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Passing the IT Certification Exams can be Tough, but with the right exam prep materials, that can be solved. ExamLabs providers 100% Real and updated Avaya ACIS-7120 7120X exam dumps, practice test questions and answers which can make you equipped with the right knowledge required to pass the exams. Our Avaya 7120X exam dumps, practice test questions and answers, are reviewed constantly by IT Experts to Ensure their Validity and help you pass without putting in hundreds and hours of studying.
The Avaya 7120X exam, formally known as the Avaya Aura® Core Components Integration Exam, is a significant milestone for any telecommunications or IT professional seeking to validate their expertise in Avaya's flagship unified communications platform. This certification is designed to test an individual's ability to integrate the fundamental building blocks of the Avaya Aura® ecosystem, ensuring they can create a cohesive and functional communication solution. As businesses continue to rely on robust and feature-rich collaboration tools, proficiency in a market-leading platform like Avaya Aura® is a highly valuable and sought-after skill. This series will serve as a detailed guide, systematically breaking down the core competencies required to succeed in the Avaya 7120X exam.
In this foundational first part, we will establish the essential landscape of the certification and the platform itself. We will begin by decoding the Avaya 7120X exam, understanding its objectives and the professionals it targets. We will explore the critical role of an Avaya Integration Specialist, delve into the core architectural concepts of the Avaya Aura® platform, and introduce its three most important pillars: Communication Manager, Session Manager, and System Manager. Finally, we will discuss the career benefits of this certification and provide a roadmap for navigating the exam syllabus to begin your preparation.
The Avaya 7120X exam is a specialist-level certification test designed to validate the technical skills required to integrate the core components of the Avaya Aura® platform. Passing this exam earns the candidate the Avaya Certified Integration Specialist (ACIS) credential, a respected industry certification that demonstrates proficiency in deploying and linking the various servers that form the foundation of Avaya's unified communications and contact center solutions. The exam's primary focus is on ensuring that these core systems can communicate with each other correctly to provide a seamless user experience.
This exam is targeted at technical professionals, typically with a few years of experience in telecommunications or IP networking, who are responsible for the hands-on implementation of Avaya Aura® solutions. This includes Avaya's own engineers, partner engineers, and customer IT staff who are tasked with deploying and managing their own Avaya infrastructure. The content assumes a solid understanding of fundamental telephony concepts, IP networking, and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), which is the backbone of the Aura® platform.
Successfully passing the Avaya 7120X exam signifies a broad and practical skill set. It validates that you understand the role of each of the core components and how they fit together. It proves you can perform the basic administration on Communication Manager, the call processing engine. It certifies your ability to configure the SIP routing logic in Session Manager. Most importantly, it demonstrates your proficiency in using System Manager, the centralized management platform, to provision users and to manage the integration and trust relationships between all the different servers.
The exam format consists of multiple-choice questions that are designed to test both factual knowledge and the ability to apply concepts to solve practical integration problems. You can expect scenario-based questions that might present a call flow diagram or a set of configuration requirements and ask you to identify the correct setup or troubleshoot a potential issue. This practical focus ensures that a certified ACIS has the real-world skills needed for a successful implementation.
An Avaya Integration Specialist is a highly skilled technical professional responsible for the successful deployment and integration of the various components that make up an Avaya Aura® solution. This role is distinct from a day-to-day administrator; the integration specialist is typically involved in the initial build of a new system or in the process of adding new applications and capabilities to an existing environment. They are the experts who ensure that all the different servers, gateways, and applications can communicate effectively. The skills tested in the Avaya 7120X exam are a direct representation of this critical role.
The responsibilities of an integration specialist are deeply technical. They are responsible for the installation and initial configuration of the core server components, such as Communication Manager, Session Manager, and System Manager, often in a virtualized environment. They must have a strong understanding of IP networking to correctly configure the server interfaces, routing, and DNS settings that are essential for communication.
A major part of the role involves configuring the trust and communication paths between the different systems. This includes tasks like setting up SIP entity links between Session Manager and other components, managing the digital certificates that are used for secure communication, and ensuring that the systems are correctly synchronized with the central System Manager database. They are the ones who "plumb" the different parts of the solution together to create a single, cohesive ecosystem.
Troubleshooting is another key function. When a newly integrated component, such as a voicemail server, is not working correctly, the integration specialist is the one who must diagnose the problem. This often involves using specialized tools to trace the SIP message flows between the systems to identify where the communication is breaking down. The Avaya 7120X exam is designed to validate that an individual has the skills to perform these complex integration and troubleshooting tasks.
To understand the material covered in the Avaya 7120X exam, you must first grasp the fundamental architectural philosophy of the Avaya Aura® platform. Aura® is not a single product, but a suite of software and hardware components that work together to provide a comprehensive foundation for unified communications and contact center solutions. It is designed to be highly scalable, resilient, and flexible, capable of supporting everything from a small office to a massive, geographically distributed enterprise.
The core protocol that underpins the entire modern Aura® platform is the Session Initiation Protocol, or SIP. SIP is an open standard for initiating, managing, and terminating real-time communication sessions, which can include voice, video, and instant messaging. The Aura® architecture is designed around a central SIP core, which allows for much greater flexibility and easier integration of different applications compared to older, proprietary telephony protocols.
The platform is built on a distributed, component-based architecture. Rather than having one monolithic server that does everything, Aura® breaks down the key functions into a set of specialized server roles. This allows for greater scalability, as you can add more servers of a specific type to handle increased load. It also improves resiliency, as the failure of one component does not necessarily bring down the entire system.
The key components that form this core, and the primary focus of the Avaya 7120X exam, are Communication Manager, which handles the traditional and IP-based call control; Session Manager, which provides the central SIP routing and integration hub; and System Manager, which provides a single, web-based interface for managing the entire ecosystem.
Avaya Aura® Communication Manager, often simply called CM, is the direct descendant of Avaya's legendary line of PBXs (Private Branch Exchanges). It is the foundational call processing engine of the Aura® platform and a central topic of the Avaya 7120X exam. CM provides the core telephony features that businesses rely on, such as call routing, call forwarding, hunt groups, and call coverage.
