www.atcomm.com Call Accounting Made Simple

www.atcomm.com Call Accounting Made Simple

ADDRESSING PBX/IP-PBX MANUFACTURED PRODUCT CHALLENGES TODAY TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary...3 2. Where The Problems Exist...4-5 3. Additional Problems...6-8 4. Suggested Solution...8 5. Final Thoughts...9 2

Executive Summary UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE TODAY This white paper provides analysis, real-world insight and offers a solution to the current telephony and technology landscape as it pertains to the end customer. The goal is to identify and explain everyday, unseen and future problems as they exist with PBX manufacturer s call accounting and reporting solutions. This white paper will provide solutions to these problems and identify benefits as they relate to business requirements today. As demand for technology increases, IP telephony becomes more prevalent in business. With growing network enhancements, the task of accurately being able to manage and report on these systems becomes a challenge. Multi-site voice networks are commonly a hybrid mix of VoIP and legacy systems which are often built on various equipment types and usually installed by different vendors. With that being said, each manufacturer s reporting system is designed to work within its own framework and is frequently limited to a single brand or technology. Once these systems are in place, IT management often struggle to identify, locate and properly manage the information needed. The user relies on the manufacturers included tools but quickly realize they have limited capability. Without the proper tools, managing and reporting on CDR or SMDR data records can be extremely time-consuming and call reporting is often incomplete and difficult to analyze. It s recommended that each buyer research as much as practical in order to identify their own unique needs. As customer needs vary, it s important to understand each manufacturer s product and capabilities in order to identify the optimal solution. The solution chosen should support VoIP, legacy PBX and IP-PBX systems, regardless of brand, technology, network size or number of locations. The benefits for doing so will allow the organization to manage its phone system correctly and efficiently. As we identify each problem please keep in mind that each environment is different and may or may not have the allocated resources or requirements. 3

Where The Problems Exist OPERABILITY AND PERFORMANCE 1. Call Data Reporting (CDR) Database Limitations Manufacturers storage of CDR records is limited. There are frequently limits to the size of the CDR file which requires records to be purged and no longer available for reporting. Implement a solution offering unlimited CDR storage. Unlimited storage gives the user organization the ability to report on records from previous months/years which is critical for fraud detection/prevention, security investigations and provides human resources with the ability to easily obtain required historical information. 2. Potential Server Performance Problems Reporting can affect telephone system performance. Monitoring and fraud detection requests often occur during a busy time of day. Additionally, requests for ad hoc reporting traditionally occur during the business day. In recognition of this problem, most manufacturers recommend that reporting be done during off-peak hours to minimize telephone system impact. Configure CDR reporting to occur independently from telephone system operation. This enables CDR extraction from the manufacturer s database and ensures minimal interaction with the phone system s call processing functions. Reports are available when desired AND when they can be most effectively used. The call server performance is not affected when reports are required during the day - even during the busiest times. 3. Potential Server Performance Problems Most systems do not have an option to archive aged calls from the call detail record (CDR) database. Some systems only allow options for users to purge data. Automated archiving with the option for a manual override. 4

Historical data is preserved in a manner that permits simple and quick retrieval of information by authorized individuals in need of the data. 4. Enterprise with Multiple Location Restrictions Manufacturers systems are often limited to a single source of data for each report set. This prevents an administrator or executive managers from viewing report information across all locations in an enterprise or multi-site environment with accurate geographical representation. Implement and utilize a system that is flexible enough to report on any number of locations as a single integrated enterprise. Summary reports spanning multiple phone systems and physical locations may provide insights into enterprise operations since departments generally extend across physical locations. Drilling down into specific details in an enterprise-wide report can provide insights that may be go undetected if it is required to run separate reports per PBX system. Users obtain roll-up reports at whatever level and whatever number of locations desired with subsequent ability to drill down into specific details. 5. Tariff and Call Type Issues Obtaining accurate call costing information with tariff support is rarely provided. These systems are not billing systems, nor do they provide traffic analysis. Such systems allow call description summaries rather than accurate description of call types. Call activity is not traffic. Counting digits is not sufficient to accurately identify local toll and IntraLATA calls. Implement a call accounting and reporting system that utilizes tariffs including the ability to apply discounts, markups and surcharges to establish true call costs and apply accurate call type determination. Traffic reporting should be a standard benefit derived by a call accounting system. Local calls and local toll calls are accurately identified based on zone or mileage distances. This includes local calls dialed as 1+10 digit numbers to adjacent area codes. There should be reports on trunk utilization and even PRI circuit utilization. There should be accurate call type summarization for: - Incoming (with ANI if available) - Internal (station to station) - Local - IntraLATA/Intrastate (local toll) 5

