2002 - cesnet

14 Distributed Contact CentreThe goal of the pilot project entitled Distributed Contact Centre Utilizing the VoIPTechnology is to practically test a demanding voice application in a high-speednetwork environment. For the technology, we chose IP Contact Center (IPCC)by Cisco Systems.One of its main components is the Cisco Intelligent Contact Management Server(ICM) – a software that ensures the distribution of calls (including monitoringand control of the status of agents – or operators, to put it differently), routingand queuing of contacts, real-time data communication, operation history reporting,etc.The Cisco ICM server allows intelligent communication of operators/specialistswith users/customers via the Internet and/or a public telephony network usingthe ACD subsystems, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Web and e-mail servers,etc. We planned to install a workplace covering at least two localities andtest basic and advanced functions of this workplace.The Cisco IPCC system is integrated in the Cisco Architecture for Voice, Video,and Integrated Data (AVVID) product. IPCC features include the intelligentcontact routing, ACD functionality, network-to-desktop telephony integration(computer telephony integration – CTI), interactive response to user data (IVR),queuing of incoming calls, and centralized administration. IPCC can be usedboth in the environment of one network (site), and within two or more workplaceswith a distributed function.To create a testing IPCC centre, the following components had to be ensured:• Cisco CallManager (CCM) server• Cisco Internet Protocol Interactive Voice Response (IP-IVR) server• Cisco Intelligent Contact Management (ICM) server• Cisco Agent Desktop workstationIn order for the system to be usable in real operation, it was necessary to ensurea Voice over IP (VoIP) gateway, Call Manager Peripheral gateway, and CTIserver as well. These elements are integrated in the IP telephony infrastructurein the CESNET2 network and therefore we did not have to build them.14.1 Cisco CallManagerCallManager is an analogy of PBX systems (classic telephone exchanges) thatare currently used for routing of the large majority of both analogue and digitalphone calls. The main function of this system is to handle all control and basicfunctions provided by the IPCC system.164 High-speed National Research Network and its New Applications 2002