Global overview of Voice Recording

Platform Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise

Interface Trunk, Extension, IP sniffing, DR-Link

Version Not Applicable

Revision Edition 1 – August 2009

Abstract Description of voice Recording solutions for OmniPCX Enterprise

Alliances & Application Partner Program

Edition 1 – August 2009 1 Voice Recording -Overview

 CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Passive and Active Recording Interfaces .............................................................. 3
1.1.1 Passive Voice Recording ................................................................................. 3
1.1.2 Active Voice Recording ................................................................................... 4
1.2 Total or Selective recording ................................................................................ 4
1.3 CTI Links........................................................................................................... 5
2 PASSIVE RECORDING INTERFACES ............................................................................ 6
2.1 Extension Side recording .................................................................................... 6
2.1.1 Overview....................................................................................................... 6
2.1.2 Installation / Configuration ............................................................................ 7
2.1.3 Licenses ........................................................................................................ 7
2.1.4 Restrictions / Limitations ................................................................................. 7
2.2 Trunk Side recording ......................................................................................... 8
2.3 IP Sniffing.......................................................................................................... 9
2.3.1 Overview....................................................................................................... 9
2.3.2 Restrictions / Limitations............................................................................ 10
3 ACTIVE RECORDING INTERFACES ........................................................................... 11
3.1 TDM DR-Link................................................................................................... 11
3.1.1 Overview..................................................................................................... 11
3.1.2 Standalone DR-link ...................................................................................... 13
3.1.3 Network DR-link .......................................................................................... 13
3.1.4 Beep generation .......................................................................................... 13
3.1.5 Limits & Constraints ..................................................................................... 14
3.2 IP DR-Link ....................................................................................................... 15
3.2.1 Overview..................................................................................................... 15
3.2.2 Use cases .................................................................................................... 16
3.2.3 Beep generation .......................................................................................... 18
3.2.4 Record in PBX network.................................................................................. 19
3.2.5 Limits & Constraints ..................................................................................... 20

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1 INTRODUCTION
This document describes the different interfaces to connect a Voice Recording Systems (VRS)
with OmniPCX Enterprise (OXE) in order to record conversations.

NOTE :
This document is applicable for OXE version R8.0 and more.

1.1 Passive and Active Recording Interfaces

There are passive recording interfaces where OmniPCX Enterprise (OXE) has no specific
action, the VRS re-uses existing interfaces and active recording interfaces, specially designed
and developed for recording where OXE has an active role.

Active recording interfaces have been developed on Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprise to

overcome passive recording interfaces limitations and to add valuable features like:
- dedicated licenses control
- user category protected against recording
- beep generation
- trunk type independent
- no telephony services restriction because recording
- all types of calls are recorded including internal calls and calls forwarded in
homogeneous OXE network
- less cabling and resources optimization

1.1.1 Passive Voice Recording

The VRS captures the audio packets according to three possible interfaces:

taps the line connecting phones to the audio boards, also called Extension side
recording,

taps the trunks lines connecting the trunk boards to the PSTN, also called Trunk side
recording,

Sniff (or mirror) IP networks also called IP sniffing.

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1.1.2 Active Voice Recording
In active voice recording, OmniPCX Enterprise provides a copy of the call on VRS demand.
The VRS drives the recording requests and the audio packets are sent directly to the Voice
Loggers. With OmniPCX Enterprise, there are two dedicated recording interfaces:

Dedicated Recording-Link (or TDM DR-Link) where the logger is connected to

PCM boards.

IP Dedicated Recording-Link (or IP DR-link) where a direct RTP flows is

established between IP phones and VoIP loggers.

1.2 Total or Selective recording

Using various Recording Interfaces, a VRS may provide different recording modes:

1. Total (or Systematic) Recording: record all conversations for all connected (or declared)
devices (agent to/from customer, agent to/from agent).
In general this type of recording is used for resolving disputes (complain management).

2. Selective Recording: records selected conversations based on filter criteria. The user
defines what to record according to predefined schedule or criteria that can be:

Rules based

Statistical for Quality Management

On user request: Record on Demand (RoD)
Selective recording can be used to record all conversations as well.

NOTE :
For some VRS vendors, Total Recording has a more specific mean : capability to record
calls even if CTI link is temporarily down. This is why it is often applied only for Passive
Recording interfaces but as described in next chapters that can also be available for
Active Recording interfaces.

