Transcript Slide 1

Voice Portal
Not your ordinary VoiceXML Platform
Bob Cooper
CEO
Swampfox Technologies
Agenda
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Who is Swampfox
VP Architectural Goals
VP Components and Features
VP What Make it Different
Questions to ask Competitors
Who is Swampfox
Avtec
General Magic
ATT/NCR
Large OLTP systems
Fault tolerant comm sys
For railways, police, airlines
Conita
~12 years ago – VC funded
(one-X Speech)
Avaya
~8 years ago
(VP/ICR)
Swampfox
7/17/2015
Swampfox – Proprietary & Confidential.
today
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Historical Perspective
• IR was the Avaya Self Service Platform
• World was shifting towards open standards and
a web programming model
• We need a next generation IVR, aka Voice Portal
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VP – Original Marching Orders
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Totally based on open standards
Web centered approach
SW only solution
Extremely scalable and reliable
Off the shelf hardware
Support legacy customers – easy migration
Advanced call control and ASR/TTS
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What is Voice Portal
Voice Portal is…
• Architecture = A platform for running VoiceXML
and CCXML applications
• Market = Self Service
• Approach = Slowly displace Avaya IR via a
software only web/soa model architecture
What are VoiceXML and CCXML?
• VoiceXML
– Language for interacting with a person via telephone
– Can speak to person via recorded prompts or TTS
– Can get input from person via DTMF or ASR
• CCXML
– Language for managing telephone calls
– Can initiate/terminate/conference calls
– Can manage VoiceXML dialogs and place/remove them
on call legs.
We’ll come back to this later (don’t fret)
The Big Picture
Simplified Call Flow
1. Caller dials a phone number that
routes through PSTN to CM.
2. CM routes call to Voice Portal.
3. Based on number dialed by caller,
Voice Portal accesses appropriate
application URL on web server.
4. Web server launches speech
application, which is typically
written in a high level
programming language such as
Java.
Simplified Call Flow (cont.)
5. Speech application running on
web server generates VoiceXML
that gets returned to Voice Portal.
6. VoiceXML gets processed by Voice
Portal, which causes Voice Portal
to interact with caller.
7. When VoiceXML requests ASR or
TTS, Voice Portal contacts
appropriate speech server.
8. When caller hangs up, application
is terminated.
Public Switched
Telephone Network
Application User
Communication Manager
Voice Portal
Administrator
Voice Portal
Web Application Server
Speech Server
(ASR/TTS)
Voice Portal Components
• Voice Portal Management System (VPMS)
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Provides web interface for configuring system.
Houses Voice Portal database that stores all configuration data.
Distributes telephony ports among MPPs.
Provides outcall/eventing web service.
• Media Processing Platform (MPP)
– Talks to PBX to initiate/answer calls.
– Contains CCXML and VoiceXML interpreters that process
applications.
– Talks to speech servers to provide ASR/TTS support.
Voice Portal Components
• Application Server(s)
– This is what generates the VoiceXML / CCXML
– This is what talks to customer backend data
– This is what communicates with IC / CTI
• Speech Server(s)
– Recognizes user speech (ASR)
– Synthesizes speech from text (TTS)
• Dialog Designer
– Tool to create VP applications
– Available free of charge
What Makes VP different?
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Scalability
Failover/Reliability/Upgrades
It’s Just Software
Management
Advanced application features
Seamless Avaya Integration
Approach to Scalability
• 1 VP system can scale to 30 MPPs
– You scale by adding MPPs
– MPPs are independent and have no persistent data
– 1 VP system can scale up to 5000 ports
• Each MPP can handle between 4-400 ports
– Depends on app, co-res, hardware, ..
