Using this guide, you can enable the rich features and capabilities of Cisco collaboration devices. The guide shows what actions are needed at each stage to enable specific features on your journey to the cloud.

Tailor your organization's cloud experience using Cisco's flexible architecture

The flexibility of Cisco’s architecture allows you to take incremental steps to be on the cloud. This architectural flexibility also allows you to make decisions about your calling setup and other existing investments.

If you wish to retain your on-premises calling setup, or you have calling on cloud, the following steps are the same, with a few exceptions which are noted in each section. If you have not yet established your calling setup, read the calling section to review which setup is right for you.

You can learn more about how to get started by viewing the Webex adoption toolkits and guides.

Enable the rich features and capabilities of Cisco collaboration devices

This guide covers what actions are needed at each stage to enable specific features on your journey to the cloud.

Get started with the four main things to consider when starting your cloud adoption journey.

To plan the cloud migration strategy of your Cisco collaboration device deployment, read the guide about Seamless device administration using Control Hub.

Control Hub

Control Hub is an intuitive, web-based, single-pane-of-glass management portal. It is the central interface to manage your organization and users, assign services, view usage analytics, and more.

Control Hub enables you to provision, administer, and manage Webex services and Webex Hybrid Services, such as Hybrid Call Service, Hybrid Calendar Service, Hybrid Directory Service, and Video Mesh.

Learn more about how to get started with Control Hub

Configuration wizard

After a partner has set up Control Hub and licenses for you, they will send you an email to get started. Click Activate in the email and set up a password. Then go through the first-time wizard.

When you later want access to Control Hub, go to https://admin.webex.com/ and log in with your email and password.

Necessary licenses

To connect your devices to the Webex Cloud you'll need to access Control Hub.

Before configuring Control Hub you will need licenses for the devices you want to connect to the cloud. The Cisco Collaboration Flex Plan allows organizations to use Cisco’s industry-leading collaboration tools with one simple subscription-based offer. It helps with transitions to the cloud, and investment protection, by including cloud, on-premises, hosted and hybrid deployments, with the flexibility to use them all.

To get licenses and Control Hub set up for your organization, you need to contact a partner in your locale. Flex is the recommended licensing model but there are many ways to do this, and your partner can help.

Make sure you provide the partner with the email address of the administrator that will set up and manage Control Hub in your organization. Look up your local Cisco partner.

For more information, please refer to the Cisco Collaboration Flex Plan.

Devices

The following devices can be linked to Webex Cloud and Control Hub:

• Desk Series

• Board Series

• Room Series

• Cisco and third-party peripheral

Connection use cases

When connecting devices to the cloud there are two main use cases:

Use case 1

I want my devices to receive all the features from the cloud while leveraging my existing on-premises calling.

To get your devices connected to Webex Edge, the devices need to be running at a minimum an encrypted version of CE9.14.5. When you are ready to connect your devices, use the Device Connector tool

The Device Connector is a tool you can download from Control Hub. It runs locally on your computer and is a one-time connection. Read more about Webex Cloud Connected prerequisites

Note: Ensure your devices can access the Webex Cloud over HTTPS. Ensuring your devices can access via port 443 direct or through a proxy is all that is required. No additional ports or infrastructure are needed.

Use case 2

I want my devices to receive all the features from the cloud, including calling capabilities.

When you are ready to connect your devices, use the Device Connector tool. Device Connector is a tool you can download from Control Hub. It runs locally on your computer and is a one-time connection.

With the Device Connector tool you can onboard and register several devices simultaneously. Read more about onboarding and registering devices

Read more about how to register a new device straight to the cloud

Network and security

Network

Use case 1

I have my devices cloud-connected

When your devices are cloud-connected outside of your already existing network and security setup, there is very little to consider. You need to ensure your devices can access the Webex Cloud over HTTPS. Ensuring your devices can access port 443 direct or through a proxy is all that is required. No additional ports or infrastructure is needed.

Use case 2

I have my devices registered to the cloud (Webex registered)

When your devices are going to be registered to the cloud you will need to open different ports. Read for more information regarding ports and network requirements for Webex services.

Security

You can read about security and network requirements in the Webex network service requirements help article.

Additional Resources:

• Bandwidth planning in your Cisco Webex Meetings environment technical paper

• Allow Webex Meetings traffic on my network

• Connect your Board, Desk, or Room Series device to a proxy server

• Ensure that your devices are tuned for the best experience possible

Webex integrates with the tools you use today, to optimize your employee experience.

