[toc:faq]
Overview
The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series has a comprehensive set of features for inbound & outbound call handling using Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CUCME) features. Supported call handling features include: dialplan configuration, hunt groups, basic ACD, shared lines, call blocking and time of day call forwarding. A subset of these features not available in Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA), but included in the CUCME feature set may be configured using the IOS CLI.
Configuration Guides
Cisco Unified CME Basic Automatic Call Distribution for basic call center type functionality (Cisco.com Information
Using the UC500 in a Basic Call Center Application
Multiple Inbound Call Handling Scenarios for SBCS (VOD)
Configuring Time-Base Call Handling
Configuring Dynamic Hunt Groups
Training & Labs
Firstlook 2008 Lab4 - Advanced feature lab: Configuring Call Forwarding, Overlay DNs, Shared DNs and Hunt-groups
Firstlook 2008 - Configuring Basic ACD lab
First Look 2008 - Configuring Dial-peers using IOS CLI
FAQ
Can UC500 route all incoming calls to a secretary's phone who then distributes calls to the appropriate employee like a switchboard?
Yes, this can be done on the UC500 using CCA's "Incoming call handling" feature. You can route all incoming calls to a secretary's phone (or even a pool of secretaries). They can talk to the outside callers, get the name of the person that they are trying to reach and transfer the call to the appropriate employees. To make things simpler, the secretary's phone can monitor or watch the status of other employees - depending on number of lines a Cisco 7931G or Cisco 794x, 796x or 797x with an expansion module (7914) may be required.
Can UC500 route calls to an operator extension during business hours and to an auto attendant (AA) after hours?
Yes this is possible using the night service feature. Night Service is an optional Supplemental Feature configured outside of Cisco Configuration Assistant, through Cisco Command Line Interface in the Cisco UC500's IOS Software Image running Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME). Modifying configurations outside of CCA should be done by experienced partners that can identify and troubleshoot possible configuration conflicts created between CLI and GUI based commands. Night Service Overview provides a visual representation of the feature. A sample configuration is below which allows for calls to route to operator extension (x201) during business hours (8am to 5pm) and to AA (x200) after hours and on weekends (portions in red are done outside of CCA).
telephony-service
night-service weekday 17:00 08:00
night-service weekend 00:00 00:00
ephone-dn 201 dual-line
number 201
call-forward noan 299 timeout 10
call-forward busy 299
call-forward night-service 200
night-service bell
Can UC500/CME be configured to prompt a caller for a PIN before placing a call?
Yes, this is possible using a built-in script on the UC500. This feature is called Forced Access Code (FAC) or Auth Codes and UC500 supports a very simple implementation of it. This is how it works:
1) IP Phone user dials a particular pattern (international destination, for example)
2) If this destination is enabled for FAC, the user will hear a voice prompt asking for an Account number and PIN
3) The user enters the Account/PIN pair. If valid, the call proceeds, if not the call is dropped.
Configuration Steps
1) Obtain the application package from our FTP location. The package contains two audio files that need to be moved to the UC500 flash:
Simple-FAC-SBCS.zip
2) Copy the individual audio files to the UC500, using TFTP for example.
3) (Optional) Enter the following commands in configuration mode (in this example the Account and PIN are three digits long). This forces a user id and pid length, but it not required:
application
service clid_authen_collect
param uid-len 3
param pin-len 3
4) Create usernames for authentication. Notice that the username/password will represent the Account and PIN that the caller will have to dial to be successfully authenticated. You can create multiple usernames and then hand those out to select personnel that will be allowed to place premium calls. In this example both Account and PIN are three digits long. Also, as a nmemonic, the username matches the extensions assigned to the phones. This practice is not mandatory, but convenient. The system supports a maximum of 16 digits for codes:
aaa new-model
aaa authentication login h323 local
aaa authorization exec h323 local
aaa authorization network h323 local
username 201 password 123
username 201 autocommand exit
username 202 password 321
username 202 autocommand exit
** The "autocommand" option for the username, immediately logs out the user from the UC500 if these credentials are used for Telnet or SSH. The idea is to prevent a DOS attack on the unit if a malicious source were to monopolize the terminal (VTY) sessions. Please notice that if you have EZVPN server set up, these usernames could be used to access the system, in which case implementeting the FAC configuration at all is emphatically discouraged. Alternatively, you could use an access class to prevent the FAC users from connecting to the UC500 via telnet or SSH.
5) Create a dial-peer for each pattern that you want cover using this application. Start with index 5500. In this example, only one dial-peer is shown with 9011.T as the pattern, which is the International prefix in the US. Notice that the pattern is preceded by an access code (9) that could vary per implementation:
dial-peer voice 5500 voip
description International Calls
service clid_authen_collect
destination-pattern 9011.T
session target ipv4:10.1.1.1
incoming called-number 9011.T
dtmf-relay h245-alphanumeric
codec g711ulaw
no vad
Note: Ensure that the destination pattern under your POTS dial-peers match the destination pattern shown above. If the POTS peer pattern is more specific, the loopback VOIP peer could be skipped.
