may experience the challenge of effectively monitoring your VoIP systems. You need adequate visibility into how your IT infrastructure and VoIP systems are working together. You want to use a single tool to effectively manage and monitor issues such as dropped calls, poor voice quality, packet loss, latency and other issues. To effectively run your business you need the most efficient VoIP monitoring system to enhance user satisfaction and meet IP SLAs?
With a Cisco and Shoretel VoIP solution coming soon, PacketTrap MSP now provides a com- prehensive VoIP monitoring solution for the different components of Avaya VoIP, specifically Avaya Aura and Avaya IP Office. Using the Avaya VoIP monitoring solution you can:
l Determine the health of your Avaya infrastructure, including Avaya Communication Man-
ager, PBX systems, IP phones, routers, and switches.
l Get the Call Detail Records (CDR), which includes currently active calls, as well as calls
during any historical period.
l Monitor MOS score latency, jitter and packet-loss for each call. Get historical reports and
trend charts over a specified time period.
l Create network maps to provide a detailed map of VoIP and network infrastructure
across local and distributed environments.
l Monitor the mix of VoIP and other network traffic to understand the network, bandwidth
and capacity utilization and bottlenecks of different applications.
l Use an agent and/or agent-less approach to monitor your VoIP and network infra-
structure distributed at different sites to achieve better scalability and performance.
l Monitor across multiple domains using physical and virtual infrastructure. Monitor ESX
servers, Nexus switches, VMs, etc.
l Produce a comprehensive and rich set of pre-defined and customizable reports. l Receive standard and customizable alerts through e-mail, SMS, etc.
l Preparing the PBX
l Monitoring Avaya IP Office Systems
l Monitoring Avaya Aura Communication Manager
Preparing the PBX
Topics in this section
l Configuring RTCP Monitoring l Configuring CDR Monitoring
Configuring RTCP Monitoring
RTCP (Real-Time Transport Control Protocol) is a protocol providing support for applications with real-time properties, including timing reconstruction, loss detection, security, and content identification. It reports information about the RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) stream. RTCP provides support for real-time conferencing for large groups within an Internet, including source identification and support for gateways (like audio and video bridges) and multicast-to- unicast translators. It also provides information about Jitter, Packet Loss, and other data useful for analyzing voice quality.
PacketTrap MSP obtains metrics from the Avaya Aura VoIP telephony network by collecting Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) packets that are sent by Avaya endpoints, such as IP phones and gateways. These RTCP packets contain data about the performance of sessions running between the endpoints, including QoS (Quality of Service) measurements, such as network latency, jitter and packet loss. Each one of these measurements can be collected for a call. PacketTrap MSP can only receive RTCP data if you properly configure the Avaya Aura PBX to send the reporting data to the IP address of the Avaya Aura VoIP server.
NOTE: You cannot collect RTCP data for Avaya IP Office Systems. To set up the PBX
1. Open a SAT session and log on with administrative rights.
2. At the command prompt, type the following:change system-parameters ip-options
3. In the RTCP MONITOR SERVER section, you need to define the IP address and port for Avaya Aura VoIP server. Use the following values:
a. In the Default Server IP Address field, type the IP address of the Avaya VoIP server. b. In the Default Server Port field, type 5005, which is the inbound UDP port for Avaya
Aura.
NOTE: This port is used only for Avaya Aura Communication Systems. Avaya IP Office Systems do not collect RTCP data.
c. In the Default RTCP Report Period (secs) field, type 5. 4. Press Esc+e to apply and save your changes.
To set up a Network Region
Once the VoIP server IP address has been set up on the Avaya PBX, you can set the associated network regions to use either this IP address as the default setting or you can add individual IP addresses can to each region.
1. At the command prompt, type the following:change ip-network-region <n>(where <n> is the IP network region number to be monitored).
2. In the RTCP Reporting Enabled? field, type y. NOTE: The 'y' indicates 'yes'.
3. In the Use Default Server Parameters? field, type y.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all IP network regions that you want to monitor.
NOTE: You can configure only 1 RTCP MONITOR SERVER per IP network region. 5. Press Esc+e to apply and save your changes. The RTCP changes will take effect imme-
diately for all calls, including those already in progress.
Configuring CDR Monitoring
PacketTrap MSP can provide a full range of call history metrics by configuring the Avaya PBX to capture Call Detail Records (CDRs).
There are several steps that you must complete to ensure that the CDR is properly configured on the PBX. Click the following links to learn more.
l Setting CDR System Parameters l Enabling Intra-switch CDRs
l Enabling CDR Reporting for Trunk Groups
Adding Node Names
1. Open a SAT session and log on with administrative rights. 2. At the command prompt, enter:
change node-names ip
3. Complete the following steps:
l Type the IP address of the PacketTrap MSP server. l Type the name of the PacketTrap MSP server.
NOTE: If the PBX has an S85xx or S87xx series Media Server, then ensure that a valid node name for the CLAN board exists as well. If it has an S8300 series Media Server, then ensure that a valid node name for the PROCR also exists.
