Introduction to Cisco CallManager Attendant Console

Cisco CallManager Attendant Console, a client/server application installed on a PC, allows you to set up an Attendant Console to use with Cisco IP Phones. Employing a graphical user interface, the Attendant Console uses speed dial buttons and quick directory access to look up telephone numbers, monitor line status, and direct calls. A receptionist or administrative assistant can use the Attendant Console to handle calls for a department or company, or other employees can use it to manage their own telephone calls.

The Attendant Console installs on a PC with IP connectivity to the Cisco CallManager system. The Attendant Console works with a Cisco IP Phone that is registered to a Cisco CallManager system. Multiple Attendant Consoles can connect to a single Cisco CallManager system. When a server fails, the Attendant Console automatically fails over to another specified server in the cluster.

The Cisco CallManager Attendant Console client application is shown in Figure 18-1. The client is downloadable from the Cisco CallManager plug-in web page. (Choose Applications > Install Plugins, and click Cisco CallManager Attendant Console.) The client installs on end-user systems running Microsoft Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP. The installation program places a Cisco CallManager Attendant Console icon on the attendant desktop and can also be accessed using Start > Programs.

Figure 18-1. Cisco CallManager Attendant Console

Terms and Definitions

Table 18-1 defines the terminology used for the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console application.

The Telephony Call Dispatcher and Attendant Console Directory

The following sections provide additional detail about the Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher (TCD) and the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console Directory.

Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher

As shown in Figure 18-2, the Attendant Console application registers with and receives call-dispatching services from Cisco TCD. Cisco TCD, a Cisco CallManager service, provides communication among Cisco CallManager servers, Attendant Consoles, and the Cisco IP Phones that are used with the Attendant Consoles.

Figure 18-2. Telephony Call Dispatcher Service

Cisco TCD handles Attendant Console requests for the following items:

• Call dispatching from pilot point to the appropriate hunt group destination
• Line status (unknown, available, on hook, or off hook)
• User directory information (Cisco TCD stores and periodically updates directory information for fast lookup by the Attendant Console.)

Cisco TCD monitors the status of internal devices and telephones only. An Attendant Console user cannot see the line state for a telephone that is connected to a gateway.

Cisco CallManager Attendant Console Directory

The CallManager Attendant Console directory is used to allow the Attendant Console application to maintain an active list of the corporate directory of users. Using this list, a receptionist can verify the state of any IP phone in the corporation and transfer calls simply by dragging and dropping the active call to the applicable user in the directory.

The Attendant Console server reads and caches the user directory entries at startup. After an initial handshake determines whether the directory entries have changed since the previous login, the Attendant Console downloads the user list. The Attendant Console also downloads the user list when the interval in the Directory Reload Interval field in the Attendant Settings dialog box expires or when the user clicks the Reload button in the Directory window.

The Attendant Console searches the following files (in order) for the user list:

• The user list file that is specified in the Path Name of Local Directory File field in the Attendant Settings dialog box on the attendant PC.
• The CorporateDirectory.txt file in the user list directory on the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console server. You can create the CorporateDirectory.txt file if your user list is located on a directory server that is separate from the Cisco CallManager server.
• The AutoGenerated.txt file that is generated by the Cisco TCD service and stored in the user list directory on the Cisco CallManager Attendant Console server. If the Directory Sync Period service parameter does not equal zero, Cisco TCD generates the AutoGenerated.txt file when the Cisco TCD service starts and when the directory synchronization period expires.

To modify the Directory Sync Period service parameter, choose Service > Service Parameters. Choose the appropriate server from the Server drop-down list and choose the Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher Service from the Service drop-down list.

The user list file is in Comma-Separated Values (CSV) format and contains the following information:

• Last name
• First name
• Telephone number
• Department

Pilot Points and Hunt Groups

A pilot point, a virtual DN that is never busy, alerts Cisco TCD to receive and direct calls to hunt group members. A hunt group consists of a list of destinations that determine the call redirection order.

For Cisco TCD to function properly, make sure that the pilot point number is unique throughout the system (it cannot be a shared line appearance and will probably be the corporate primary DID number). When configuring the pilot point, you must choose one of the following routing options:

• First Available Hunt Group Member Cisco TCD goes through the members in the hunt group in order until it finds the first available destination for routing the call. (You can choose this routing option from the Pilot Point Configuration window in Cisco CallManager Administration.)
• Longest Idle Hunt Group Member This feature arranges the members of a hunt group in order from longest to shortest idle time. Cisco TCD finds the member with the longest idle time and, if available, routes the call. If not, Cisco TCD continues to search through the group. This feature evenly distributes the incoming call load among the members of the hunt group. (You can choose this routing option from the Pilot Point Configuration window in Cisco CallManager Administration.)
• Circular Hunting Cisco TCD maintains a record of the last hunt group member to receive a call. When a new call arrives, Cisco TCD routes the call to the next member in the hunt group. Most people know this as round-robin hunting. (You can choose this option from the Attendant Console Configuration Tool.)
• Broadcast Hunting When a call arrives at the pilot point, Cisco TCD answers the call, places the call on hold, adds the call to the queue, and displays the call in the Broadcast Calls pane on ALL Attendant Console applications. While on hold, the caller receives music on hold (MoH), if it is configured. Any attendant can answer the call from the Broadcast Calls pane. (You can choose this option from the Attendant Console Configuration Tool.)