6) Open the Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA) and navigate to Voice > Users. Click on "More..." for the specific user (or users) and assign them to "International" permissions list. When an international call is placed from that IP Phone, the user will hear a prompt and will have to enter a valid credential (that matches one of the "usernames" configured earlier) to be connected.
Now, the above configuration enforces FAC usage for any caller trying to dial an international number. In order to partition the dialplan, so some callers can go through without having to enter an username and password, while others are still required to enter the credentials, more Class of Restriction Lists need to be configured.
Assuming the following:
- Extension 201 (ephone-dn 1) is a VIP caller and wants to dial without having to authenticate.
- Extension 202 (ephone-dn 2) is a regular caller and he has to go through the validation.
Here is the sample CLI to achieve the above behavior (notice that this commands complement the ones discussed earlier in this same article and are added to the configuration that CCA pushes to UC500):
dial-peer cor custom
name international-fac
!
dial-peer cor list call-international-fac
member international-fac
!
dial-peer cor list user-international-fac
member internal
member local
member domestic
member international-fac
!
dial-peer voice 5500 voip
corlist incoming call-international-fac
corlist outgoing call-international-fac
!
ephone-dn 1
corlist incoming user-international
!
ephone-dn 2
corlist incoming user-international-fac
!
Limitations and Consideration
- This feature supports reporting and insertion of the FAC number in the Radius CDR's. Customers would have to implement Radius for accounting. Veramark's VerSMART sofwtare offer customized reports of this feature. More information on:
https://www.myciscocommunity.com/docs/DOC-7918
- If the authentication fails after three retries, the call drops without notification.
- You can record your own prompts and replace the ones included with the ZIP package.
Does the UC500 support Dial Inward System Access (DISA)?
Dial Inward System Access allows users to lower the cost of business calls placed outside the office by making these calls from the UC500 instead of their home or cell phone using the following steps
1) User dials in to the system's AA from an outside line
2) From the AA prompt, user selects option for DISA
3) The user enters the Account number. If valid, the user is prompted for the destination number to be called, if not the call is dropped.
Configuration Steps
1) Obtain the application package from our FTP location. The package contains four audio files that need to be moved to the UC500 flash:
Simple-DISA-SBCS.zip
2) Copy the individual audio files to the UC500, using TFTP for example.
3) Open the Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA) and navigate to the "AA & Voicemail" tab. Make sure the Auto Attendant Script parameter is set to aa_transfer.aef. Set one of the options (0-9) to the number to be dialed to access the feature (607 in our example).
4) Enter the following commands in configuration mode, to load and activate the script (in this example the account number is three digits long, the maximum length is sixteen):
application
service clid_col_npw_npw
param uid-length 3
5) Create usernames for authentication. Notice that the username will represent the account number that the caller will have to dial to be successfully authenticated. You can create multiple usernames and
then hand those out to select personnel that will be able to use this feature. The username must only contain numbers and its length must match the uid-length above:
aaa new-model
aaa authentication login h323 local
aaa authorization exec h323 local
aaa authorization network h323 local
username 555
6) Create a voice translation rule and profile to remove the number dialed by the AA from the stream. In this example, 607 is the number that will be dialed from the AA:
voice translation-rule 607
rule 1 /607/ //
voice translation-profile 607
translate called 607
7) Create a dial-peer for using this application. Start with index 2500. In this example, 607 is the number that will be dialed from the AA. Notice that the session target is the ip address for the voice interface:
dial-peer voice 2500 voip
translation-profile incoming 607
service clid_col_npw_npw
destination-pattern 607
session target ipv4:10.1.1.1
incoming called-number 607
dtmf-relay h245-alphanumeric
codec g711ulaw
no vad
If configured with the example parameters, a user will call into the AA and press 3 at the AA prompt. They will then be prompted to enter the account number, if they enter 555 they will
be prompted to enter a number to dial.
Limitations and Considerations
- This feature supports reporting and insertion of the FAC number in the Radius CDR's. Customers would have to implement Radius for accounting. See the following example of Radius integration using WinRadius:
https://www.myciscocommunity.com/docs/DOC-6428
- If the authentication fails a retry prompt is played, if authentication fails three times a final failure prompt is played and the call is dropped.
- Some features, such as transfer, call forward, etc. may not work.
- DISA type service can be used to create toll fraud calls. Customers should understand that by setting up this service anyone can dial in to the system with the DISA Access code and call anywhere with billing to the business. Care should be taken to review CDR records and phone bills on regular basis to view for abuse of this service. Cisco Systems is not libel for toll fraud calls placed though a system setup with this feature.
Can UC500/CME be configured to play a default prompt when dialing an extension?
application
service clid_authen_npw
dial-peer voice 5500 voip
service clid_authen_npw
destination-pattern 888
session target ipv4:10.1.1.1
incoming called-number 888
dtmf-relay h245-alphanumeric
codec g711ulaw
no vad
Limitations and Considerations
- This default extension can be dialed from anywhere on the system, including the CUE AA, i.e. it could be an option in the AA prompt. For example. "For directions, press 3".
- Use of this configuration is offered "as is" and Cisco will not be responsible for unintended consequences of its implementation.