Adding an IP CDR Service
You can define the CDR link by completing the following steps. 1. At the command prompt, enter:
change ip-services
2. To define a primary CDR link, the following details should be completed:
l Service Type: Set to 'CDR1'. If it already exists, you can define a secondary link by
setting the Service Type to 'CDR2'.
l Local Node: Add the node name for the CLAN (S85xx or S87xx series) or PROCR
(S8300 series).
l Local Port: The Local Port is fixed to 0 as Avaya Aura Communication Manager will
initiate the CDR link.
l Remote Node: Add the node name for the Avaya VoIP server. This node name is
the same one that you added in the previous section,Adding Node Names.
l Remote Port: The Remote Port may be set to a value between 5000 and 64500
inclusive. The default TCP port for the Avaya VoIP server is 50004 for Avaya Aura Communication Manager and 50006 for Avaya IP Office.
3. On page 3 of the IP SERVICES form, disable the Reliable Session Protocol (RSP) from the CDR link by setting the Reliable Protocol field to 'n'.
Setting CDR System Parameters
You should set up the CDR System Parameters form of the Avaya SAT program with the required parameters for calls to track and format CDR data.
1. At the command prompt, enter: change system-parameters cdr
2. Make sure you use the following settings: a. CDR Date Format:month/day
b. Primary Output Format:unformatted c. Primary Output Endpoint:CDR1
3. Make sure you use the following parameters to define the type of calls that will be recorded and what data will be included in the record:
a. Use Legacy CDR Formats?y
This parameter confirms the use of the Avaya Communication Manager 3.x (leg- acy) formats in the CDR records produced by the system.
b. Intra-switch CDR:y
If CDRs are required for intra-PBX calls, then you must set the 'Intra-switch CDR?' option toy. This setting captures call record data for internal calls at specific sta- tions. You must specify what those stations are in the INTRA-SWITCH-CDR form. c. Record Outgoing Calls Only?n
This parameter allows incoming trunk calls to appear in the CDR records along with the outgoing trunk calls.
d. Outg Trk Call Splitting?y
This parameter allows a separate call record for any portion of an outgoing con- ference call or a transfer call.
e. Inc Trk Call Splitting?n
This parameter does not allow a separate call record for any portion of an incom- ing conference call or transfer call.
Although you can set all the options to 'n', it is recommended that you use the preceding PBX settings. When you use these recommended settings, the CDRs are captured for most types of calls (conference calls, transfers, attendant) and intra-switch. Unless there is a requirement for any other particular option, the default is 'n'.
Enabling Intra-switch CDRs
CDRs are usually only sent when users make calls through a trunk. In the case of an Intra-switch call, which is a call that goes to another phone directly connected to the PBX, you must enable your Avaya system to capture the CDR data for this type of call. Intra-switch CDRs are only avail- able if you enable them for specific extensions.
If the Intra-switch CDR field is set toyon Page 1 of the CDR SYSTEM PARAMETERS form, then you will also need to update the INTRASWITCH CDR form by defining the extensions that will be subjected to call detail recording.
1. At the command prompt, enter: change intra-switch-cdr
2. In the Assigned Members field, type the individual extensions for which you want the usage tracked with the CDR records.
Enabling CDR Reporting for Trunk Groups
You must verify CDR reporting is enabled for each trunk group for which you want to capture CDR records.
1. At the command prompt, enter: change trunk-group <n>
2. Make sure that the CDR Reports field is set toy.
3. Repeat the preceding steps for all trunk groups that you want to report CDR data.
Monitoring Avaya IP Office Systems
Topics in this section
l Avaya IP Office VoIP Systems - Overview l Understanding Avaya IP Office Modules
l Configuring Modules for Avaya IP Office Systems
Avaya IP Office VoIP Systems - Overview
The Avaya IP Office module allows you to monitor all the components of the Avaya IP Office Sys- tem which are:
Avaya IpOffice. The key component for deploying this VoIP system. You must have the valid SNMP credentials in order to monitor this device. Additionally, you can only monitor one Avaya IpOffice device per module at one time.
IpPhone. You can assign as many IP phones to this role, as well as add multiple IpPhones at one time. The IpPhone role does not require SNMP credentials.
Related Devices. Devices that are important to the operation of Avaya IP Office. For example, if there is a switch critical to having an Avaya IP Office system work properly, you can use the Related Devices role to add it the module. All the data collected from these related devices will appear in the VoIP gadgets.
Understanding Avaya IP Office Modules
There are several easy and quick steps that you must take to configure PacketTrap MSP start monitoring and managing your Avaya IP Office VoIP system. It is also important that you under- stand how each role in the Avaya IP Office module works and what credentials, if any, you will need for it to work properly.
Modules. A module is a collection of devices associated with a site. The collection of devices can be a mix of VoIP devices and devices related to the operation of your Avaya VoIP system. Each site can have multiple modules configured to monitor and manage the VoIP devices in the network.
