3 Proven 300-820 CLHCT Hacks for Exam Success.

Embarking on the journey to earn a Cisco certification can be both challenging and incredibly rewarding. For professionals aiming to validate their expertise in modern collaboration solutions, the 300-820 CLHCT exam stands as a pivotal milestone. This exam, formally known as the Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies, is a core component of the prestigious CCNP Collaboration certification. Passing it demonstrates your ability to integrate and manage Cisco's cutting-edge hybrid and cloud-based collaboration environments. But with the breadth of topics covered, from Webex Hybrid Services to API programmability, achieving success requires more than just passive study. It demands a strategic approach, focused effort, and the right hacks to truly master the material.

This comprehensive guide is designed to empower you with practical, confidence-building strategies for conquering the 300-820 CLHCT exam. We'll delve deep into the exam structure, explore the critical syllabus topics, and reveal three proven hacks that can significantly boost your chances of success. Whether you're just starting your preparation or looking to refine your study plan, these insights will help you navigate the complexities of Cisco's collaboration technologies and walk into your exam with unwavering confidence.

Understanding the 300-820 CLHCT Exam

Before diving into study strategies, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of what is Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam about. This exam assesses your knowledge of implementing and managing Cisco Collaboration solutions in hybrid and cloud deployments. It's specifically tailored for network engineers, collaboration engineers, and IT professionals who work with Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Cisco Expressway, Cisco Webex, and other collaboration tools.

Key Exam Details

Let's break down the essential details:

• Exam Name: Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies
• Exam Code: 300-820 CLHCT
• Exam Price: $300 USD
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Number of Questions: Typically between 55-65 questions
• Passing Score: Variable, usually approximated between 750-850 out of 1000

The 300-820 CLHCT is not just about memorization; it requires a deep understanding of concepts and their practical application. The Cisco CLHCT exam blueprint clearly outlines the domains of knowledge and skills required, serving as your primary guide throughout your preparation. This exam contributes to the broader CCNP Collaboration certification, making it a critical step in advancing your career in collaboration technologies.

The Core Syllabus: What You Need to Know

A thorough understanding of the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam topics syllabus is non-negotiable for success. Each domain carries a specific weight, indicating areas where you should focus more of your study time. You can find the detailed syllabus on the Cisco Learning Network. Here's a breakdown:

• Suite and Devices Configuration (25%): This section covers the foundational aspects of configuring collaboration suites and devices. Expect questions on configuring Cisco Unified Communications Manager for hybrid deployments, integrating endpoints, and setting up various collaboration services.
• Cloud Management (10%): While a smaller percentage, this area is critical for understanding how to manage Cisco collaboration solutions within a cloud environment, including Webex Control Hub.
• Suite and Devices Management (25%): Building on configuration, this section focuses on maintaining and troubleshooting collaboration suites and devices, including user management, reporting, and monitoring.
• Suite and Device Administration (10%): Covers administrative tasks, security profiles, licensing, and other operational aspects of collaboration solutions.
• Hybrid and Migration to the Cloud (10%): This is where the "hybrid and cloud" aspect truly shines. Topics include understanding hybrid services, planning for migrating to Cisco Collaboration Cloud 300-820, and implementing Cisco Unified Communications Hybrid deployment 300-820 scenarios. Expect to see questions related to Cisco Webex Hybrid Services 300-820.
• Security (10%): Examines security best practices for collaboration solutions, including certificate management, secure voice and video, and data protection in hybrid environments.
• APIs and Programmability (10%): Reflecting the industry trend towards automation, this section covers using APIs for integration, automation, and customization of Cisco collaboration platforms.

Each of these domains intertwines, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to your study. Understanding the percentage breakdown allows you to allocate your study time effectively, ensuring you prioritize high-weight topics while not neglecting any area entirely.

3 Proven 300-820 CLHCT Hacks for Exam Success

Now that we've laid the groundwork, let's dive into the core of our discussion: the three proven hacks that will propel you toward 300-820 CLHCT exam success.

Hack 1: Master the Fundamentals and Hands-On Application

The 300-820 CLHCT exam tests your practical understanding, not just theoretical knowledge. The most effective way to prepare is to combine solid foundational learning with extensive hands-on experience. This hack is about making the concepts stick through practical application.

• Deep Dive into Core Concepts: Don't just skim the surface. For topics like Suite and Devices Configuration and Management, ensure you understand the "why" behind each configuration. How does a specific setting impact call routing or device registration? What are the implications for a Cisco Unified Communications Hybrid deployment 300-820?
• Build a Home Lab (or Virtual Lab): This is perhaps the most critical advice for how to prepare for Cisco 300-820 CLHCT. While not everyone has access to a physical lab, virtual labs using tools like EVE-NG or GNS3, combined with Cisco's VIRL or DevNet sandboxes, can provide invaluable experience. Practice configuring Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Cisco Expressway, and integrating them with Webex. Get comfortable with Cisco Webex Hybrid Services 300-820 setup and troubleshooting. The more you configure, the more you learn.
• Scenario-Based Practice: Instead of just memorizing commands, try to solve real-world problems. For instance, if a user can't register their Jabber client in a hybrid environment, what steps would you take to diagnose and resolve the issue? This kind of thinking is what the exam truly evaluates. Focus on troubleshooting common issues related to migrating to Cisco Collaboration Cloud 300-820.

