CCNA Voice: Cisco Unity Express Platforms

• Cisco Unity advanced integration module (AIM-CUE)
• Cisco Unity Express network module (NM-CUE)
• Cisco Unity Express network module with enhanced capability (NM-CUE-EC)
• Cisco Unity Express enhanced network module (NME-CUE)

Each of these flavors gives the flexibility of customizing messaging solution as per customer requirements.   Now we will look into each one of them in detail in subsequent section.

Cisco Unity Advanced Integration Module (AIM-CUE) – It is installed as a module in a Cisco ISR router.  It runs on Linux and controlled by the Intel Celeron 300-MHz with 256 MB of synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).  It has 1 GB of flash memory used to store the OS, configuration files, and voice mail messages.  It is field replaceable module.  It is an entry level hardware platform for Cisco Unity Express, up to 50 mailboxes, 14 hours of storage, and has four to six ports for simultaneously voice sessions, depending on model of Cisco ISR it is installed in.

Cisco Unity Express Network Module (NM-CUE) – This is a network module which is installed in network slot of a Cisco ISR.  This module is Linux based and controlled by 500-MHz CPU / 256 MB SDRAM. A 20 GB IDE disk is used to store OS, configuration files, and voice mail messages.  The disk is not field replaceable.  Hot swapping is not supported.  The Fast Ethernet port and compact flash port both are available in the front of the NM-CUE are not supported by Cisco Unity Express application.  This is a middle level hardware platform for Cisco Unity Express and support 100 mailboxes, 100 hours of storage and eight ports which can be used for simultaneous voice sessions.

Cisco Unity Express Network Module with Enhanced Capability (NM-CUE-EC) – This is a network module which is installed in a  network slot of Cisco ISR.  This module is Linux based and controlled by 500-MHz CPU / 512 MB SDRAM. A 20 GB IDE disk is used to store OS, configuration files, voice mail messages.  The disk is not field replaceable.  Hot swapping is not supported.  The Fast Ethernet port and compact flash port both are available in the front of the NM-CUE are not supported by Cisco Unity Express application.  This is a higher level hardware platform for Cisco Unity Express and support 250 mailboxes, 300 hours of storage and sixteen ports which can be used for simultaneous voice sessions.

Cisco Unity Express Enhanced Network Module (NME-CUE) – this is a network module which is installed in the network slot of a Cisco ISR. This module is Linux based and controlled by 1 GHz CPU / 512 MB SDRAM. A 40 GB IDE disk is used to store OS, configuration files, voice mail messages. T he disk is not field replaceable.  Hot swapping is not supported.  The Fast Ethernet port and compact flash port both are available in the front of the NM-CUE are not supported by Cisco Unity Express application.   This is a higher level hardware platform for Cisco Unity Express and support 250 mailboxes, 300 hours of storage and twenty-four ports which can be used for simultaneous voice sessions.

Lets refer to table 1 below which is listed down the differences in Cisco Unity Express hardware platforms.

Table 1: Cisco Unity Express Hardware Platforms

Table 2 lists down router and minimum OS requirements for each module.

Table 2: Router and OS Requirements

This concludes CCNA Voice lesson on Cisco Unity Express hardware platform flavors. We have learned in this lesson about different hardware flavors available in Cisco Unity Express and features and functionalities of each one of them.