While its roots are in traditional, circuit-switched telephony, the modern Communication Manager is a powerful, software-based IP telephony solution. It can be deployed on a dedicated server or as a virtual machine. It can control a wide variety of endpoints, including traditional digital and analog telephones, which connect via media gateways, as well as modern IP phones that use either the H.323 protocol or the open-standard SIP protocol.
In the context of the full Aura® platform, Communication Manager acts as a key "feature server." While Session Manager may handle the core SIP routing, it is CM that provides the rich set of thousands of telephony features that have been developed over decades. When a user with a SIP phone registered to Session Manager needs to use an advanced feature, Session Manager will route the call to Communication Manager to invoke that feature.
The administration of Communication Manager is traditionally done through a command-line interface called the System Administration Terminal (SAT). While System Manager now provides a graphical interface for many tasks, a deep understanding of the SAT commands is still an essential skill for any integration specialist, and the Avaya 7120X exam will expect you to be familiar with its basic structure and key commands.
If Communication Manager is the heart of the telephony features, then Avaya Aura® Session Manager is the architectural brain and central nervous system of the entire platform. A deep understanding of Session Manager's role is absolutely critical for the Avaya 7120X exam. Session Manager is a powerful SIP routing and management core. It acts as a central hub that connects all the various SIP-based systems in the Aura® ecosystem.
Session Manager functions as a SIP registrar, proxy, and router. SIP endpoints, such as Avaya SIP phones or soft clients, register with Session Manager. This allows Session Manager to know the current location and status of every SIP user. When a user makes a call, the request is sent to Session Manager, which acts as a proxy. It then uses a sophisticated set of routing policies to determine the best destination for that call.
The key architectural benefit of Session Manager is that it decouples the endpoints and applications from the core call control engine (Communication Manager). In a pre-Session Manager world, a SIP phone might have had to register directly to Communication Manager. With Session Manager, all SIP devices and all SIP-based applications (like voicemail or conferencing) connect to the central Session Manager hub.
This hub-and-spoke model makes the entire environment much more flexible and scalable. It allows you to add new applications or even integrate third-party SIP systems simply by connecting them to Session Manager, without having to make complex changes to the underlying Communication Manager. The Avaya 7120X exam is heavily focused on your ability to configure this central SIP core correctly.
With a distributed architecture of powerful components like Communication Manager and Session Manager, a centralized management platform is essential. This is the role of Avaya Aura® System Manager, or SMGR. A complete mastery of System Manager is a primary objective of the Avaya 7120X exam. System Manager provides a single, web-based graphical user interface for the administration and maintenance of the entire Avaya Aura® ecosystem.
Instead of having to log in to the individual command-line or web interfaces of each separate server, an administrator can log in to the System Manager portal and manage all the components from this single pane of glass. This dramatically simplifies administration, reduces the risk of configuration errors, and provides a consistent management experience.
One of the most powerful features of System Manager is its centralized user provisioning. An administrator can create a new user in System Manager once, and System Manager will automatically push the necessary configuration for that user to all the relevant backend systems. It will create the station in Communication Manager, the user profile in Session Manager, and the mailbox in the Avaya Aura® Messaging system, all from a single workflow.
System Manager is also the authoritative source for the configuration of many core components. For example, all the complex SIP routing policies for Session Manager are configured in the graphical interface of System Manager and are then automatically synchronized down to the Session Manager instances. System Manager also acts as the central security and trust authority for the platform, managing the digital certificates that are used for secure communication between the servers.
After establishing the high-level architecture of the Avaya Aura® platform and the roles of its core components, our focus now narrows to the foundational call processing engine: Avaya Aura® Communication Manager (CM). CM is the workhorse that provides the rich telephony features and carrier-grade reliability that businesses expect. The Avaya 7120X exam requires an integration specialist to have a solid, practical understanding of CM's architecture, its administration, and its core call routing logic. While Session Manager handles the SIP core, CM remains the heart of voice functionality.
In this second part of our series, we will conduct a deep dive into the fundamental aspects of Communication Manager. We will explore its hardware and software architecture, including high-availability configurations. We will introduce the primary administrative interfaces, dissect the critical components of the dial plan for call routing, and walk through the process of configuring endpoints. We will also cover the administration of common user features and explain the role of media resources, all of which are essential knowledge areas for the Avaya 7120X exam.
The Avaya 7120X exam approaches Communication Manager from the perspective of an integrator. The focus is not on being a deep expert in all of CM's thousands of features, but on having the core competency to install, configure, and integrate CM into the broader Aura® ecosystem. The exam questions are designed to validate that you can perform the essential administrative tasks required to make CM a functional part of the overall solution.
A key area of focus for the exam is the fundamental call routing logic within CM. You would be expected to have a strong understanding of the dial plan, which is how CM analyzes a dialed string of digits and determines where to send the call. This includes knowing the purpose of the Automatic Route Selection (ARS) feature for outbound PSTN calling and the role of trunk groups. A significant portion of troubleshooting involves tracing a call through this dial plan logic.
The exam also emphasizes the basic administration of endpoints and users. You would need to demonstrate your ability to create a new telephone extension (a "station" in CM terminology), associate it with a physical or virtual phone, and configure its basic features. This is a day-to-day task for any administrator and a required skill for an integrator.
Finally, the exam's perspective requires you to be familiar with the primary administrative interfaces, particularly the command-line-based Site Administration Tool (SAT). While System Manager provides a graphical front-end for many tasks, an understanding of the underlying SAT commands is essential for advanced administration and, especially, for troubleshooting. The Avaya 7120X exam will expect you to be able to interpret the output of key SAT commands, such as list trace.
To effectively manage Communication Manager, you must first understand its architecture, a key topic for the Avaya 7120X exam. Modern CM is primarily a software application that can be deployed in several ways. It can run on a dedicated physical server or, more commonly, as a virtual machine on a platform like VMware or Avaya's own Virtualization Platform (AVP). This software is the brain of the system, containing all the call processing logic and the configuration database.
For high availability, CM can be deployed in a Duplex configuration. This involves two identical CM servers, a primary and a standby. The primary server actively handles all call processing, while the standby server is kept in a hot-standby state. The primary server constantly synchronizes its memory and configuration to the standby. If the primary server fails, the standby can take over in a matter of seconds, preserving active calls and ensuring continuous service. A non-redundant deployment is known as a Simplex configuration.