Hybrid Calendar – Join meetings with One Button To Push

With Hybrid Calendar Service, you can connect your on-premises Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, or Google Workspace (G Suite) environment to Cisco Webex. This integration makes it easier to schedule and join meetings, especially when mobile; no plugins are required.

Hybrid calendar gives you:

• Simple Meeting Scheduling

• Meetings List

• Join meetings with One Button to Push

• Organization-wide Default Language

Learn more:

• How to deploy Hybrid Calendar

• Overview of One Button to Push

Note:

• Although you do not have to migrate off TMS for management or calendaring, we strongly recommend upgrading your TMS experience and using Control Hub for management and Hybrid Calendar for calendaring. Control Hub is the next generation of device management and analytics and gives you an optimal experience in these areas.

• Only one calendar service can be used at a time, so when you decide to go with Hybrid Calendar, you will no longer be able to use TMS for calendar services.

• Exchange Administrator/Office 365 Admin/Google Admin needs to assign devices a resource account with an email address. This email address will need to be assigned to the workspace in Control Hub.

• Plan for calendar migration and create a workspace up to 28 days in advance via Control Hub.

Single Sign On

Single Sign-on (SSO) allows people to use a single, common set of credentials for all Webex and other connected apps. This provides simplicity for users, assists with adoption rates, and provides greater security and compliance. Setting up SSO also lets you take a phased approach to control which Webex services users can access.

If you have your own identity provider (IdP) in your organization, you can integrate the SAML IdP with your organization in Control Hub for SSO.

You can set up SSO for your organization in Control Hub. First, establish a SAML agreement between the Cisco Webex Platform Identity Service and your IdP. After this, you can enable SSO from the Settings menu.

Read more about how to set up SSO

Directory Connector

Directory Connector allows you to maintain user accounts and data in Active Directory and make changes in one place. When you make a change in Active Directory, it is reflected in the Webex cloud. Directory Connector also gives extra functionality such as Webex Assistant and People Insights.

Learn more:

• How to deploy Directory Connector

• Directory Service

• Managing Users in Control Hub

Webex is a flexible platform, and we have various calling options to satisfy your needs.

Calling considerations

Webex Calling comes with enterprise calling features and all essential business calling capabilities. In addition, there are various calling options available based on deployment, and user’s calling needs. This is a flexible platform, and we have a variety of calling options to satisfy your needs.

Review different options in the table:

Webex Calling

Full-featured phone number and Enterprise Calling features

Webex Calling is our recommended calling solution. It provides all devices with a line, phone number, and additional features such as:

• Call holding

• Call transfer

• Conference/Add a participant on-call

• Voicemail

• User directory

• Webex optimized meeting experience*

• Both Device and call control management through a single pane of Control Hub*

* For these options, Webex optimized meeting experience is provided. These options also provide call control management through a single pane of Control Hub.

Webex for Cisco BroadWorks

Service Provider Hosted

This is the recommended solution if you buy your call control from a service provider partner which is hosted with Webex for Cisco BroadWorks. The following features will soon become available:

• Complete call control features with primary line and midcall features, voicemail, calling contacts, and integrations

• Webex optimized meeting experience*

• Both device and call control management through a single pane of Control Hub*

* For these options, Webex optimized meeting experience is provided. These options also provide call control management through a single panel of Control Hub.

Unified CM

Full-featured phone number and enterprise calling features

For on-premises devices, this is currently the most used calling option. As an admin, you can configure a room or desk device to use Unified CM to call. The device gets a phone number, and a directory URI is assigned. You can also configure PSTN calling through gateways.

Note: The shared mode devices and personal mode devices in this deployment can call PSTN numbers outside the enterprise, such as mobile numbers, and receive calls on their assigned number.

To get Webex optimized meeting experience and calling through Unified CM, you can use Webex Edge for Devices. For more details, refer to the Webex Edge for Devices section.

Call on Webex

The default calling option for all organizations that use the calling service or buy the supported devices for Webex calling.

• Allows 1-on-1 calling only. No additional user can be added to the call.

• Applies to all devices, whether in a Shared mode or Personal mode.

• No voicemail or midcall features are available.