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1.3 CTI Links
In addition to capture the audio, a Voice Recording Systems need to get indexing related to
this audio to ease the possible query.
With no CTI links, the VRS will have limited data like channel number, start date/ time and
end date/time that are not powerful enough to retrieve a given call (for a dispute or for
quality measure).
The CTI Link will provide valuable data for the query such as Calling number,
agent/extension number, agent name, correlator/business data, ANI, etc…

The main CTI link to be used for a voice recording system is TSAPI Premium Server, it’s
mandatory for Active Recording Interfaces.
However, a direct CSTA link or Genesys T-Server could be used for Passive Recording
interfaces only or to add attached data.

In some case like for recording an Attendant Console or for Total Recording mode, a CDR
(Call Detail Report) link can be used to get data at the end of the call.

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2 PASSIVE RECORDING INTERFACES
2.1 Extension Side recording
This Recording interface addresses TDM phones: digital and analog extensions.

2.1.1 Overview
For analog/POTs (Plain Old Telephone System) extensions, telephone lines are directly
connected to the logger via the MDF (Main Distribution Frame). No additional wiring to the
telephone set is required.

For digital extension (e.g. IP Touch Series 9), a special D/A (Digital to Analogue) converter
board (REC-8) is necessary. This board is directly plugged into the OmniPCX Enterprise shelf
(crystal hardware) without any administration operation: only the power supply is required.
This board supports interface for 8 digitals sets: the first 8 connectors receive the 8 UA sets
lines and the 8 last connectors provide the analogue outputs.

UANOE sets
Backpanel
P1

P1 P2 P8

UA/
P9

NOE
P17

P25 P32

P32

REC-8
P1 P2 P8

P9

Analog voice logger

OXE MDF
Fig 1: REC-8 boards connections

As an example, recording 32 sets from one UA32 board requires four (4) REC-8 boards.
The reference of this board is 3BD19218AH

For Common Hardware equipment, a REC-1 box exists with reference 3BD19160AE.

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2.1.2 Installation / Configuration

Nothing to be declared within OXE. the REC-8 board goes in any slot of the OXE Crystal
shelf.

On the board, each equipment has a Led showing that the circuit is synchronised with the
digital set (led switched off = correct synchro).

Note: The length of cable between telephone set and the OXE cannot exceed 500 m.

2.1.3 Licenses

CTI is no mandatory but an option to add indexing.

CTI licenses to be used are standard licenses according to the type of CTI link and the
quantity of monitored extensions to be recorded.

Example: Recording of 10 analog extensions + 20 digital extensions (e.g. 10*4039 and

10*4029) to be recorded. If the VRS is using TSAPI, 30 TSAPI licenses will be required.

2.1.4 Restrictions / Limitations

On extensions side, the VRS is sized to the amount of extensions.
No beep generation
No protection against recording
The risk of cabling errors increase with the amount of TDM phones, when there are
configuration changes.

WARNING :
Several Voice Recording Systems with certified Interworking offer digital voice
recording solution based on specific decoder for Alcatel-Lucent proprietary
protocol (UA/NOE). Such solutions are not supported (there is no Alcatel-
Lucent commitment for version upward compatibility). Only interworking with
VRS using REC converters are certified and supported.

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2.2 Trunk Side recording

See details in dedicated document: Trunk side recording - guideline

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2.3 IP Sniffing

2.3.1 Overview
Similar to the way Network Analyzer Tools monitor the LAN/WAN to analyze network
performance, a passive VoIP logger is monitoring the LAN to detect and then capture RTP
packets. The passive logger monitors packets that pass through the PSTN gateway or the
router for intranet/internet calls in order to record inbound and outbound calls.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Such recording solutions may need to use some kind of
port traffic duplication method when connecting to a LAN Switch (such as Span
Port feature, Port Mirroring or creation of a VLAN).

In general, the passive logger monitors the LAN for RTP packets that are encapsulated in a
UDP/IP packet with IP address corresponding to one of the IP addresses that have been
selected for recording. If the destination IP address (extracted from the IP header) matches
one of the IP addresses of the extensions selected for recorded, that packet is captured and
added to the voice stream that is being recorded.

RTP Media Stream

passively “sniffed”
along IP Path Static IP
Ports
OXE

Agents
PSTN
V

VoIP
Router/ Recorder
IP WAN
Gateway

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Note: Sometimes, some VRS may work in active mode meaning the VoIP logger is invited to
a conference call when a user initiates recording on demand using an Active Conference
Logger - Within the logger there is an emulation of several VoIP terminals (H.323
terminals), which will be configured in the PBX as a hunt group.
The agent requesting to record will invite a hunt group extension to join its call as a
participant (typically via one key on the terminal). A logger’s voice terminal emulation will
auto answer the call, and transfer its audio to the logger for recording.
Encryption has been designed and implemented by some customers to be protected against
IP Sniffing recording.