While the CM server is the brain, it needs other components to connect to the physical world. This is the role of Media Gateways. A media gateway, such as the Avaya G450, is a hardware appliance that provides the physical interfaces for connecting to different types of networks and endpoints. It has ports for connecting to traditional analog and digital phones, and it has trunk cards for connecting to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
The media gateway also contains the Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), which are the workhorses for all media-related functions. DSPs are responsible for tasks like converting between different audio codecs, providing dial tones and other call progress tones, and hosting audio conferences. The CM server controls the media gateways, but the gateways handle the actual media streams.
The administration of Communication Manager is a core competency for the Avaya 7120X exam. There are two primary interfaces that an administrator uses to configure and manage the system. The traditional, and still most powerful, interface is the System Administration Tool, or SAT. The SAT is a command-line interface that is accessed using a terminal emulator application. It provides access to every single configurable parameter within the CM database.
The SAT uses a verb-noun command structure. The verbs are commands like add, change, remove, display, and list. The nouns are the specific features or objects you want to manage, such as station, trunk-group, or ars analysis. For example, to add a new telephone extension, you would use the command add station. To view the configuration of the dial plan, you would use display ars analysis. Becoming fluent in the most common SAT commands is an essential skill.
The second administrative interface is the System Management Interface, or SMI. The SMI is a browser-based graphical user interface that provides a more user-friendly way to perform many common administrative tasks. While it does not offer the same level of granular control as the SAT, it is often easier and faster for routine jobs like adding new users.
In a modern Aura® deployment, many of the tasks that were traditionally done in the SAT or SMI are now performed through the centralized System Manager. However, for deep configuration and, most importantly, for real-time troubleshooting, the SAT remains the indispensable tool for any integration specialist.
The dial plan is the heart of the Communication Manager's call routing logic, and a deep understanding of its components is critical for the Avaya 7120X exam. The dial plan is the set of tables that CM uses to analyze a string of digits dialed by a user and to determine what to do with that call. The primary table for this is the digit analysis table, which is managed with the change dialplan analysis command.
When a user dials a number, CM compares the dialed digits against the entries in the dial plan table. Each entry specifies a number of digits to match, a total number of digits to expect, and a call type. For example, a typical entry might say "if the user dials a 4-digit number starting with 2, this is an extension call." Another entry might say "if the user dials 9, this is an external call."
For external calls, CM uses a feature called Automatic Route Selection, or ARS. ARS is the feature that allows users to simply dial an outside number (e.g., 9-1-800-555-1212) without having to know which specific telephone line or trunk to use. The ARS analysis table (change ars analysis) is used to match the dialed number to a specific Route Pattern.
A Route Pattern contains an ordered list of one or more Trunk Groups. A Trunk Group is a collection of physical or logical connections to the PSTN, such as a set of PRI lines or a SIP trunk. CM will attempt to place the call using the first trunk group in the route pattern. If all the channels in that trunk group are busy, it will automatically try the next trunk group in the list. This provides both routing logic and resiliency.
One of the most frequent tasks for any CM administrator, and a fundamental skill for the Avaya 7120X exam, is the configuration of stations. In Avaya terminology, a "station" is the logical object in the CM database that represents a telephone extension. This logical station is then associated with a physical or virtual endpoint.
The process of creating a new station is done using the add station command in the SAT or through the user management interface in System Manager. When you create a station, you must first choose a template to copy from or provide an existing station to duplicate. You then assign a unique extension number to the new station.
You also need to configure the station's type. This specifies what kind of endpoint will be associated with this extension. Common types include digital (for Avaya digital phones), analog (for standard analog devices like phones or fax machines), and IP. For IP phones, you must further specify the protocol, which can be H.323 or SIP.
The station form contains dozens of pages of configurable features. You will set the user's name, assign a security code for the phone, and configure key features like the number of call appearance buttons and the call coverage path that should be used if the user does not answer a call. While System Manager can automate much of this, an integrator must understand the underlying fields on the CM station form.
When a call is not behaving as expected, an integration specialist must be able to troubleshoot the problem. The single most powerful tool for this in Communication Manager, and a critical skill for the Avaya 7120X exam, is the list trace command in the SAT. This command provides a real-time, step-by-step trace of how Communication Manager is handling a call.
There are several variations of the command. The list trace station <extension> command will show you all the events related to a specific telephone extension. This is what you would use to troubleshoot a problem that a specific user is reporting. The list trace tac <trunk access code> command is used to trace calls going out over a specific trunk group.
When you run a trace, you will see a detailed, chronological log of the call's setup process. You will see the digits that the user dialed. You will then see CM's digit analysis as it matches the dialed number against the dial plan and the ARS tables. You will see it select a route pattern and then seize a specific channel on a trunk group to place the outbound call.
If the call fails, the trace will almost always contain a message that indicates the reason for the failure. This might be a "denial event" from the ARS table, indicating that the user is not authorized to make that type of call, or it could be an error message from the PSTN carrier. The ability to read and interpret a list trace output is a non-negotiable skill for anyone taking the Avaya 7120X exam.
Having established a solid understanding of the foundational call control engine, Communication Manager, we now turn our attention to the central brain of the entire Avaya Aura® ecosystem: System Manager (SMGR). The Avaya 7120X exam places a tremendous emphasis on an integrator's ability to use System Manager, as it is the single pane of glass for all modern administration, provisioning, and management. A successful integration specialist must be an expert in navigating and utilizing this powerful, centralized platform.
In this third part of our series, we will conduct a deep dive into the architecture and core functions of System Manager. We will explore its role as the central administrative hub, the process of provisioning users and endpoints through its interface, and its function in managing the configurations of other core components. We will also cover the critical security topic of trust and certificate management and the use of SMGR for centralized monitoring and backups, all of which are essential competencies for the Avaya 7120X exam.
The Avaya 7120X exam views System Manager as the authoritative center of the Aura® universe. The exam questions are designed to validate that a candidate understands that for any modern Aura® deployment, System Manager is the primary and preferred tool for administration. The focus is on demonstrating proficiency with the SMGR web interface to perform the key tasks that are required to build and manage an integrated communications solution.
