Cisco 500-052 - Deploying Cisco Unified Contact Center Express

The Cisco Unified Communications Sizing Tool is a web-based tool that helps system engineers to size Cisco Unified Communications solutions, including Cisco Unified CCX. The tool can validate various parameters and requirements for a Cisco Unified CCX deployment configuration, such as the number of agents, supervisors, IVR ports, outbound ports, chat sessions, email sessions, and reporting users. However, the tool cannot validate the following options:

The number of silent-monitoring and remote-monitoring sessions. Silent monitoring and remote monitoring are features that allow supervisors to listen to the agent’s calls without being heard by the agent or the caller. The tool does not support sizing for these features,as they depend on the network bandwidth and the codec used for the calls. The tool only provides a formula to estimate the bandwidth requirement for silent monitoring and remote monitoring, based on the number of sessions, the codec, and the packet size. The formula is: Bandwidth (kbps) = Number of sessions x Codec bit rate x (1 + Network overhead). For example, if there are 10 silent-monitoring sessions using G.711 codec with a bit rate of 64 kbps and a network overhead of 20%, the bandwidth requirement is: Bandwidth (kbps) = 10 x 64 x (1 + 0.2) = 768 kbps1.

The number of historical reporting sessions. Historical reporting is a feature that allows users to generate reports on the historical data of the Cisco Unified CCX system, such as agent performance, call statistics, and queue summary. The tool does not support sizing for this feature, as it depends on the number of reporting users, the frequency and complexity of the reports, and the database size. The tool only provides some guidelines and best practices for historical reporting, such as limiting the number of concurrent reporting users to 10, scheduling the reports during off-peak hours, and purging the historical data regularly2.

The number of ASR and TTS ports. ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) and TTS (Text-To-Speech) are features that enable voice interaction between the callers and the IVR system, using speech recognition and synthesis technologies. The tool does not support sizing for these features, as they are provided by third-party vendors, such as Nuance or LumenVox. The tool only provides some recommendations and considerations for ASR and TTS integration, such as using MRCPv2 protocol, allocating enough CPU and memory resources, and configuring the network QoS policies3.

References: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Design Guide, Release 8.0(1), Chapter 3: Unified CCX Architecture and Capacity Planning, Section 3.2.2: Silent Monitoring and Remote Monitoring, Page 321 Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Design Guide, Release 8.0(1), Chapter 3: Unified CCX Architecture and Capacity Planning, Section 3.2.4: Historical Reporting, Page 342 Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Design Guide, Release 8.0(1), Chapter 3: Unified CCX Architecture and Capacity Planning, Section 3.2.5: ASR and TTS Integration, Page 353

The invalid deployment option for Cisco Unified Contact Center Express is two Cisco Unified Contact Center Express clusters, each with two nodes, connected to the same Cisco Unified Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. This option is not supported because Cisco Unified Contact Center Express does not allow multiple clusters to share the same Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. Each Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster must have its own dedicated Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster1.

The other options are valid deployment options for Cisco Unified Contact Center Express:

A two-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster connected to a Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. This option is supported and provides high availability and redundancy for both Cisco Unified Contact Center Express and Cisco Unified Communications Manager. A two-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster consists of a primaryand a secondary node that can synchronize data and take over the call processing in case of a failure2.

A one-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster connected to two Cisco Unified Communications Manager clusters. This option is supported and provides redundancy for Cisco Unified Communications Manager. A one-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster consists of a single node that handles all the call processing and administration functions. A one-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster can connect to two Cisco Unified Communications Manager clusters using the Intercluster Lookup Service (ILS) feature3.

A one-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster connected to a Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express router. This option is supported and provides a cost-effective and simplified solution for small and medium-sized businesses. A one-node Cisco Unified Contact Center Express cluster can connect to a Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express router using the Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP) or the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)4.

References: 1: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Solution Reference Network Design, Release 12.5(1) - Unified CCX Deployment Models [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 2: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Solution Reference Network Design, Release 12.5(1) - Unified CCX Deployment Models [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 3: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Solution Reference Network Design, Release 12.5(1) - Unified CCX Deployment Models [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 4: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Solution Reference Network Design, Release 12.5(1) - Unified CCX Deployment Models [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco

To convert a high availability over LAN deployment to high availability over WAN, you need to reinstall the second Cisco Unified CCX node and add it to the cluster over WAN. This is because the high availability over WAN deployment requires a different network configuration and a different license than the high availability over LAN deployment12

The high availability over WAN deployment allows you to have two Cisco Unified CCX nodes in different geographical locations, connected by a WAN link with a minimum bandwidth of 1.544 Mbps and a maximum round-trip delay of 80 ms. The high availability over WAN deployment provides disaster recovery and business continuity in case of a site failure12