IMPORTANT NOTE: IP sniffing is no more officially supported by Alcatel-

Lucent since the availability of IP DR-Link solution (OXE R8.0) which is more
powerful and with less restriction than IP Sniffing.
However IP Sniffing remains the only possible solution for specific context like
Attendant Console or 30 parties conference call where CSTA based solutions
are not appropriate.

2.3.2 Restrictions / Limitations

o Due to the segmented nature of LAN topology the passive VoIP logger can only
record VoIP packets that are traveling via the same LAN segment as the VoIP
logger.

o Another restriction is the use of static IP address for VoIP devices because our
standard CTI link, CSTA, does not provide such information.
However, the VRS is able to implement a solution which allow to dynamically get
the IP address of the device, for example XML Pbx Management Web Services allow
to provide the IP address of a given terminal.

o OXE encryption / decryption (MSM boxes) cannot be used for IP sniffing.

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3 ACTIVE RECORDING INTERFACES
3.1 TDM DR-Link

3.1.1 Overview
The DR-Link (Dedicated Recording Link) is a dedicated link to a voice recording system.

A TDM DR-Link is based on two elements:

1. A Voice Link based on PCM2 boards, standard Alcatel-Lucent boards where the D
signalization is limited to the management of the 30 channels. This Voice Link is one
way only.

2. A Control Link based on Standard CSTA session to get events related to the calls and
Alcatel-Lucent Private CSTA commands to drive the recording. Today only Alcatel-
Lucent TSAPI Premium Server supports theses specific commands.

The voice logger is connected to PCM2 boards on Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprise system
and gets voice on a given PCM channel after sending CSTA request.
Independently of the type of calls received on a telephone set, including internal or external
calls, the voice can be shared on a given PCM channel requested by the voice logger.

The following figure shows how a typical DR-Link solution is implemented with a voice
logging systems.

Fig 2: TDM DR-Link architecture

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DR-Link is best suited for Selective and Total recording.

The main DR-Link benefits, more especially compared to Trunk Side Recording, are:

Less cabling, easier installation and reconfiguration.

Trunk type independent (QSIG or ISDN, analogue or numeric trunks provided that
are supported by CSTA)

Internal calls are also recorded

The distance between the PBX and the logger can be long

The Voice Logger size is optimized

All types of telephone are recorded: analog, digital, DECT, WIFI, IP phones.

There is no telephone feature restriction due to recording. And the recording is

possible in all telephony states.

DR-link can be used to connect one Voice Logger per OmniPCX Enterprise (1 to 1) or
to connect one central Voice Logger for several Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Enterprises in
a homogeneous network (1 to n).

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3.1.2 Standalone DR-link

In Standalone DR-Link, each PBX node has a dedicated voice logger and it is only able to
record calls involving extensions managed by the given PBX node (see Fig 2)

3.1.3 Network DR-link

The Network DR-Link solution enables networked recording in a homogeneous Alcatel-

Lucent network.

Fig 3: Network TDM DR-Link architecture

3.1.4 Beep generation

Thanks to DR-Link, a Beep could be generated during the conversation to notify the user
for the current recording of the call.
Beep is customizable by modifying following parameters: frequency, presence duration,
silence duration.
It is under the responsibility to the Voice Recording System to implement or not this
feature, to be able to generate one or several beeps, and to decide if the configuration is
the same for all the system or only for a given recorded device.

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3.1.5 Limits & Constraints

Alcatel-Lucent DR-Link has no restrictions related to telephonic features like conference,

transfer,
The DR-Link can handle calls of any type of trunks as far as it is supported by CSTA
protocol (see CSTA documentation).
The DR-Link handle all type of telephone sets for Contact Center agents as well as for
multiline in business environment or unwired sets (DECT, WIFI) or VoIP sets and remote
extensions (mobile phones).

Some sets are not supported by Alcatel-Lucent CSTA protocol, so they are not recorded
with the DR-link :
• attendants sets (4059, ...)
• telephone sets from old Alcatel-Lucent systems (like 4023),
• SO sets.
• Terminals involved in 30 party conference

In addition following devices are monitorable by CSTA but not supported by DR-Link:
o Virtual sets (ie. with no physical address)
o 4980 or CCA in Nomadic mode (GSM or VoIP)
All these devices can be connected by another way to be recorded (trunk or extension side
connection or local plug for attendant).

The maximum capacity is 600 voice recording channels per node.

If remote recording channels are used, please check the capacity the inter-node links in
order to support the traffic in the network.

Recording channels must be properly managed by the Voice Recording System, the switch
only use them according to decision made by the external application.