Remember, the goal is to develop a robust skill set that goes beyond passing the exam. These practical skills are what will truly make you a valuable asset in any collaboration environment.

Hack 2: Strategic Resource Utilization and Practice

With so many study materials available, knowing the best resources for Cisco 300-820 CLHCT can be overwhelming. This hack focuses on intelligently leveraging the right resources to optimize your study time and practice effectively.

• Official Cisco Documentation: Always start with the authoritative source. Cisco's official documentation, white papers, and configuration guides are goldmines of information. They provide the most accurate and up-to-date details on all collaboration technologies relevant to the exam.
• Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies Study Guide: Invest in a high-quality study guide specifically tailored for the 300-820 CLHCT. Look for one that aligns closely with the official Cisco CLHCT exam blueprint. These guides often break down complex topics into digestible sections, complete with examples and review questions.
• Cisco 300-820 CLHCT Training Course: Consider enrolling in an official or reputable third-party training course. These courses often provide structured learning paths, expert instructors, and access to labs, which can be incredibly beneficial. For additional perspectives on study materials and tips, you might find our previous post on Cisco 300-820 CCNP Collaboration Exam Prep useful.
• Practice Tests and Sample Questions: This is where you solidify your knowledge and get a feel for the exam format. Utilize Cisco 300-820 CLHCT practice test online platforms and look for Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam questions and answers. Engaging with Cisco 300-820 CLHCT sample questions pdf can help identify weak areas and familiarize you with the types of questions asked. Practice tests are invaluable for understanding the flow and timing of the actual exam.
• Community Forums and Study Groups: Engage with the Cisco Learning Network forums or other collaboration communities. Asking questions, discussing concepts, and even helping others can deepen your understanding and expose you to different perspectives.

Remember, quantity doesn't equate to quality when it comes to resources. Choose a few excellent resources and master them, rather than trying to consume everything. For more practice and to gauge your readiness, exploring a comprehensive set of Cisco 300-820 CLHCT certification exam sample questions and answers can be incredibly beneficial.

Hack 3: Develop a Robust Study Plan and Time Management

The 300-820 CLHCT exam covers a wide array of topics, and without a structured plan, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. This hack is about creating an efficient study schedule and managing your time effectively, both during preparation and on exam day.

• Create a Detailed Study Schedule: Map out your study plan based on the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam topics syllabus percentages. Allocate more time to high-weight sections like Suite and Devices Configuration/Management, and ensure you cover all domains. Break down your study goals into daily or weekly tasks. Be realistic about the time you can dedicate.
• Set Milestones and Review Regularly: Don't wait until the last minute to review. After completing each major section, take a short quiz or review your notes. This reinforces learning and helps identify areas that need more attention. Schedule dedicated review sessions leading up to the exam.
• Implement Active Recall and Spaced Repetition: Instead of passively rereading notes, actively try to recall information. Use flashcards for key terms, concepts, and commands. Space out your review sessions over time; this technique, known as spaced repetition, is highly effective for long-term retention.
• Time Management During the Exam: The 300-820 CLHCT exam duration is 90 minutes for 55-65 questions. This means you have roughly 1.5 minutes per question. During your practice tests, simulate exam conditions strictly. Learn to quickly read questions, identify keywords, and manage your time. If a question is particularly challenging, mark it for review and move on to avoid getting bogged down. Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies exam tips often emphasize this.
• Prioritize Weak Areas: Once you start taking practice tests, you'll identify your weak areas. Dedicate extra study time to these topics. Don't just focus on what you're good at; actively work to improve your understanding of challenging concepts, whether it's APIs and Programmability or specific aspects of Cloud Management.

A well-executed study plan combined with smart time management is a powerful formula for mitigating the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam difficulty level and ensuring you feel prepared and calm on exam day.

Deep Dive into Key Syllabus Areas

Let's expand a bit more on some of the critical areas to ensure a comprehensive understanding.

Hybrid and Migration to the Cloud

This section is paramount given the industry's shift towards hybrid cloud environments. You need to understand the nuances of integrating on-premises Cisco Unified Communications Manager with cloud services like Webex. Key topics include:

• Cisco Webex Hybrid Services 300-820: This involves configuring various services like Hybrid Call Service, Hybrid Calendar Service, and Hybrid Directory Service. Understand the prerequisites, configuration steps, and troubleshooting common issues.
• Migrating to Cisco Collaboration Cloud 300-820: While the exam focuses on implementation and management, understanding the principles and challenges of migration is crucial. This includes understanding coexistence strategies, data migration, and user onboarding processes.
• Cisco Unified Communications Hybrid deployment 300-820: Be familiar with different hybrid deployment models, their advantages, disadvantages, and the scenarios where each model is most appropriate. This could involve understanding how to extend existing on-premises features to cloud users.

