directly with the DMA, thus allowing the Resource Manager to manage these devices The Resource Manager can gather MCU Pool information and DMA conference templates which provide the foundation for two new features: o Scheduling of MCU Pooled Conferences o Creation of Anytime Conferences Conferences running on any of the MCUs controlled by the DMA can now be monitored and managed by users connected to the Resource Manager

Note: This feature uses the RealPresence APIs but does not require licensing of the Server Provider API feature.

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Resource Manager Overview

Integrating the DMA Integrating the Resource Manager with a DMA system requires the following:   

A DMA integration license key on the Resource Manager A DMA system at version 5.0 or higher DNS A records for each Resource Manager and DMA component (all physical and virtual IP addresses).

Integration with the DMA via API connection is performed from the Resource Manager by adding the DMA as a Network Device. This operation will require a Resource Manager user ID that has the Device Administrator role assigned and a DMA user ID that has the Administrator role assigned and gold class of service. Note: When attempting to perform the DMA integration, the option to Add a DMA network device may not appear in the Resource Manager GUI. This is caused by the current Resource Manager user not having the Device Administrator role assigned. At this point, you can assign the role and log back into the GUI or log out and log back in with a User ID that already has the role assigned. The dialog box below will appear when you take the option to Add a DMA Network Device:

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Resource Manager Overview

The information required to perform a successful integration includes:     

DMA Name, which will appear only in the Resource Manager GUI Description of the DMA system IP address or DNS name (FQDN) of the DMA cluster Port (will always be 8443) DMA Username and password to be used for authentication (remember the DMA user must have the Administrator role and gold class of service)

Check boxes at the bottom of the dialog box allow you to select the DMA features you would like to use from the Resource Manager: Call Server and/or Conference Manager. DMA Call Server Services The DMA is a full function call server, acting as an H.323 gatekeeper and SIP Proxy/ Registrar. The Resource Manager can automatically provision room, desktop and mobile systems to use the DMA as their H.323 gatekeeper and/or SIP registrar. When the DMA is integrated, the Resource Manager can provide the DMA with endpoint-user association information. Conversely, any endpoints that register directly with the DMA’s H.323 gatekeeper will automatically display in the Resource Manager Device List and can then be managed by the Resource Manager. SIP-only endpoints that register with the DMA system and do not specifically register with the Resource Manager system’s provisioning service must manually be added to the Resource Manager system. Once added, these SIP-only devices can be monitored and managed from the Resource Manager interface. Network Site Topology When a DMA is integrated with the Resource Manager, the Site Topology must be created and maintained on the Resource Manager only. The site topology will be viewable from the DMA system, but all modifications must be done via the Resource Manager. When the DMA system is integrated with the Resource Manager all Site Topology information on the DMA system will be overwritten with the site topology information from the Resource Manager. If you choose to discontinue the integration, the DMA will retain the Resource Manager site topology information which will then be completely modifiable from the DMA.

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DMA Conference Manager Capabilities The DMA also provides conference manager services, virtualizing MCU resources in the form of virtual meeting rooms (VMRs). The Resource Manager can take advantage of these MCU virtualization capabilities by scheduling conferences to a DMA MCU pool instead of a specific MCU. The Resource Manager can also be used to create the Anytime Conference. This new type of conference is created on the Resource Manager and uses a DMA VMR that is secure and capable of automated dial-outs. In order to use the DMA’s conference manager services, however, the DMA must be fully integrated. This integration requires the DMA system to be at software version 5.0 or higher. Scheduling Capacity If you select the Conference Manager features, you must set the percentage of port capacity you would like the Resource Manager schedulers to have at their disposal. You can adjust the scheduling capacity of the DMA system that the RealPresence Resource Manager system relies on.

US Pool

Europe Pool

500 ports

200 ports

375 ports avail to schedule

150 ports avail to schedule

The example below shows the effect of setting the scheduling percentage to 75%:

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Resource Manager Overview

This scheduling percentage does not actually reserve ports for scheduling, but is the maximum amount of ports that the Resource Manager will allow to be scheduled at any point in time. Successful scheduling relies on the MCUs managed by the DMA having the ports available when the conference is due to start. Because schedulers can only choose from a pre-configured DMA system pool order when scheduling pooled conferences, they rely on an administrator to tune the DMA system’s scheduling capacity to ensure efficient use of resources. There are three ways an administrator can assess DMA system scheduling capacity:   

View conference reports from the DMA system. This method is preferred and provides the most accurate information Monitor ongoing conferences to assess if allocated resources are sufficient View information on RealPresence Resource Manager CDR reports to review ports used for individual conferences

Note: Polycom recommends setting the DMA system scheduling capacity more conservatively at first and then tuning appropriately for increased scheduling activity.