A central theme of this exam section would be on centralized user provisioning. You would be expected to be an expert in using the User Management feature in SMGR. The exam would test your ability to create a single user identity in SMGR and to understand how that identity is then used to automatically create the corresponding station in Communication Manager, the communication profile in Session Manager, and the mailbox in Avaya Aura® Messaging. This concept of "provision once, apply everywhere" is fundamental.
The exam would also rigorously test your understanding of how SMGR manages the other core components, which are referred to as "Elements." You would need to know the process for establishing a trusted connection between SMGR and a system like Communication Manager or Session Manager. You would also need to understand the concept of data synchronization, which is how SMGR pushes its centralized configuration down to the individual elements.
Finally, the exam's perspective on SMGR includes its role as the security linchpin of the platform. You would need to demonstrate knowledge of how SMGR acts as the central Certificate Authority, issuing and managing the digital certificates that are used for secure, encrypted communication between all the servers in the Aura® ecosystem. The Avaya 7120X exam aims to certify an integrator who is fully competent in using this central management platform.
To effectively use System Manager, you must first understand its basic architecture, a key topic for the Avaya 7120X exam. System Manager is delivered as a software application that is typically deployed as a virtual appliance. It can run on either VMware vSphere or on Avaya's own streamlined hypervisor, the Avaya Virtualization Platform (AVP). The SMGR appliance contains the web server for the administrative interface, the application logic, and a database to store all its configuration data.
System Manager is not a standalone product; it is the core component of the Solution Deployment Manager, or SDM. The SDM is the tool used to perform the initial, automated installation of the various Aura® virtual appliances. An integrator would use the SDM client to connect to the System Manager and to deploy other virtual machines, such as Session Manager or Avaya Aura® Messaging, onto the virtualization hosts.
A key architectural concept is that System Manager maintains a central, master copy of the configuration for many of the other Aura® components. For example, all the complex SIP routing rules for Session Manager are actually configured in the SMGR database. System Manager then has a synchronization process that pushes this configuration data out to the Session Manager instances. This ensures that all Session Managers in a cluster have a consistent configuration.
This centralized model simplifies administration and reduces the risk of configuration drift between different servers. The Avaya 7120X exam would expect you to understand this architectural relationship, with SMGR as the master and the other elements, like Session Manager, as the synchronized clients.
Proficiency in navigating the System Manager web interface is a core competency for the Avaya 7120X exam. The interface is organized into a set of logical sections or "dashboards," each dedicated to a specific area of administration. An integrator must know where to go to perform the key tasks required for a deployment.
The most frequently used section is "Users." This is where all user-related administration is performed. The User Management dashboard is the starting point for creating new users, managing existing users, and assigning them their communication profiles, which include their phone extensions, SIP addresses, and application access.
The "Elements" section is where you manage the core Aura® components themselves. This is where you would add a new Communication Manager or Session Manager system to be managed by SMGR. Within this section, you will also find the specific administrative menus for each of the managed elements. For example, to configure the SIP routing for Session Manager, you would navigate to Elements > Session Manager > Routing.
The "Security" section is critical for managing the trust relationships between the servers. This is where you access the Certificate Authority functions to issue and manage the identity certificates for all the Aura® servers. The "Routing" section provides a centralized view of the routing policies for Session Manager. The Avaya 7120X exam may present you with screenshots of the SMGR interface and ask you to identify the correct menu to perform a specific task.
The single most important administrative workflow in System Manager, and a heavily tested topic on the Avaya 7120X exam, is user provisioning. The power of SMGR is that it allows you to manage a user's entire communications identity from a single place.
The process begins by creating a new user in the User Management section. You will enter the user's basic information, such as their first name, last name, and login name. A key step is then to create a "Communication Profile" for this user. The communication profile is the container for all the user's communication-related addresses and settings.
Within the communication profile, you will add a CM Endpoint Profile. This is where you define the user's telephone extension. You will specify the Communication Manager system that will host the station, the extension number, and a template to use for the station's configuration. When you save this, SMGR will automatically connect to the specified Communication Manager and create the station for you.
You will also add a Session Manager Profile. This is where you define the user's SIP identity. You will specify the Session Manager system the user will register with and their primary SIP address (e.g., john.doe@company.com). You will also assign the necessary application sequencing and routing policies. When you save, SMGR automatically provisions this user in Session Manager. This centralized process is a fundamental concept for the Avaya 7120X exam.
System Manager's role extends beyond user provisioning to the management of the core infrastructure servers, or "Elements," themselves. The Avaya 7120X exam requires you to know the process for bringing a new Aura® component under the management of SMGR. This process involves establishing a secure, trusted connection between SMGR and the element.
The process begins by adding the new system as a managed element in the SMGR inventory. For example, to add a new Communication Manager, you would go to the CM administration section in SMGR and add a new element, providing its IP address and a descriptive name.
The next and most critical step is to establish a trust relationship. All communication between SMGR and the managed elements is secured using TLS encryption, which requires digital certificates. SMGR contains its own built-in Certificate Authority (CA). You must generate a new identity certificate for the Communication Manager from the SMGR CA and install it on the CM server. This ensures that the two systems trust each other's identity.
Once the trust is established, you can perform a synchronization. For a system like Session Manager, synchronization is the process where SMGR pushes its master configuration data down to the Session Manager. For a system like Communication Manager, the synchronization is often a one-way process where SMGR can read data from CM, but the primary configuration still resides on the CM server itself.
Security is paramount in a modern communications system, and a key topic for the Avaya 7120X exam is the management of the security and trust model within the Aura® platform. As mentioned, all the server-to-server communication in a modern Aura® deployment is encrypted using TLS. This relies on a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates. System Manager plays the central role in this security architecture.
System Manager is, by default, the root Certificate Authority (CA) for the entire Aura® solution. This means that it is responsible for issuing the identity certificates that are used by all the other servers, such as Session Manager and Communication Manager. When you deploy a new Session Manager, one of the key integration steps is to generate a certificate signing request (CSR) from the Session Manager and have it signed by the System Manager's CA.
This creates a chain of trust. All the Aura® components will be configured to trust the System Manager as the root CA. Therefore, when two components, like Session Manager and Communication Manager, need to communicate, they will present their identity certificates to each other. Because both certificates were issued by the same trusted root CA (System Manager), the two systems will trust each other and will be able to establish a secure, encrypted TLS connection.