• Multiple VP systems can work together
– Use an external database for reporting
– Avaya UCID is guaranteed to be unique across this config
A More Detailed Picture
Public Switched
Telephone Network
Application User
Voice Portal
Internet Explorer
VPMS
Communication Manager
Gateway
Voice Portal
Administrator
SNMP Manager
Web Application Server
MPP
Speech Server
(ASR/TTS)
SES
Approach to Reliability
• MPPs can fail
– VPMS monitors MPP health via a heartbeat
– Ports are moved to remaining MPPs
• You do *not* need to buy DR licenses for this.
• VPMS can fail
– MPPs do not require VPMS to run
– But you lose ability to reconfigure the system and
reporting while VPMS is down
– Application web services are routed through VPMS
• Thus a secondary VPMS is supported for web services
Maximize Service Availability with Dynamic licensing & Auto
Recovery
VXML Licenses: 10
IP Endpoint 1-10
Hunt Group 123
Route to IP endpoints
1-20
Web
Application
Server
(Websphere,
Tomcat)
VoiceXML Browser
MPP
VoIP
PSTN/IP
VPMS
-OAM&P
-Reporting
-SNMP
VoiceXML Browser
MPP
VXML Licenses: 10
IP
Endpoint
11-20
VXML
Licenses:
20
1
4
P QR
7
2
D EF
3
MNO
5
6
WX Y Z
T UV
8
0
A BC
J KL
G HI
S
9
#
1
4
P QR
7
2
IP Endpoint 1-20
VXML Licenses: 10
VXML Licenses: 20
IP Endpoint 1-10
IP Endpoint 1-10
D EF
3
6
WX Y Z
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Web Server
Voice Portal Management
MNO
5
T UV
8
0
A BC
J KL
G HI
S
Web Server
(Dialog Designer Apps)
LAN/WAN
IP Endpoint 11-20
Databases
Web Services
Some points on multi-site deployments
• The VPMS believes all MPPs are “co-located”
• The VPMS distributes all resources to all MPPs
in a similar fashion
– ASR, Telephony, Application Servers, …
• Items are not tied to an MPP
– Applications, phone numbers, ….
– They are shared by *all* MPPs
RULE – co-locate ALL items of a VP system
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Multi-site (bad-conceptual)
Location 1
caller
Application
Server
Location 2
caller
PSTN
PSTN
Avaya
Communication
Manager (1)
Avaya
Communication
Manager (2)
MPP 1
MPP 2
ASR/TTS 1
ASR/TTS 2
Application
Server
VPMS
2 site deployment – active/active or active/passive (conceptual)
bad
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Multi-site (bad-actual)
Location 1
caller
Application
Server
Location 2
caller
PSTN
PSTN
Avaya
Communication
Manager (1)
Avaya
Communication
Manager (2)
MPP
MPP
ASR/TTS
ASR/TTS
Application
Server
VPMS
2 site deployment – active/active or active/passive (actual)
bad
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Location 1
caller
Application
Server
Location 2
caller
Multi-site (good)
PSTN
PSTN
Avaya
Communication
Manager (1)
Avaya
Communication
Manager (2)
MPP
MPP
ASR/TTS
ASR/TTS
VPMS
Application
Server
VPMS
Master
WebLM
2 site deployment – active/active or active/passive (actual)
good
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Location 1
caller
Application
Server
Location 2
caller
Multi-Site (better)
PSTN
PSTN
Avaya
Communication
Manager (1)
Avaya
Communication
Manager (2)
MPP
MPP
MPP
ASR/TTS
ASR/TTS
ASR/TTS
VPMS
Application
Server
VPMS
Master
WebLM
2 site deployment – active/passive (typical)
better
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Updates
• Perform while system is running
• Platform updates
– Good reason to have multiple MPPs
– Update VPMS first
– VPMS pushes updates to MPPs
• Application updates
– Can take affect on next incoming call
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Advanced Application Features
• Voice Portal is not just a VoiceXML Platform
– The power is in CCXML (layer beneath VXML)…this is
exposed to the channel for very powerful
applications.
• Examples of some unique features
– Support for multiple VXML sessions on 1 call
– Ability to act on a call before answering it
– Support for hard dialer quality call classification
Why not just VoiceXML?