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Lab Exercise 2: DMA Integration Objective During this lab, you will access your personal CloudShare training environment and do the following:   

Login to the Resource Manager Integrate the DMA by adding it to the Network Device list Login to the DMA and view the network site topology

Duration Estimated time to complete this lab: 15 minutes What You Will Learn After completing the exercises you will be able to: • • •

Associate the Device Administrator role with a Resource Manager user account Integrate a DMA with the Resource Manager View the network topology from within the DMA

Lab Diagram

Resource Manager

API

DNS A Records RPRM-A DMA-node1 DMA-virtual DNS Server

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DMA

172.16.1.18 172.16.1.24 172.16.1.25


Resource Manager Overview

Configure a User with Gold Class of Service and Integrate the DMA 1.

Login to DMA and Modify admin User Open another tab in your Internet Explorer browser and login to the DMA (172.16.1.25) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials. You will receive the security warning “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate.” Click the option to Continue to this website (not recommended)

2.

Navigate to User > Users and highlight the admin user

3.

Take the action to Edit the user verify the Class of service is currently set to Gold

4.

Navigate to Associated Roles and verify the user has the Administrator role, click OK to exit

5.

Login to Resource Manager and Integrate the DMA Login to the Resource Manager (172.16.1.18) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials

6.

Navigate to NETWORK DEVICE > DMA and notice there is no action available to Add a DMA. This is because the default admin user does not have the Device Administrator role assigned

7.

Navigate to USER > Users, highlight the admin user and take the Action to Edit

8.

Select Associated Roles and notice that the default admin user has just the Administrator role applied. Highlight all of the Available Roles and use the > button to move all of these roles to the Selected Roles window

9.

Click OK to confirm your changes. These changes will not take effect until the next time you login to the system. Select the Log Out option from the menu bar and Refresh

your browser to login with the admin / Polycom!23 credentials

10.

Navigate to NETWORK DEVICE > DMA and take the Action to Add

11.

In the Add DMA dialog box, enter the following information: • DMA Name: DMA • Description: DMA 7000 • IP address / Host: 172.16.1.25 • Port: 8443 • Username: admin • Password: Polycom!23 • Used as:  Conference Manager •  Call Server • Scheduling Capacity (%): 50 Click Add

12.

Answer Yes when prompted about overwriting the DMA site topology; the process may take a minute or so to complete

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Resource Manager Overview

13.

The DMA should now appear in the Network Devices List with green check marks in the columns for MCU Pool Orders and Call Server

14.

Navigate to Network Device > DMA Pool Orders and view the three pool orders that are available from the DMA: Europe Pool Order, Factory Pool Order and US Pool Order (these will be accessed in an upcoming scheduling exercise). Note: there may be a delay before the Pool Orders are displayed. In this case continue to the next steps and return later to check they are listed.

15.

16.

17.

Login to DMA and View Site Topology Open another tab in your Internet Explorer browser and login to the DMA (172.16.1.25) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials. You will receive the security warning “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate.” Click the option to Continue to this website (not recommended) Navigate to Network > Site Topology > Sites and view the network site information. You should see the Europe, Internet/VPN and US sites. Notice that there are no options to edit or modify the site topology, as this topology is now maintained solely on the Resource Manager Use the

icon at the top of the page to log out of the DMA system

End of practical exercise

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Resource Manager Overview

Scheduling Pooled Conferences

Project XYZ Conference Tuesdays 8:30am Americas Pool

Resource Manager

Americas Pool DMA

Europe Pool

Asia Pool

Scheduling with DMA MCU Pool Resources When integrated with the Polycom DMA, the Resource Manager allows conferences to be scheduled using a DMA MCU Pool Order instead of to a specific MCU resource. Conferences scheduled to a specific MCU are considered Direct Conferences and conferences scheduled using a DMA Pool Order are considered Pooled Conferences. MCU Pool Orders are created and maintained on the DMA system and are only available to the scheduler on the Resource Manager once the DMA is integrated. Schedulers can select the specific pool when creating the conference reservation. At conference start time the DMA selection algorithm will be used to select a bridge using the specified MCU Pool Order. DMA Administrator Responsibilities The DMA system administrator is responsible for setting up pool orders to be used. You should work with your DMA system administrator to determine the specifics about the pool orders associated with your DMA system. This information can also be useful for schedulers who need to choose a pool order to use for a conference.

