Rating: 
Summary: Configuring Cisco VoIP - Real World Information
Review: Configuring Cisco VoIP goes beyond the marketing hype of voice/data convergence and presents Cisco VoIP solutions that have been extensively field tested and are ready for deployment today. An extraordinary team of IT professionals with decades of combined experience contributed real world configuration, design and troubleshooting information critical to the success of any VoIP deployment. All of this organized for quick and easy access without wading through volumes of documentation. One of the first steps on the way to true voice/data convergence with IP enabled phones is to realize the tremendous cost savings of toll-bypass VoIP solutions. Toll-bypass VoIP allows for the transport and convergence of PBX voice circuits with existing data independent of the underlying layer 2 transport. This means that your existing Frame Relay, leased line and ATM circuits all can transport voice with data using VoIP technology! Voice over IP presents added efficiencies over previous Time Division Mux and proprietary layer 2 convergence technologies. Specifically, the ability to dynamically share bandwidth between voice and data applications so that idle bandwidth is not unnecessarily wasted while simultaneously providing a migration path to emerging, converged voice/data applications. Our goal in writing this book was to introduce not only information on how to configure VoIP on Cisco 2600, 3600, 7200 and AS5300 platforms but to present case studies and configuration examples, which guide the reader through real-world studies of this technology. Included is an introduction to the basics of telephony covering the different types of voice interfaces such as loop start, ground start, E&M and digital signaling along with theory on modulation techniques, inband and out of band signaling, voice codecs, etc. We move on to a thorough introduction to the H.323 family of standards, which cover the key components of a scalable H.323 network such as Gatekeepers, Gateways and MCUs. Specifics of Cisco VoIP implementations in IOS are integrated along with salient related QOS topics such as Weighted Fair Queuing, Class Based Weighted Fair Queuing, FRF.12/MLPPP Fragmentation and IP precedence. Troubleshooting tips along with Cisco configuration examples are also incorporated. The book wraps-up with an introduction to Cisco's AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) which enables new, emerging technologies such as IP phones, Unified Messaging and Virtual Call Centers. Keith O'Brien CCIE#2591 Consulting Systems Engineer Cisco Systems
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Summary: The ONLY book of its kind
Review: Coverage of both analog and digital voice connections for 2600, 3600, 7200 and AS5300 series routers. Superb writing by Elliot Lewis (net.world), Dr. Bouchra Ejjaki (INS) and Technical Editing by Keith O'Brien (Cisco Systems, CCIE #2591). Configure various levels of QoS. Includes coverage of emerging technologies such as AVVID.
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Summary: Great Technical Discussions
Review: Great configuration examples that elimate the need of having to wade through the Cisco Manuals. The first chapter also helped me understand the how the industry is evolving. Also good overview of the AVVID phones.
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Summary: Buy the CIM Basic Voip over IP Instead
Review: I just passed the CVoice exam and this was one of the (few available) books that I used. I also used the Cisco Interactive Mentor for VOIP and found it to be FAR superior to this book, both in terms of general technical info and test preparation. I also recently picked up Integrating Voice and Data Networks (Cisco Press) and what I've read so far has convinced me that there is no reason on earth to buy this book anymore -- the long awaited "good Cisco VOIP book(s)" are here, and this is definitely not one of them. Aside from the IPv6 padding (which I also objected to), I also had a real problem with the author's writing style -- it was almost like someone just typed up some random notes. I can't understand what the 5 star reviewers are talking about ... this book is definitely NOT going to be a classic. My only hope is that there isn't a second edition. Save your money and buy the CIM or Cisco Press book.
Rating:
Summary: Buy the CIM Basic Voip over IP Instead
Review: I just passed the CVoice exam and this was one of the (few available) books that I used. I also used the Cisco Interactive Mentor for VOIP and found it to be FAR superior to this book, both in terms of general technical info and test preparation. I also recently picked up Integrating Voice and Data Networks (Cisco Press) and what I've read so far has convinced me that there is no reason on earth to buy this book anymore -- the long awaited "good Cisco VOIP book(s)" are here, and this is definitely not one of them. Aside from the IPv6 padding (which I also objected to), I also had a real problem with the author's writing style -- it was almost like someone just typed up some random notes. I can't understand what the 5 star reviewers are talking about ... this book is definitely NOT going to be a classic. My only hope is that there isn't a second edition. Save your money and buy the CIM or Cisco Press book.
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Summary: Very little information for a lot of pages
Review: I work on Cisco VOIP networks and have been looking for good books on the subject, but I was really disappointed by this one. What I had hoped for was (a) coverage of technology issues and protocols like H.323, SIP, MGCP, etc., (b) coverage of PSTN and telephony topics like loop start, etc. (I'm from a data background) and (c) coverage of how to configure Cisco products to support these. What I got instead was a book with big type and huge margins (kind of reminds me of the term papers I wrote in school) and a 100 (! ) page section on IPv6, which has absolutely nothing to do with VOIP (curiously, Syngress also has a similar-looking book out on IPv6 ... go figure). The configuration examples were also just that -- examples. One of the things I liked about taking Cisco classes was that they explained what all the config commands were meant to do from a technology point of view (not just an IOS point of view). This book almost seems like someone cut and pasted info off Cisco's website. In all fairnes, I bought this book sight unseen and maybe had set my hopes too high -- there's a real need for a good Cisco VOIP book. Unfortunately, this one looks more like an attempt to capitalize on the VOIP frenzy than a well-thought out, well-planned book.
Rating: 
Summary: Above Average Reference
Review: I'm really glad I picked this title up. No, it's not an all encompassing guru level text on VOip, but for us folks who have some idea of the technology, but want some further information, it's really good. I can understand many of these 3 or 4 star reviews but these 1 star reviews are, in my opinion, missing the strong parts of the book.
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Summary: This book really helped me
Review: I've been wrestling with implementing Cisco Voice products for the past several months. I've been having a lot of trouble setting up Gatekeepers, and this book goes through all the complexities of the various configurations. The case studies are also incredibly helpful.
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Summary: Helped me deploy "Toll Bypass"
Review: If you know nothing about VoIP before reading this book, you will not know much after reading it. This book does not go into detail regarding any of the protocols for VoIP nor does it give much detail regarding router configurations. Skip this book.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible
Review: If you know nothing about VoIP before reading this book, you will not know much after reading it. This book does not go into detail regarding any of the protocols for VoIP nor does it give much detail regarding router configurations. Skip this book.
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