An integration specialist must be proficient in this certificate management process. This includes knowing how to generate and install certificates, how to check their validity, and how to troubleshoot common certificate-related issues, which are often the cause of integration failures.
With a solid understanding of Communication Manager for call features and System Manager for centralized administration, we now arrive at the architectural centerpiece of the modern Avaya Aura® platform: Session Manager (SM). Session Manager is the powerful SIP core that enables the flexibility, scalability, and rich application integration of the entire solution. The Avaya 7120X exam places a very strong emphasis on an integrator's ability to configure and troubleshoot this critical SIP routing engine. A deep understanding of Session Manager is non-negotiable for anyone aspiring to be an Avaya Certified Integration Specialist.
In this fourth part of our series, we will conduct a detailed exploration of Session Manager's architecture and its core routing logic. We will explain its role as a SIP registrar and proxy, and break down the key configuration objects used to build connectivity, such as SIP Entities and Entity Links. The majority of our focus will be on the powerful routing policies that control call flows. We will also cover the SIP user registration process and introduce the primary troubleshooting tool for Session Manager, traceSM, all of which are essential competencies for the Avaya 7120X exam.
The Avaya 7120X exam approaches Session Manager as the central nervous system of the Aura® platform. The exam questions are designed to validate that a candidate can not only describe the function of Session Manager but can also perform the fundamental configuration tasks required to route SIP traffic between the various components of the ecosystem. The focus is on the practical application of Session Manager's routing features to create a cohesive and functional communications network.
A central theme of this exam section is the concept of Session Manager as a SIP routing hub. You would be expected to understand that all SIP-based communication, whether it is from a SIP phone, a voicemail server, or a SIP trunk to the outside world, flows through Session Manager. The exam will rigorously test your knowledge of the building blocks that are used to configure this routing, including SIP Entities, Entity Links, Dial Patterns, and Routing Policies.
The exam also emphasizes the relationship between System Manager and Session Manager. You must demonstrate a clear understanding that all the authoritative routing configuration for Session Manager is performed within the graphical interface of System Manager. The exam will test your knowledge of where to find the relevant menus in System Manager to create these routing objects and the process of synchronizing this configuration down to the Session Manager instances.
Finally, the exam's perspective requires a foundational understanding of the SIP protocol itself. While you are not expected to be a deep SIP protocol expert, you do need to understand the basic SIP registration process and be able to interpret the high-level message flows in a trace. The Avaya 7120X exam aims to certify an integrator who can effectively build and troubleshoot the SIP core of the Aura® platform.
To effectively configure Session Manager, you must first understand its architecture and its role in the Aura® platform, a key topic for the Avaya 7120X exam. Session Manager is a pure software application that is deployed as a virtual appliance on a platform like VMware or Avaya's AVP. It is designed to be highly scalable and resilient. For high availability, you would typically deploy two or more Session Manager instances in a cluster, with a Session Manager Security Module (part of the ASBCE) acting as a load balancer in front of them.
Session Manager performs three critical SIP functions. First, it acts as a SIP Registrar. When a SIP endpoint, like an Avaya phone or soft client, powers on, it sends a SIP REGISTER message to Session Manager. Session Manager validates the user's credentials and, if they are correct, it "registers" the user, storing their current IP address in its database. This allows Session Manager to know where to send calls for that user.
Second, Session Manager acts as a SIP Proxy. When a registered user wants to make a call, they send a SIP INVITE message to Session Manager. Session Manager does not terminate the call itself; instead, it "proxies" the request, meaning it forwards the INVITE message on to the appropriate destination based on its routing logic.
Third, and most importantly, Session Manager is a powerful SIP Router. It contains a sophisticated routing engine that can make intelligent decisions about where to send a call based on a wide range of criteria, such as the dialed number, the time of day, or the location of the calling user. This routing engine is the brain of the system, and configuring it is a core task for the integrator.
The fundamental building blocks for configuring connectivity in Session Manager, and a core topic for the Avaya 7120X exam, are SIP Entities and Entity Links. All these objects are configured centrally in System Manager and then synchronized to Session Manager.
A SIP Entity is an object that represents another SIP-aware system that Session Manager needs to communicate with. For every other major component in your Aura® ecosystem, you will create a corresponding SIP Entity. For example, you will create a SIP Entity to represent your Communication Manager, another one for your Avaya Aura® Messaging (voicemail) server, and another one for your Session Border Controller that connects to your SIP trunk provider.
When you create a SIP Entity, you provide its IP address or FQDN and specify its type. This tells Session Manager how to communicate with that system.
An Entity Link is the object that represents the actual communication path, or SIP trunk, between Session Manager and a SIP Entity. An Entity Link specifies the protocol (e.g., TLS or TCP), the port number, and the Session Manager instance that should be used to send traffic to that specific entity. You can think of the SIP Entity as the destination and the Entity Link as the road to get there. For resiliency, you can have multiple Entity Links to a single SIP Entity, for example, over different network paths.
Once the connectivity is established with SIP Entities and Entity Links, you must configure the logic that tells Session Manager how to route calls. This is the heart of the Session Manager configuration and a heavily tested area on the Avaya 7120X exam. The routing logic is built from three main types of objects: Dial Patterns, Routing Policies, and Adaptations.
A Dial Pattern is a specific string of digits or a pattern that Session Manager looks for in the destination address of a SIP INVITE message. For example, you could create a dial pattern to match all 4-digit extension numbers, or another dial pattern to match all 11-digit public telephone numbers.
A Routing Policy is a list of potential destinations for a call. Each entry in the list specifies a SIP Entity (the destination system) and a set of criteria. For example, a simple routing policy might say "For calls to 4-digit extensions, send the call to the Communication Manager SIP Entity." A more complex policy could route calls based on the location of the user making the call.
When Session Manager receives a call, it first finds the Dial Pattern that matches the dialed number. This dial pattern is then linked to a specific Routing Policy. Session Manager then works through the list of destinations in that routing policy until it finds one that is available and sends the call to it. Finally, Adaptations are used to modify the SIP messages as they pass through Session Manager, for example, to change the format of a phone number to match what the downstream system expects.
