Communication Manager facilitates Intelligent Communications and is the next generation of Avaya call processing software. Designed as an open, scalable, and highly reliable telephony solution, Communication Manager effectively scales from less than 100 users to as many as 36,000 on a single system and to more than one million users on a single network.

 

Designed to run on a variety of Linux-based media servers, Communication Manager provides centralized call control for a resilient, distributed network of media gateways and a wide range of analog, digital, and IP-based communication devices. It also has several advanced applications built-in, including mobility applications, call center features, advanced conference calling, and E911 capabilities.

Communication Manager is the foundation for building complete enterprise communication networks by supporting SIP, H.323 and other industry-standard communications protocols over a variety of different networks. This protocol support provides centralized voice mail, attendant operations, and call centers across multiple locations.

 

Communication Manager also provides the foundation for many enterprises to flatten, consolidate and extend their enterprise communications networks, resulting in reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), improved customer service and greater competitiveness.

 

 

 

 

 

The S8720 Media Server will be available with increased capacities with the launch of Communication Manager 4.0. The S8720 server itself does not change but will need to be configured at installation or upgrade in an XL configuration or CM Large Boot Time Memory Configuration. Existing S8720 servers with hardware duplication that want the increased capacities will require the new DAL2 duplication boards. All new orders of the S8720 with hardware duplication and CM 4.0 will ship with the new DAL2.

 

The increased capacities below are not available on the S8700 and S8710. They are only available on the S8720 when it is configured at installation or upgrade in an XL configuration.  Additionally, the S8500 will have the increased capacities only when used as an ESS/LSP behind a main server that is an S8720 in an XL configuration. The increased capacities are not available to an S8500 as a main server.

 

 

The increased capacities in Communication Manager 4.0 below do not require XL configuration.

 

 

Provides the required capacity increase to support the large and dispersed enterprise or Call Center customers that are consolidating their multiple Call Processing servers into a single Call Processing server.

 

 

Using the Avaya patented Memory Shadowing, this feature is available where only one S8700-Series Media Server is running the entire system. The non-active redundant server is synchronized real-time (either via a dedicated fiber or across an IP network) to the active server, providing imperceptible fail-over in the event of major component failure in the active server.

 

Not only are the calls maintained during failover but call control (ability to transfer a call for example) is preserved as well as maintaining any calls that may be queued in a call center or even calls that are being set up including the continuation of processing digits being entered.

 

 

This feature enables enterprise customers to flatten, consolidate, and extend their networks seamlessly without requiring changes to user extensions and also minimizing the risks of dial plan collision during consolidation.

 

 

Provides users with a flexible dial plan in a single server by allowing different length uniform dial plan for within a location and across locations.

 

 

This feature preserves a users dialing pattern when the system goes into ESS or LSP mode. From a user’s perspective, the originator of the call should not have to do anything special or different to dial the extension in most instances when ESS or LSP fragments exist.

Note: The Dial Plan Transparency feature does not support certain ATM configurations in which customer uses Fiber-PNC connectivity to support several Port Networks connected together via Center Stage or ATM. 

 

Preserve the user’s dialing experience whether the system operates in normal mode or survivable mode.

 

 

This feature permits the automatic return of control to the primary server after a failover from an ESS. There will be a timer associated with this auto fallback to prevent recovery to the main before the network is stable. The return to the primary server is predicated by two options in Communication Manager 3.0: scheduled and manual

 

Provide another option to allow ESS to automatically return to primary.

 

 

Preserve the CDR records associated with calls that occur while a gateway is under the control of LSP survivable processor. With survivable CDR, the server saves the CDR information in files that are stored in a special directory on the local hard drive until such time as they are copied by the CDR adjunct and then removed from the LSP.  For security purposes the special login used by the CDR adjunct only has access to the directory where the CDR records are stored.

 

Provides a way to capture the CDR records of those calls made from the LSP survivable servers to minimize the loss of CDR records until such time as the main server and/or the affected communications links could be returned to operation.

 

 

With Communication Manager 4.0, enterprises will be able to authenticate Communication Manager and Linux-based server administrative logins with a centralized server on the customer’s network. The RADIUS, Microsoft Active Directory, or LDAP protocol is used to communication with the authentication server. Typically, this server already exists in a customer’s network and the Avaya Linux-based media servers and Communication Manager can now take advantage of the logins ands passwords defined for their network, rather than local authentication on the Avaya servers.

