User Guide. RBR2600 Recorder Release 8

(1)

User Guide

RBR2600 Recorder Release 8

Red Box Recorders Ltd

The Coach House, Tollerton Hall

Tollerton,Nottingham NG12 4GQ, UK

(2)

COMMON PROCEDURES/CONVENTIONS

Here are some of the conventions used in describing most procedures. Incidentally, it is assumed that users are familiar with the basic operating procedures for Windows™. It is also assumed that users know how to use an Internet browser such as Internet Explorer™.

Options

The left hand side of each screen provides a menu of the options which are available to the current user, as determined by the ‘permissions’ set up by the Red Box Recorder system administrator(s) for each user of the Red Box Recorder system.

The Red Box Recorder application is a browser-based system comprising a series of main menu items each with sub menu options that are accessed by clicking on the main menu option on the left of the screen. The sub menu items will appear initially to the right of the vertical menu bar, or can be displayed below the main menu item by clicking again on the main menu item.

Option and Button/Field Names

The main menu item names are shown in bold for example: Configuration

Button and field names, parameter names and values, and screen names are shown as the text with the relevant button shown i.e. OK .

Generally, if you ‘hover’ the mouse pointer over any particular button, a ‘tool tip’ describing the purpose of the button will be displayed briefly.

Selecting Options

Oblique strokes are shown between options and associated sub-options to indicate that first the main option is selected (by clicking on it) at the left of the screen, and then the required sub-option(s), down to the required level. Thus Configuration / Users means click on Configuration and then click on Users.

Note: There is no need to click on Configuration (or other main option) first if its sub-options are already displayed.

(7)

Activate

The words ‘activate’, ‘click on’, ‘select’, and ‘choose’ are equivalent within the context of this document and are used interchangeably in the procedures - meaning click on the button using the left hand button of the mouse (or the equivalent ‘tab’ and ‘enter’ keyboard sequence if the mouse is not being used).

OK, Modify and Cancel

OK is used in the procedures as meaning click on/choose/select the Update Details button for example. Likewise, Modify means click on the Modify button. . ‘Cancel’ means click on the cancel button. This action cancels the current procedure, negating any action/data entered so far within that particular procedure. Cancellation, if that is what you wish, should be taken as read in all procedures. Click ‘Back’ using the browsers ‘back’ button should be avoided as should navigating away from a page – no data will be saved if this is done.

Screen Examples

The various screens shown in this Getting Started Guide are typical but not necessarily accurate in every detail. Red Box Recorders Limited reserves the right to add, delete or change screens to suit the current state of product development.

Browser User Interface (BUI)

Every User Interface Computer (UIC) employed for accessing Red Box Recorder functions must have Internet browser software, such as Internet Explorer™, installed. (Note: This software is not supplied with the Recorder’s software) In the following procedures the instruction “Use the BUI to access the Red Box Recorder” means do the following. 1. Double-click on the Internet Browser’s icon on the UIC’s desktop if the browser

application has not already been opened.

(8)

1. GETTING STARTED WITH A RED BOX RECORDER

This section will show you how to log in, change your password and carry out a basic search for calls to replay. It also explains what the Recorder Status screen tells you.

1.1. How to Log In

To be a Red Box Recorder system user you must first have been assigned a user name and password by an existing user with the relevant user management permissions.

Figure 1 - Red Box Recorder Login Screen

1. Enter your Red Box Recorder user name and password (remember passwords are case sensitive).

2. Click on the screen’s login button to log on to the Red Box Recorder system. Note

The login screen is re-displayed if your Login fails. Contact your system administrator if you are unable to log in successfully.

(9)

1.2. How to Change Your Password

If this is the first time you have logged in as a new user, it is recommended that you change your password. Similarly, if you think that someone knows your password, you should change it immediately.

Click on User Settings / Change Password - the Change Password screen appears

Figure 2 Change Password Screen

1. Enter your current password (remember it is a case sensitive field)

2. Enter your chosen new password (up to 10 alphanumeric characters, no spaces). 3. Enter your new password again in the Confirm Password field.

