VQ Conference Manager vs Cisco TMS: Key feature comparison  

“I need to replace Cisco TMS. Does VQ Conference Manager offer X feature?” 

This is one of the most common questions we get from customers seeking to exit the legacy TMS platform ahead of its end-of-support deadline in January 2027.  

The answer is usually “yes it does – plus a whole lot more in addition”.  

When we started building what has become the only complete on-premises replacement for TMS that Cisco recommends, our aim was always to do more than replicate TMS’s features. We wanted to give today’s time-poor conferencing administrators and technicians a genuine levelling-up: tools that take away the challenges of managing large-scale Cisco device estates. 

Customers tell us we’ve built something that feels sufficiently familiar to avoid a big learning curve for ex-TMS users, while taking the admin experience to whole new levels. 

Below is a quick side-by-side summary, followed by more detail on the areas customers ask about most frequently. 

1.Self-service meeting scheduling: Flexible options in Outlook and beyond   

One of the most popular features of Cisco TMS was TMS XE, its Outlook integration that enabled end users to schedule their own meetings. 

VQ Conference Manager Metro for Outlook replicates TMS XE’s capabilities and adds a load of extras on top. For maximum customer flexibility, Metro for Outlook is available in two flavors: an add-in and a plug-in. 

Both go above and beyond TMS XE, with the plug-in offering the richest functionality. 

Moreover, with VQ Conference Manager Metro you can offer users other ways to schedule and join their own meetings, including via our desktop, web, and mobile clients, Microsoft Teams integration, and a Cisco RoomOS web app. 

VQ Conference Manager also supports one-time virtual meeting spaces when scheduling, along with multi-role meetings – both things that weren’t supported when planning meetings with TMS. 

2.One Button to Push: CMS, Webex, and Microsoft Teams CVI 

One Button to Push (OBTP) lets people join meetings on Cisco in-room collaboration devices in a single tap, by placing a ‘Join’ button on the device display at the meeting’s start time. 

With VQ Conference Manager, OBTP supports meetings scheduled on Cisco Meeting Server, Webex, and Microsoft Teams CVI.

For Webex or Teams CVI support, make sure you include VQ Conference Manager’s Hybrid Calendar on your order. 

3. Device configuration and management: Scalable automation across deployment, certificates, macros, and more  

TMS’s primary purpose was of course to administer Cisco video devices. Here again, VQ Conference Manager is built to be the modern successor to TMS.  

Key to this is VQ Conference Manager’s suite of automated admin tools, which enable busy teams to operate large device footprints with ease. Deploy and manage configurations, firmware updates, security certificates (including certificate signing request generation), and macros, flexibly and at scale.  

There’s even a built-in fileserver to securely and conveniently store your device-related files and apps – another weight off your admins’ shoulders. 

4. Address books: Flat, nested, and location-based options 

TMS supported flat or nested phone books, using LDAP or Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) as the source. VQ Conference Manager builds on this, with address books. Sources can include Active Directory/LDAP, CUCM, your VQ Conference Manager device list, and CSV files. 

We’ve also added support for location-based address books. Customers tell us this saves real admin time, because it means when they add, remove, or relocate devices, their address books update automatically, removing another task from their admins’ to-do lists.  

5. Analytics: Map-based device views plus much more 

Customers who migrate from TMS to VQ Conference Manager often mention our insights as one of the biggest game-changers. TMS included some reporting, but it was limited to meeting and certain device information, with a relatively short log retention period. 

VQ Conference Manager takes this considerably further. Our Analytics include a variety of ready-made dashboards and reports, including map views of devices. There’s a much broader range and history of collaboration data than TMS offered, going beyond just the endpoints, to encompass Cisco Meeting Server, Expressway (coming soon), CUCM (coming soon), and VQ Conference Manager itself. 

Administrators can also use our drag-and-drop interface to customize or create their own dashboards and reports, and set up custom alerts when device problems occur. 

6. Device database: No Windows or SQL Server licensing required 

TMS’s device database requirements were something admins often found burdensome. The need to license a Windows Server environment and SQL Server database to store TMS device information added cost and administrative overhead.  

This all disappears in VQ Conference Manager, since it comes with a built-in and fully licensed database – and tools to migrate the contents of your TMS database seamlessly across. 

7.Multi-tenancy: Robust access control across large and complex organizations 

Lastly, many organizations must ringfence parts of their operations, so that user, administrator, and operator access is limited to their own area and devices. TMS didn’t offer multi-tenancy, which resulted in a lot of complexity and workarounds for security-conscious organizations. 

To address this, VQ Conference Manager natively supports multi-tenancy. Coupled with our comprehensive access controls, this enables customers to comply with enterprise security and regulatory requirements. 

Keep your organization secure: Switch by January 2027 

As January 2027 gets closer, the urgency to exit Cisco TMS is increasing. To facilitate a quick and assured transition, we’ve developed a robust, highly automated migration process, refined over the course of dozens of successful TMS to VQ Conference Manager upgrades.  

So if you’re still on Cisco TMS, talk to us today to kick-start your move.