 

In addition, this new Communication Manager capability will allow, through an authentication server:

 

 

 

 

With Communication Manager 4.0, enterprises will be able to authenticate Communication Manager and Linux-based server administrative logins with a centralized server on the customer’s network. The RADIUS, Microsoft Active Directory, or LDAP protocol is used to communication with the authentication server. Typically, this server already exists in a customer’s network and the Avaya Linux-based media servers and Communication Manager can now take advantage of the logins ands passwords defined for their network, rather than local authentication on the Avaya servers.

 

In addition, this new Communication Manager capability will allow, through an authentication server:

 

 

 

Increase the granularity of logging of user activity and provide a single place of customer choosing (external server or Linux syslog) to store the security logs.

 

 

Customers requiring interoperable encryption and authentication for secure voice-over-IP communication can now take advantage of the industry-standard SRTP protocol in Communication Manager 4.0. This can be used as a standards-based alternative to the Media Encryption option which has been available since Communication Manager Release 1.3.  Note that SRTP includes both RTP and RTCP authentication capability; however in Communication Manager 4.0, only the RTP portion will be encrypted using AES.

 

SRTP support will be available on the Avaya One-X Desk phone Edition R1.2 on the H.323 endpoints (9610, 9620, 9630, 9640 and 9650) and on the Avaya One-X Desk phone Edition R1.0 on the SIP endpoints (9620 and 9630).

 

Provide customers industry standard secure protocol for authentication and media encryption for Avaya VoIP solution. This authentication provides secure VoIP communication in addition to the existing H.323 Signaling and media encryption.

 

 

The following new telephony features in Communication Manager 4.0 are designed to meet the requirements of the global enterprise customers.  

 

 

Provides multinational customers additional business telephony features to meet their enterprise needs.

 

 

The number of trunks in a Signaling Group was originally designed to accommodate the actual number of trunks supported over an ISDN PRI E1 facility. However, with the use of the IP network for trunking, 31 trunks in a IP Signaling Group is too limiting and results in a more expensive solution in terms of IP addresses, CLAN circuit packs, and administration.

 

 

Enterprise Mobility User provides users the ability to associate the features of their primary telephones to telephones of the same type anywhere within the customer enterprise. QSIG must be the private networking protocol in the network of Communication Manager systems. All servers must be on a Linux platform running on Communication Manager 3.1 or later. The visited telephone must be the same model type as the primary telephone to enable an optimal transfer of the image of the primary telephone. If the visited telephone is not the same model type, only the call appearance buttons and the message waiting light are transferred.

 

New enhancements in Communication Manager 4.0 permit cross registration between the principal and visited phones, automatic deactivation of the Enterprise Mobility Users feature if there is no activity on the visited station for an administered time interval and enables users to activate the "Extension to Cellular" when at the primary station. Note that this feature is also referred as wired mobility and can be used for DCP as well as H.323 phones.

 

The ability of users to move across the enterprise while maintaining consistent phone service.

 

 

Prior to Communication Manager 3.1, an S8500 Media Server required a CLAN board in a port network to provide IP connectivity to, H.323 endpoints, H.248 gateways, adjuncts, and IP trunks. With PE in Communication Manager 3.1:

 

 

Processor Ethernet is available on simplex servers like the S8500, S8400 and S8300.  PE is also available on a S8500 LSP, S8500 ESS and S8300 LSP.  However, PE is not available for the duplicated S87XX series servers.

 

Processor Ethernet eliminates the need for a G650 gateway, IPSI and CLAN when connecting H.248 Gateways (G700, G350 and G250) to a S8500 or S8400 Media Server.  Results in reduced footprint and lower cost solution.

 

 

As part of the Processor Ethernet feature, it is now possible to configure an S8500 as a Local Survivable Processor (LSP). The S8500 as an LSP positions the S8500 Media Server as a higher capacity LSP for larger remote sites of a distributed enterprise and also provides Enterprise Survivability, similar to ESS, as it may serve as a "regional" survivable server for multiple H.248 gateways.

 

The S8500 Media Server can act as a higher capacity LSP for larger remote sites of a distributed enterprise and also provides Enterprise Survivability, similar to ESS, as a "regional" survivable server for multiple H.248 gateways.

 

 

Avaya introduced the TN2602AP IP Media Resource board with the launch of Communication Manager 3.0. The TN2602AP is functionally equivalent to the existing TN2302 but has five times the number of VOIP channels. The TN2602AP allows for the bearer traffic to be moved from the traditional Center Stage Switch (CSS) or ATM network to the IP network.

