The Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) includes a powerful feature known as CAR, or CDR Analysis and Reporting, tool. This tool is essential for administrators and end-users alike to monitor, analyze, and report on call detail records (CDRs). Understanding how to properly access and utilize the Cucm Car Tool is crucial for effective communication management and system administration. This article will guide you through the process of logging into the CAR web interface, understanding user roles, and interpreting potential error messages.
Understanding User Roles for CUCM CAR Tool Access
Access to the cucm car tool web interface is role-based, ensuring security and appropriate levels of access for different users. There are primarily two categories of users who can log in: CAR administrators and end users.
CAR Administrators:
You don’t need to be part of a standard CAR administrator group to gain administrative privileges within CAR. Any user associated with the role “Standard Admin Rep Tool Admin” is automatically granted CAR administrator access. This role association is typically managed by adding users to user groups that have this specific role assigned. Two default groups, “Standard CAR Admin Group” and “Standard CCM Super Users,” come pre-configured with the “Standard Admin Rep Tool Admin” role.
Notably, the default application user created during CUCM installation, a member of the “Standard CCM Super Users” group, can log in as a CAR administrator but with application user limitations. This user, for example, cannot access the Individual Bills report.
CUCM also supports the creation of custom CAR Admin groups. By assigning the “Standard Admin Rep Tool Admin” role to any custom group, users within that group will be recognized as CAR administrators upon logging into the cucm car tool web interface.
End Users:
End users who are not CAR administrators can still access the cucm car tool web interface, but only if they are assigned the role “Standard CCM End Users.” This role assignment is achieved by adding the end user to the “Standard CCM End Users” group or any other custom group configured with this specific role. Crucially, any end user lacking the “Standard CCM End Users” group association will be unable to log in to CAR.
Login Restrictions and Error Handling:
Users without either the “Standard CCM End Users” or “Standard Admin Rep Tool Admin” role are denied access to the cucm car tool. Attempts to log in by unauthorized users will result in a 403 error, redirecting them back to the login window without displaying a specific error message. For security auditing, the CAR Web Service traces will log the username of any user attempting unauthorized access.
Password Management:
The cucm car tool facilitates password changes directly through the web interface. If a user’s password has expired, upon attempting to log in, they might encounter IMS_Error_Code 5, 6, or 8. CAR’s ChangePasswordFilter, integrated with ccmadmin, automatically redirects users to the change-password.jsp page when these specific error codes are triggered, guiding them through the password reset process.
Note: It’s important to be aware that the database throttle limits concurrent users to 100. This limitation also affects IMS, which supports a maximum of 100 concurrent users with a login rate of approximately 112 ms.
If an error occurs during the password reset process, the following generic message will be displayed on the Change-Password window: “System error while changing password for user. Please contact system administrator.”
CAR Notifications and Alerts:
While CAR Administrator status is broadly extended to any user with the “Standard Admin Rep Tool Admin” role, it is important to note that CAR notifications, alerts, and pre-generated reports are exclusively sent to users who are members of the default “Standard CAR Admin Group.” This means not all CAR administrators will automatically receive these notifications.
Step-by-Step Guide to Log in to the CUCM CAR Tool
To successfully log in to the cucm car tool, follow these straightforward steps:
Before you begin:
Ensure you have the necessary user credentials (username and password) and network connectivity to your CUCM server.
Procedure:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Initiate CAR access by one of the following methods: 1. For CAR system administrators: Access Cisco Unified Serviceability, then navigate to Tools > CDR Analysis and Reporting. 2. For all CAR users and administrators: Open a web browser and enter the URL: https://<your_CUCM_server_IP_or_hostname>:8443/car/ |
| Step 2 | Once the CAR logon window appears, enter your assigned User Name in the designated field. |
| Step 3 | Enter your corresponding Password in the Password field. Click the Login button. |
Upon successful login, the main CAR window will be displayed, granting you access to the cucm car tool features based on your user role.
Troubleshooting Invalid Logon Attempts:
If your login attempt is unsuccessful due to an invalid user ID or password, CAR will display one of the Identity Management System (IMS) error messages detailed in the table below. Understanding these error codes is essential for quick troubleshooting.
Table 1. CAR Invalid Logon Messages
| Error Code | Message |
|---|---|
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 1 | Either the User Name or the Password entered is invalid. Ensure you are logging into CAR as a CAR administrator or a regular End User with appropriate roles. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 2 | The account has been locked by System Administrator. Please contact your system administrator to unlock your account. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 3 | The account has been temporarily locked. Wait for some time or contact your System Administrator for immediate access. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 4 | The account has been deactivated due to lack of activity. Contact your System Administrator to reactivate your account. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 5 & 6 | The account has been locked as the password has expired. Reset your password through the provided password reset mechanism or contact your System Administrator for assistance. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 7 = ERROR: LDAP_INACTIVE | The system has transitioned to LDAP authentication, but your user is still in the old database. Contact your System Administrator to migrate your account to LDAP. Note: This error code is not applicable for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Business Edition 5000. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE 8 | The account is locked because manual credential change is required. Reset your password via the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration page or contact your System Administrator. |
| IMS_ERROR_CODE UNKNOWN | System error. Contact your System Administrator for assistance. |
| IMS_EXCEPTION (any exception returned by IMS) = AUTHENTICATION FAILURE | Unable to Authenticate User due to System Error. Contact your System Administrator for assistance. |
Dashboard Warning and Notice Messages:
After successfully logging into the cucm car tool, the dashboard may display warning and notice messages providing critical system status information. These messages can include:
Warning Messages:
- Nodes with CallManager service activated but CDR Enabled flag disabled, indicating CDRs will not be generated on these nodes.
- Cluster-wide parameter Call Diagnostics Enabled flag is disabled, meaning QoS information will not be generated on calls.
- Status of CAR Scheduler service and Cisco Repository Manager Service if stopped on the publisher.
- Breach status if the 2M or High Water Mark (HWM) limit is exceeded.
- CDR loader status, indicating if the loader is disabled or if the last load status failed (prompting you to check CAR scheduler logs).
- Exceptions in the
Tbl_System_Preferencestable columns with a Restore Defaults button to revert to default values.
Notice Messages:
- CDR Log Calls with Zero Duration flag is activated, warning about potential large volumes of zero-duration CDRs and potential billing table capacity issues.
- Loader schedule type (continuous or intermittent).
- CDR Load Only option is selected in the CDR Load page, indicating CMRs are not being loaded.
- Mail parameters are not configured, providing the path to configure them.
- CAR Administrator mail ID is not configured.
- Billing table status, including:
- Number of records in
Tbl_Billing_Data. - Number of records in
Tbl_Billing_Error. - Maximum and minimum dates in
Tbl_Billing_DataandTbl_Billing_Errortables.
- Number of records in
Conclusion
Successfully accessing and navigating the cucm car tool is essential for managing and monitoring your Cisco Unified Communications Manager environment. By understanding user roles, following the correct login procedures, and being aware of potential error messages and dashboard notifications, you can effectively utilize this powerful tool for CDR analysis and reporting. Remember to consult your CUCM documentation or system administrator if you encounter persistent login issues or require further assistance with the cucm car tool.