4. Click OK

The screen reverts to the Change Password screen and ‘user password has been updated’ confirms the password change.

Note:

If you do not enter your existing password correctly, or you do not duplicate the new password correctly, you will get an error message explaining the problem. Re-enter the relevant password(s) and try again. If you are still unsuccessful, contact your recorder administrator for assistance.

(10)

1.3. Carrying out a Basic Search

The default call search defined on a Red Box Recorder is the Basic Search. This search offers you the option of specifying a date and time period within which you want to search for calls. The Basic Search can be started by selecting Search & Replay / Search. The following screen is displayed:

Figure 3 Basic Search Screen

Using the date and time picker, specify a period of time within which you want to search for calls. Dates are selected simply by clicking on the calendar date; time can be specified by highlighting the existing times and over typing. Remember to use a colon (:) as the time separator i.e. 12:05:05.

Note that the search screen tells you the earliest date and time that the recorder has available in the callstore for searching. It is possible to select to replay calls from a removable archive that has been loaded for replay by selecting Search & Replay / Select Search and using the What to Search? pulldown menu.

Note:

If your user permissions limit which calls you are allowed to replay then other criteria may appear on the Search page – you cannot change these. If you cannot find the calls you need to then contact your Recording System Administrator who should be able to help.

(11)

The results of the basic search will appear on screen in a similar format to this:

Figure 4 Basic Search Results

Depending on the number of calls displayed as a result of your search, you will see up to 100 calls that met the date and time range criteria. If the call you require is not in the first 100 calls then you can either refine your search criteria or click on the Next

Results button.

By default the results are shown with the most recent at the top of the page – it is possible to reverse this using the Earliest Call First setting on the User Settings / Other page. See section 1.7.

It is now possible to replay calls directly from the search results shown simply by clicking on the Replay Call button of the call that you want to hear.

Note:

Calls will, by default replay to the PC of the user through headphones. It is possible to change the replay destination to an extension phone. This is covered in the User Configuration section on page 17

(12)

1.4. Call Replay Details

Figure 5 Call Replay Window

The call that you have chosen to replay appears on screen at the same time as the audio is delivered to your headset or loudspeakers. If this screen does not appear then you may need to download and / or install the Replay Application – see section 1.7. On this screen you can see:

The call graphically represented by the blue zig zag lines – each line represents the parties to the call (this is only true for bi-directional VoIP calls). If you were listening to this call on a stereo headset, you would hear one party in your left ear and the other in your right ear. It is possible to change this to mono if you have just a single earpiece headset using the Audio menu.

(13)

You have the option to change the volume of either party to the call via the volume sliders on the right hand side, and you can mute either party by selecting the Mute checkbox.

1.4.1. Replay Control

You can go to any point in the call by using the control buttons in the centre of the window.

Mark the beginning of the loop

Play (toggles to Pause when pressed)

Replay Loop Pause (toggles to Play when pressed)

Beginning of the call _{Go forward 5 seconds} Go Back 30 Seconds

Go forward 30 seconds Go Back 5 Seconds

Go to end of call 1.4.2. Pitch Corrected Variable Replay

The Replay Speed slider gives you control over how fast or slow you would like the call to be replayed.

If you need to obtain clarity about what one or other party is saying, you can slow the call down to as little as 25% call speed, with minimal loss of audibility. Conversely if you want to speed through a long call to a point of interest without having to listen again to the whole call, you can set the call speed to as much as 400% call speed. 1.4.3. Call Details

The details of the call you are replaying are shown in the Call Details field. If you export a call then these details are also mailed as a .txt file, attached automatically to the .wav file that forms the call itself.

1.4.4. Export WAV

The Export WAV button on the toolbar enables you to automatically save the chosen call on any location on your network (local drive or network drive, depending on the connections that the user’s PC has). The Call Details are automatically saved as a .txt file with the .wav file.