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Resource Manager Overview

DMA Pool Orders are groups of MCU pools that are hierarchically organized. Some uses for DMA MCU Pool Orders include: 

All MCUs in a geographic location or domain can be placed into a pool. Then, a MCU Pool Order can be assigned to all users in that site or domain (via group membership) ensuring that their conferences are preferentially routed to MCUs in that pool. One or more MCUs could be placed into a pool to be used only by executives, and this executive pool could be placed into an MCU Pool Order associated only with those executives’ conference rooms. MCUs with special capabilities (large size, recording links, etc.) can be placed in a pool, and that pool can be included in an MCU Pool Order associated only with custom conference rooms requiring those capabilities.

Configuration of DMA MCU Pools and MCU Pool Orders is covered in a separate level 2 Polycom training course.

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Resource Manager Overview

Creating Anytime Conferences

Sales Anytime Conf Passcode: 1388 Dial-out to all Sales Staff

Resource Manager

US Pool DMA

Europe Pool

Asia Pool

Anytime Conferences Provide Flexibility Unlike scheduled conferences, Anytime conferences do not have designated start and end times. These conferences are not recurring. Once an Anytime conference is configured, the conference can be started at any time by authorized participants. The Anytime conference builds upon the power of the standard DMA Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) by adding the ability to add dial-out participants. A standard VMR created using the DMA system requires all participants to dial in to the conference. The following events occur when a new Anytime conference is added by a participant with scheduling permissions:   

The conference is assigned a virtual meeting room (VMR) number An owner passcode is automatically generated and required to launch the Anytime conference All Anytime conference participants receive an E-mail indicating the VMR number. The owner will also receive the owner passcode needed to launch the conference

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Resource Manager Overview

When a participant dials the VMR number and enters the owner passcode, all dial-out participants are automatically called. If a participant dials into the VMR, they are allowed into the conference or placed on hold until someone dials in and enters the owner passcode. The conference continues until all participants hang up the call. Note: In this release of the product, an Anytime conference will continue until all participants disconnect from the call. Creating an Anytime Conference Users with the following default user roles are allowed to schedule Anytime conferences: Scheduler, Advanced Scheduler, Operator, Area Operator and Area Scheduler. To schedule a new Anytime conference, simply navigate to Conference > Anytime and under Conference Actions click Add and complete the following steps: 1. Enter a new conference Name or accept the system-generated name 2. Enter a Description 3. Select a Template from the drop-down list (note: these templates are created and maintained on the DMA system) 4. Add participants and/or guests to the conference and select whether these will be dial-out or dial-in participants 5. Select an Owner for the conference 6. When finished, click Save 7. The system will generate an automated email that will be sent to each participant. The participants and the email itself can be modified before sending, or the sending of the email can be cancelled.

The Resource Manager will generate the chairperson passcode and VMR number which will both be sent to the conference owner via e-mail. A list of all Anytime conferences is viewable and sortable from within the Resource Manager on the Conference | Anytime page. This conference will immediately be available for use. Page 33 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercise 3: Creating DMA Pooled and Anytime Conferences Objective This lab is designed to guide you through the steps necessary to create both a Pooled Conference and an Anytime Conference. Due to the nature of the virtualized environment provided for this training, you will be unable to actually create either one of these conferences because the DMA system has no access to any MCU resources. The Resource Manager will therefore not allow the actual scheduling and creation of these conferences. Screenshots will be provided to illustrate how Resource Manager shows successful completion of the steps. During this lab, you will do the following: • •

Complete the steps to schedule a Pooled Conference Complete the steps to create an Anytime Conference

Duration Estimated time to complete this lab: 10 minutes What You Will Learn After completing the exercises you will be able to: • •

Schedule a conference using an existing DMA MCU Pool Order Create an Anytime conference

Create a Pooled Conference Login to Resource Manager and View Options for Creating a Pooled Conference Login to the Resource Manager (172.16.1.18) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials 1. 2.

Navigate to Conference > Future and under Conference Actions, click Add

3.

Use the drop-down for Conference Template and notice that there is just one Default Template on the Resource Manager from which to choose

4.

Use the radio button at the top of the page to change the conference to a Pooled Conference

5.

Change the conference Name to Project XYZ Meeting and change the date to Monday of next week. You can select any start time and duration.

6.

At DMA Pool Orders, select the US Pool Order from the drop-down list (notice all pool orders from the DMA are displayed here)

7.

At Template, select High Def w/recording from the drop-down list (notice these are DMA conference templates, not Resource Manager conference templates)

8.

Under Search for Participants and Rooms, enter Jones in the last name field and click Add Participants. Click once on Chris Jones to add him to the conference and click Close. Page 34 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

9.

From the Search for Rooms at Site, select US from the drop down list and add both the Project Management and West Wing rooms to the conference using a single click on each room. Click OK when done.

10.