 

With Communication Manager 3.0, it was possible to administer two TN2602AP circuit packs within a port network without enabling duplication.  In this scenario, bearer traffic will be load balanced between two circuit packs.

 

With Communication Manager 3.1, two TN2602AP circuit packs can be installed in a single port network for bearer duplication.  In this configuration, one TN2602AP is an active IP Media Processor and one is a standby IP Media Processor. If the active media processor, or connections to it fail, the active connection will failover to the standby media processor and remain active. This duplication prevents active calls in progress from being dropped in the case of a failure.

 

The TN2602AP can be duplicated to operate in an Active-Standby mode for critical-bearer reliability.

 

 

The open source version of Tripwire that is/was available with Red Hat Linux 8.x is being captured and modified by Avaya so that it will run on Red Hat Enterprise Linux going forward. Avaya will supply the Tripwire RPM and own the modifications necessary to make it Enterprise Linux compatible and also own the creation of security updates for it as needed. Tripwire is software that detects and exposes unintended changes to system files.

 

Contributes to the overall Communication Manager value proposition by providing security functionality beyond that of the Enterprise Linux OS. Key security-conscious customers expect this functionality as part of their overall Enterprise security solution.

 

 

With CM 3.1, the new S8720 Media Server was introduced. The S8720 is the next generation of the S87XX Series Server. The S8720 is sold in two configuration options, with hardware duplication (requiring the DAL1 duplication boards) or with Software Duplication (no DAL1 boards needed). The software duplication feature eliminates the need for the DAL1 memory duplication boards in duplicated S8720 servers. This feature is only supported by the S8720.

 

Additionally, the S8720 Media Server will be lead free and RoHS (Removal of Hazardous Substance) compliant. RoHS compliance will be a requirement for communication equipment to be sold in Western Europe beginning in July 2006.

 

The S8720 Media Server provides improved performance (BHCC) over the S8710. The S8720 can be ordered with software duplication, allowing the customer to separate the duplicated servers (within a campus environment initially).

 

 

Enterprise Survivable Servers allow backup servers to be placed at various places in a network so that communications can continue in the event that a main server(s) fails, or when connectivity to the main server(s) is lost. Enterprise Survivable Servers can be connected to ATM, IP and Center Stage Switch (CSS) connected port networks. The IPSI card in the port networks automatically obtains service from an ESS server(s) if the control signal to the main server is lost.

 

Deploying Enterprise Survivable Servers at appropriate points in a network provides flexibility in how to plan against system failover. Assurance of communications continuity can be mapped to protect against network failures or catastrophic main server failures or both. Administration for the ESS can be conducted in a central point with automatic synchronization to all ESS servers. ESS now provides a survivability option for S8500 Media Servers.

 

Provides a means of alternately using the PSTN when the IP-WAN is incapable of carrying the bearer connection for inter gateway calls.

 

 

 

Preserves the bearer channel for branch offices when control is transferred from the primary server to LSP and vice versa.

 

 

 

This feature returns a fragmented network, where a number of H.248 Media Gateways are being serviced by one or more Local Spare Processors to the primary media server in an automatic fashion.

 

Allows the transfer of control of H.248 gateways from Local Spare Processors to Primary server without human intervention that is needed today.

 

 

This feature preserves existing stable bearer connections in the event of the migration of a media gateway from one Communication Manager server to another.

 

Provides customers at the branch office uninterrupted communication service when switching from an active/main component to a standby/backup component and vice versa.

 

 

This feature preserves many types of stable bearer connections during an upgrade of duplex servers from Communication Manager 3.0 to later release.

 

Provides customers uninterrupted communication service during an upgrade of duplex servers from Communication Manager 3.0 to later releases.

 

 

For safety, Communication Manager allows making emergency calls from un-named IP endpoints. For security, Communication Manager provides encryption support for the signaling channel between the media server and IP phones.

 

 

 

This feature extends the support of Unicode across Communication Manager servers.

 

Allows trunk calls to correctly display in local languages for IP Phones.

 

 

Enables customers to use any or all of their gateways as local recorded announcement sources and thus improve the quality of the audio rendering. This permits more than one source to play the announcement and MOH when the primary source is unable to play the audio source. A selection algorithm selects the recorded audio source closest to the ingress point of the caller.

 

Locally sourced audio can help:

 

 

 

The Expanded Meet-me Conference feature enables users on Communication Manager to create multi-party meet me conferencing to support up to 300 parties.

 

Provides customers an inexpensive basic "meet me" type conferencing for up to 300 parties.