(14)

1.4.5. Export via E-mail

The Export via Email button on the toolbar enables you to automatically email the call audio (as the .wav file) and its details (as the .txt file) to the recipient of your choice in a single operation. Clicking on this button will firstly generate an Export Options dialog box (as a rule accept the default settings and click OK) and then a blank email is generated, allowing you to add any text or subject you choose before sending the email in the normal fashion.

1.4.6. Call Annotation

Call Annotation allows the user to add text to a call which can later be used to search on or give information about the call to other users.

Note:

Call Annotation may be disabled if the feature has not been set up on the recorder or if the annotation database fields are configured to be not manually entered.

1.4.7. Call Authentication

When licensed the Call Authentication feature generates a MD5 hash key for each recorded call and stores it in the recorder database.

When a call is replayed using the Web Replay Application another MD5 hash key is generated and this is compared with the one in the database. If as much as a single bit of data has been changed since the call was recorded then the MD5 hash keys will not match and an Authentication failure will be displayed.

It is possible to check the Authentication status of a call by clicking the Call Authentication button on the Web Replay Application.

(15)

1.5. View Recorder Status

View / Recorder Status

This screen can be the first to be displayed automatically when a user logs on as described in paragraph 1.8, or by choosing the View/Recorder Status option. The main purpose of this screen is for administrators or technical users to quickly identify when there are system issues that need to be addressed.

The field meanings are as follows

Figure 6 Recorder Status Screen

Recorder ID This is the unique recorder number. This number must be given whenever support is required.

Recorder Status This shows the status of the recorder. This field can show: Starting up, Recording, NOT recording and Urgent Attention Required.

System Type This can be Standalone or Parallel Master or Parallel Slave if the recorder is part of a parallel pair.

Active Alarms Responding to alarms is usually an administrator or senior user’s role. This is dealt with in section 3.6

Unarchived Data This shows the percentage of the data held on the recorder that has not been committed to removable archives – always zero if no removable archives are fitted. Ideally this number

(16)

Note: Depending upon your user permissions you may not be able to view the Recorder Status page.

should be as small as possible because data not written to removable media could be lost in the event of hardware failure. To keep this number small, replace the archive media as soon as possible after it becomes full.

Recorder Utilisation This shows the percentage of licensed record channels that are actually recording.

Calls Being Recorded This shows the number of channels that are being recorded. Calls Being Discarded This field is only shown on a recorder with ‘Record on

Demand’ licensed on it and shows the number of calls that are recording but which will be discarded at the end of call. Drive 1 This shows the status of removable archive drive 1

Drive 2 This shows the status of removable archive drive 2

1.6. Configuring Your Own User Settings

Apart from changing your password as explained previously in paragraph 1.2 there are various other settings that you can configure for your own login. Configuring other user’s settings is dealt with in paragraph 3.1. The settings that you can configure are as follows:

• Replay & Live Acquire settings

• Export settings

• Other

(17)

1.6.1. Replay & Live Acquire Settings

User Settings / Replay & Live Acquire

Figure 7 Replay & Live Acquire Settings Screen

The Replay & Live Acquire settings are set to default to Replay to LAN which will replay a call to the users PC. However, the user can amend all of the settings to suit their particular environment.

If the Replay to Phone option is selected, the user must specify which PSTN or extension number will receive the calls selected for replay or live acquire. When a search is carried out and the call replay selected, the audio output will be to the selected phone extension. [This assumes the use of a Red Box Replay to Phone server]

The option to select Number of Redial Attempts will default to 2, but up to 5 redial attempts can be selected if desired.

If the Replay to Cisco IP Phone option is selected the user must also specify which VoIP phone is to receive the replay or live acquire calls.

The Send via Email settings can be used when the same ‘from’ and / or ‘to’ email addresses are used frequently for the sending and receipt of calls sent as .wav files.

(18)

However, using these settings does not preclude the user from changing the email address at the point of exporting a call recording.

(19)

1.7. Export Settings

These are dealt with in section 3.7 1.8. Other Settings

User Settings / Other

You can select other settings here to suit your usage of the Red Box Recorder, such as which page to display upon logging in and other results settings – in particular, the order in which call search results are shown. The Initial Page setting could be set to the Search page for a user who is primarily concerned with replay.

