Cisco 2821 ISR & CallManager Express

With the appropriate modules installed, IP telephony comes into play. Cisco has launched a range of phones featuring high-resolution LCD panels and support for video calls. All telephony is managed via the UCE, which provides a smart web interface and full access to all call-related activities and individual IP phones. Wizards make light work of service installation, and the phones can even be registered with the ISR using a barcode scanner. The interface lists all attached IP phones, and you can add information that appears in their display panel. There's a huge range of features available, such as call plans, hunt groups and call blocking. Voicemail comes on the scene with yet another expansion module, which incorporates a hard disk. This is managed by Cisco's Unity Express Voicemail, which integrates with UCE and adds an option to the main interface.

The number of features that can be slotted into the 2821 ISR is remarkable, and we were impressed with how easy the new SMD tools made configuring and monitoring the router. Features such as anti-virus scanning do require extra components, but SMBs that want most of their network functions combined into one solution will find the ISR family takes some beating.

Author: Dave Mitchell