Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM - formally Cisco CallManager), is the core call processing software for the Cisco Unified Communications System. CUCM builds call processing capabilities on top of the Cisco IP Network infrastructure. CUCM is the heart of the Cisco voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system as it interacts with most devices (gateways, conference bridges, music-on-hold servers, IP Telephones, PSTN, etc.) and functions as the Private Branch eXchange (PBX) on the Unified Communications System. The main devices with which the system interacts are the communications endpoints, such as desk phones or software phones. In this environment, each phone has an Ethernet connection. IP phones have all the functionalities of a telephone, as well as advanced features, such as the ability to access World Wide Web sites and network-based applications.

During initial system integrations and during day-two support of a Unified Communications System, many tasks have to be preformed to enhance and maintain the system. Cisco has provided a number of tools to assist the system administrator in managing the daily tasks associated with administering the CUCM system. One of the more frequent and significant tasks is to add the communications endpoints, such as the IP phones. There are multiple ways to add these devices to the system, depending on the number of devices to be added as well as administrator preference.

• Manual - Phones can be added one at a time to the CUCM database by obtaining the Media Access Control (MAC) address from the phone or shipping container. Along with the MAC address, all other configuration settings for the IP Phone must be entered in order to fully add the phone to the system. The manual entry process can be time-consuming and is subject to human errors to the configuration of the phone. This method is not practical for a large number of phones to be installed into the system at one time.
• Auto-Registration - Allows CUCM to automatically assign directory numbers (DNs) from a pool of numbers to new phones as they initially connect to the network. Because the phones are randomly assigned, a DN from the pool the administrator is not aware of specific DN assignments. For a small number of phones, Auto-Registration could be the fastest way to add phones to the network without obtaining MAC address information before registering the phone to the system. For adding large numbers of phones, a one-time Auto-Registration could be a time-consuming process. It would be necessary to reassign each phone the correct DN, based on the person using the phone. Auto-Registration is disabled by default to prevent unauthorized connections to the network. Security is a consideration that must be addressed when turning on Auto-Registration to prohibit unwanted use of the system. Security concerns can include toll fraud due to a rogue IP phone that has accessed the system and obtained a DN via Auto- Registration. You can protect Auto-Registration with Class-Of-Control on the CUCM system.
• Bulk-Administration Tool (BAT) - A web-based application performs bulk transactions to the CUCM database. BAT allows the administrator to add, update, or delete a large number of similar phones, users, or ports simultaneously. By utilizing the CUCM Administrator web page to add devices, each entry is an individual database transaction requiring manual administrator operations. BAT automates the process to achieve faster add, update, and delete operations.
• Auto-Registration Phone Tool - (formerly Tool for Auto-Registered Phones Support [TAPS]). This tool was called TAPS until CUCM V6.x when the name was changed to Auto-Registration Phone Tool. In the CUCM Administration web pages, the tool is still called TAPS; however, in the documentation, it is referred to as Auto-Registration Phone Tool. TAPS enables phone users to dial the TAPS route point DN and download the preconfigured phone settings for the user's directory number. TAPS works in conjunction with CUCM and Customer Response Solution (CRS) in providing an interactive voice session (IVR) to communicate with the user calling the TAPS DN. TAPS uses Auto-Registration, Bulk-Administration Tool, and the CRS server to perform its function.

CM 4.x CRS can run co-resident on the CallManager Publisher or on its own off-box server. CUCM 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x CRS has to reside on its own off-box server because CUCM is now a Linux-based system, and CRS is still a Windows application. TAPS works in the following manner when CUCM and CRS are configured and functioning together.

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