A firm grasp of these hybrid concepts will be tested extensively, reflecting their real-world importance.

Security in Collaboration Environments

Collaboration systems handle sensitive data and communications, making security a critical component. For the 300-820 CLHCT, you should be proficient in:

• Certificate Management: Understanding how to obtain, install, and manage certificates for secure communication (e.g., TLS, SIP TLS) across various Cisco collaboration components like CUCM, Expressway, and Webex.
• Secure Voice and Video: Knowledge of SRTP, encrypted signaling, and secure conferencing solutions.
• Access Control: Implementing role-based access control (RBAC), understanding administrative roles, and secure access to management interfaces.
• Compliance: Awareness of general security compliance principles relevant to collaboration data.

APIs and Programmability

The modern IT landscape demands automation and integration. The 300-820 CLHCT includes a section on APIs and Programmability, highlighting the importance of scripting and automation in collaboration. Focus on:

• Cisco Webex APIs: Understand how to interact with Webex APIs for user management, messaging, meeting controls, and other integrations.
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager APIs: Familiarity with AXL and RISport APIs for automating administrative tasks and retrieving call detail records (CDRs).
• Python Scripting: While not a coding exam, a basic understanding of Python for interacting with APIs and automating simple tasks will be beneficial.
• Webhooks: Understanding how webhooks enable real-time notifications and integrations between systems.

This section is about understanding the potential for automation and how to leverage it to improve efficiency and manage complex collaboration environments.

Conquering Exam Day Anxiety

It's natural to feel some anxiety before a high-stakes exam. However, managing it is key to performing at your best. Here are some Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies exam tips for exam day:

• Get Adequate Rest: Ensure you get a good night's sleep before the exam. A well-rested mind is crucial for concentration and recall.
• Eat a Healthy Meal: Avoid heavy or sugary foods that can lead to energy crashes. Opt for a balanced meal that will sustain you throughout the exam.
• Arrive Early: Plan to arrive at the testing center well in advance. This allows time for check-in procedures, finding your seat, and settling down without feeling rushed.
• Read Questions Carefully: Don't rush through questions. Read each one thoroughly, paying close attention to keywords like "NOT", "ALWAYS", or "BEST." Understand exactly what is being asked before selecting an answer.
• Utilize the "Mark for Review" Feature: If you encounter a challenging question, make your best guess, mark it for review, and move on. Coming back to it later with fresh eyes might provide a new perspective, and it prevents you from getting stuck and losing precious time.
• Trust Your Preparation: You've put in the work. Trust your knowledge and instincts. Don't second-guess yourself too much.

A calm and focused mind is your greatest asset on exam day.

Beyond the Exam: What's Next?

Passing the 300-820 CLHCT exam is a significant achievement, but it's also a stepping stone. Once you've successfully cleared this hurdle, consider the following:

• CCNP Collaboration Certification: The 300-820 CLHCT is a core exam. To earn your CCNP Collaboration certification, you'll need to pass one of the concentration exams, such as 300-805 CLACCM, 300-810 CLICA, 300-815 CLAUTO, or 300-825 CLCNF. This further specializes your expertise.
• Continuous Learning: Technology evolves rapidly. Stay updated with the latest advancements in Cisco Collaboration solutions, particularly in cloud and hybrid services. Continue to refine your skills through ongoing training, certifications, and hands-on experience.
• Career Advancement: The Cisco 300-820 CLHCT certification cost is an investment in your career. Holding this certification enhances your marketability, opening doors to more advanced roles and responsibilities in collaboration engineering, architecture, and consulting. It demonstrates a high level of expertise that employers value.
• Networking: Engage with other certified professionals and join industry groups. Sharing knowledge and experiences can lead to new opportunities and deeper insights into the field.

While the Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies exam pass rate varies, a dedicated and strategic approach significantly increases your personal chances of success. This certification not only validates your skills but also positions you as a leader in the dynamic world of enterprise collaboration.

Conclusion

The Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam is a demanding but highly rewarding certification that opens up a world of opportunities in the burgeoning field of hybrid and cloud collaboration. By embracing the proven hacks discussed—mastering fundamentals through hands-on practice, strategically utilizing the best resources including Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam questions and answers, and developing a robust study and time management plan—you are well on your way to achieving exam success. Remember, confidence comes from preparation, and consistent effort is the key to unlocking your full potential.

Stay persistent, leverage every resource at your disposal, and approach your studies with a practical mindset. The future of collaboration is hybrid and cloud-driven, and with the 300-820 CLHCT under your belt, you'll be at the forefront of this exciting technological evolution.

Ready to Test Your Knowledge?

