Enhancing the IP Call Center Value with Vision

Jerry GavinDirector, Sales Engineering

Slide 2

Our Agenda

Global connectivity for IP-based hosted enterprise contact centers

Overview of the Vision Media Gateway and Signaling ServerIntegrating into real networks

Connecting and configuring to IP and PSTN networksRouting issuesLessons learned

Slide 3

Global Connectivity for IP-Based Hosted Enterprise Contact Centers

Slide 4

Communications in Transition

New services on IP-based platformsSIP signalingG.711 “voice” over RTP

Lower costEasier developmentFaster time-to-marketWeb & IT convergence

Dramatic simplification over PSTN platforms

Slide 5

Connecting to PSTN

VoIP access to PSTN readily available from major inter-exchange carriers

Send VoIP traffic almost anywhere in the worldReceive PSTN traffic from anywhere in US

VoIP

IXC

PSTN

IXC Gateway

Databases,Web Services,

Persistent Business logic

SIP

RTP

SpeechResources

Vision VoiceXML ServerWeb Server

http://voiceXML…

IP Telephony

MRCP

Slide 6

Not So Easy in the Rest of the World

Problem: inbound traffic, PSTN to VoIPAdvertise PSTN numbers, receive incoming traffic over IPAvailable as a service in US, parts of the EU, HK, Japan, Australia, and Brazil

Expensive or unobtainable in most of the rest of the world

Slide 7

Nominal Solution

Provide PSTN gateway with IP-based application

Databases,Web Services,

Persistent Business logic

SIP

RTP

SpeechResources

VoiceXML ServerWeb Server

http://voiceXML…

IP Telephony

MRCP

PSTN

Media Gateway,Signaling Server

& Call Router

Alternately,use IP-PBX and its interfaces

Slide 8

Requirements

Media, signaling & call routing (both ways)SS7 connectivity

SS7 controlled inter-machine trunks can be significantly less expensive than ISDN

Global deployable — interfaces, approvalsHighly available at minimum added costCost-effective scaling, including scale down

Slide 9

IP-PBX Approach

Typically supports ISDN, but not SS7Can be expensive to scale upCan be expensive to distribute gateway functions to multiple cities

Slide 10

Gateway Approach

Solution requires multiple elementsMedia gatewaySignaling gatewayCall routing control

Esp. PSTN-to-SIP routingMedia gateway controller, softswitch or equivalent

Example: Cisco AS5300 VoIP GatewayRequires PGW-2200 Softswitch ($20,000) to provide basic call routing

Slide 11

Vision Media Gateway and Signaling Server

Integrated solutionIncludes call routingISDN, SS7 & CAS*Global approvalsAvailable with 2, 4 or 8 T1/E1 trunksCentralized or distributed deployments

*Future release

Vision Media Gateways Vision Signaling Servers

Slide 12

High Availability

Media scale by trunks and trunk groupsN+1 redundancy for media gatewaysCall routing tables (PSTN # to SIP URI) distributed to media gatewaysSS7 signaling 1+1 redundant

Slide 13

Redundant SS7 Configuration

. . .

SIP-based Services Platform

SS7 signalingDuplicated Signaling Servers for high availability2 servers; 1 point codeCheckpoint at MTP3 and TCAP levelActive – Standby mode at MTP3 and TCAP layer

Switch

SS7

SIP

T1/E1 VoiceRTP

NCC-ISUP

GW

GW

GW

Sig Svr

Sig Svr

Slide 14

Scalability

Media Gateway2, 4, or 8 E1/T1s per 1UMounts in standard racksUp to 20 gateways per signaling server (pair)

Signaling Server4, 16, or 32 signaling linksRedundant pair for high availability

Slide 15

Highly Distributed Configuration

Gateways near switches, signaling servers near STPsDecrease networking costs, simplify management

SS7

SIP

T1/E1 VoiceRTP

NCC-ISUP

SSP

SSP

SSP

SSP

STP

STP

SIP-based Services Platform

GW

GW

GW

GW

Sig Svr

Sig Svr

Slide 16

Other PSTN Issues

Gateway located in capital city means poor service for callers in secondary citiesInter-city PSTN calls expensiveInter-city IP capacity available and lower cost

