Cisco CUCM CDR data versus CMR data?

What's the difference between Cisco Call Detail Records (CDR) and Call Management Records (CMRs)?

chart of cisco cdr versus cmr data

The Cisco Unified Communication Manager (CUCM) outputs two important types of records, CDR and CMR, that help administrators understand the activity of their communication network, and the health of the system.

CDRs are text based files that focus on call details and billing, while CMR includes numerical and statistical data that provides deeper insights into call quality and performance. Both records play crucial roles in managing and optimizing your communication system and understanding the nuances of each of these records is crucial for uncovering insights from your communication network.

Aspect	CDR	CMR
Primary Focus	Call details and billing	Call quality and performance
Data Type	Text-based	Numerical and statistical
Key Users	Telecom analysts, business managers	Network administrators, IT support
Main Applications	Billing, trend analysis	Quality assurance, troubleshooting

Cisco CDR (Call Detail Records)

CDR are similar to a receipt you might receive after placing a call, and they contains essential information about each call processed by Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager). They serve various purposes, including billing, troubleshooting, and capacity planning by parsing information into numerous fields that contain a call start time, end time, whether it is inbound or outbound, and each leg of the journey that call travels on before it is terminated.

Cisco CDR Data Contains...

Call Origination and Destination: CDR captures the calling and called numbers, offering a granular view of the communication flow.

Timing Details: Precise timestamps, including start time, connection time, and end time, enable a meticulous analysis of call timelines.

Call Duration: Knowing the exact duration of each call is crucial for various applications, from billing to troubleshooting.

Call Type: CDR classifies calls into categories such as incoming, outgoing, or internal, providing insights into communication patterns.

Call Termination Cause: Understanding why a call terminated (e.g., normal call clearing, busy, no answer) aids in troubleshooting and optimizing call performance.

CDR Use Cases

CDR is used for trend analysis, cost evaluation and basic call routing visualization and are helpful for telecom analysts, business managers, and billing teams.

Billing and Invoicing: CDR serves as the foundation for accurate billing, ensuring organizations can account for every call made and received.

Analyzing Call Patterns: Precise timestamps, including start time, connection time, and end time, enable a meticulous analysis of call timelines.

Identifying Call Quality Issues: CDR contributes to troubleshooting efforts by pinpointing potential call quality issues, allowing administrators to address them promptly.

Troubleshooting Call Failures: In cases of call failures, CDR acts as forensic tools, offering insights into the events leading up to the failure.

Capacity Planning: By analyzing call volumes and patterns, administrators can use CDRs for effective capacity planning, ensuring the communication system meets the organization's demands.

View a list of the CDR fields in Webex Calling CDR.

Cisco CMR (Call Management Records)

While CDRs focus on the logistical aspects of calls, CMR provides additional diagnostic information related to call quality and performance for the Cisco PBX. CMR is especially useful for assessing audio and video quality experience.

Cisco CMR Data Contains...

Quality of Service (QoS) metrics;

Jitter (variation in packet delay)
Latency (delay between sending and receiving packets)
Packet Loss

Video-related Metrics:

Frame rate
Resolution
Bitrate

Call setup and teardown details

CMR Use Cases

Diagnostic Insights: CMR provides detailed diagnostic information, offering a comprehensive view of factors affecting call quality (e.g., choppy audio, video freezing).

Audio and Video Quality Assessment: Unlike CDR, CMR specifically assesses the quality of audio and video components during calls, aiding in the identification and resolution of multimedia issues.

Performance Metrics: Metrics such as jitter, packet loss, and latency are captured by CMRs, allowing administrators to address performance bottlenecks and optimize the network for seamless communication.

A Holistic View of your CUCM

Used together, integrated CDR and CMR data reveal a holistic view of call performance within the CUCM. Imagine a customer frustrated by call drops mid-meeting, unaware of the underlying network glitches. CDRs alone might simply show a disconnected call, leaving admins in the dark. But the detailed quality metrics of CMRs could expose the culprit – a faulty router. Integrating these insights empowers admins to not just track calls, but to proactively diagnose and solve issues, ensuring that every call becomes a seamless interaction.