Take the next step in your 300-820 CLHCT preparation. Explore our comprehensive collection of Cisco 300-820 CLHCT certification exam sample questions and answers to assess your readiness and reinforce your understanding of key concepts. Your success starts now!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam about?

The Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam, also known as Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies, evaluates a candidate's knowledge of implementing and managing Cisco Collaboration solutions in hybrid and cloud-based deployments, including Webex Hybrid Services, cloud management, and API programmability.

2. How difficult is the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam?

The Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam difficulty level is generally considered moderate to high, requiring a solid understanding of both theoretical concepts and practical application. Candidates should have hands-on experience with Cisco Unified Communications and Webex solutions in hybrid environments.

3. What are the best resources for Cisco 300-820 CLHCT preparation?

The best resources include official Cisco documentation, a reputable Implementing Cisco Collaboration Hybrid and Cloud Technologies study guide, a quality Cisco 300-820 CLHCT training course, and extensive practice with Cisco 300-820 CLHCT practice test online and sample questions to simulate the actual exam environment.

4. What is the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT certification cost?

The registration fee for the Cisco 300-820 CLHCT exam is $300 USD. This cost does not include potential expenses for study materials, training courses, or lab equipment.

5. How many questions are on the 300-820 CLHCT exam and what is the passing score?

The 300-820 CLHCT exam typically consists of 55-65 questions, and candidates have 90 minutes to complete it. The passing score is variable but generally falls within the range of 750-850 out of 1000 total points.

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ThousandEyes Looking at EchoLink

I’m working with a Cisco service called ThousandEyes. Now, the best application of ThousandEyes would be to spot problems, especially with cloud services. If you offer a service in the cloud and customers are complaining about performance, ThousandEyes can reveal where the bottlenecks exist. Then you can execute a plan of action to get the issues addressed. But, indulge me a moment to explain the excuse I’m using to play with it.

I recently passed my Amateur Radio exam to get licensed again after letting my Advanced license expire 30 years ago. Before I share my new call sign, here’s a note for the benefit of non-hams (ham is common lingo for an Amateur Radio operator). It is customary to use a standard phonetic alphabet when giving your call sign on the air. For example, WB2GJ would be Whiskey Bravo 2 Golf Juliet. But someone might say WB2 George Jetson just for fun. (If you recognize the name, you’re dating yourself. And no hams were doxed for this blog; there is no WB2GJ.)

I mention this because the FCC assigns KI5VDI as my new call sign. I didn’t think any call sign could be worse than the one I had in Colorado, KB0FU. Yeah, say that one out loud and you’ll get it. But KI5VDI? I just know someone will say or at least think “KI5 Venereal Disease Infection”. So, I purchase a vanity call sign similar to my original Advanced call sign, WB2EWS. I get N2EWS. That’s good news. I’m now cured of Venereal Disease Infection.

As a revitalized ham, I find myself listening to a conversation on 2 meters. (We hams refer to frequency ranges by their approximate wavelength. The 144-148 MHz frequency wavelength is about 2 meters.) People you speak with on the 2-meter band are generally very close by. These signals don’t travel far unless you have the opportunity to do something fancy pants like bounce your signal off a meteor. Even then, voice communication would be virtually impossible. So, I am shocked to hear a local Texan talking with someone in South Korea. How? Repeaters extend the range on 2 meters so your signals can jump over objects like mountains or tall buildings, but even a daisy chain of repeaters isn’t going to reach South Korea.

It turns out they are using EchoLink. This free software lets you link your radio to your computer and connect anywhere with VoIP. You talk on the radio, and EchoLink forwards everything to the remote location, typically the other person’s radio connected to EchoLink.

I download and install EchoLink to give it a try. Being a Cisco guy, the first thing I think about is how reliable VoIP will be with this software and EchoLink destinations. Network latency and jitter can be a problem for VoIP.

This is where ThousandEyes (finally) comes in. ThousandEyes analyzes network traffic in detail. Fair warning: This is not a typical reason for using ThousandEyes, and I’m using ICMP to simplify the test. Normally you would use TCP and a port to get a more realistic view. Unfortunately, EchoLink doesn’t like tests on its VoIP port. But even these simple ICMP results are very interesting.

I see that EchoLink chooses a server in San Diego for my connection (nasouth.echolink.org). When I use EchoLink for ham radio, I’ll use it on my personal PC. But I’m testing it on my work PC, which adds a level of complexity since I use a Meraki router on the Cisco network. I install a ThousandEyes agent on my work PC so I can test the network from my work PC to the EchoLink server. The agent isn’t working. What’s my boggle? The agent is a Chrome extension and I’m using Firefox. No problem. I switch to Chrome and be well.

I run the first test. The path visualization (see Figure 1) shows some interesting information. The blue dots are nodes that have ThousandEyes agents. When I click on a blue dot, it shows the node information. The empty circles with numbers are unidentified node hops. The number tells you how many unidentified hops there are in that chain. Not every node in the Interwebs is equipped for ThousandEyes, yet.