When complete, click Schedule to create the new Pooled conference. This will generate a Scheduling Error because the DMA does not have MCU resources configured and available

11.

Click OK in response to the Scheduling Error and Cancel at the top of the screen to cancel the creation of the Pooled Conference.

Below is a screen shot of the successfully created Pooled Conference named Project XYZ Meeting along with a Direct Conference named ABC Conference that has been scheduled on the Chicago RMX. The Type icon is different for the two conferences to denote the Pooled or Direct conference type. The bridge column shows the DMA Pool Order that was selected for the Pooled conference and the actual MCU that was selected for the Direct conference.

Create an Anytime Conference 12.

Create an Anytime Conference Navigate to Conference > Anytime and under Conference Actions, click Add

13.

Change the conference Name to Acme Project Updates and enter Acme Widget Project Updates as the conference Description

14.

At Template, select the High Def-2MB template from the drop-down list (notice these are DMA conference templates, not Resource Manager templates)

15.

Under Search for Participants and Rooms, enter Jones in the last name field and click Add Participants. Click once on Chris Jones to add him to the conference

16.

Change the entry in the Last Name field to Project and click Search. Single-click on the Project Management HDX to add it to the conference and click Close

17.

Click the Add from Guest Book button and single-click on Susan Harris of Acme Page 35 of 55


Resource Manager Overview

Widgets to add her H.323 device to the conference and then click Close 18.

Using the radio buttons at the right side of the screen, ensure Chris Jones is a Dial-in participant and all others are Dial-out

19.

Verify that Chris Jones is shown as the Owner of the conference in the drop-down list in the upper part of the screen

20.

When complete, click Save to create the new Anytime conference. This will generate a Scheduling Error because the DMA does not have MCU resources configured and available

21.

Click OK in response to the Scheduling Error and Cancel at the top of the screen to cancel the creation of the Anytime Conference.

Below is a screen shot of the successfully created Anytime Conference named Acme Project Updates. The Anytime Conference is listed below with Christopher Jones as the owner and sole dial-in participant. The Resource Manager generated a DMA VMR for the conference and the dial-in number will remain 701017.

If the Resource Manager is configured with access to the organization’s email server, the system will also send email confirmation to all participants listed in this conference. End of practical exercise

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Resource Manager Overview

RealPresence Resource Manager Multi-tenancy The RealPresence Resource Manager supports advanced multi-tenancy with its areas feature. This feature allows you to service multiple customers, internal or external. Each area serves a system tenant by partitioning off a collection of resources including users, associated endpoints and network devices. Administration and conferencing duties for areas can then be delegated to users within that area or by a set of super users who are allowed to view and manage all areas. You can set up flexible scenarios by having an area scheduler or area operator for each respective tenant or area. Otherwise, you can limit area administration tasks to users specifically allowed to manage that area. Note: The Areas feature of the Resource Manager system is a licensed feature. System Roles Users that have a system role will be able to view and modify resources from all areas because their role includes the View and/or Modify All Areas permission. System roles include: Administrator, Advanced Scheduler, Auditor, Device Administrator, Operator, Scheduler, and View-Only Scheduler. Area Roles An area role delegates Resource Manager responsibilities to a user that needs to manage the resources in one or more areas, but not all areas. A user must be assigned a RealPresence Resource Manager area role in order to perform tasks in his assigned area. In addition to being assigned a role, you must enable that user to manage the area(s) in which he resides, in addition to any other areas he needs to perform his responsibilities. By default, a user assigned an area role can manage (perform tasks associated with his role) the area to which he belongs. You can also allow a user to manage areas to which he does not belong. For example, you can allow an area scheduler to schedule users from two areas into conferences. For this, you would need to configure this user to manage both areas. Area roles include: Area Administrator, Area Operator, and Area Scheduler

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Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercise 4: Configure Areas to Support Multi-tenancy Note: These lab exercises are also included in the RealPresence Platform Design, Configuration and Troubleshooting (Level 3) training course. If you have attended, or plan to attend this course you can omit the lab steps. Exercise Summary (10 Minutes) In this exercise you will create multiple Areas within the RealPresence Resource Manager to simulate a multi-tenancy environment:     

Verify Multi-tenancy support is enabled Create multiple Areas Assign objects to specific Areas Assign Address Books to specific Areas Assign Users to specific Areas

Add a Global Administrator 1.

Create a Global Administrator Account on the Resource Manager Login to the RealPresence Resource Manager on 172.16.1.18

2.

Navigate to USER > Users and add a new local user with the following details:       

First Name: Admin Last Name: Group1 (where # is your group number) User ID: Group1-Admin Password: Polycom!23 Confirm Password: Polycom!23 Email Address: Group1@medeatalk.com Associated Roles: Administrator, Advanced Scheduler, Administrator, Operator

Click OK to create the user 3.

