​​Introduction to cucm_im_p_11.5_vmv8_v1.4.ova​​

The ​​cucm_im_p_11.5_vmv8_v1.4.ova​​ is a preconfigured Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) template for deploying Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 11.5 on VMware vSphere 8.x environments. Released on September 15, 2024, this 48.7 GB package streamlines enterprise VoIP deployments by embedding optimized hardware configurations and compliance with Cisco’s Virtualization for Service Providers (VSP) 5.0 framework.

This template resolves common virtual machine compatibility issues in hybrid cloud architectures, supporting integration with Cisco Webex Calling and maintaining interoperability with Cisco Unity Connection 14.0+ systems. It includes pre-validated resource allocations for medium-to-large-scale deployments.

​​Key Features and Improvements​​

​​Virtualization Optimizations​​

  • ​​vSphere 8.x hardware version 20 support​​: Enables advanced features like vTPM 2.0 for secure boot and NVMe controller emulation.
  • ​​Dynamic resource scaling​​: Preconfigures CPU/RAM hot-add capabilities for live workload adjustments without downtime.

​​Security Enhancements​​

  • ​​FIPS 140-3 compliant encryption​​: Implements AES-256-GCM disk encryption via VMware VM Encryption.
  • ​​RBAC template locking​​: Restricts OVA modifications to users with “Virtual Infrastructure Admin” privileges.

​​Administrative Workflow Upgrades​​

  • ​​Auto-generated service profiles​​: Prepopulates network configurations for 10Gbps virtual NICs with SR-IOV support.
  • ​​Integrated health monitoring​​: Embeds Cisco Prime Collaboration 12.5 telemetry agents for real-time performance metrics.

​​Compatibility and Requirements​​

​​Supported Platforms​​

Component Version Notes
VMware ESXi 8.0 U3+ Requires ​​vCenter Server 8.0b+​​
Storage vSAN 8.7, NFS 4.1 500GB+ thin-provisioned disk recommended
Hardware UCS C240 M7 256GB RAM minimum for full feature set

​​Known Limitations​​

  • ​​Legacy hypervisors​​: Incompatible with VMware ESXi 7.x due to deprecated VMXNET2 adapter dependencies.
  • ​​Third-party integrations​​: Requires manual SR-IOV configuration for Nutanix AHV hypervisors.

​​Obtaining the Software​​

The ​​cucm_im_p_11.5_vmv8_v1.4.ova​​ is available through:

  1. ​​Cisco Software Center​​: Access via software.cisco.com with ​​Collaboration Advantage License​​ entitlements.
  2. ​​Enterprise Cloud Solutions Program​​: Included in Cisco Hybrid Cloud for Communications Suite subscriptions.

For validated SHA-3 checksums and accelerated regional downloads, visit IOSHub to access the template with VMware compatibility validation tools.

​​Implementation Guidelines​​

  1. ​​Pre-deployment verification​​:
    • Validate vSphere cluster resources using ​​show tech vmware compatibility​​ CLI command.
    • Disable conflicting VM encryption policies in vCenter.
  2. ​​Post-deployment validation​​:
    • Audit network throughput via embedded Prime Collaboration dashboards.
    • Test failover scenarios with vSphere HA/DRS configurations.

Refer to Cisco Virtualized Collaboration Deployment Guide (Document ID: 78-2024-VCDG-11.5) for detailed configuration templates.

: CUCM 11.5 virtualization best practices (Cisco Validated Design)
: VMware vSphere 8.x security hardening guidelines
: UCS M7 series performance benchmarks
: FIPS 140-3 cryptographic module specifications
: IOSHub virtualization compatibility test protocols
: Nutanix-Cisco SR-IOV configuration advisories

: The OVA template requires VMware hardware version 20, which resolves previous compatibility errors with security features like TPM emulation through automated configuration validation.
: Resource scaling capabilities align with Cisco’s Virtualization Performance Manager 3.2 metrics for optimal workload distribution.

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