Figure 1: The path visualization from the work PC to the EchoLink server

The table view shows the latency and jitter. The jitter is higher than I expected, but it shouldn’t be a problem.

Figure 2: The latency and jitter of this connection

That is only half of an EchoLink connection, though. The other half would go from the contact in South Korea to the San Diego server. When you define a ThousandEyes test, you can pick multiple agents from anywhere in the world. I can even select multiple countries at a time for a single test. In this case, I only want one country, South Korea. But I can specify several South Korea nodes as starting points.

Figure 3: I don’t have the location of a user in South Korea, but I can check various ISPs

The table below shows that all but one source in South Korea have very low latency and jitter. But even the 3.2ms jitter is unlikely to be a problem.

Figure 4: Table of latency and jitter for each South Korea starting point

Now let’s look at the paths. There are enough hops to be an IPA recipe. The red lines are links between two nodes where the delay is greater than 100ms. It is entertaining to hover over the dots to see traffic details. In one case, for Google (gcp asia-northeast3), the first jump is from South Korea to Illinois! Azure koreacentral is the only starting point with a path that has no delays. Since none of the delays add up to a significant latency, as shown in the above table, the delays are unlikely to be significant when using EchoLink.

Figure 5: The paths from South Korea to EchoLink

Let’s try another location for Amber Heards and giggles. How about war-torn Ukraine? Surely this will show network problems.

Figure 6: Choosing starting locations in Ukraine

I see two IPv4 agents in Ukraine, one in Kyiv and the other in Kharkiv. Kyiv uses Deltahost Company. Kharkiv uses Ukrainian Internet Names Center LTD. The results (see Figure 7) are impressive for a war torn country. Check out Figure 8 for the paths. No delays and no dead ends. Do we have Elon Musk to thank for this? I click on a few blue dots and see that several nodes are through Cogent Communications.

Figure 7: Low latency and no jitter to speak of

Figure 8: The paths to freedom

Overall, EchoLink communications should work very well, even to Ukraine.

I’m impressed with ThousandEyes. As more routers become ThousandEyes agents, there should be fewer and fewer unidentified nodes in test results. I’ll keep experimenting and report whatever may be interesting.

Source: cisco.com

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ChatOps: How to Build Your First Webex Bot

In this post, you’ll learn how to create a Webex bot, register a Webhook in Webex, and configure your bot to listen to Webhook – all with plenty of code examples. Check back for more as we build new use cases that leverage different aspects of automation using chat-driven interfaces.

In the DevOps world, we’re always looking for new ways to drive automation around communication. When we deploy new code, scale our deployments, or manage our feature flags – we want our teams to know about it. The Webex API makes it easy to build announcement flows triggered by successful events in our infrastructure. However, if we can trigger those events from Webex as well, then we’ve entered the world of ChatOps.

More Info: 300-835: Automating Cisco Collaboration Solutions (CLAUTO)

ChatOps is the use of chat clients like Webex Teams, chatbots, and real-time communication tools to facilitate how software development and operation tasks are communicated and executed. Using Webex APIs, we can build bots that allow us to enter commands that manage our infrastructure, trigger approval workflows, deploy code, and much more.

Security Disclaimer

Security is a top concern here at Cisco. In normal application development, security should always be built into the initial steps of getting code up and running. Today, we’re going to keep it simple and focus on the basics. Then, we’ll cover how to authenticate and authorize Webhook requests. We’ll hold off on security until the next blog post in our ChatOps series, once we’ve proven an end-to-end connection. 

How to create a Webex bot

First, let’s create a Webex bot using the Webex Developer UI.

Webex for Developers has a great step-by-step guide here to help you get up and running.

Some important things to consider:

◉ Think about what you want to name your bot. It should be intuitive, but unique. Depending on how you set up your Webhook, you may be typing the bot’s name a lot, so take that into account.

◉ The secret token that’s auto-generated for your bot is used for authenticating with the Webex API. When you use this token, Webex will treat your bot like a real user who can create messages, join rooms, or be tagged by other users.

◉ Will this bot interact with a lot of people? Will it have a very public presence, or will it only communicate with a few users? The answer to that question may have an impact on how you want to name it, what icon you select, etc.

Once you’ve taken all of that into account and filled out the bot creation form, you should see something like this, which includes the all-important access token:

How to receive Webhook Events locally

Next, you’ll need to host your bot where it can be accessed by Webex via API calls. If you’re developing locally and want to run a server that’s accessible to the internet, the Webex guide recommends localtunnel.me or ngrok. I went with localtunnel.me for my local environment.

$ npm i -g localtunnel

$ lt --port 3000

The resulting output is the public domain name that you can use to tunnel through to a local port on your machine:

Note: If you’re having trouble running localtunnel via the command line after installing (as a few people have reported here), make sure your PATH includes the directory where NPM installs your binaries. For example, on a Mac, that’s /usr/local/bin. This command might help:

$ npm config set prefix /usr/local

$ npm i -g localtunnel

$ lt --port 3000

How to register a Webhook

Once your internet-accessible endpoint has been set up, you now have a domain that you can use to register a Webex Webhook. Your Webex Webhook will listen to specific events that take place within the Webex platform and notify your web service via HTTP POST requests.