For a user to be able to make and receive calls, their SIP endpoint, or User Agent (UA), must first successfully register with Session Manager. The Avaya 7120X exam requires you to have a conceptual understanding of this critical registration process. A User Agent can be a physical desk phone, a soft client on a laptop, or a mobile application.
The process begins when the endpoint powers on. It will typically use DHCP to get an IP address and to learn about important network parameters. The DHCP server can also provide the address of a provisioning server. The phone will then contact the provisioning server to download its configuration file. This file contains all the key information the phone needs, including the address of the Session Manager registrar and the user's SIP extension.
The phone will then send a SIP REGISTER message to the Session Manager. This message contains the user's credentials. The Session Manager, acting as a registrar, receives this message and validates the credentials against the user's Communication Profile, which is stored in the Session Manager database (and was provisioned from System Manager).
If the credentials are valid, the Session Manager will send back a 200 OK response. It will then create a binding in its location database that maps the user's SIP address to the current IP address of their endpoint. From this point on, the user is registered, and Session Manager knows where to send any incoming calls for that user. If this registration process fails, the user will not be able to make or receive calls.
When a SIP call is not working as expected, an integrator must be able to troubleshoot the problem by looking at the SIP message flow. The primary tool for this on Session Manager, and a critical skill for the Avaya 7120X exam, is the traceSM utility. traceSM is a powerful command-line tool that is accessed by logging into the Session Manager's shell. It allows you to capture and view the SIP messages that are being processed by Session Manager in real time.
To use traceSM, you would typically log in to the Session Manager and run the command. You can then apply filters to narrow down the capture to only the traffic you are interested in. For example, you can filter on the calling number, the called number, or the IP address of a specific SIP entity. This is essential on a busy system to avoid being overwhelmed with irrelevant messages.
As you place a test call, you will see the SIP messages scroll by on the screen. You will see the initial INVITE message from the calling phone. You will then see Session Manager process this message through its routing policies and send a new INVITE out to the destination system, such as Communication Manager. You can follow the entire call setup process, including the 180 Ringing messages and the final 200 OK that indicates the call was answered.
If the call fails, traceSM is the best place to find the reason. You will often see a SIP error message, such as a 404 Not Found (if the user does not exist) or a 403 Forbidden (if the user is not authorized). The ability to read a basic traceSM output is a non-negotiable skill for passing the Avaya 7120X exam.
After mastering the core components of the Avaya Aura® platform—Communication Manager, System Manager, and Session Manager—the final stage of integration involves connecting the various unified communications and contact center applications that bring the solution to life. The Avaya 7120X exam requires an integrator to understand how these applications are connected to the SIP core to provide services like voicemail, presence, and third-party call control. This is where the true power and flexibility of the Aura® architecture are realized, creating a single, feature-rich collaboration ecosystem.
In this fifth part of our series, we will explore the integration of the most common Aura® applications. We will provide an introduction to Avaya Aura® Messaging for voicemail, Presence Services for user availability, and Application Enablement Services for CTI. We will also cover the critical role of the Avaya Session Border Controller for secure remote access. We will provide a high-level overview of the common steps for integrating these applications with Session Manager, a key knowledge area for the Avaya 7120X exam.
The Avaya 7120X exam approaches the topic of application integration by focusing on the role of Session Manager as the central integration hub. The exam questions are designed to validate that a candidate understands that in a modern Aura® deployment, applications are not connected directly to Communication Manager in a piecemeal fashion. Instead, they are all integrated as first-class SIP entities with the Session Manager core. This architectural principle is fundamental.
A key area of focus for the exam is the conceptual understanding of the most common applications and their primary function within the ecosystem. You would be expected to know that Avaya Aura® Messaging is the voicemail solution, that Presence Services is the engine for presence, and that the Session Border Controller is the gateway for external SIP traffic. The exam is not about being a deep expert in each application, but about knowing what each application does and how it connects to the core.
The exam would also test your knowledge of the common configuration steps required to perform these integrations. You would need to demonstrate your understanding that the process for integrating any SIP-based application is fundamentally the same. It involves creating a SIP Entity in System Manager to represent the application, creating an Entity Link to define the SIP trunk, and creating the necessary Dial Patterns and Routing Policies to direct the appropriate traffic to that application.
Finally, the exam's perspective requires you to be able to trace a call flow that involves an application. For example, you should be able to describe the high-level SIP message flow that occurs when a call is not answered and is forwarded to the Avaya Aura® Messaging server for voicemail. The Avaya 7120X exam aims to certify an integrator who can build a complete solution, not just the core components.
The primary solution for voicemail and integrated messaging in the Avaya Aura® platform, and a key application for the Avaya 7120X exam, is Avaya Aura® Messaging, or AAM. AAM is a powerful and scalable messaging platform that provides traditional voicemail services, as well as more advanced features like unified messaging, where voicemails are delivered as audio files to a user's email inbox.
From an integration perspective, AAM is a pure SIP-based application. It is deployed as a virtual appliance and is integrated directly with Session Manager. When you integrate AAM, you create a SIP Entity in System Manager to represent the messaging server. You then create the necessary routing policies to direct calls to it.
The most common routing scenario is for call coverage. In Communication Manager, you would configure a user's station with a coverage path that points to a voicemail hunt group. When a call to that user is not answered, Communication Manager will forward the call to this hunt group. This call is then routed via a SIP trunk to Session Manager. Session Manager will have a routing policy that says, "For any calls to this specific voicemail number, send them to the Avaya Aura® Messaging SIP Entity."
AAM then receives the SIP call, looks at the information in the SIP headers to identify the original called party, plays that user's personal greeting, and records a message. This clean, SIP-based integration is much more flexible and scalable than the older, circuit-based voicemail integrations of the past.
Presence is a cornerstone of modern unified communications, providing the real-time availability information that allows users to make intelligent communication choices. In the Avaya Aura® ecosystem, this functionality is provided by Avaya Aura® Presence Services, or PS. The Avaya 7120X exam requires a conceptual understanding of the role of PS and how it integrates into the platform.
Presence Services acts as a central aggregator and distributor of presence information. It collects presence status from a variety of sources. Its most important source is Communication Manager, from which it gets the user's telephony status (e.g., "On the Phone," "Idle"). It can also be integrated with other sources, such as Microsoft Exchange, to get the user's calendar status (e.g., "In a Meeting").