Log out of the Resource Manager and log back in using the Group1-Admin account you have just created

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Device


Resource Manager Overview

Add Areas and Assign Objects to Areas 4.

Verify Multi-tenancy Support is Enabled Navigate to Admin > Areas and select Configure Areas 

5.

Create Multiple Areas From the Areas page, Add a new Area as follows:  

6.

Verify that Enable Areas functions in Resource Manager is ENABLED

Area Name: Group1-Medeatalk Description: Multi-tenancy area for Medeatalk

Click OK to add the new area From the Areas page, Add a new Area as follows:  

Area Name: Group1-VoceDiMezzi Description: Multi-tenancy area for VoceDiMezzi

Click OK to add the new area

7.

Assign Objects to Specific Areas Navigate to USER > Guest Book and Add the following Guest entry:  First Name: LondonHDX  Last Name: Group1  email: London@medeatalk.com  Location: London  Assigned Area: None  IP Address: 10.1.2.3 Click OK to create the entry Note that because the Group1-Admin user has been assigned a System Level Role the user is not limited to the areas it can manage. Note The Guest Book is a local system directory that includes guest participants who were either:  

Explicitly added to the Guest Book. Saved to the Guest Book while being added as conference participants.

They are referred to as static entries because they are not imported through the dynamically updated enterprise directory or included in the system Global Address Book.

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Resource Manager Overview

8.

Repeat for the Guest details below:  First Name: RomeHDX  Last Name: Group1  email: Rome@medeatalk.com  Location: Rome  Assigned Area: Group1-VoceDiMezzi  IP Address: 10.4.5.6 Click OK to create the entry

9.

Repeat for the Guest details below:  First Name: SanJoseHDX  Last Name: Group1  email: SanJose@medeatalk.com  Location: San Jose  Assigned Area: Group1-MedeaTalk  IP Address: 10.7.8.9 Click OK to create the entry

10.

Assign Address Books to Specific Areas Navigate to ADMIN > Directories > Address Books

11.

Take the action to Add a new Address Book as follows:     

Name: Sales Team 1 Description: Worldwide Sales Team Group1 Assign Area: Group1-VoceDiMezzi Address Book Tiers: Sales Team > Sales Managers > Sales Reps Associate Guests: Group1, SanJoseHDX – Sales Managers Group1, LondonHDX – Sales Reps Group1, RomeHDX – Sales Reps

Note that the Group1-Admin can associate the Address Book to any Area and can select Guests from any area to appear in the Address Book

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Resource Manager Overview

12.

Assign Users to Specific Areas Navigate to USER > Users and add a new user with the following details – you should click OK at the warning that no area to manage was specified for the user:        

First Name: Bill Last Name: Group1 User ID: Group1-Bill Password: Polycom!23 email: bill@medeatalk.com Assign Area: Group1-medeatalk Managed Areas: none Associated Roles: Area Administrator, Area Operator, Area Scheduler

Click OK to create user

Check it out!

1.

Verification Steps Log out of the Resource Manager and log back in using the Group1-Bill account

2.

Navigate to USER > Users and note that it is not possible to Add a new User account. Group1-Bill can only view objects within his assigned Area of Group1MedeaTalk and he currently cannot perform administrative functions in that area

3.

Navigate to USER > Guest Book and note which Guests are visible The user account Group1-Bill has been assigned the Area Administrator and Area Operator roles, but has not yet been delegated control over any areas, so he cannot manage the area to which he is associated.

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Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercise 5: Delegate Multi-tenancy Administration Note: These lab exercises are also included in the RealPresence Platform Design, Configuration and Troubleshooting (Level 3) training course. If you have attended, or plan to attend this course you can omit the lab steps. Exercise Summary (10 Minutes) In this exercise you will delegate different levels of administrative control to users in a multitenancy environment:  

Delegate Area administration Create objects within specific Areas

Delegate Area Administration 1.

Delegate Area Administration Log out of the Resource Manager and log back in using the Group1-Admin account

2.

Navigate to USER > Users and select the Group1-Bill user and click Edit

3.

Modify the Group1-Bill user to manage the Group1-MedeaTalk and Group1VoceDiMezzi areas   

Click on the Managed Areas section on the left of the window Click on Specific Areas and then tick Group1-MedeaTalk and Group1VoceDiMezzi and press to move them to the Selected Areas Click on Ok to exit

The Group#-Bill user has Area Level permissions and has now been assigned management of the Group1-MedeaTalk and Group1-VoceDiMezzi Areas, so will be limited to permissions within just those two areas Verification Steps 4.