- InterLATA/Intrastate (long distance) - IntraLATA/Interstate (long distance) - InterLATA/Interstate (long distance) - Canada - Caribbean - International Possessing accurate and detailed data allows true traffic analysis and reports that identify both service and resource utilization. Such reporting can identify traffic congestion issues that may lead to the implementation of routing changes - reducing service costs and improving phone system performance. In addition to reduction of service costs, billing reports can be used to improve productivity and cost allocation. Additional Problems REPORTING 6. Multiple Brand and/or Technology (Mixed Environments) Manufacturers systems are limited to a single brand and technology. If environments vary from location, technology or brands organizations will need to run and maintain each tool independently in order to gather specific or desired information. Implement a call accounting and reporting system capable of providing uniform reporting across the entire voice network - regardless of multiple brands or technologies (Legacy or IP-PBX) now or in the future in any mix for any number of locations from anywhere. Organizations can start with any single brand of phone system and migrate to a mixed-brand environment without requiring a reporting system change. Change is inevitable; evolve to or from mixed brands of systems or mixed technologies through acquisitions, product migration or for any reason and still use the same reporting application to receive uniform reports as though all systems were always the same. No forklifts are required as the voice network evolves. 6

7. Monitoring Exceptional Call Activity Various systems report on exceptional cost activity only during off-peak hours as data collection and report generation could cause performance issues during peak hours of operation. Immediate alerts on exceptional call activity with ondemand reporting for further review with no impact on the PBX system performance. The reporting system can be utilized as intended with no impact on the PBX or IP-PBX system performance, regardless of how many users are accessing the report system, or when they choose to. 8. Scheduled Reporting Limitations Many systems are often limited to scheduling reports to run on certain intervals (Daily, Weekly, Monthly). The inability to offer unlimited flexibility to schedule reports for delivery when needed imposes limits on departmental managers. Provide users with the ability to schedule reports for automatic generation and distribution via e-mail in the desired frequency and desired formats including: XLS, PDF, DOC, RTF and RPT. Reports delivered electronically are prepared when needed, with current data, versus system-driven report delivery. 9. Reporting Problems Access, Formatting and Options Most manufacturer s systems do not include browserbased reporting. Those that do require additional licenses. This can restrict self-service access from remote sites and only allow premise-base call accounting and reporting. Some systems output to Adobe PDF format limiting the report to 20,000 call records. Another frequently used output format is text for data called CSV (comma-separated variable) which can be read in other programs, such as Microsoft Excel or imported into other applications, such as general accounting packages. However, some systems limit CSV exports to only 5,000 call records. Utilize browser-based reporting which allows permitted users to generate and view reports from a browser - regardless of their location. Such system should provide extensive control to the individual user on how report data is presented. The reporting system should have these capabilities: Extensive Filter Selection Reports to E-mail, File, Printer, Screen Scheduled reports to any output option Easy access to Exceptional/Abuse/Fraud calls 7

These systems often offer a limited number of report varieties. There may be a single summary and a single detail report without drill-down or sort capability. It s also very likely they may not include information regarding the following: As an alternative, a web-hosted, cloud solution will save money because there are no costs for servers, licensed software as well as their maintenance. City State Call Description Account codes Trunk/Route info Access codes Report access is not limited to just the call accounting administrator, so any authorized user is able to schedule reports, within their security privileges for accessing or receiving data. This puts important data in the hands of the user faster where the value of the reports can be utilized. Suggested Solution @COMM S COMMVIEW @Comm s CommView can support heterogeneous voice networks with 10 to 40,000+ end points, without burdening phone system application processors. CommView is compatible with legacy and IP-PBXs from all the major manufacturers such as Avaya, Cisco, Mitel, NEC, Nortel, ShoreTel and many others. This allows companies using multiple brands and technologies to achieve a single, fully integrated view and report set for all PBXs in service across their entire network. CommView s ability to deliver a unified, consistently formatted set of management reports for the entire network, regardless of number of locations, PBX and IP-PBX brand or network size, adds unique value to every new and existing phone system installation. CommView s on-screen and emailed reports feature interactive drill down, allowing users to pinpoint trends or event details on the fly, without the need for hard copy printouts. CommView provides users of PBX and IP-PBX phone systems, including both IT personnel and corporate management, with a suite of call accounting and reporting solutions that provide easy to understand management information. CommView Provides: Wide Range of Reports and Delivery Options Automated Report Delivered via Email Browser-based Reporting with Drill Down Simple and Intuitive UI Unparalleled Customer and Technical Support Premise or Cloud-based options available Learn more at www.atcomm.com 8

Final Thoughts CONCLUSION STATEMENT If there is one constant in technology, it is change. Every 6 to 12 months the technology landscape expands, shrinks or multiplies. Being proactive about your new or existing phone system can mean all the difference in the world when the time comes. Knowing what information is important to you and your business is essential today. Telecom managers and business leaders who desire the ability to properly manage and report on their phone system need to realize that not everything is obtainable with today s manufactures reporting products. More than likely you will have to go outside the box in order to fulfill business requirements and get the reporting you need. Luckily there are tools designed to complement all phone systems with no impact on environment with the ease of use and manageability. 9