Remote Agents Support
SIP Server supports remote agents that use legacy PSTN phones. These agents could be working from their homes, or in a branch office that has simple PSTN connectivity.
[TBD] SIP Server supports the following functionality for remote agents:
- Agents with nailed-up connections
- Multi-site supervision (refer to the the SIP Server Deployment Guide)
- Remote agents with non-provisioned DNs
- Remote agents and calls on hold
Configuring remote agents
Depending on remote agent locations, the following configurations are supported (or covered in this topic?):
- Remote agents located behind the Softswitch
- Remote agents with nailed-up connections located behind the Softswitch
- Remote agents without provisioning of remote phone numbers
[I am converting to tables. Does it look better?]
Configuring remote agents located behind the Softswitch
| Remote agent location/scenario | VOIP Service DN: Softswitch | Extension DNs |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the Softswitch | [TServer]
|
[TServer]
<no options> |
| Nailed-up connections behind the Softswitch | [TServer]
|
[TServer]
|
- Configure a Voice over IP Service DN with the following minimum options in the [TServer] section:
- contact = <the contact URI that SIP Server uses for communication with the softswitch>
- prefix= <the initial characters of the number that must match a particular softswitch for that softswitch to be selected>
- service-type = softswitch
- refer-enabled = false
- dual-dialog-enabled = false
- reject-call-notready = true (recommended, not mandatory)
- sip-cti-control = <ensure that this option is not configured>
- Configure an Extension DN for a remote agent with the Number and Type properties. Do not add any options.
Remote agents with nailed-up connections located behind the Softswitch
- Configure a Voice over IP Service DN with the following minimum options in the [TServer] section:
- contact = <the contact URI that SIP Server uses for communication with the softswitch>
- prefix= <the initial characters of the number that must match a particular softswitch for that softswitch to be selected>
- service-type = softswitch
- refer-enabled = false
- dual-dialog-enabled = false
- reject-call-notready = true (recommended, not mandatory)
- sip-cti-control = <ensure that this option is not configured>
- Configure an Extension DN for a remote agent:
- line-type= 1
Configuring remote agents located behind the SBC/gateway
| Remote agent location/scenario | Extension DNs |
|---|---|
| Behind the SBC/gateway |
Must be configured with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111, and the following options:
|
| Nailed-up connections behind the SBC/gateway |
Must be configured with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111, and the following options:
|
- Configure an Extension DN for each remote agent with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111. Configure the following options:
- contact = <the contact URI of the PSTN SBC/gateway, depending on the agent location>
- refer-enabled = false
- dual-dialog-enabled = false
- reject-call-notready = true (recommended, not mandatory)
- sip-cti-control = <ensure that this option is not configured>
Remote agents with nailed-up connections located behind the SBC/gateway
- Configure an Extension DN for each remote agent with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111. Configure the following options:
- contact = <the contact URI of the PSTN gateway/SBC, depending on the agent location>
- refer-enabled = false
- dual-dialog-enabled = false
- reject-call-notready = true (recommended, not mandatory)
- sip-cti-control = <ensure that this option is not configured>
- line-type= 1
To learn about benefits of nailed-up connections and how to configure them, refer to the Nailed-Up Connections for Agents topic.
To reconfigure office-based agents to their remote home-based locations, refer to the Enabling office-based agents to work from home topic.
For general information about creating endpoints, refer to the Configuring Endpoints section in the SIP Server Deployment Guide.
Limitations
Due to the specifics of gateway behavior in performing SIP REFER methods, support for remote agents has some limitations. In order to use remote agents, you must perform one of the two following steps:
- Provision customers and remote agents to use physically separate gateways (otherwise, calls from agents to customers take shortcuts within gateways, which means that SIP Server loses track of the call and therefore cannot perform call control). Even in this configuration, direct calls between two remote agents on the same gateway are not visible to SIP Server.
- Disable the SIP REFER method for the gateways where the remote agents are located. This enables SIP Server to see agent-to-customer and agent-to-agent calls.
Remote agents with non-provisioned phone numbers
[FDS: https://intranet.genesys.com/display/RDSIPS/%5BFDS%5D+Remote+agent+with+non-provisioned+number]
Starting with version 8.1.102.93, SIP Server improves provisioning of remote agent DNs in the Configuration Database. It is no longer required to provision external phone numbers (for example, agent’s PSTN numbers) in the Configuration Database. You must create an Extension DN for each remote agent where a DN number can be a primary office DN number or any other number if an agent doesn't have a primary office DN.
The external numbers are used to reach the agent during the agent session only, thereby limiting the lifetime of the external numbers to a particular agent session. In other words, after the agent is logged out, any associations with that external number are removed.
This feature requires Workspace Web Edition (WWE) version 8.5.201.95 or later.
The phone number to be used for the agent session is passed to SIP Server in the TAgentLogin request in AttributeExtensions as the agent-phone key. AttributeThisDN of that request points to the agent DN configured in the Configuration Database.
Configuring remote agents with non-provisioned numbers
| Remote agent location | VOIP Service DN: Softswitch | Extension DNs |
|---|---|---|
| Behind the Softswitch | [TServer]
|
The DN Number must be configured with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111, and the following options: |
| Nailed-up connections behind the Softswitch | [TServer]
Must be configured with the PSTN number—for example, +1 555 123 1111, and the following options:
|
#Configure a Voice over IP Service DN with the following minimum options in the [TServer] section:
- contact = <the contact URI that SIP Server uses for communication with the softswitch>
- prefix= <the initial characters of the number that must match a particular softswitch for that softswitch to be selected>
- service-type = softswitch
- Configure a physical (default?) DN for a remote agent or an agent with a nailed-up connection with the following properties:
- Number—The physical DN number (must start with the softswitch prefix). If an agent does not have a primary office DN, use a unique fake number. (Make sure no configured internal DNs must be used.)
- Type—Extension
- In the DNs/Annex > TServer section, configure the following options:
- contact = (empty)
- voice = true
- line-type= 1 - (Optional) Only for an agent with a nailed-up connection.
- connect-nailedup-on-login= gcti::park - (Optional) Only for an agent with a nailed-up connection. See nailed-up connections for details.
- Create a Default Place containing this DN.
- Create an agent login for this agent.
Create a new Person object for this agent and assign the Default Place and the agent login to this Person object.
Limitations
- If a non-provisioned number is used for the agent session, the agent can only initiate calls using the agent desktop. 1pcc calls originated from the non-provisioned number are not supported.
- For agents with nailed-up connections that use a non-provisioned number for the agent session, an establishment of the nailed-up connection by calling into a contact center Routing Point is not supported.
- Hunt Groups in Business Continuity (BC) functionality are not supported by this feature. That is, in the BC deployment, agent logging with a non-provisioned external number to a DN that is a member of the Hunt Group is not supported.