If the Save Search Criteria control is checked then the last search criteria entered is always saved to allow searches to be easily repeated.

Limit Last Call Search can be made to return more entries if desired (up to 10) but this may slow the search down especially on infrequently used recording channels.

(20)

1.9.

Defining, Executing and Modifying Searches

In this section you will learn how to define, execute and modify your own searches. None of these are difficult to do, as Red Box Recorders have been carefully designed with ease of use as a priority, but it is useful to understand what the fields relate to, and the types of results you would achieve using the search builder.

1.9.1. Defining a Search

Search & Replay / Define Search

To define your own searches, select Search & Replay / Define Search from the menu. If there have been searches already defined on your recorder, they will be listed. If this is the first time that this option has been selected, the screen advises that no searches have been previously defined. Click on the ‘Create Search’ button . The ‘Create Search’ screen is displayed which displays all of the available database fields that can be searched upon.

(21)

Search Title

Give your search a name that you will recognise it by in the ‘Search Title’ field. Remember, there may be more than one user who has access to your recorder using the logged in user account and who may also wish to define their own searches. Give your search a name that is meaningful to you and which will allow you to remember which is yours at a later date, for example “Sales Team Search” or “Transaction Sample”.

Data Source

The ‘Data Source’ field allows you to specify whether you are searching for calls from the recorder itself (the Callstore) or calls on a removable archive media.

Randomize Results

If ‘Randomize Results is set to ‘Yes’ the user can specify a percentage of the search results to be specified as ‘random’ in the search screen. For example, specifying 10% as the Randomized Result will return 10% of calls in a search on a random basis.

Criteria Fields

The criteria fields along the top of the table are used to define which operators are applicable to the relevant field and the sort order you want to see your report in.

Field Name Explanation

Field Name Description of field to be used in search Use as Criteria There are a range of options (where

applicable) that can be used to define the search. These can be ‘Specific’, ‘Range’, ‘Any Of’ or ‘All Of’.

Order in Criteria List This defines the order in which the field will be displayed in the search results. So ‘1’ in this field against a field name will mean that this field will be given 1st precedence in sorting, ‘2’ will be given 2nd precedence and so on.

Use as Results Field Click in the check box to show this field in the search results. Fields that are never

populated by your recorder or of no interest to you can be excluded from the results table using this field.

Order in Results List This sets the order of the field columns in the search results. A ‘1’ in this box against a field will mean that this field is shown as the 1st column, a ‘2’ will mean the 2nd column and so on.

Field Names

The field names displayed on the left hand side of the criteria table are those data fields that are used by the recorder to capture call data and which can be

(22)

the default ‘Not Used’ you will be asked to define what your criteria are, each time you carry out the search. For example, if you specify in the Field Name ‘Extension’ ‘Specific’ when you carry out your search, there will be a field for you to fill in specifying which extension you are carrying this search out on each time you perform the search.

Use as Criteria

Not Used – This field is not used as a Search Criteria.

Specific – This field will be used and must exactly match the data in the database – wildcards can be used. For example %456 will find 123456 and 123% will find 123456 and %34% will find 123456.

Range – Only of use when searching items that are ordered. Allows an inclusive range to be defined for the chosen field. Any fields where the data falls within the range will be a match.

Any Of – Finds calls that match ANY of the entered criteria for the chosen field. For example if 123,456 was entered then fields with data matching 123 or 456 will be found.

All Of – Finds calls that match ALL of the entered criteria for the chosen field. Note:

All search criteria are case sensitive and care should be given not to put leading or trailing spaces – the search is exact.

Once you have named your search and specified the data fields you want to search on, their sort precedence and how you want the columns displayed in your search results click OK .

Please note, when you execute your search, if you find that you have made an error in your specification, it is very simple to return to the search and modify it. You do not have to create a whole new search!