Note:

• No phone numbers are associated with the device; others can call the device using the user’s Webex address (URI)

• If using this option, we recommended migrating to Webex Calling

Associating phone numbers

When a device is only activated on Webex, there are two options to associate a phone number to the device depending on which call service is available in your deployment. The following options are provided:

If you are using Webex Calling:

Associate a phone number with a device

As an admin, you can assign a phone number to the room device. Room devices can call other phone numbers or receive calls on the number associated with the device. For an improved experience, we recommend migrating to native Webex Calling when it becomes available.

For Unified CM calling:

Associate a phone number with the device using Hybrid Calling

Use case example: I want to use an existing on-premises UCM architecture for PSTN core services on cloud registered devices.

With Unified CM, administrators can associate a phone number for the room device or user’s device by using the Device connector tool. These room devices can then call other phone numbers or receive calls on the number that is associated with the device. Read more about adding shared devices and services to a workspace.

Learn more about how to deploy Hybrid Calling for your Cisco devices.

Get the ultimate meeting environment on your on-premises devices by linking them to Webex Edge for Devices with Webex optimized experience enabled.

With Webex Edge for Devices, you can choose to have a cloud meeting experience using an on-premises registered Cisco device without the need for any routing setup on the call control platform.

When a Cisco device is linked to the Webex Cloud with Webex Edge for Devices, the signaling for call control and media flows are left on-premises.

With Webex optimized experience enabled:

• Webex Meeting call requests route directly from the Cisco device to the Webex Cloud (cloud call)

• Any other calls are still controlled and routed by the local call control platform (Unified CM or Expressway) including 1:1 go a cloud user or another cloud device.

Webex Edge for Devices with Webex optimized experience gives you access to premium cloud in-call functionality such as:

• Consistent app and devices experience

• Advanced collaboration through white-boarding, including two-way whiteboarding

• In-meeting intelligence such as face recognition name labels and reactions

• Far-end camera control

• Directional audio

Advanced meeting and host controls including:

• Lock meeting

• Record

• Admit, Admit all

• Activate Webex assistant for closed captioning (license dependent)

• Lower all hands

• Transfer host

• Transfer host and leave

• Mute/Unmute All (Cisco device still needs to manually unmute)

• Mute on entry

• Allow participants to unmute themselves

To get the Webex optimized experience on your on-premises devices, you need to:

• Link devices to Webex Edge for Devices with required ports enabled

• Enable read and write access to device configurations from Control Hub

• Enable cloud-managed software upgrades . These happen automatically, approximately once a month with the latest bug fixes

• Enable Webex optimized experience

Read more about the Network Requirements for the Webex Cloud Service

Cloud connected devices

As organizations shift to hybrid workplace models, a well-functioning home office is critical to effective collaboration. The correct setup enables workers to keep in touch and seamlessly collaborate with colleagues in the office or at home.

In most cases, the home network of a worker is sufficient for high-quality video conferencing experiences. Check the guidelines for network requirements.

Once you have registered your devices to Webex Cloud, either the user themselves or the admin can set up the device to receive calls directly. In addition, you can manage and monitor all the cloud-registered devices remotely from Control Hub.

The activation codes for your users can be created from Control Hub. For example, if the users have a Webex account setup, they can generate an activation code using settings in Webex.

Read how to:

• Assign a Desk Series device to a user

• Generate an activation a code from Control Hub

• Add and manage users in Control Hub

Personal mode

Note: This is only applicable for Webex cloud customers, not Webex Edge for Devices customers.

Devices assigned to a user have the option to be set up in personal mode. Personal mode ties the device to a specific user (like a laptop or phone being assigned to only you).

Personal mode has many advantages, including giving One Button to Push for calendared meetings, and ringing automatically when someone calls the user directly.

Learn more about Personal Mode.

Note: Remote sensor data and remote management of these devices are limited to be in compliance with data privacy.

To activate

From Webex User Hub or Webex App, you can get an activation code to set up your device without having to be an administrator.

On User Hub, go to the Settings page. Select Devices and Add device to generate an activation code for a Cisco collaboration device.

On Webex App, go to Settings and select Devices and Generate Activation Code.

When you get your new device, go through the setup wizard and enter the activation code when prompted. If you need to re-register a device, go to the device's Settings menu and Factory reset. The go through the setup wizard and enter the activation when prompted.

After you have finished the setup, your device is ready for use.

Read more about how to set up your device.

By harnessing Cisco’s cloud capabilities on devices, you can empower your organization to prepare for a safe return to the office while creating the optimum hybrid office and working from home experience.

Further information:

• Intelligent workplace

• Hybrid workplace

Webex AI Assistant for devices

With Webex Assistant for Devices, you can control your Board, Desk, or Room Series devices with voice commands. This way you can join meetings, call your colleagues, and control the device simply by speaking.