The high availability over WAN deployment requires a “WAN Standby” license, which is different from the “Warm Standby” license used for the high availability over LAN deployment. The “WAN Standby” license enables the second Cisco Unified CCX node to operate in a partial service mode, which means that it can accept and process calls, but it cannot access the historical data or the configuration data from the primary node. The “Warm Standby” license enables the second Cisco Unified CCX node to operate in a full service mode, which means that it can access all the data and functions of the primary node12

To convert a high availability over LAN deployment to high availability over WAN, you need to follow these steps:

Backup the configuration and the historical data from the primary Cisco Unified CCX node2

Uninstall the second Cisco Unified CCX node from the cluster2

Reinstall the second Cisco Unified CCX node with the same software version and patch level as the primary node, but with a different IP address and hostname2

Apply the “WAN Standby” license to the second Cisco Unified CCX node2

Add the second Cisco Unified CCX node to the cluster over WAN by using the Cisco Unified CCX Administration web interface on the primary node2

Restore the configuration and the historical data to the second Cisco Unified CCX node2

Verify the high availability status and the data synchronization between the two nodes2

References: 1: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Design Guide, Release 10.0(1) - High Availability [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 1 2: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Installation and Upgrade Guide, Release 10.0(1) - High Availability [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco

 The three operations that can be performed within the Cisco Finesse IP Phone Agent (IPPA) are:

A. A supervisor can use Finesse IPPA to act as an agent and accept calls. This is true because Finesse IPPA does not support supervisor tasks such as monitor, barge, and intercept, but supervisors can sign in and perform all agent tasks on their IP Phones. To perform supervisor tasks for Finesse IPPA agents, supervisors must sign in to the Finesse desktop and follow the same steps that they use for the Finesse desktop agents1.

D. An agent using Finesse IPPA can enter Not Ready, Sign-out, and Wrap-up reasons. This is true because Finesse IPPA allows agents to change their state from Ready to Not Ready, sign out from the Finesse service, and apply wrap-up reasons after handling a call. Agents can select the appropriate reason codes from the list of available options on their IP Phones2.

E. Agents can log in to Finesse IPPA with Cisco Unified CCX deployed using a Standard license. This is true because Finesse IPPA is supported on all Cisco Unified CCX license packages, including Standard, Enhanced, and Premium. Agents can use Finesse IPPA regardless of the license package that is deployed on Cisco Unified CCX3.

The other options are not correct because:

B. An agent can sign in to Finesse IPPA and initiate call recording. This is false because Finesse IPPA does not support call recording. Agents cannot initiate, stop, or pause call recording from their IP Phones. Call recording is only supported on the Finesse desktop in the browser4.

C. A supervisor can sign in to Finesse IPPA and initiate call recording. This is false because Finesse IPPA does not support call recording. Supervisors cannot initiate, stop, or pause call recording from their IP Phones. Call recording is only supported on the Finesse desktop in the browser4.

References: 1: Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop User Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, Release 12.5(1) - IP Phone Agent [Cisco Finesse] - Cisco 2: Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop User Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, Release12.5(1) - IP Phone Agent [Cisco Finesse] - Cisco 3: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Solution Reference Network Design, Release 12.5(1) - Unified CCX Deployment Models [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 4: Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop User Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, Release 12.5(1) - IP Phone Agent [Cisco Finesse] - Cisco

The gadget to initiate or accept a call is common and is not tied to a specific tab on the Cisco Finesse agent desktop. The gadget is located in the call control area, which is a fixed section of the Finesse desktop that appears on every tab. The gadget provides the basic call control buttons, such as Answer, Hold, Retrieve, End, and Make Call. The gadget also displays the caller ID, the call state, and the call timer. The gadget changes depending on the situation and the call type. For example, the gadget shows different buttons for inbound, outbound, and consult calls12

The other options are not correct:

The My Statistics tab hosts the gadget that shows the agent’s performance statistics, such as the number of calls handled, the average talk time, the average wrap-up time, and the service level12

The Home tab hosts the gadget that shows the agent’s state, the reason code, and the state timer. The Home tab also allows the agent to change their state, sign out, or go to the Team Performance tab12

The Manage Customer tab hosts the gadget that shows the customer information, such as the account number, the name, the address, and the call history. The Manage Customer tab also allows the agent to perform advanced call control actions, such as consult, transfer, and conference12

References: 1: Cisco Finesse Agent and Supervisor Desktop User Guide Release 12.0(1) - Cisco Finesse Desktop Interface [Cisco Finesse] - Cisco 1 2: How IT Works: Cisco Finesse Agent Desktop and UCCX | Mindsight 2