Once you have clicked on the OK button, the screen returns to the Define Search screen, with your new search listed.

(23)

From this screen you can:

Create a new search using the ‘Create Search’ button

Modify any searches listed using the ‘Modify Search’ button ** Delete any searches listed using the ‘Delete Search’ button **

** You need to select the specific search that you want to modify or delete by clicking in the ‘Select’ field

(24)

1.9.2. Executing a Search

Search & Replay / Search

To execute the search you have defined select Search & Replay / Search. By default the ‘Basic Search (Callstore)’ screen is shown

Figure 10 Basic Search - Callstore Screen

To access your list of defined searches, click on the button in the centre of the screen.

(25)

The ‘Select Search’ screen is shown, with a drop down list of every search that has been defined on the recorder shown. Select the search you wish to execute and click on OK .

Figure 11 Select Search Screen

The new search screen is displayed. (Note the change of search name in the banner)

Figure 12 New Search Screen

To execute this search enter the date and time options for your search and also the extension number that is being searched upon then click OK

(26)

The search results (up to 100 results per page) will be shown as follows: (Space limitations prevent all 96 calls being listed here)

Figure 13 Search Results Screen

You can now replay the calls listed as described in section 1 by simply clicking on ‘Replay Call’ .

Note:

Depending on the size of the database and the number of results to be returned from the search there may be a short delay whilst the search results are shown.

(27)

1.9.3. Modifying a Search

Search & Replay / Define Search

If you need to refine your search further or correct an error in the specification you can easily modify an existing search. Select Search & Replay / Define Search and select your previously defined search from the list of searches created on your recorder. Click on ‘Modify Search’

Your search and its existing criteria is displayed. Make any changes as required and save the search using ‘OK’

(28)

1.10.

Using Live Acquire

Live Acquire

Live Acquire is a feature of your Red Box Recorder that enables you to listen in on any call currently underway (provided that you have access permissions allowing you to listen to the particular extension – contact your administrator for permission settings). It is accessed by selecting Live Acquire from the main menu bar. The ‘Live Acquire’ screen is displayed.

Figure 14 Live Acquire Screen

From this screen you can listen directly in to any of the live ongoing calls displayed on the screen or perform a last call search on any of the extensions or channel names (depending on your recorder’s configuration) listed.

You can do this by selecting the device name / number from the ‘Select the device’ drop down list and clicking either ‘Acquire’ (listen to a currently live call) or ‘Last Call Search’ to find the last call(s) made on this channel name.

Alternatively, you may click on the telephone symbol to live acquire the current call, or the channel name detail to initiate the ‘Last Call Search’.

(29)

When the ‘Live Acquire’ option is used, the Replay Call window is shown as with the results of a ‘normal’ search as detailed in section 1.4 above.

(30)

2. CONFIGURATION GUIDE

This configuration guide should be followed, in the order written, when first setting up your recorder. It is assumed that you are familiar with general computing and networking terminology and that you understand the needs of your business and users in respect of the recorder.

2.1. Task List

2.2 Connecting to the recorder 2.3 Logging in to the recorder 2.4 Network Settings

2.5 Licensing the recorder 2.6 Configuring recording

2.7 VoIP recording configuration 2.8 Configuring extension labels 2.9 Non VoIP configuration 2.10 Configuring Network Storage 2.11 Configuring Archiving

2.12 Configuring Annotation Fields

2.13 Configuring Multiple Recorders in parallel

2.2. Connecting to the recorder

There is no need to use a keyboard and monitor directly connected to the

recorder. It is actually far more secure to NOT do so. The Windows user interface may be locked down in order to prevent tampering and also to comply with

Windows licensing requirements.

All recorder configuration can be carried out using Internet Explorer 5 or above. Enter the IP address of the recorder in the browser address bar and the login screen will appear.

(31)

2.3. Logging In to the recorder

By default there is only one user profile created on a new recorder. The user name is admin and the password is recorder. It is essential that this password is changed as soon as possible, and that additional profiles with limited permissions are created for general use. User management is covered in detail in the

Administrator section of this manual (paragraph 3.1)

Log in to the recorder and the ‘Recorder Status’ page will appear. (This page can be found at anytime by selecting View / Recorder Status from the menu bar).