Further reading:

• Get started with Webex Assistant for devices

• Learn how to enable Webex Assistant for devices

Room booking - Cisco Room Navigator

Cisco devices and the Webex Hybrid Calendar have an embedded room booking solution, the Room Booking app on Room Navigator.

A Room Navigator located outside a meeting room enables workers to quickly locate available rooms and book them ad-hoc. A Room Navigator inside the meeting complements the latter and blends room control with room booking functions.

Device sensors are located inside the room and enable advanced features such as automatic room release or automatic ad-hoc booking.

Learn about:

• Room Navigator Unboxing, Setup and Overview

• Set up Room Navigator as a Room Booking device

• Installation guide for Room Navigator

Digital signage

Cisco digital signage enables you to promote events and programs by broadcasting your message with images and video on screens in your building.

Signage in the workplace usually requires dedicated components, such as a TV and a Digital Media Player. Devices contain a web browser that allows for all kinds of content to be played.

Digital signage can be configured for any URL of choice. Learn how to enable digital signage on Boards, Desk Pro, and Room Series Devices.

You can also enable digital signage using Appspace. The Appspace content management system integrated into the Webex Control Hub management tool allows you to create multiple channels and customize the content for different sets of rooms or devices. Learn about Cisco devices for digital signage with Appspace.

With the Boards and Desk Pro, channels with interactive content can also be displayed on touch screens.

Sensor data and analytics

Using sensors for workspace utilization in Control Hub

Devices embed a set of workplace sensors that are used to understand the environment workers are in. The main types of sensors are:

• People sensors - measure room occupation and the number of people in the room

• Sound sensors - measure different kinds of noises and the acoustics of a room

• Environment sensors - measure the air quality, temperature, humidity and light

Learn how to enable sensors and view historical data in Control Hub.

Humidity, temperature, and air quality

The sensors do not require any other installation, are securely connected to the network, and come at no additional cost. The sensors report into Control Hub tool as soon as the device is registered, and the data created will be made available to 3rd parties.

Workspace analytics

Workspace analytics gives rich insights and data about how the workspace is being utilized.

For Workspace Analytics to be supported, Control Hub must be enabled. Workspace Analytics can then be viewed under Workspaces in Control Hub. It must be toggled to on for analytics to become available. Devices will need to be enabled individually or through bulk configuration.

Workspace analytics can capture current as well as historical information about the workspace the device is in. It can measure the experience workers are having, regardless of whether people are on calls or in face-to-face meetings. Using sensors, the device measures noise levels, temperature, and air quality even when the device is not in use.

The information collected by the sensors in the devices gives a set of information about the surrounding area. While this can be done at an individual device level, setting it up in Control Hub will give you an understanding of how people are experiencing the overall workspace.

Available data:

• Utilization metrics - how is the device being used and the workspace being utilized

• Booking information - is the room booked/not booked

• Real-time environmental metrics - noise levels in the room, background noise

• Temperature, humidity and air quality data are also available if the device has temperature or humidity capabilities or has a Room Navigator.

You can learn which devices obtain various data about Workspace analytics, in Control Hub. For example, click on ‘Temperature’ in Control Hub and you will see ‘view supported devices’. This shows what it is supported, and if it is supported through Room Navigator.

Further reading:

• Control Hub management and analytics

• Analytics for your cloud collaboration portfolio

• Sensors and analytics in Cisco collaboration devices

People count

Devices can detect the number of people in a room, regardless of them being in a call or not. Control Hub displays the information from the device, giving the administrator an overview of what is happening in the workspaces. Administrators can view how the rooms are being currently utilized, as well as historical data.

Note: People count is only applicable to some devices.

Intelligent framing using AI

By analyzing where people are and deciding which is the optimal way for them to be presented, Intelligent framing creates a more real and interactive conversation between people in different locations.

Best overview and speaker track

All devices have speaker tracking settings, either through speaker track or best overview, depending on the device.

For example, best overview is used on Board Series and Room Kit Mini to best frame the people it detects in the room.

Using triangulation to establish where sound is coming from, speaker track frames the active speaker and people on either side.

Note: Best overview and Speaker track are on by default on Cisco devices. Read here about how to enable and disable speaker track

People focus and frames

People Focus utilizes the intelligence built into our cameras to dynamically update the screen layout, ensuring you always get the best view in a meeting, regardless of where you join from.

