Multimedia Conference Manager
Cisco’s Multimedia Conference Manager can be a gatekeeper for any type of
H.323 endpoint.Thus endpoints with desktop videoconferencing systems or local
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Voice and Video Gatekeeper Design • Chapter 5 137
area network (LAN)-attached video systems for conference rooms or auditoriums
can register with MCM just as well as Cisco’s CallManager or an IP telephone.
Cisco implements the MCM gatekeeper using the H.323/MCM feature set
of its router IOS.The gatekeeper can run on the 2500, 2600, 3600, or 7200
router platforms.
The MCM combines the gatekeeper and proxy services into one product.
Although the proxy is a separate function from the gatekeeper, it is worth mentioning
since it is included with the MCM.The proxy serves several purposes, but
the two most common are security and QoS.
The proxy can provide security by hiding the address of endpoints it serves.
Calls are made to the proxy, and then the proxy makes a corresponding call into
the endpoint.This is similar to the way a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
proxy makes a separate request on behalf of a client.
The proxy can assist with implementing QoS. Since all calls coming from the
proxy will originate with the proxy’s IP address, it is easier to implement priority
queues based on that address. Often, proxies have special QoS features, such as the
ability to signal RSVP for its calls.