SolutionIntegrated IP-based solution with 1U elements

distributed to minimize recurring costs

Slide 17

Conclusions

Develop new communications applications on IP-based platformsObtain PSTN connectivity from VoIP service providers where available and affordableLeverage IP-PBX connectivity when presentUse integrated gateways for

Global reachSS7 connectivityCost-effective scalabilityCost-effective availabilityFlexibility

Slide 18

Integrating into Real Networks

Slide 19

TCP/IP

ISDN

1u SEPP/N 82924-2

NMS 6000-34236CG 6565/64-2L/8TE

VG 2000 (1)NIC 1

CG 6565/64-2L/8TE

VG 2000 (2)NIC 1

Eth 1

Eth 1

VS 5000 (1)

TX 4000/32/4TEEth 1

Eth 0

Trunk 1+3

SS7Trunk 2+4

TX 4000/32/4TETrunk 1+3Trunk 2+4

Eth 1

VS 5000 (2)Eth 0

IP

NMS 6000-34236

Optional – see note*RJ-45 to RJ-48c

splitters – P/N 32851

*Note – If trunks 3 + 4 need to be used, then RJ-45 to RJ-48c are needed

RJ-21Mini

RJ-21

RJ-21Mini

RJ-21

1324

1324

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

NMS Provides Avaya Provides

RTP

SIP

RTP

SIP

TCP/IP

Ethernet CablesHub/Switch

Hub / Switch

SS7 redundancy cable P/N 32344 or 6000-34080

Slide 20

TCP/IP

1u SEPP/N 82924-2

NMS 6000-34236CG 6565/64-2L/8TE

VG 2000 (1)NIC 1

Eth 1

VS 5000 (1)

TX 4000/32/4TEEth 1

Eth 0

Trunk 1+3Trunk 2+4

IP

RJ-21Mini

RJ-21

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

RTP

SIP

Ethernet CablesHub/Switch

Hub / Switch

SS7 Monitor

Voice

Signalling & Voice

NMS 6000- 34037

RJ-45

Russian Mobile Carrier

MSC

Signalling & Voice

SS7 Emulator& Convertor

NMS Provides Avaya Provides

Slide 21

TCP/IP

1u SEPP/N 82924-2

CG 6565/64-2L/8TE

VG 2000 (1)

VS 5000 (1)

TX 4000/32/4TE

Eth 0

Eth 1

Trunk 1+3Trunk 2+4

MiniRJ-21

RTP

SIP

SS7 Monitor

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

VoiceSignalling &

Voice

SNTLiteSW Package

SS7

ISDNPRI

ACMPBX

“67XX”

ACMLAB

“591X”

NIC 1192.168.1.25

192.168.1.26

192.168.1.23

IP

192.168.1.81

192.168.1.83

192.168.1.82

Nuance ASR/TTS

ISDN ISDN

ISDNIP

135.64.44.79

591X

67XXR&D office

598X

Russian Convertor Box

Avaya SES

Avaya VP/MPP

Application Server

Avaya Russian Lab Network Diagram

Slide 22

TCP/IP

1u SEPP/N 82924-2

CG 6565/64-2L/8TE

VG 2000 (1)

VS 5000 (1)

TX 4000/32/4TE

Eth 0

Eth 1

Trunk 1+3Trunk 2+4

MiniRJ-21

RTP

SIP

SS7 Monitor

RJ-48c

RJ-48c

Voice

Signalling

SNTLiteSW Package

(Optional)

SS7

ACMPBX

NIC 1192.168.16.118

192.168.16.119

192.168.16.105

IP

192.168.16.117

192.168.16.115

192.168.16.116

Applications Server

ISDN

192.168.16.XXX

XXXX

Alcatel – LucentAtrium5020

MSC

Avaya SES

Avaya VPMS/MPP

Nuance ASR/TTS

Major Russian Mobile Carrier Lab Network Diagram

Slide 23

Major Russian Mobile Carrier Lab Rack Mounted Layout withNMS and Avaya Equipment

Slide 24

Change We Made & Why

Vision Media GatewayNetwork configuration

IP Address, DNS, Def GW, Host Name…etcCountry Par file

Use switchpar.sh utilityRequires the VG to be stopped and then a reboot

Time zone based on the regionNeed to reboot

Add SS7 Signaling ServerEdit /etc/host file to add IP Address and SS701If in redundant mode, then add IP Address and SS702

