8941/8945 Firmware Upgrades

Got the lab 8945 out of the cupboard today to register it to a CUCM 10.5 server, unfortunately it kept seizing up during the firmware upgrade - the display would show "upgrade in progress" & the phone is totally unresponsive. Turns out you can't upgrade 8941/8945 phones to firmware version 9.4(1) or later unless you're running 9.3(4). The firmware release notes do actually state this important fact, so remember always read the release notes when upgrading phone firmware!

Ordering Personal MultiParty & Expressways

Cisco have started bundling some nice new toys at no extra charge if you have valid ESW & UCSS contracts in place. CUWL Pro users get Personal MultiParty, which is a combination of TelePresence Conductor & TelePresence Server to enable 4 participant video conferences. All licence levels (UCL Essential aside) get Expressway-C & Expressway-E virtual machines to enable Mobile and Remote Access for Jabber.
Unusually for existing deployments you don't use PUT to request the relevant install media & licences, instead you must place orders for zero cost items with your Cisco Partner.
The top level part codes that can be used are:

• L-CUWL-MISC for Personal MultiParty
• R-UCL-UCL-LIC-K9 for Expressways

An example bill of materials for 50 users Personal MultiParty & 4 Expressways (so they can be clustered) looks like this:


1.0    L-CUWL-MISC    Unified Workplace Licensing - Top Level -  Misc Addon Only        x1
1.0.1    CON-SES4-CUWLMISC    SC ESS ADV SAS Unified Workplace Licensing-Top Level        x1
1.1    LIC-PM-V-USRA-UWL    Personal Multiparty Video for Virtual Machine            x50
1.2    LIC-CNDTR-PMP-K9    Conductor License for Base Encrypted Software Image        x1
1.3    LIC-VTS-PMP-INTOP    Order L-VTS-UPG-PAK for e-Delivery Virtual TS Interop Lic    x2
1.4    LIC-VTS-PMPUWL-1SL    Cisco TelePresence Server Resource License            x10
1.5    LIC-VTS-PMP-PAK    PAK for e-Delivery Virtual TS Lic                    x1
1.6    VMCNDCTR-PMP-K9    Virtual TelePresence Conductor  supports Personal Multiparty        x1
1.7    SW-VTS-V4.X-PMP-K9    Software Image v4.X for Virtual TelePresence Server        x2
1.8    LIC-AES-VTS-PMP-K9    AES and HTTPS option for VTS                    x2
1.9    LIC-CNDTR-PMP-B30    Conductor license support up to 30 bridges            x1
1.10    LIC-CNDTR-PMP-CL    Conductor clustering support                    x1
1.11    LIC-VMCNDTR-PMP-PK    PAK for virtual Conductor                    x1
1.12    SW-CDTR-2.X-PMP-K9    Cisco TelePresence Conductor base software image v2.X        x1
1.13    LIC-VTS-PMP-K9    Cisco VM TelePresence Server Release Key                x2
1.14    VTS-PMP-K9    Cisco VM Telepresence Server                        x2
1.15    LIC-CNDR-PMP-C2400    Conductor 2400 call sessions license                x1
           
2.0    R-UCL-UCM-LIC-K9    Top Level SKU For 9.x/10.x User License - eDelivery        x1
2.0.1    CON-ESW-RUCLUCK9    ESSENTIAL SW Top Level SKU For 9.                x1
2.1    EXPWY-VE-C-K9    Cisco Expressway-C Server Virtual Edition                x2
2.1.0.1    CON-ESW-EXPWYVEC    ESSENTIAL SW Cisco Expressway-C S                x2
2.2    EXPWY-VE-E-K9    Cisco Expressway-E Server Virtual Edition                x2
2.2.0.1    CON-ESW-EXPWYVEE    ESSENTIAL SW Cisco Expressway-E Server Virtual Editi        x2
2.3    SW-EXP-8.X-K9    Software Image for Expressway with Encryption Version X8        x1
2.4    LIC-EXP-E-PAK    Expressway Series Expressway-E PAK                    x1
2.5    LIC-SW-EXP-K9    License Key Software Encrypted                        x4
2.6    LIC-EXP-GW    Enable GW Feature (H323-SIP)                        x4
2.7    LIC-EXP-SERIES    Enable Expressway Series Feature Set                    x4
2.8    LIC-EXP-TURN    Enable TURN Relay Option                        x2
2.9    LIC-EXP-E    Enable Expressway-E Feature Set                        x2
2.10    LIC-EXP-AN    Enable Advanced Networking Option                    x2


To enable video calls through the Expressways requires Rich Media Session licences to be installed on every Expressway (both C & E). Simply add LIC-EXP-RMS under the options for the Expressways, each licence equates to 1 sessions, so select the quantity based on the of calls you want through each one.
Finally note that you have to be careful when redeeming the PAK codes you receive as LIC-EXP-E-PAK & LIC-VTS-PMP-PAK will have multiple licence quantities attached that will need to be fulfilled against different serial numbers to receive the option keys.