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3.2 IP DR-Link

3.2.1 Overview
The IP DR-Link (IP Dedicated Recording Link) is a dedicated interface to a voice logger to
record Alcatel-Lucent IP Touch sets.
It is an optimized recording of Alcatel-Lucent IP Phones with direct RTP and better resiliency.

The solution is mainly based on the ability of IP Touch sets to send the RTP flows to be
recorded directly toward a VoIP logger.

PSTN Paul

IP DR-Link
Re
cor
set ded

CSTA Protocol
Jim Voice Flow
IP Voice Logger

Only IP Touch sets (Alcatel-Lucent 8 series: 4018, 4028, 4038 and 4068) and the My Phone
IP Desktop from Professional Services provide such capability.

Inbound, outbound, local calls, in Business and Contact Centre environments can be
recorded. No restriction in telephony features because recording
Previous restrictions on DR-Link to record IP phones (like the suppression of direct RTP flow)
do not longer exist with IP DR-Link so this new solution provides an optimization of IP
resources (compressors).

IP DR-Link is best suited for Selective, Total and Quality Management recording since it
reports call details in real-time.

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The two types of DR-links can run on the same OXE, by example to support the migration
from TDM to IP. In this case, the recording system has to know the type of set (TDM / IP) in
order to provide appropriate parameters for the recording.

PSTN Bil
l
TDM Logger Recorded
sets
Bob+Bill Bo
PCM2
b

Pau
l
Paul
CSTA Protocol Jim Rec
ord
Voice Flow Ji ed
Call Logging
Logger Proprietary Server IP Logger m set

3.2.2 Use cases

In IP configuration there are two unidirectional RTP flows to be recorded; the two parts of the
conversation are separated.
On the Start Recording request, the IP set sends:

the RTP flow from Recorded to Remote toward the port P1

the RTP flow from Remote to Recorded toward the port P2

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3.2.2.1 Call with two parties
The recorded IP phones send a RTP flow copy to IP logger

Paul
Jim
Paul

Paul
Jim

Rec orded
set
Paul
Jim
IP Logger Jim

RTP Flow

3.2.2.2 Call with three parties

Paul Bill
Jim+Bill Paul+Jim
Paul Bill
Paul + Bill
Jim

Recorded
set

Paul + Bill
Jim

RTP Flow
IP Logger Jim

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3.2.2.3 Call with compression algorism
The compression algorithm applied on the “RTP voice flow copy” is the same as the one used
for the call to be recorded.
There is no codec negotiation, the algorithm is directly detected by the IP logger from the RTP
flow itself (header content)

Branch Office

Paul

Paul
Paul Jim
Paul
G711 G711 Jim WAN
G72x
G72x

HQ
C
o
d
ec
Jim G
IP Logger
IP Logger Jim

3.2.3 Beep generation

Thanks to IP DR-Link, a Beep could be generated during the conversation to notify the
user for the current recording of the call. Parametrable Beep.
It is under the responsibility to the Voice Recording System to implement or not this
feature, to be able to generate one or several beeps, and to decide if the configuration is
the same for all the system or only for a given recorded device.

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3.2.4 Record in PBX network

Several cases are possible:

One VRS per node

One unique VRS for the whole network but one VoIP logger per node

One unique VRS and VoIP logger for the whole network

3.2.4.1 One IP logger per OXE

Node 1 node 2

WAN

IP Logger IP Logger
System 1 System 2

3.2.4.2 One Central IP logger for the network

Node 1 node 2

WAN

IP Logger
System 1

3.2.4.3 One central VRS with dedicated IP logger

node node
1 2
WAN

TSAPI
IP Logger IP Logger
Call Logging Server IP Voice Logger System

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3.2.5 Limits & Constraints

3.2.5.1 Features
Alcatel-Lucent IP DR-Link has no restrictions related to telephonic features like conference,
transfer, …
The IP DR-Link can handle calls of any type of trunks as far as it is supported by CSTA
protocol (see CSTA documentation).
Note: if the link between the recorder and the OmniPCX disappears (application stops, link
problem...) all recording requests are cleared.

3.2.5.2 Supported terminals

Only IP Touch sets Series 8 are supported (4018, 4028, 4038, 4068...) and also the My
Phone IP Desktop.
No redundancy as a single copy of IP calls is provided.
For TDM sets and other IP phones, a TDM DR-Link solution is required.
The both solution, TDM and IP can be mixed on the same OXE.

3.2.5.3 VoIP loggers

Up to 16 IP Loggers but 240 under PCS (240 officially supported from R9.1)

Up to 2400 recording channels but 240 channels per IP Logger under control I R8.0
and R9.0

Recorded
set
eCS

Up to 16
IP Logger

IP Logger
Call Logging
IP Logger
Server

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