Log out of the Resource Manager and log back in using the Group1-Bill account

5.

Navigate to USER > Guest Book Note that Group#-Bill can now view all Guests defined within the Group1MedeaTalk and Group1-VoceDiMezzi Areas and can Add Guests to both Areas

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Resource Manager Overview

6.

Assign Objects to Specific Areas Add the following two Guest Book entries:      

First Name: AtlantaHDX Last Name: Group1 email: Atlanta@medeatalk.com Location: Atlanta Assigned Area: Group1-medeatalk IP Address: 10.11.12.13

     

First Name: MilanHDX Last Name: Group1 email: Milan@medeatalk.com Location: Milan Assigned Area: Group1-VoceDiMezzi IP Address: 10.14.15.16

Click OK to create the new entries

7.

Assign Address Books to Specific Areas Navigate to ADMIN > Directories > Address Books

8.

Add a new Address Book as follows:     

Name: Engineering Team Description: Worldwide Engineering Team Assign Area: Group1-VoceDiMezzi Address Book Tiers: Engineering Team Associate Guests: Group1, AtlantaHDX – Engineering Team Group1, MilanHDX – Engineering Team

Note that Group1-Bill can Edit any Address Book within the 2 assigned areas and he can Associate Guests from any of his 2 assigned areas, even though the Address Book only resides within the Group1-VoceDiMezzi area

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Resource Manager Overview

9.

Assign Users to Specific Areas Navigate to USER > Users and add a new user with the following details:        

First Name: Luciano Last Name: Group1 User ID: Group1-Luciano Password: Polycom!23 email: luciano@medeatalk.com Assign Area: Group1-VoceDiMezzi Associated Roles: Area Administrator, Area Operator, Area Scheduler Managed Areas: Group1-VoceDiMezzi

Click OK to create user End of practical exercises

Check it out!

1.

Verification Steps Log out of the Resource Manager and log back in using the Group#-Luciano account

2.

Navigate to USER > Guest Book. Verify that Group1-Luciano can view all Guests defined within the Group1VoceDiMezzi Area and can Add Guests to that Area

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Resource Manager Overview

High Availability Implementation Co-located HA pair DMA Primary RM

NTP Server

Heartbeat

Virtual host name

Endpoints

Secondary RM

MCUs

High Availability Redundant Configuration A redundant Resource Manager system configuration offers higher reliability and greater call success by ensuring that a Resource Manager system server remains available in the event of a server failure. A high availability Resource Manager system configuration requires two Resource Manager system servers and three IP addresses in the same subnet on the same network—one physical IP address for each of the servers and one virtual IP address dedicated to external access and endpoint registration. Once the virtual IP address and virtual host name are established, all reference to the Resource Manager will be made using this name or address. It will no longer be necessary to reference the primary or secondary Resource Manager system directly.

Note: A redundant high availability Resource Manager implementation requires that DNS A records be created for all Resource Manager IP addresses. One DNS A record must be created for each physical Resource Manager system and for the virtual IP address as well. The solution also requires that both physical Resource Manager servers be configured to use an NTP time server.

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Resource Manager Overview

How Redundancy Works Terminology is very important in understanding how redundancy works. In a redundant configuration, one server is licensed as the primary server and the other server is licensed as the redundant server. The primary server is always the primary server and the redundant server is always the redundant server. In a redundant configuration, there is only one active server and one inactive server. The active server is the server managing the system. It is the server running all of the Resource Manager system services. In a normal operational state, the active server is the primary server. In a failover state, the active server is the redundant server. High Availability Architecture

RM Application Database

Directory Server

System Power State

RM-A

Internet Connectivity

Heartbeat Database replication Spawned based on heartbeat trigger Heartbeat connection Heartbeat monitoring

RM-B

Heartbeat Internet Connectivity

System Power State

Database

RM Application

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Directory Server


Resource Manager Overview

The active/inactive servers communicate every 200 milliseconds using a private IP address and port 5405. If the inactive server does not receive a heartbeat from the active server, it will promote itself to being the active server. The most common reasons for system failovers are power failures and network disconnections. Failures in services also initiate a failover. If both the primary and redundant servers start simultaneously (for example if both are in the same location and recover from a power failure at the same time), both servers will initially attempt to become the active server. Whichever server starts first becomes the active server. An administrator can force a failover via the Switch Server Roles function in the Resource Manager system user interface. The failover to the redundant server seems to occur seamlessly because the endpoints are registered with the virtual IP address, which remains constant. However, endpoints that are dynamically managed will lose the connection as the provisioning service will stop for approximately five minutes. Because the Resource Manager does not provide call server functions, this fail-over will not impact ongoing calls. During a failover: 

 

Users logged into the Resource Manager system user interface are disconnected during a failover and returned to the main Resource Manager system web page. Users can log back in once the failover is completed. Users in the middle of an operation may get an error message, because the system is not available to respond to a request. The redundant server becomes the active server. Its services start in an order designed to prevent the new active server from being flooded with requests from endpoints during start-up.