SIP endpoints, such as Avaya soft clients, subscribe to the Presence Services server to receive presence updates for the contacts in their contact list. Presence Services, in turn, publishes the aggregated presence status of each user to all the subscribers who are watching that user. It uses the standard SIP protocols for presence, known as SIP/SIMPLE.
Like other applications, Presence Services is deployed as a virtual appliance and is integrated as a SIP Entity with Session Manager. Session Manager is responsible for routing the SIP-based presence subscription and notification messages between the endpoints and the Presence Services server. This integration is what allows the presence "bubble" next to a user's name in their client to accurately reflect their current availability.
While most modern applications integrate with Aura® using SIP, there is a vast ecosystem of legacy and third-party applications that need to interact with the telephony features of Communication Manager. This is the role of Avaya Aura® Application Enablement Services, or AES. The Avaya 7120X exam requires an understanding of the purpose of AES as the primary gateway for Computer Telephony Integration (CTI).
AES acts as a secure middleware layer that sits between external applications and Communication Manager. It exposes the powerful call control capabilities of CM through a set of standardized APIs, such as TSAPI (Telephony Services Application Programming Interface) and CVLAN (Computer-to-Virtual LAN).
A common use case for AES is in a contact center. A third-party contact center application might use AES to provide screen-pop functionality. When a call arrives for an agent, the application receives an event from AES containing the caller's phone number. The application can then use this number to look up the customer's record in a CRM system and automatically "pop" that record onto the agent's screen before they even answer the call.
Other applications might use AES for call recording, outbound dialing campaigns, or interactive voice response (IVR) systems. From an integration perspective, the AES server establishes a trusted connection with Communication Manager. The external applications then connect to the AES server to access the CTI services.
For any communication to happen with the outside world, whether it is a remote worker trying to connect from home or a SIP trunk connecting to a service provider, you need a secure gateway at the edge of your network. This is the role of the Avaya Session Border Controller for Enterprise, or ASBCE. The Avaya 7120X exam requires you to understand the critical security role that the ASBCE plays in the Aura® architecture.
The ASBCE is a specialized security device that is designed to handle SIP and real-time media traffic. It is typically deployed in the network's perimeter, or DMZ. It has two main interfaces: a public interface that faces the untrusted internet, and a private interface that faces the internal, trusted network.
When a remote worker's SIP phone tries to register with the internal Session Manager, the connection is first terminated on the ASBCE. The ASBCE acts as a back-to-back user agent. It inspects the SIP traffic for any malformations or potential attacks. If the traffic is deemed safe, the ASBCE will then create a new, separate SIP connection on its private interface to the internal Session Manager. This provides a secure and controlled pinhole through the firewall for SIP traffic.
The ASBCE also performs a critical function called media relay. The real-time voice and video (RTP) traffic also flows through the ASBCE. This allows it to handle the complex network address translation (NAT) traversal issues that often plague VoIP traffic. It also provides a secure anchor point for the media, hiding the IP addresses of the internal servers from the outside world.
A key takeaway for the Avaya 7120X exam is that the process for integrating any SIP-based application with the Aura® core is conceptually the same. It is a repeatable workflow that is performed within the System Manager interface and is centered on the Session Manager.
The first step is always to establish the trust relationship. This involves ensuring that the new application server (e.g., the AAM server) and the Session Manager both have identity certificates that are signed by the same trusted Certificate Authority, which is typically the System Manager itself.
The second step is to define the application as a SIP Entity in System Manager. This tells Session Manager about the existence of the new application and provides its IP address or FQDN.
The third step is to create an Entity Link. This defines the SIP trunk between Session Manager and the new SIP Entity, specifying the protocol and port to be used.
The final step is to create the necessary routing policies. You will create Dial Patterns that match the specific numbers or addresses that should be routed to this application. You will then create a Routing Policy that links that dial pattern to the application's SIP Entity. This tells Session Manager exactly what traffic to send to the new application. This standard workflow is the key to a successful integration.
We have now reached the final and most critical phase in our comprehensive study for the Avaya 7120X exam. We have journeyed through the individual core components of the Avaya Aura® platform, mastered the centralized administration paradigm of System Manager, dissected the SIP routing logic of Session Manager, and explored the integration of key applications. The final step is to synthesize this knowledge, focusing on end-to-end call flows, troubleshooting methodologies, and the strategic mindset required to pass the certification test.
In this concluding part of our series, we will focus on the skills and strategies needed for exam success and for becoming a proficient integration specialist. We will discuss a winning strategy for this integration-focused exam, walk through common end-to-end call flow scenarios and troubleshooting challenges, and review the most critical troubleshooting tools. To consolidate your knowledge, we will conduct a final, rapid-fire review of the most essential concepts and provide a detailed breakdown of the SIP station registration process, concluding with last-minute tips and a pre-exam checklist.
As you prepare to take the Avaya 7120X exam, your strategy should be firmly focused on understanding the interactions and integrations between the core components. This exam is not a test of isolated knowledge; it is a test of your ability to see the Aura® platform as a single, cohesive ecosystem. The questions are often designed to test your understanding of how a call or a signaling message flows from one server to another. Therefore, your best preparation is to trace these call flows in your mind or in a lab for various scenarios.
Time management during the exam is critical. The questions can be complex and may require you to analyze a diagram or a snippet of a trace. Read each question and all the answer options with great care. The exam is testing your precision and your ability to follow a logical path. When a question presents a call flow problem, try to identify the source of the call, the intended destination, and the core components that would be involved in routing it.
A key part of your strategy must be to have a crystal-clear understanding of the division of labor between the core components. Remember that System Manager is for administration, Session Manager is for SIP routing, and Communication Manager is for telephony features and non-SIP endpoints. Many questions will test your ability to identify which component is responsible for a specific function or which tool you would use to configure or troubleshoot it.
Finally, in the days leading up to the exam, shift your focus from learning new details to reinforcing the big picture. Review the main call flow diagrams and the key integration points. This holistic view will be far more valuable than trying to memorize every obscure command or parameter.
The best way to prepare for the Avaya 7120X exam is to be able to trace the path of different types of calls through the Aura® platform. Let's consider a few common scenarios.