Learn more about people focus - get the ideal view, every time.

Meeting zone

With the Meeting Zone feature, you can now ensure that only people within the relevant area (meeting zone) are in focus, minimizing distractions from outside the zone.

Learn more about setting up meeting zones.

Name labels and face recognition

Face recognition is used to create name labels in a meeting, giving people a chance to associate names with faces. In a meeting, name labels will appear over the active speaker letting you know who is currently speaking.

Read more about how to enable face recognition.

You can’t be expected to commit to a single platform. And with Cisco collaboration devices, you don’t have to.

For the absolute best quality meeting experience, we recommend using the Webex App.

However, you can set up your Cisco devices to join other meeting platforms, such as Microsoft Teams in certain scenarios. This makes it easy to use your existing meeting rooms for all types of video meetings and get all the benefits from the device’s screen, camera, and audio capabilities.

This also means that you can have the best and most consistent user experience with One Button To Push (OBTP) on your Cisco devices regardless of the meeting type a user is calling in to. You need to enable the Hybrid Calendar Connector in order to set up One Button To Push.

Microsoft Teams

There are three main ways to join Microsoft Teams meetings from your Cisco device:

Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms

Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms brings together a full suite of next-generation Room, Board, and Desk Series devices and the power of the Microsoft Teams Rooms end-user experience into a single hybrid workspace solution.

This flexible, unique offering provides the option to run the native Microsoft Teams Rooms experience on certified video bars, room kits, integrated room systems, collaboration boards, all-in-one desk devices, and Microsoft Teams panels.

With embedded device intelligence, advanced UI customizations, unparalleled multi-platform interop, and expert workspace management, you can elevate the Microsoft Teams Rooms experience from the focus room to the large boardroom.

Learn more:

• Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms

• Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms adoption guide

• Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms help articles

Cisco Webex Video Integration for Microsoft Teams

If you use Cisco devices and Microsoft Teams tenant as your primary meeting platform, Video Integration for Microsoft Teams (VIMT) is the preferred option.

VIMT gives you a full feature set including participant lists, the ability to mute/unmute participants, and two-way content sharing. It means all your meeting types, including Webex will have a unified user experience.

When you have Hybrid Calendar Connector enabled, VIMT will automatically enable you to join Microsoft Teams meetings.

Note:

• You need to enable Hybrid Calendar Connector in order to set up One Button To Push

• VIMT requires an additional license. Please contact your partner or Cisco representative for more information.

Learn more:

• Buying options

• Video Integration for Microsoft Teams

• How to deploy Cisco Webex VIMT

• Webex Edge - Cisco VIMT and MS Teams - The many ways to join! (Video)

WebRTC

In the event an external organization does not have VIMT, you can still use your Cisco device to join an external Microsoft Teams meeting. The device will automatically launch the WebRTC browser allowing you to join with One Button to Push.

WebRTC uses the web engine on modern Cisco devices such as the Room, Board, and Desk series. There are some limitations with WebRTC:

• A meeting participant list is available, but without the ability to manage the meeting lobby

• You can only receive screen sharing

• WebRTC only supports a single screen. Dual screen systems will only utilize one of the displays

• There is reduced management of quality including latency and package loss

• You will be limited to the capabilities of the Microsoft Teams client, for example, grid views

Note:

• Web engine is not supported on the older series of codecs (DX/SX/MX)

• The Microsoft tenant requires anonymous guest access in order for WebRTC to join from devices

Learn more:

• How to enable WebRTC

• How to join a Microsoft Teams meeting with WebRTC

Zoom Conference Room Connector

Cisco devices can join Zoom meetings leveraging the Conference Room Connector, delivered by Zoom.

If you have Hybrid Calendar enabled, Cisco will automatically scrape the SIP URI and give you One Button to Push.

Learn more:

• Scraping for SIP URIs

• Zoom Conference Room Connector

• How the Hybrid Calendar service works

• How to join a Zoom meeting from your Cisco video device

• Technical overview of Hybrid Calendar

Google Meet

Learn more on how to enable WebRTC to join Google Meet meetings on Cisco devices.

Standard-based systems

You can use your Cisco devices to join other third-party meeting services such as Pexip, BlueJeans, and Polycom through SIP standards-based dialing. You can simply dial the URL and join.

If the URI is in the hybrid calendar accepted format, Cisco will automatically scrape and give you One Button to Push.

Read here to see how the hybrid calendar service works