Exam Profile: Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications v8.0/TVOICE v8.0 (642-427)
Date: Jun 15, 2011
The Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications v8.0 (TVOICE v8.0) 642-427 is the exam associated with the CCNP Voice certification. This exam tests a candidate's knowledge and skills required to troubleshoot Cisco Unified Communications systems and solutions in different deployments. In addition, the exams tests a candidates knowledge in troubleshooting methodology, triage, resources, tools, and fixes for Cisco Unified Communications Manager and the new v8.0 features such as Call Control Discovery, SIP Precondition, Extension Mobility Cross Cluster as well as dial plan troubleshooting including globalized call routing. Candidates can prepare for this exam by taking the TVOICE v8.0 Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications v8.0 (TVOICE v8.0) 642-427 course.
Exam Details
- Types of questions: Multiple choice (single and multiple answers), Drag and drops, interpret outputs
- Number of questions: 60 -70
- Time limit: 90 minutes
- Passing Score: varies
- How to register: PearsonVue
Trouble Spots
This exam will cause trouble for anyone that doesn’t have a solid understanding of all topics listed for this exam. While you can read and have a good understanding of the way things are approached when issues arise, without some type of hands on troubleshooting in a Unified Communication environment you will probably have some problems. This exam, in my opinion, is the hardest test in the CCNP VOICE track. Not only must you know how a technology or feature well, you have to also be able to resolve issues. The last area that might cause trouble are the steps hardware or features use to function / startup. You probably should now the steps IP Phones go through during boot up.
Call Routing is a major function of Cisco Unified Communication, it would be a very good idea to know where and how to use the tools available to isolate and resolve issues. The many parts that deal will call routing should be known very well to assist in problem resolution.
When dealing with phones, the problems can be wide and varied. You must know the path a call takes; you must also know how the phone is configured when it is at its home station or traveling to another site.
Preparation Hints
To prepare for this exam, I recommend reviewing past CCNP VOICE notes for other exams you have already taken. This should keep technology and features fresh in your mind. While you’re reviewing your notes, think of how to resolve issues that could arise. The next way to prepare for this exam is to locate and get practice with the different tools available for troubleshooting. These should include CUCM, CLI, CME, Gateway, and Protocol tools. I recommend being able to quickly locate sections where the proper tools will reside.
The CLI should be part of your preparation; there isn’t too much to CLI troubleshooting. The test taker should be comfortable resolving database issues in the CLI as well as the GUI. The ability to determine whether CLI or GUI should be used is probably vital to your exam success or failure.
The next suggestion for this exam is setting up CUCM, gateways, and phones. This will give you hands-on understanding of how things work and need to be adjusted, which will help with the exam.
Recommended Resources
There are a few good resources that will help you succeed with this exam. The list here is not complete by any means. You should feel free to use the resources that will help you learn the topics.
The Cisco Learning Network is dedicated to Cisco Certifications. Here you’ll find information about the exam, along with many resources, including study groups, questions and answers, and general help with the certification process. the exam that Cisco offers and the other resources. Some of the areas are Study groups, Questions and answers, and general help with the Certification process. In order to fully utilize this site you will need to create a login.
The Cisco TAC website also provides good information on resolving issues.
Exam Objectives
The following information provides general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the 642-427 TVOICE v8.0 exam. However, other related topics may also appear on any specific delivery of the exam. In order to better reflect the contents of the exam and for clarity purposes the guidelines below may change at any time without notice.
Apply the Cisco recommended methodology used to determine general Unified communications system problems and issues
- Describe the steps that can be used to identify a problem with a given unified communication system
- Identify tools available for troubleshooting
- Identify tools available for monitoring
Identify available tools to operate and troubleshoot a Unified Communications System
- Describe troubleshooting and monitoring tools
- Determine appropriate tools to use for troubleshooting and monitoring system
- Correlate events based on traces, logs, debugs and output of monitoring tools
- Parse and interpret traces, logs, debugs and output of monitoring tools
Troubleshoot registration issues
- Troubleshoot issues with endpoint registration
- Troubleshoot issues with gateway registration
Troubleshoot call setup issues
- Troubleshoot intersite call setup issues
- Troubleshoot intrasite call setup issues
- Troubleshoot off-net call setup issues
Troubleshoot database issues
- Troubleshoot database replication issues in Cisco Unified Communications Manager
Troubleshoot call control discovery and Cisco Inter Company Media Exchange
- Troubleshoot Service Advertisement Framework Forwarder issues
- Troubleshoot Service Advertisement Framework Client Control issues
- Troubleshoot Service Advertisement Framework Call Control Discovery issues
Troubleshoot application issues
- Troubleshoot Cisco Extension Mobility issues
- Troubleshoot Cisco Unified Communications Manager Device Mobility issues
- Troubleshoot Cisco Unified Mobility issues
Troubleshoot media resources
- Troubleshoot Music on Hold
- Troubleshoot conference bridges
- Troubleshoot transcoders
- Troubleshoot MTP
Troubleshoot voice quality issues
- Troubleshoot echo
- Troubleshoot dropped calls
- Troubleshoot audio quality issues
Where to go from here
Hopefully you will be motivated to continue on the path to CCNP Voice. Here are the other exams required for this certification:
- 642-437 Cvoice 8.0 Implementing Cisco Unified Communications Voice over IP and QoS v8.0 (CVOICE v8.0)
- 642-457 CIPT2 v8.0 Implementing Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Part 2 v8.0 (CIPT2 v8.0)
- 642-427 TVOICE v8.0 Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications v8.0 (TVOICE v8.0)
- 642-467 CAPPS v8.0 Integrating Cisco Unified Communications Applications v8.0 (CAPPS v8.0)