First, an internal SIP phone calls a number on the public telephone network (PSTN). The user's SIP phone sends a SIP INVITE message to Session Manager. Session Manager analyzes the dialed number, matches it to a dial pattern that points to a routing policy for outbound calls. This routing policy directs the call to the Communication Manager SIP entity. Session Manager forwards the INVITE to CM. CM receives the call, performs its ARS digit analysis, selects a route pattern, and seizes a trunk in a PSTN trunk group to send the call out to the carrier.
Second, an external call comes in from the PSTN to a hunt group. The call arrives on a trunk group in Communication Manager. CM's incoming call handling treatment for that trunk points the call to a vector, which then directs the call to the hunt group. CM rings the first available agent in the hunt group. If the agent is a SIP phone, CM will extend the call via a SIP trunk to Session Manager, which then routes the call to the registered SIP endpoint.
Third, a remote worker with a SIP soft client calls an internal extension. The remote client sends its SIP INVITE over the internet to the public IP address of the Avaya Session Border Controller (ASBCE). The ASBCE inspects the message and securely proxies it to the internal Session Manager. Session Manager sees the call is for an internal extension, finds the registered location of that extension, and routes the call to the destination endpoint.
The Avaya 7120X exam will test your ability to apply your knowledge to troubleshoot common integration problems. Let's walk through a few scenarios. A user reports that their new SIP phone is stuck on "Acquiring Service" and will not register. This is a classic registration failure. Your troubleshooting would start by verifying the phone's basic network connectivity and its DNS settings. You would then check if the phone is successfully downloading its configuration file from the provisioning server. Finally, you would use traceSM on the Session Manager to see if the phone's REGISTER message is even reaching the server, and if so, what the response is.
Another common scenario: A user tries to make an outbound call and receives a fast busy signal. This indicates a call routing failure. Your primary tool here would be the list trace station command in Communication Manager for the user's extension. The trace will show you exactly how CM is analyzing the digits and which ARS or dial plan entry it is failing on. The error message will often be a "denial event" that tells you exactly why the call was blocked.
Consider a situation where presence is not working for any users. You can send IMs, but everyone's presence status is "Unknown." This points to a problem with the Presence Services integration. You would start by checking the health of the Presence Services server itself in System Manager. You would then verify the status of the SIP entity link between Session Manager and Presence Services. You could use traceSM to see if the SIP SUBSCRIBE and NOTIFY messages, which are used for presence, are being correctly routed.
Finally, imagine a user reports that when someone calls them and they do not answer, the call does not go to voicemail. This is a call coverage issue. You would start by checking the user's station configuration in Communication Manager to see what their configured coverage path is. You would then check the configuration of that coverage path to see where it is supposed to send the call. You would then use list trace to watch a live call to that user and see exactly what CM is doing when the call is not answered.
To succeed on the Avaya 7120X exam and in the real world, you must be proficient with the primary troubleshooting tools for the core components. A quick review of these tools is essential.
For Communication Manager, your number one tool is the list trace command in the SAT. It provides a real-time, step-by-step view of how CM is processing a call. It is indispensable for diagnosing any issue related to call routing, feature behavior, or trunking. You should be comfortable initiating a trace and interpreting its basic output.
For Session Manager, the essential tool is traceSM. This command-line utility allows you to capture and view the live SIP traffic that is being processed by Session Manager. It is the only way to see the detailed SIP message flows between the various components and to diagnose issues with SIP registration, call setup, or application integration. You must know how to start traceSM and apply basic filters.
For System Manager and overall system health, the primary tool is the Alarm Viewer within the SMGR web interface. SMGR acts as a central alarm collector for all the managed elements in the Aura® platform. If a server is down, a service has stopped, or a trunk is out of service, an alarm will be generated and will be visible in the SMGR dashboard. Regularly checking for active alarms is a key part of proactive system management.
In this final, high-speed review, let's lock in the most critical concepts for the Avaya 7120X exam. First is the role of the three core components. System Manager (SMGR) is the centralized web-based administration platform for the entire solution. Session Manager (SM) is the core SIP routing engine and integration hub. Communication Manager (CM) is the call processing engine that provides traditional and advanced telephony features.
Second, remember the key configuration objects in System Manager for SIP routing. A SIP Entity represents another SIP system. An Entity Link is the SIP trunk to that system. A Dial Pattern matches the called number. A Routing Policy determines where to send the call based on the matched dial pattern. All of these are configured in SMGR and synchronized to SM.
Third are the core concepts of Communication Manager. A station is a logical telephone extension. The dial plan and Automatic Route Selection (ARS) tables control outbound call routing. Trunk groups are the connections to the PSTN. The list trace command is your primary troubleshooting tool.
Fourth is the principle of integration. All modern applications, such as voicemail (AAM) and presence (PS), are integrated as SIP entities with Session Manager. The Avaya Session Border Controller (ASBCE) is the secure gateway for all external SIP traffic, including remote workers and SIP trunks.
You have dedicated a significant amount of time to learning the complex and powerful Avaya Aura® platform. The final step is to prepare for the logistics and mental state of the exam day. In the 24 hours before your exam, avoid cramming new information. Your brain needs time to consolidate what you have learned. A good night's sleep will be far more beneficial than a frantic, late-night study session.
On the day of the exam, arrive at the testing center early and with all the required forms of identification. This will help you avoid any last-minute stress. Before you begin the test, take a moment to calm your mind. Trust in your preparation. You have studied the material, you understand the call flows, and you have the knowledge to succeed.
Here is your final pre-exam checklist:
Have you reviewed the official Avaya 7120X exam objectives and feel confident in each major domain?
Can you draw a basic diagram of the Aura® core components and show the communication paths?
Can you explain the difference between a SIP Entity, an Entity Link, and a Routing Policy in System Manager?
Can you describe the purpose of the list trace command in CM and the traceSM command in SM?
Do you understand the high-level steps for provisioning a new user with both a CM station and a SIP profile in System Manager?
Have you confirmed your exam appointment details and prepared your identification?
Are you well-rested and ready to apply your knowledge to the challenging integration and troubleshooting scenarios?
If you can confidently answer yes to these questions, you are ready. Approach the exam with a calm, logical mindset, read each question with care, and demonstrate the expert-level integration skills you have built. Good luck on your Avaya 7120X exam!
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