In Cisco Unified CCX Administration, when you add a Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) Telephony group, a CTI Route Point is created on the CUCM. A CTI Route Point is a virtual device that can receive multiple simultaneous calls and route them to a Cisco Unified CCX application by using the JTAPI protocol. A CUCM Telephony group defines the CUCM cluster, the JTAPI user, and the CTI Route Point that are associated with a Cisco Unified CCX system12

The other options are not correct:

CTI Ports: CTI Ports are virtual devices that can make or receive calls and are controlled by the JTAPI application. CTI Ports are not created when you add a CUCM Telephony group, but when you add a Cisco Unified CCX Call Control Group12

Cisco Unified CCX Call Control Group: A Cisco Unified CCX Call Control Group is a logical grouping of CTI Ports that are used by the Cisco Unified CCX system to make and receive calls. A Cisco Unified CCX Call Control Group is not created when you add a CUCM Telephony group, but when you configure the Cisco Unified CCX system parameters12

Cisco Unified Communications Manager Call Control Group: A Cisco Unified Communications Manager Call Control Group is a term that does not exist in the Cisco Unified CCX terminology.

References: 1: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Administration Guide, Release 10.0(1) - Unified CM Configuration [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 1 2: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Design Guide, Release 10.0(1) - Unified CM Telephony Subsystem [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 2

The Control Center on Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Serviceability is the tool that allows you to start, stop, and restart Cisco Unified Contact Center Express services. The Control Center provides a web-based interface to manage the Unified CCX components and subsystems, such as Cisco Unified CM Telephony, Cisco Unified CM Administration, Cisco Unified CCX Engine, Cisco Unified CCX Administration, and so on. You can accessthe Control Center from the Tools menu on the Cisco Unified CCX Serviceability page. From the Control Center, you can perform the following tasks:

View the status of each service on each node in the cluster.

Start or stop a service on a specific node or on all nodes in the cluster.

Restart a service on a specific node or on all nodes in the cluster.

Activate or deactivate a service on a specific node or on all nodes in the cluster.

Enable or disable the automatic startup of a service on a specific node or on all nodes in the cluster.

View the dependencies and dependents of each service.

View the logs and traces of each service1, pages 2-1 to 2-8. References: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Serviceability Guide, Release 12.0 (1)

To run a 30-port outbound IVR campaign, the customer needs to purchase 30 outbound IVR ports and 15 agent seats in addition to the 200 Cisco Unified CCX Premium agent seats. This is because the outbound IVR ports are not included in the Premium package and need to be purchased separately as an add-on component1. The outbound IVR ports are used to dial out to customers and play prompts or transfer calls to agents. The outbound IVR ports are also consumed by the agents who are logged in to the outbound campaign. The ratio of outbound IVR ports to agents is 2:1, which means that for every two outbound IVR ports, one agent seat is required2. Therefore, to run a 30-port outbound IVR campaign, the customer needs 15 agent seats for the outbound agents. The customer does not need to purchase a gateway or a router, as these are network devices that are not related to the outbound IVR campaign. References := Cisco Unified Contact Center Express 12.5 Data Sheet, page4. Outbound Option Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise and Hosted Release 9.0(1), page 2-3.

Heap dumps are snapshots of the Java heap memory that contain information about the objects and classes in the heap at the moment of the dump. Heap dumps can help you identify memory leaks, excessive memory consumption, and other memory-related issues. You can collect heap dumps using the Cisco Unified Real-Time Monitoring Tool (RTMT), which is a client application that allows you to monitor and troubleshoot Cisco Unified CCX components. To collect heap dumps, you need to enable the HeapDumpEnabled service parameter and configure theHeapDumpSchedule parameter. You can then use the RTMT to view and download the heap dumps from the Cisco Unified CCX server2.

Collect engine heap performance data via the Cisco Unified Real-Time Monitoring Tool. In addition to heap dumps, you can also collect engine heap performance data using the RTMT. This data includes metrics such as heap usage, heap size, garbage collection time, and garbage collection frequency. You can use the RTMT to monitor these metrics in real time or generate historical reports. You can also set alerts and thresholds for these metrics to receive notifications when they exceed the specified values. Collecting engine heap performance data can help you analyze the memory behavior and performance of the Cisco Unified CCX engine3.

References: 1: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Serviceability Administration Guide, Release 12.5(1) - Control Center [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 2: Cisco Unified Contact Center ExpressAdministration and Operations Guide, Release 12.5(1) - Troubleshoot Unified CCX [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco 3: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Administration and Operations Guide, Release 12.5(1) - Monitor Unified CCX [Cisco Unified Contact Center Express] - Cisco