Figure 16 Recorder Status Screen

The ‘Recorder Status’ field could indicate that it is unlicensed (at the start of the configuration of a new recorder).

This screen will advise whether the dongle has been detected – defined by a number appearing in the ‘Recorder ID’ field. It may take up to 15 minutes for a dongle to be detected.

If the status is ‘No Dongle Found’ there may be an issue with the dongle or the drivers. The dongle is only polled infrequently, so it is prudent to restart the recorder after any corrective action.

To shutdown or restart the recorder, select Control / Recorder from the menu bar.

(32)

Figure 17 Recorder Control Screen

(33)

2.4. Network Settings

Network configuration is carried out at the Configuration / Network screen.

Figure 18 Configure Network Settings Screen

By default, the recorder may have a different IP address shown to that which is required. It is essential that the recorder has a static IP Address which is accessible by the users of the recorder. This should be bound to the ‘Primary’ network adapter.

For VoIP recording, additional NICs are required to act as data acquisition (sniffer) ports, and these are enabled and configured separately to the ‘Primary’ adaptor, and must not have any IP Address or other bindings.

If the recorder was built on a computer which was configured for DHCP, it may be necessary to manually configure the IP settings from the computer desktop prior to this step.

(34)

2.5. Licensing the recorder

The next step is to license the recorder. It may already be licensed if purchased directly from Red Box Recorders Ltd or one of its resellers. If upgrading the

recorder or adding features then you will need to obtain one or more licence codes from Red Box Recorders Ltd or your reseller. It is assumed that when planning the installation of the recorder that a decision will have been made as to which licensed features are required.

Navigate to the licensing page using Configuration / Licensing.

(35)

This screen shows an already licensed recorder and the licensed features available on it. For most configurations there are 2 license codes – the first is to license features on the recorder, the second relates to which type of telephony is being recorded – referred to as the PP (Protocol Processor).

The license code fields show the following detail of what has been licensed once the license code(s) have been entered:

Field Name Description

Recorder ID This is defined by the dongle No of Archive Devices Can be 0, 1 or 2

Max No of PPs Normally 1, but may need to be more if mixed telephony is to be recorded.

Number of Replay or Export Clients

Number of simultaneous replay user logins permitted under the license

Number of Record Channels

Number of simultaneous recordings permitted under the license

Record Internal Calls VoIP only – permits the recording of internal calls Time Synchronisation Enables the use of NTP/SNTP

Label Printing Permits labels to be printed for removable archive media. For a copy of the label printing guide please contact Red Box Recorders Ltd.

Network Storage Permits the use of network storage devices see section 2.10

Replay to Phone Permits the replay to phone server to log in to this recorder.

Record on Demand Enables the Record on Demand feature see section 3.12.1

Call Authentication Shows that visible call authentication has been enabled.

Protocol Processor Number ‘X’ shows the detail of the protocol processor(s). Enter the license codes and click OK to submit the page

Once the license codes have been submitted, return to the licensing configuration page and confirm that the settings reflect what was anticipated.

It may then be necessary to restart the recorder, for example, if the number of archive devices has changed. (This applies to a re-license also). A message will appear on the screen if the recorder needs a restart.

(36)

2.6. Configuring Recording

The Red Box Recorder is designed to be able to record from a variety of sources on the same recorder. These sources include VoIP (also known as LAN telephony or IPT), ISDN, analogue sources and digital telephone switch systems (also known as TDM). This guide treats VoIP and non-VoIP separately insofar as configuration is applied. If the recorder is to record both, please read and perform both

sections.

2.7. VoIP Recording Configuration

Each phone that is required to be recorded needs to be registered with the

recorder. The method of performing this registration is phone system dependent. Please choose the applicable phone system from the following list and carry out the stated action.