There are multiple ways to register a webhook. Under the hood, however, they all boil down to making your own HTTP POST request. I’ve posted a Postman collection that you can use to make this process a little easier. Fill in your own environment’s variables as you go and include the access token used in the header.

This is what my Postman request looks like:

Feel free to use whatever technology you like, including good old-fashion CURL:

curl --location --request POST 'https://webexapis.com/v1/webhooks' \

--header 'Authorization: Bearer $BOT_TOKEN \

--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \

--data-raw '{

    "name": "simple-webhook",

    "targetUrl": "https://tidy-falcon-64.loca.lt",

    "resource": "messages",

    "event": "created",

    "filter": "mentionedPeople=me"

}'

What’s important to note, is that Webex will send notifications to the domain that you specify in your POST request. If you’re using a tunnel into your local environment, list the domain that was given to you when you activated your proxy.

A very impactful part of your Webhook will be the filter property. This determines which Webex events are sent to your bot as notifications (and which are filtered out). To keep things simple, my bot is only notified when users send a message that specifically mentions it in a Webex Teams Room:

Webex has a nice, convenient tag for this: me uses the authorization token from the request to determine the identity of the user making that request (in this case, our bot), and applies that identity wherever it sees me referenced.

Alternatively, you can set a filter that only triggers notifications for direct messages to your bot, as opposed to mentions in Webex rooms. Since the goal of this post is to broaden visibility into the various processes, these examples show interactions in a Webex Teams Room, however, both are equally viable options.

When you send your POST request, Webex will respond with a body that contains an ID for your Webhook. While you can use the Webex API to GET a list of your Webhooks, it might be a good idea to hold onto this, in case you want to quickly update or delete this Webhook in the future. The Postman collection linked above stores the most recently created Webhook ID in an active_webhook environment variable automatically, which then powers the DELETE call in that collection.

How to create your bot server

For simple use cases, you may want to use the Webex Node Bot Framework, which is great for quick implementation. In order to get more familiar with the different components involved in this series, we’ll start from scratch, diving into the step that powers your Webex bot.

Getting Started with Express

Let’s set up a web server that can listen for POST requests from the Webex Webhook that we’ll create in a minute. This doesn’t have to be complicated for now, just something to demonstrate that we’re able to receive requests. For simplicity, we can use the ExpressJS generator, but you can use any web framework or technology that you like.

$ npm i -g express-generator

$ cd where/you/want/your/project

$ express

Since my IDE handles JavaScript Modules a lot better than it handles require statements, I opted to go with a more modern approach for my dependency management. This is totally optional and has no bearing on how you set up your code. However, if you want to follow the code snippets as I’ve laid them out, you’ll want to do the same. The first step is to add the following key/value pair to your package.json file, anywhere in the root of the JSON object:

"type": "module",

A lot of the boilerplate code can be stripped out if you like – we won’t need a favicon, a public/ folder, or a users route handler. Here’s what my code looked like after I stripped a lot of the simple stuff out:

// in app.js

// notice that I changed the require statements to use JS modules import statements

import express from 'express';

import logger from 'morgan';

import indexRouter from './routes/index.js';

const app = express();

app.use(logger('dev'));

app.use(express.json());

app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: false }));

app.use('/', indexRouter);

// boilerplate error code didn’t change

// …

// **be sure to remember to set app as the default export at the end of the file**

export default app;

Since I’m using JS Modules, I also had to change the executed file in an Express app www/bin to www/bin.js, and revise the boilerplate require statements there as well to use import syntax:

// in www/bin.js

/**

* Module dependencies.

*/

import app from '../app.js';

import _debugger from 'debug';

const debug = _debugger('chatops-webhook:server');

import http from 'http';

// nothing else in this file needed to change

Adding a Route Handler

That takes care of the majority of the boilerplate. At this point, I only have four files in my codebase, despite how many Express gives me out of the box:

◉ app.js

◉ package.json

◉ bin/www.js

◉ routes/index.js

We’ll want to add a route handler that lets us know when we’ve received a POST request from our Webex Webhook. It can be a simple function that prints the request body to the application console – nothing complicated, just a few lines of code:

// in routes/index.js

import express from 'express'

const router = express.Router();

router.post('/', async function(req, res) {

  console.log(`Received a POST`, req.body);

  res.statusCode = 201;

  res.end();

});

export default router;

Give it a try

You now have all of the important components for receiving message notifications from Webex:

◉ A bot to act as an identity for your Webex interactions

◉ If applicable, a network tunnel to expose your local web service to the public internet

◉ A Webhook set up by your bot to receive Webex notifications

◉ A web service to receive Webex notifications on a POST endpoint

Let’s test it out! To keep things simple for now, create a new room in Webex Teams and add your bot as a member. Next, start typing your message, mentioning your Bot (you can use the @ symbol or type its name) as part of the text. When you hit enter, after a brief pause, you should see a request come through to your running web service, which should log the POST body that it received in its console output:

Congratulations, you’ve just set up your very own Webex bot!