A system failover usually takes approximately 5 minutes. Once a failover to a redundant server occurs, the redundant server manages all system operations until an administrator switches back to the original primary server via the Switch Server Roles function in the Resource Manager system user interface.

Note: The Resource Manager system does not automatically switch back to the original primary server when that server becomes available after a failover. An administrator may take the action to Switch Server Roles, if desired.

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Resource Manager Overview

Implementing a Redundant System Until Resource Manager version 8 the redundant system configuration required two co-located Resource Manager systems with direct network connectivity between the pair. Version 8 introduced Geo-redundancy to support cabled or non-cabled redundancy configurations. This means that it is possible to have the two RealPresence Resource Manager systems in different geographic locations if the following conditions are met: • Network latency less than 100 ms • Dedicated VLAN for communication between the servers (to emulate the cross-over cable) • The network switch must support multicast packets. Note: The Virtual IP address used for Resource Manager must be the same for clients in both locations. The recommended configuration steps include: 1. Perform a system backup if the redundancy is being configured on an existing Resource Manager system that has been active 2. Perform the network configuration on both servers, ensuring they are both configured to use the same NTP server 3. Add DNS A records for each physical Resource Manager and the proposed Virtual name and IP address for the redundant configuration 4. Connect the servers to each other via an Ethernet cable in the second Ethernet port on each server OR complete the configuration described above for Geo-redundancy 5. Configure both servers for redundancy, which means each Resource Manager will require the new Virtual IP address and Virtual Host Name for the pair, along with the IP address of the peer Resource Manager 6. Apply appropriate licenses for each server, which will include one primary license and one redundant license Reset Redundant Configuration You can return the Resource Manager High Availability system to standalone mode by taking the action to Reset Redundant Configuration at the bottom of the Redundant Configuration page. When taking this option, the user will be prompted before the system reboots.

Once the reboot is complete the Resource Manager system should be operating in standalone mode. The Resource Manager that was licensed as the secondary server, however, will have to be licensed as a primary server if it is to be functional in a standalone mode.

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Resource Manager Overview

Lab Exercise 6: Implementing High Availability Objective During this lab, you will do the following:   

Login to the primary Resource Manager and configure redundancy settings Login to the secondary Resource Manager and apply the Secondary license Configure redundancy on the secondary server

Duration Estimated time to complete this lab: 30 minutes What You Will Learn After completing the exercises you will be able to: •

Configure a high-availability redundant Resource Manager system

Lab Diagram

Virtual IP 172.16.1.20

Resource Manager A 172.16.1.18

Resource Manager B 172.16.1.19

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Time Server 172.16.1.201

DNS A Records RPRM-A RPRM-B RPRM-virtual

172.16.1.18 172.16.1.19 172.16.1.20


Resource Manager Overview

Verify Redundant Server and DNS settings 1.

Verify Settings on Resource Manager B Open another browser window and login to Resource Manager B (172.16.1.19) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials (if prompted that Internet Explorer has blocked the website from displaying content, click the Show content button at the bottom of the window)

2.

Navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings >System Time to verify the application is using an NTP server; note the NTP server IP address:_____________________

3.

Open a Windows command prompt by clicking the Start Button and selecting Command Prompt Enter the command nslookup

4. 5.

Enter the following Fully Qualified Domain Names for the Resource Manager Servers and note the IP address it resolves to. rprm-a.medeatalk.com ___________________________________ rprm-b.medeatalk.com ___________________________________ rprm-virtual.medeatalk.com _______________________________ Each of these must be resolved by the DNS to support redundant configuration.

6.

Leave this window open for use later in this exercise

Configure Resource Manager Redundancy

7.

Configure Redundancy on Resource Manager A Use a separate Internet Explorer tab to login to the Resource Manager A (172.16.1.18) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials

8.

Navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings > Redundant Configuration

9.

Configure the following settings Virtual IP: 172.16.1.20 Virtual Host Name: RPRM-virtual Peer Server IP: 172.16.1.19

10.

Click Submit when complete and answer Yes when the Notice message box appears informing you that “This operation may take several minutes to complete.”

11.

You will then be prompted “This action will cause the server to reboot. Do you want to continue?” Click Yes.

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Resource Manager Overview

12.