So, why not just VoiceXML
• What was being touted at the time
– “VXML can do all things”
– “Run 1 app for web and phone” (automagically)
• Go back to VP arch objectives
– Open standards
– Dramatic increase is feature/function
– Etc.
• “What the xxxx is CCXML”
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VoiceXML Feature and Capabilities
• Play Prompt/TTS
• Recognize Speech and DTMF
• Basic Call Control
– Call hang-up
– Call transfer
• Handle Caller Interaction/Events
– Barge in
– Timeout – no speech
It was designed for simple IVR interactions
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VoiceXML Limitation
• VoiceXML Cannot
– Support > 1 user interaction
– Be interrupted from anyone but the caller
– Perform any action before call answer
– Natively support outbound applications
– Perform audio mixing
– Perform sophisticated call control
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Conference Calling
Call Blast
Call Merge
Detect FAX
• Call Reject
• Call Deflect/Redirect
• Mid Call Signaling (SIP INFO)
Standard VoiceXML 2.1
• Limited Call Control Capabilities
– Apps all start as a result of an inbound call
– Transfer – blind, bridged and consultative
– No ‘click to dial’ capabilities
VXML
Document
VoiceXML
Engine
Telephony
Subsystem
INVITE
REFER
Blind Transfer
VXML
Document
VoiceXML
Engine
Telephony
Subsystem
INVITE
INVITE
Bridged Transfer
What’s wrong with VoiceXML
• No real support for asynchronous events or audio
mixing
• There is no way for software to inject an event
into a VoiceXML page
– interrupt a long wait treatment (ICR)
– announce queue-position / EWT updates?
– How would you implement a calling card app?
• You have x minutes left
– play emergency messages to callers (shutdown)?
– You could never build a virtual assistant in pure VoiceXML
At the heart of Voice Portal
• Voice Portal is a CCXML platform that supports
VoiceXML
• A single CCXML session can have many
VoiceXML dialogs
– Think of a dialog at the level of a call or conversation
– So a find me follow me app would normally have 1
session with 2 dialogs (one with the caller and one
with the callee)
CCXML as a foundation
• CCXML is an asynchronous state machine model with
rich call control
– Supports rich call control
• Outcall, conferencing, take back and transfer, …
– Supports asynchronous events
• From external sources (web service, http, …)
• From the telephony system (while call is progressing)
• From internal timers, etc.
– Multiple simultaneous calls/VoiceXML dialog
• One CCXML session could have 50 calls each w/their own dialog
Voice Portal’s Implementation
• VP is actually a CCXML platform
– Think of VoiceXML as a ‘subroutine’
of CCXML
– CCXML can initiate multiple VoiceXML
dialogs
– CCXML can interrupt VoiceXML
– All call control is done by CCXML
• Built-in CCXML document is a
static page that
VXML
Document
VoiceXML
Engine
CCXML
Document
CCXML
Engine
Telephony
Subsystem
– Starts VXML dialog
– Handles telephony events
INVITE
REFER
Blind Transfer
Find Me Follow Me case
VXML
Document
1
VoiceXML
Engine
VoiceXML
Engine
CCXML
Document
• A Speech interface to each leg of
the call
• Data exchange via
– Application space
– Through CCXML
• VoiceXML to/from CCXML
CCXML
Engine
Telephony
Subsystem
INVITE
INVITE
Find Me Follow Me
VXML
Document
2
What have we used CCXML for
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Business Rules Based Call Routing
SF Agent AssistTM
App Selection as a function of SIP header
Whisper Transfer
European – “delay billing till accept” app
Preview dialing application
Third Party Verification w/Call Recording
Caution though w/CCXML
• CCXML takes a fair amount of experience
• CCXML performs all the telephony processing
– VXML only requests telephony services
– CCXML handles them
• If you create your own CCXML application
– You’ll need to provide all the telephony handlers.
• We have yet to see someone do this w/o help.