Roles. A role is the component that contains the different types of devices that exist within a module. For example, the Avaya IP Office module has the following 3 roles:
l Avaya IpOffice: The key component for deploying this VoIP system. You must have the
valid SNMP credentials in order to monitor this device. Additionally, you can only deploy one Avaya IpOffice device per module.
l IpPhone: You can assign as many IP phones to this role, as well as add multiple IpPhones
at one time. The IpPhone role does not require SNMP credentials.
l Related Devices: Devices that are important to the operation of Avaya IP Office. For
example, if there is a switch critical to having an Avaya IP Office system work properly, you can use the Related Devices role to add it the module. All the data collected from these related devices will appear in the VoIP gadgets.
Adding Devices. For more information on how you can add new or existing devices to a mod- ule, click here.
Monitors and Alerts. Some roles have a set of predefined monitors associated with them. The set of monitors that appears for each role is driven by the type of data that needs to be col- lected from the devices in that role. Furthermore, unlike the monitors in a policy you cannot dis- able any of the monitors in this set. You can change the monitoring intervals for each monitor as well as adjust any settings, if available.
Included in the predefined set of monitors for each role are the 3 monitors that are critical for drawing network maps: Port Map, IP Configuration, and Network Interface Configuration. By creating a network map for your Avaya IP Office systems, you can show where these devices are located within a site and how they connect to other network infrastructure.
NOTE: You cannot assign custom monitors to an Avaya IP Office module.
The Alerts function in the VoIP module works the same way as it does in a policy. You can add the following VoIP-related alerts (or any other alerts):
l Avaya VoIP Average MOS: triggers an alert if the average MOS score for the overall PBX
system is greater than a value of 0.
l Avaya Any Call MOS: triggers an alert if the MOS score for any call is greater than the
value of 0.
l Avaya Any Call Latency: triggers an alert if the latency of a call is greater than the value
of 0.
l Avaya Any Call Packet Loss: triggers an alert if the jitter of a call lasts for an amount of
time greater than the value of 0 milliseconds.
l Avaya PBX Call Volume: triggers an alert if the overall call volume of the Avaya PBX sys-
tem is greater than a value of 0.
Blackout Schedules: A blackout schedule allows you to disable monitoring, alerts, and actions on a policy or a device when the device or devices will be down due to maintenance. For exam- ple, if you add additional memory to a server at a specific time of the day, you can set a black- out schedule so that during this time alerts are not triggered while the device is down.
Configuring Modules for Avaya IP Office Systems
Before you can start to monitoring and managing your Avaya IP Office system, you must prop- erly configure the module for it. You can have multiple modules configured in PacketTrap MSP.
The following set of instructions will show you how to set up a module that specifically monitors your Avaya IP Office system.
To add a new Avaya IP Office module
1. In the tree view, right-click Module and then click Add New.
2. In the Add Module window, select Avaya IP Office. You can modify the name and descrip- tion. Each module must have a unique name.
3. Click Add Module.
4. Configure the Avaya IP role by doing the following:
a. In the Device section, select a new or existing device and provide the correct cre- dentials for that device.NOTE: For Avaya IpOffice, only one device can be assign to this role at any given time.
Click the Monitors and Alerts tab. You can modify any of the monitoring intervals or settings, if available.
b. To add alerts: in the Alerts section, click New.
c. (Optional) Click the Advanced tab to create a new blackout schedule or select an existing one.
5. Click IpPhone. You will need to do the following to configure this role properly:
a. In the Device(s) section, select new or existing devices. You do not need to provide SNMP credentials for IpPhones.
b. Click the Monitors and Alerts tab. You can modify any of the monitoring intervals or settings, if available.
c. To add alerts: in the Alerts section, click New. For more information on adding alerts, click here.
d. (Optional) Click the Advanced tab to create a new blackout schedule or select an existing one.
6. Click Related Devices. You will need to configure this role by doing the following:
a. Select all related devices. A related device is a device that is important to the oper- ation of Avaya IP Office.
7. Click Apply to apply your changes to the module configuration. 8. Click OK to exit the Module Editor.
Monitoring Avaya Aura Communication Manager Systems
Topics in this section
l Avaya Aura VoIP Systems - Overview l Understanding Avaya Aura Modules
l Configuring Modules for Avaya Aura Systems
Avaya Aura VoIP Systems - Overview
The Avaya Aura module allows you to monitor all the components of the Avaya Aura System which are:
Avaya Aura Communication Manager. The key component for deploying this VoIP system. You must have the valid SNMP credentials in order to monitor this device. Additionally, you can only monitor one Avaya Aura device per module at one time.
Aura Gateway. This device provides the best call-processing quality and availability for your IP infrastructure and extends the power of Avaya Communication Manager software to all users at a site. You must have valid SNMP credentials for your gateway devices.
Avaya IP Phone: You can assign as many IP phones to this role, as well as add multiple IP Phones at one time. The IP Phone role requires valid SNMP credentials.
Related Devices. Devices that are important to the operation of Avaya IP Office. For example, if there is a switch critical to having an Avaya IP Office system work properly, you can use the Related Devices role to add it the module. All the data collected from these related devices will appear in the VoIP gadgets.
MOS Score Settings. The Mean Opinion Score (MOS) is a test used to obtain the human user's