Phone System Name Registration Action

Cisco Reset or login to the phone

3Com NBX Pick up the receiver and then replace the receiver

SIP Make a call using the phone

Alcatel Reset the phone

Avaya Reset the phone

Mitel Reset the phone

Siemens Reset the phone

Nortel Ericsson

Reset the phone / Log in Reset the phone

2.7.1. SIP Configuration

From Release 7A of the RBR2600 software, the SIP implementation has fundamentally changed. A new method of endpoint identification has been

introduced so that the aim of automatic endpoint detection is still preserved across all of our VoIP solutions.

In order to achieve this the user must enter certain information about their site, this predominantly consists of just two items: an include mask which ‘includes’ the IP address range for all of the endpoints that are required to be recorded and a list of ‘excludes’ which contains the IP addresses of all devices within the ‘includes’ IP range(s) that are SIP devices but NOT recordable endpoints – these could be Gateways and Proxies.

(37)

2.7.2. Enabling recording

Select Configuration / Recording from the main menu. The extension(s) registered will be listed in the ‘Never Record’ list on the right hand side of the page.

Figure 20 Configure Recording Screen

To enable an extension to be recorded, select it from the ‘Never Record’ list and press the key to add that extension to the ‘Allow Recording’ list. The page should then refresh, the extension will be shown in the ‘Allow Recording’ list and all calls made on this phone will now be recorded. Once you have registered a extension with the recorder it should not need to be done again.

(38)

As a final test, a call should be replayed from the newly configured extension to prove the settings.

LICENSING NOTE

When the recorder was licensed, the number of recording ‘channels’ was entered. This value is the maximum number of concurrent recordings that the recorder will allow. As will have been determined whilst the network for recording was being planned, it is not normally possible to record extension-to-extension calls using VoIP, and more normally extension-to-trunk calls are therefore recorded. A benefit of this is that advantage can be taken of the ‘Roving’ mode (see Figure 21 Configuration / Recording screen above.)

In Non-Roving mode the maximum number of extensions that can be entered in the ‘Allow Recording’ list is the number of licensed recording channels (as seen on the Configuration / Licensing page.

In ‘Roving’ mode any number of extensions can be entered into the ‘Allow Recording’ list but the maximum number of channels that will be recorded simultaneously is the number of licensed recording channels.

This allows an installation where you may have 60 lines on the trunk, but 200 extensions on the network.

All of your trunk calls from any of the 200 extensions would be recorded, up to a maximum of 60 concurrent calls at any one time.

(39)

2.8. Configuring Extension Labels

It is possible to make extension numbers more easily identifiable by assigning labels to extension numbers. For example, Ext 1234 could be labelled ‘Service Desk’ or ‘Karen Brown’.

Select Configuration / Channels and the following screen is displayed, with fields next to the extension numbers for label definition.

Figure 21 Configure Channels Screen

Label any extension as required, remembering to save the screen (using the

button) before navigating away from the page. If this occurs without the page being saved, all changes will be lost.

(40)

2.9. Non VoIP Recording Configuration

Configuring non VoIP recording is a four step process: Fitting Line Cards (detailed in the Installation Guide) Configuring Line Cards

Configuring Line Card Channels

Enabling specific / all Line Card Channels

2.9.1. Add Cards

The card to be configured must first be added to the recorder. Once the new card has been physically placed in the recorder, select Configuration / Cards . The following screen will appear.

Figure 22 Configure Cards screen

Any cards currently installed will be shown. To add a new card click on the add card button .

The recorder will have detected the presence of the new card and the following screen will be displayed.

(41)

Figure 23 Add Card Screen

Any unconfigured cards will be shown in the Primary Address field. The type of the card (DP for ISDN E1/T1, NGX for Digital Extensions, PCM for PCM32 and PT or LD for analogue, POTS or Radio) and also an identification

number (also printed on the card itself) is shown. Click OK

The following prompt will appear

This advises the user that the system will need to be manually restarted to register the number of new channels. This enables the addition of multiple cards in one installation, without the requirement to restart the recorder each time a card is installed.