Wait for Reboot and Login to Virtual IP Address Before configuring redundancy on the second Resource Manager server, wait for the Primary Resource Manager to finish the reboot process (this will take approximately five minutes). Note: the web page will show an error until the server has rebooted – using Refresh will show when the server is ready. Close this browser window.

13.

Open a new browser window and login to the new virtual IP address of 172.16.1.20

14.

Add the Redundancy Status pane to the dashboard by clicking the Add Panes button and selecting the Redundancy Status option

15.

At this point the 172.16.1.18 server should be the Active Server and show a status of Online, with the 172.16.1.19 system should appear as the Backup Server with a status of Offline because it has yet to be configured

16.

Configure Redundancy on Resource Manager B Return to the open browser window for Resource Manager B or login to Resource Manager B (172.16.1.19) with admin/Polycom!23 credentials

17.

Navigate to ADMIN > Server Settings >Redundant Configuration to configure redundancy

18.

Configure the following settings Virtual IP: 172.16.1.20 Virtual Host Name: RPRM-virtual Peer Server IP: 172.16.1.18

19.

Click Submit when complete and answer Yes when the Notice message box appears informing you that “This operation may take several minutes to complete.”

20.

The process will run for a few moments and you will then be prompted that “This action will cause the server to reboot. Do you want to continue?” Click Yes. Once you have clicked Yes you can close the browser tab. Note: Resource Manager B is now the Backup Server so you will no longer be able to login to this IP address directly.

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Resource Manager Overview

21.

22.

Return to Resource Manager Virtual IP After approximately 5 minutes return to the browser window connected to the Resource Manager Virtual IP (or login again to 172.16.1.20) From the dashboard, you can monitor the status of the Backup Server using the Redundancy Status pane. After approximately five minutes, the Backup Server status should change to Online

Configure the Resource Manager Redundant License

23.

Update the Secondary License Once the backup server is Online, navigate to Admin > Server Settings >Licenses

24.

Take the action to Update License

25.

Click the Choose File button and navigate to the Desktop to select the RM_Secondary file to apply the secondary license

26.

Click the Preview button and notice the server type is Secondary and that none of the features are enabled. The secondary license will never have features attached, as the licenses will always be derived from the primary license. This secondary license is actually attached to the serial number of Resource Manager B.

27.

Click the Apply button to apply the Secondary License to Resource Manager B and click OK to the message “License is applied successfully� End of practical exercise

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Resource Manager Overview

Optional Lab Exercise 7: Test Failover to the Backup Server On completion of the redundancy configuration the Status should appear as below. You should also be able to connect to the Resource Manager administration interface using either the Active Server IP address or the Virtual IP address. You can test failover by connecting to 172.16.1.18 using the reboot button to simulate a failure. The connecting to either 172.16.1.20 or 172.16.1.19 you should see that the Active and Backup servers have switched.

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Resource Manager Overview

Optional Lab Exercise 8: Practise Skills and Explore the Resource Manger Interface Following completion of the lab exercises we encourage students to use any remaining time to practice the skills covered in the course. They should also use their knowledge of Polycom CMA to explore other parts of the Resource Manager interface. It is possible to Revert the Cloudshare lab environment to its state at the start of the labs. Students who wish to repeat exercises on DMA integration and Redundancy should follow the instructions to Revert in the Course FAQs. Support The team who monitor the cloudtraining@polycom.com email have been trained to support the labs included in this course. If you experience difficulties or have questions while exploring other areas of RealPresence Resource Manager we will assist on a best effort basis.

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Resource Manager Overview

Course Summary This course was designed to provide an overview of the Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager application, focusing on the differences with the Polycom CMA application. Polycom still supports the CMA 4000 so given the many benefits to the customer of deploying Resource Manager when is it appropriate to recommend CMA? The simple answer to this is rarely, as CMA 4000 has limited scalability and does not support redundancy. A customer deploying multiple RMXs and using DMA should be advised that Resource Manager offers the better solution. However, a small customer who does not plan to deploy DMA and is not concerned about redundancy can use CMA 4000 as an effective tool for scheduling, management and provisioning. They can also use CMA as their gatekeeper. Polycom’s development of virtualized solutions for RealPresence Platform is likely to further reduce the customers for which CMA is appropriate. A fully virtualized solution with flexible licensing options for small customers will allow them to benefit from DMA and Resource Manager whilst still purchasing a competitively priced solution. Students should now understand the following: • • • • • • • • •

Resource Manager product overview and positioning Resource Manager feature set Installation process Login and GUI navigation DMA integration Conference scheduling using DMA MCU Pool Resources New Anytime Conference creation Resource Manager support for Multi-tenancy. New High Availability implementation

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