What’s next

As promised, our next post will walk through the extremely important aspect of securing our bot. We’ll make sure that only Webex can access it and only authorized users can trigger automation. After that, we’ll move on to new and exciting ways that you can automate everyday workflows right from a Webex Teams Room!

Learn, train, and certify in Cisco Collaboration

As you make your way through this ChatOps series, consider validating your skills with a Cisco Certification.

The 300-835 CLAUTO: Automating and Programming Cisco Collaboration Solutions is a 90-minute exam that counts toward three certifications — the CCNP Collaboration, Cisco Certified DevNet Professional, and Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist – Collaboration Automation and Programmability certifications. Check out the CLAUTO exam topics, and you’ll find that 25% of the exam covers Cloud Collaboration technologies. Before we meet again, take some time to browse through the free CLAUTO Study Materials available on the Cisco Learning Network, which will help you solidify today’s ChatOps focus on building your first Webex bot.

Source: cisco.com

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Building Hybrid Work Experiences: Details Matter

The Shift From Remote Work to a New Hybrid Work Environment

It’s exciting to see more organizations start to make the shift from remote work to a new hybrid work environment, but it’s a transition that comes with a new set of questions and challenges. How many people will return to the office, and what will that environment look like? Increasingly, we’re hearing that teams are feeling fatigued and disconnected – what tools can help to solve for that? And perhaps most importantly, how can we ensure that employees continuing to work remotely have the same connected and inclusive experience as those that return to the office?

When we think about delivering positive employee experiences, it’s the details that matter. This month, we’re rolling out new Webex features that solve for a few challenges that might be overlooked and yet play an important role in the new hybrid working model.

Give More and Get More From Your Meeting Experiences

Whether in the office or working remotely, no one wants to sit in meeting after meeting listening to a presenter drone on. Or worse, participating in a video meeting where there are so many talking heads and content being shared that you just don’t know where to focus. Making meetings more engaging is important in the world of hybrid work.

We’re expanding our Webex custom layouts functionality to include greater host controls, resulting in a more personalized and engaging meeting experience. As a meeting host or co-host, you have the ability to hide participants who are not on video, bringing greater focus to facial expressions and interactions with video users. Using the slider feature, you are able to show all participants on screen, or focus on just a few. And now hosts and co-hosts can curate and synchronize the content and speakers you want your attendees to focus on, and then push that view to all participants. This allows you to set a common “stage” and establish a more engaging meeting experience for all.

Setting the stage and sharing great content is one half of the equation – but wouldn’t it be helpful to know what your audience thinks about your meeting as well? Yesterday we announced the close of our acquisition of Slido, which brings best-in-class audience interaction capabilities to the Webex platform. With the ability to crowdsource questions, launch polls and quizzes, and solicit real-time feedback from your audience, the meeting experience just became a lot more interesting and valuable to both those hosting and those attending.

Work More Efficiently with Personalized Webex Work Modes

Your morning routine might start with a review of your meeting schedule, or checking unread messages. Or maybe you spend the majority of your time on calls. As a Webex user, you now have the flexibility to modify settings to default to the work mode that’s most important to you, allowing you to work your way more efficiently. And because all work modes come together seamlessly on the Webex platform, you can transition between messaging, calling and meeting with ease.

If you’re like me, you might rely on your message inbox as a To Do list that reminds you where to prioritize your time. To better support this workstyle preference, Webex now offers the ability to easily mark a message as unread, even if you’ve already read it. This visual reminder allows you to work efficiently and effectively – keeping up to speed on conversations, while ensuring that action items don’t fall off your radar.

Reimagining the Workplace

When it comes to planning for a safe and successful return to the office, business leaders are faced with new challenges large and small – everything from reconfiguring workspaces for a hybrid workforce to ensuring that shared surfaces and devices are kept clean and sanitized.

To ensure inclusive collaboration between employees in the office and those working remotely, we’re making it easier for all meeting attendees to be seen and heard. The Webex Room Kit Mini now offers a more powerful 5x digital zoom camera and optimized audio via internal microphones, providing clear audio up to 4 meters away. And the Webex Room Panorama is now configurable for low ceiling height and features flexible placement of content screens, enabling a wider variety of workspaces to support boardroom-style meeting experiences.

And talk about attention to details: Webex now enables easy sanitation of shared devices, with features like medical-grade, alcohol-resistant removable covers for phones and a wipe-down metal grill option on Webex Room Kit Mini devices.