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What can VP be used for?
• Traditional IVR capabilities
– DTMF only
– Speech Recognition (1 or multiple languages)
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Call Center front end
Business Process automation
Outcalling Services – reminders, survey, …
Call Router/Balancer w/business rules
CTI Replacement
An Application View
VXML/CCXML
capabilities
Application
Requirements
Ask The Customer
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Is their current IVR system antiquated or proprietary
Do they have plans to adapt a modern architecture
Are they looking to automate their call center activities
Are they paying a lot for CTI
Would they benefit from a large centralized IVR (FCE)
Is there a need for outbound applications
Are they looking to offer their callers the services that
are available on their web site?
• Are they looking for a hosted solution for IVR
Ask the Competition
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How do you overcome the shortcomings of VXML
Licensing – how do they accomplish failover
Scale – do you support 5000 ports from 1 system?
Can you manage the system from a single console.
How well do you integrate with Avaya CC
How much are your maintenance costs?
Are you ready for video? Show me a demo.
Does anyone offer your solution in a hosted env’t
We Can Help
• Swampfox has experience in all areas of VP
– Video
– SIP
– CCXML / VXML
– Consulting/Implementation/Hosting/Support
• Stop by the booth on the show floor
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Swampfox – Proprietary &
Confidential.
The end
Thanks…drop by our booth
Bob Cooper
[email protected]
803-451-4545
Swampfox Service Offering
Architecture/Concept Review
Design and Development
Installation and Configuration
Load Testing
Training
Triage
Voice Portal Hosting
Managed Services
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How can we help you
• Business Development
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Is a concept a good fit for VP, AES, …
Bring us on a call as your Voice Portal team
We can provide the proposal…you just add your margin.
You’d be surprised what can be done w/this platform!
• Implementation
– We can design it, build it, test it and deliver or host it
• Installation and ongoing support
We always sell through the business partner
• Horizontal
Swampfox Application Focus
– Auto Attendant, Agent Assist, Survey, Field Service Dispatch..
– Others coming soon.
• Vertical
– Medical and Legal
• Projects of interest
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Proactive outbound solutions
VP/Call Center integration
Call routing/screening/distribution
Complex call facilitation
Conditional billing services
IVVR services
Business process automation
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Avaya folks who know us well
• Product management
– Tom Hanson, Michael Perry
• Sales/Biz Development
– Tore Christianson, Steve Feldman
• Management
– Gwynne Wade, Aaron Lepold
• Engineers/Architects
– Ask any of them…VP, DD, CM, MM, research…
Other Noteworthy Points
• The platform exposes capabilities via Web
Services
– Launching VoiceXML/CCXML sessions
– Sending asynchronous events
• Rich Feature-set
– Call Classification – same technology used in the
hard dialer
– Video / SMIL support
– Powerful call control and data passing
What are VoiceXML and CCXML?
• VoiceXML
– Language for interacting with a person via telephone
– Can speak to person via recorded prompts or TTS
– Can get input from person via DTMF or ASR
• CCXML
– Language for managing telephone calls
– Can initiate/terminate/conference calls
– Can manage VoiceXML dialogs and place/remove them
on call legs.
Voice Portal Attributes
• Runs on industry standard hardware
– Intel x86
• Runs on industry standard operating system
– Red Hat ES5
• Uses industry standard protocols to communicate
with external systems
– HTTPS
– MRCP
– SIP
Voice Portal Offers
• Bundled solution includes:
– Hardware
– Linux
Note – The Linux provided by Avaya is a subset of Red Hat
– Voice Portal
– Dialog Designer
• Software-only solution includes:
– Voice Portal
– Dialog Designer
Voice Portal Configurations
• Single-box
– VPMS and MPP run on one server.
Note – If single server goes down, entire system is out
of service.
• Multi-box
– Single VPMS on a dedicated server.
– Up to 30 MPPs on separate servers.
Note – If single server goes down, surviving servers are
still able to process calls.