Method and system for supporting cross cluster extension mobility in internet-protocol telephony

• US 7,839,879 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trasi, Atul, Huang, Chunfeng, Bao, Ho, Keller, Daniel Scott, Sauter, Susan Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais; Mark A
• Application Number:
  US11/675,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/420, 370/466, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method to support cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) in a communication network, which includes a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a call manager, the method includes receiving a request for cross cluster extension mobility from a user on a first telephony device located in a first cluster; adding a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user, only if the first cluster is different from the home cluster. The method further includes performing extension mobility login for the user on the first telephony device; and configuring a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster.

Claims

1. A method to support cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) in a communication network, which includes a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a call manager, the method comprising:

receiving a request for cross cluster extension mobility from a user on a first telephony device located in a first cluster;

adding a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user, only if the first cluster is different from the home cluster;

performing extension mobility login for the user on the first telephony device; and

configuring a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster.

2. The method of claim 1, in which receiving a request for cross cluster extension mobility from a user on a first telephony device located in a first cluster comprises receiving a user ID and a PIN from the user.

3. The method of claim 2, in which adding a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user comprises determining the home cluster using the user ID.

4. The method of claim 1, in which adding a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user comprises:

creating a configuration file for the second telephony device;

storing the configuration file in a local TFTP path of the call manager in the home cluster.

7. The method of claim 1, in which configuring a TFTP service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster comprises:

disabling caching of configuration files in the call manager;

setting an alternate file location to include an IP address and a TFTP path for all other clusters in the communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the first telephony device and the second telephony device to support extension mobility.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing extension mobility logout.

10. The method of claim 9, in which performing extension mobility logout comprises removing the second telephony device from the home cluster, if any.

11. The method of claim 10, in which removing the second telephony device from the home cluster comprises renaming the first telephony device by replacing a name for the first telephony device with a name for the second telephony device, the name for the second telephony device being an original name for the first telephony device.

5. A method to support cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) in a communication network, which includes a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a call manager, the method comprising:

receiving a request for cross cluster extension mobility from a user on a first telephony device located in a first cluster;

adding a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user, only if the first cluster is different from the home cluster, in which adding a second telephony device in a home cluster comprises;

obtaining a Media Access Control (MAC) address and a phone type for the first telephony device;

adopting a device name for the second telephony device, such that the device name of the second telephony device is the same as an original device name for the first telephony device; and

replacing the original device name for the first telephony device with some other name;

performing extension mobility login for the user on the first telephony device; and

configuring a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster.

6. The method of claim 5, in which replacing the original device name for the first telephony device with some other name comprises replacing first three characters of the original device name for the first telephony device with ‘

CCC’

.

12. A device, comprising:

a connection to a first cluster in a communication network, the first cluster comprising a call manager;

a connection to a home cluster in the communication network; and

a cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) service operable to;

receive a request for cross cluster extension mobility from a user on a first telephony device located in the first cluster;

add a second telephony device in the home cluster for the user, only if the first cluster is different from the home cluster;

perform extension mobility login for the user on the first telephony device; and

configure a TFTP service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster.

13. The device of claim 12, in which adding a second telephony device in the home cluster for the user comprises determining the home cluster using a user ID.

14. The device of claim 12, in which the CCEM service is operable to add the second telephony device in the home cluster by:

obtaining a MAC address and a phone type for the first telephony device;

adopting a device name for the second telephony device, such that the device name of the second telephony device is the same as an original device name for the first telephony device; and

replacing the original device name for the first telephony device with some other name.

15. The device of claim 12, in which the CCEM service is operable to configure the TFTP service parameter of the call manager in the first cluster by:

disabling caching of configuration files in the call manager in the first cluster;

setting an alternate file location to include an IP address and a TFTP path for all other clusters in the communication network.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the CCEM service is further operable to perform extension mobility logout.

17. The device of claim 16, in which the CCEM service is operable to perform extension mobility logout by removing the second telephony device from the home cluster.

18. A system for supporting cross cluster extension mobility (CCEM) in a communication network, which includes a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a call manager, the system comprising:

a first telephony device in a first cluster, the first telephony device including;

a user interface operable to receive a user input; and

a network interface couple to the user interface and operable to communicate the user input over the communication network;

an application server coupled to the communication network, the application server including;

a network interface operable to receive the user input from the first telephony device; and

a CCEM service application coupled to the network interface, the CCEM service application operable to perform extension mobility login for the user on the first telephony device and to add a second telephony device in a home cluster for the user, only if the first cluster is different from the home cluster, by;

obtaining a Media Access Control (MAC) address and a phone type for the first telephony device;

adopting a device name for the second telephony device, such that the device name of the second telephony device is the same as an original device name for the first telephony device; and

replacing the original device name for the first telephony device with some other name; and

a call manager in the first cluster, the call manager including;

a network interface; and

a TFTP service, wherein the TFTP service is configurable to include an alternate file location for all other clusters in the communication network.

19. The system of claim 18, in which the first telephony device is further operable to support extension mobility.

20. The system of claim 18, in which the first telephony device is an IP phone.

21. The system of claim 18, in which the CCEM service application is further operable to perform cross cluster extension mobility logout.