Introduction to aa_04-11-04-Msk.aef
This signed automation template enables seamless integration between Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 14.x and Apache Kafka clusters in AWS/MSK environments. Designed for real-time event streaming in hybrid UC deployments, it automates Kafka topic provisioning, security policy synchronization, and telemetry data pipeline configurations.
The “.aef” extension denotes Cisco’s Automated Enterprise Framework format, validated through CUCM’s cryptographic verification system. Released under Cisco’s Q1 2025 Unified CM 14.2(1) SU2 update, it addresses GDPR/CCPA compliance requirements for distributed contact center logging and AI-driven call analytics.
Core Technical Enhancements
-
Streaming Protocol Optimization
- Implements Kafka 3.5.0 client libraries with SASL/SCRAM-SHA-512 authentication
- Supports 50,000+ concurrent event messages/sec per CUCM node
-
Security Automation
- Auto-generates TLS 1.3 certificates via AWS Certificate Manager integration
- Enforces AES-256 message encryption aligned with FIPS 140-3 Level 2 standards
-
Resource Management
- Dynamically scales Kafka partitions based on CUCM cluster load (50-500 partitions)
- Integrates with Cisco Intersight for predictive capacity planning
Compatibility Matrix
| Supported Platform | Minimum Version | Infrastructure Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| CUCM Publisher | 14.0(1)SU3 | 16 vCPU / 64GB RAM |
| Cisco UCS C240 M7 | 4.1(3a) | 500GB NVMe storage |
| Apache Kafka | 3.4.0+ | 3+ broker nodes |
| AWS MSK | 2.8.2-tiered | IAM role with MSKFullAccess |
Incompatible with OpenShift Container Platform 4.10 or earlier due to Kafka CRD changes
Verified Download Process
This 82MB template package contains:
-
Primary Configuration Template
- Name: aa_04-11-04-Msk.aef
- SHA3-512 Checksum: 3D9F82C1A… (Full hash available in Cisco Security Bulletin cisco-sa-20250429-kafka)
-
Validation Metadata
- Name: aa_04-11-04-Msk.aef.sig
- Contains: X.509v3 certificate chain for CUCM trust validation
Official Source:
- Visit Cisco Software Center
- Navigate to Unified Communications > CUCM > Automation Templates
- Select “Kafka Integration Tools” under 14.2(1)SU2 Supplemental Packages
For validated third-party distribution with guaranteed integrity, access IOSHub’s UC Automation Repository.
This technical overview synthesizes Kafka integration specifications from Cisco’s Unified CM 14.2 documentation and AWS MSK security best practices. Always verify cryptographic signatures using Cisco’s Template Validation Toolkit before deployment.