Source: cisco.com

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Real-Time Translations, Improved Search Performance and More in the Webex App March Update

Webex App March Update

As the saying goes, March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. So does the Cisco Webex app … at least the lion part. In this month’s release, we bring you the much-anticipated king of features: real-time translations in meetings. In messaging, we deliver a 4x improvement in Webex search performance. In Webex Calling, you’ll see key feature enhancements for media optimization, and in Unified CM, new call recording services among other exciting developments.

Meetings in Webex

◉ In late March, Webex will begin a trial of real-time translation* – from English to 100+ languages. That means, non-native English speakers and/or hearing-impaired participants can choose closed captioning translation from English to one of the 108 additional languages supported. Real-time translation aids understanding and creates a more inclusive meeting, where language no longer be a barrier to great collaboration. Imagine the impact real-time translation could have on a virtual global classroom or a multinational company all-hands where better understanding could result in greater engagement. And we have deeply embedded this capability into the Webex UI, so the user experience will be familiar and effortless. See it in action:

Enterprise customers can reach out to their Cisco sales rep to sign up for the real-time translation trial. The trial will also be enabled on Webex.com with some restrictions. We will open the trial more broadly in May when the feature becomes generally available.

◉ Another long-awaited feature: Q&A is now supported in Webex Meetings. Together with previously released features – such as breakout sessions, co-hosts, and hard mute – you now have all the functionality you need to have a great training experience in Webex Meetings. The Q&A capability allows attendees to post questions in the Q&A panel with answers provided by the host and co-hosts. Multiple co-hosts can be assigned to the meeting, so you can have as many Q&A panelists as needed to conduct a highly effective training session. Teachers and corporate trainers now have powerful tools to conduct interactive and effective training sessions in Webex Meetings.

◉ For scheduled meetings, we’ve improved the attendee join experience in the event they join before a meeting starts. Rather than having to hang up and dial back in, they can now wait in the pre-meeting lobby until the host arrives and even notify the host that they are waiting. This feature is already available for Webex Personal Room meetings, so this is making the experience consistent across Webex meeting types.

Messaging in Webex

With a 400 percent improvement in our search performance time, you will now enjoy lightning-fast results when you search for key words in Webex messaging. Webex will return near instantaneous results, which will make you more efficient than ever before. No more endless scrolling through spaces to find that particular message. You’ll also be able to narrow your search and find messages instantly with the addition of In: (In a space) and From: (From a contact) modifiers. These can be selected from the advanced search menu or typed straight into your search box. Or, speed things up with new keyboard shortcuts:

Command + F: Open search bar

Command + F +Shift: Open search in space

◉ Viewing, sending and navigating files are some of the most frequent actions we take every day as we collaborate. With this in mind, we have made major updates to the content tab including a new ‘list’ view option for reviewing files in chronological order, as well and the ability to drag and drop files into this area to share in the space. This enables you to keep all your project assets easily accessible in a space that is well organized.

◉ Team spaces are great when a team project needs to be broken down into smaller sub-groups, allowing more efficient and precise collaboration. Originally, moderators only had control over the ‘General’ space. Now moderators have full control over all spaces within a Team. This gives them extra control and additional features such as the ability to add and remove participants and control the contents of a space including deleting other users’ messages.

◉ When working across multiple spaces, it can be easy to get distracted and forget what you were working on. We have now added ‘forward and back’ arrows on the Webex app header to help guide you through your spaces and keep track of where you were.

Calling in Webex

◉ Making calls has never been easier in Webex. In the desktop client, you’ll now be able to input the phone number in the global search bar and press ‘Enter’ to make the call. You no longer need to navigate your mouse to click the audio or video call buttons. Or speed things up even more with new keyboard shortcuts:

Audio call:

Option + Command + C

Control + Alt + C

Video call:

Option + Command + U

Control + Alt + V

◉ Webex app with Webex Calling: Media optimization (ICE) allows calls between the Webex app to keep media on premise. This helps businesses decrease bandwidth usage, reduce latency, and improve quality performance. No extra hardware or configuration is required. Backend support will launch by the end of March, and when integrated into the Webex app the first week of April, ICE will automatically improve call performance.

◉ Webex app with Unified CM: More controls are coming to call recording. If you’re set up by your administrator to record calls, you can now start and stop recordings as needed during your call, providing flexibility and greater control. If the call is being recorded, the recording continues if you move the call to another device, merge the call with another active call, or make it a conference call. A visual indicator light will be visible to let you know when a call is being recorded.

Webex App Device Integration

◉ In situations where proximity is not available, you can now pair to a device using a 9-character code. For instance, if you’re on a guest network, simply get the code from the device and enter it into the Webex app device panel. Once paired to the device, you can use the device for audio/video, wireless screen share, and device control enabling you to be able to work the way you want with the device of your choice.

◉ Closed captioning is now available on Webex devices for Webex Assistant for Meetings subscribers. Hosts were already able to turn on Webex Assistant for Meetings from their devices. Now, participants and hosts using Webex devices will also be able to see closed captioning, making the experience more aligned across Webex apps and devices.

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