Continued

Slide 25

Change We Made & Why

Vision Media GatewayConfigure SIPConfigure RTPConfigure PSTN (either ISDN or SS7)

ISDN: 23B+D, NFAS, ISUP: Voice Circuits

T1 Circuit mask = 0x00FFFFFF E1 Circuit mask = 0x7FFFFFFE (Signaling on Channel 1)E1 Circuit mask = 0x7FFF7FFF (Signaling on Channel 16)

Continued

Slide 26

Change We Made & Why

Vision Media GatewayRouting Table

Always update table, update key on bottom on screen, need to cursor downCan be confusing, use these simple rules for To From

PSTN to SIPTo In = PSTN Called PartyTo Out = SIP Called PartyFrom In = PSTN Calling PartyFrom Out = SIP Calling Party

Example 1234 calls 6789To = Cd PN = 6789 SIP:6789@URLFrom = CgPN = 1234 SIP:1234@URL

Transfer to PSTN with out time out from PSTN switchAppend for “F” on CdPN # in “To Outgoing” section to not wait for time out

Example 6788 6788F

Slide 27

Change We Made & Why

Vision Signaling ServerDecide if SS7 link(s) are T1 or E1

T1 will use ANSI txcfg1.txtE1 will use ITU tcfg1.txtEdit txcfg1.txt for T1 or E1 physical parameters

This file gets loaded in SS7_load via cmconsole

Configure IP network se-config.pl

Add all network configuration parametersse-update.pl

Reconfigures VS for operational software

Continued

Slide 28

Change We Made & Why

Vision Signaling ServerConfigure SS7 Network

Choose default configuration that best fits your SS7 Network & Signaling

StandaloneRedundant

Rename file to ss7_config_default.xmlPoint Codes, Protocol Variant, Link Connections and sets, Circuit groups…etcCan add xml elements to this file

<LssuLen>, Link Status Signal Unit <UsePrior>, eliminated errors in MTP3

Change Channel 16 to un-blockedChannel 16 was waiting for Blocked AckChanged <UnUsedCircuit> =15 not 16

Continued

Slide 29

Change We Made & Why

Vision Signaling ServerConfigure SS7 Network (cont’d)

Rename file to ss7_config_default.xml (cont’d)Changed Sub Service field, <Ssf> param

National to ReservedISUP and MTP

If you using only one T1 or E1 Delete all the other Circuit Group dataWill be extra data in log files that is not needed

Add Mapping for Embedded Signaling and VoiceEdit ss7_load file

Add $TXUTIL/t1demo < $TXUTIL/txsw4000.txtVS E1 -T1 TS 1 – 15, 17 – 31 is mapped to VG E1 –T1 TS 1 - 15, 17 - 31

Continued

Slide 30

Change We Made & Why

Vision Signaling ServerStop and Start Vision Signaling Server

cmconsolep all (stops)s all (starts)

Utilitiescpcon

frstatus — status of configured linksss7cli

Cmd line utility for links, circuits, tracing…etcsss7trace

Traces for MTP3 and ISUP layersVision Server log file

Vi localsystem.log

Slide 31

Lesson Learned

Who are the key point of contacts?Conference call usually identifies someone

Always ask what you are connecting toSite survey, network diagrams, etc.

Understand the power connectionsDifferent countries have specific standards

Test all equipment and cables prior to shipping If Mr. Murphy is chilling with ya, who is the Engineering Guru?

Perform Engineering Exorcism immediately

Remote access to lab or deployed equipmentSSH, VPN, …etc.

Continued

Slide 32

Lesson Learned

Bring the equipment documentationSoft and printed material

A notebookForce yourself to write all activities, issues, resolutions on daily basisVery hard to recapture exact thoughts when on plane or back in office

Know VI for editing and simple commandsMedia Gateway is LinuxSignaling Server is Unix

Always use Bash as the environmental shellDrink lots of vodka…..

Slide 33

Questions?