(42)

The new card is registered but with 0 channels shown – this will change when the system is restarted.

Figure 24 New Card shown with 0 channels

Once all required cards have been added and installed, restart the recorder using Control / Recorder and Restart. The recorder will restart and the number of channels available on the new card will now be shown as per the following screen:

(43)

2.9.2. Configure Cards

Once the card has been recognised by the recorder, and the number of channels shown on the ‘Configure Cards’ screen, the card(s) must be configured.

From the ‘Configure Cards’ screen select the card to be configured and click ‘Configure Card’ . The following screen will appear – but the detail of the configuration required will be dependent upon the type of card installed. Several examples of the same screen are given here, according to the type of card given.

2.9.2.1. NGX Card Options

(44)

2.9.2.2. NGX Card PBX decoding options

The NGX card has the following options for ‘PBX decoding’ (this can change as new switch types are added):

2.9.2.3. NGX Card Compression Algorithm options The NGX card options for ‘Compression Algorithm’ are:

Uncompressed

MS GSM

G.729A

All channels on the card take this compression setting, but the compression can be overridden on a per channel basis using the Configuration /

Channels page. For example, a set of analogue channels are set to use G.729A but one channel may be needed to be left uncompressed to maximise legibility.

Uncompressed channels create 8000 bytes / second of recording. MS GSM channels create 1650 bytes / second of recording. G.729A channels create 1000 bytes / second of recording.

To maximise the amount of calls that can be available on-line for instant replay and to maximise the capacity of any archive media it is best to select the highest compression (G.729A).

(45)

2.9.2.4. PCM Card Options

Figure 27 PCM Card Configuration screen

2.9.2.5. PCM Card Compression Algorithm options The PCM card options for ‘Compression Algorithm’ are:

Uncompressed

MS GSM

(46)

2.9.2.6. DP Card Configuration options

Figure 28 DP Card Configuration screen

2.9.2.7. DP Card Framing Options DP ‘Framing Options’ are:

CRC-4

G.704

2.9.2.8. DP Card Line Encoding options DP ‘Line Encoding’ options are:

HDB3

AMI

2.9.2.9. DP Card Compression Algorithm options The DP card options for ‘Compression Algorithm’ are:

Uncompressed

(47)

G.729A

2.9.2.10. PT / LD Card Configuration options TBW

Once the configuration settings have been set click OK

2.9.3. Configure Channels

Now that the card(s) has been configured the channels should be configured.

When cards are installed they are given a card ‘name’ which by default is ‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ and so on. The card ‘names’ are shown on the ‘Configure Card’ screen as the ‘CardID’. The logical channels are then numbered in

sequence according to the cards in alphabetical order. For example, in the screens above the DP card is card A. This card has 32 logical channels. Therefore the first 32 logical channels will be those on this card.

Channels can be named at any time but it is useful to be able to identify which card carries which channels, in the case of multiple cards. When configuring the channels, the card information is shown at the top of the screen (see Figure 29 below). Using this information, the channel name can then be added from the Configuration / Channels main screen

Select Configuration / Channels and click on the channel that needs to be configured. Click on the button and the following screen is

(48)

Figure 29 DP Card Channel Configuration Screen

This screen allows the user to configure the channels according to the type of card installed.

The buttons across the bottom of the screen are common to all card types and the extra buttons have the following purposes.

(49)

The ‘Type Copy All’ button enables the user to set the configuration for multiple channels on the same card type, avoiding the need to go to each channel and copy the configuration information. Clicking this button will copy the configuration settings on this channel to the rest of the channels on the recorder on this type of card. A window requiring the user to click OK will advise of this before the changes take place.

The ‘Reset to Default’ button will restore the channel to a default configuration.

2.9.3.1. NGX Card Channel configuration descriptions Field Name Description

Compression Clearing this check box allows channels to be recorded without compression.

Ring Hang Time This is the time that the ‘ringing’ state persists after the ringing power has gone – it should be set to at least the longest gap between the rings.

Activity Alarm When enabled, if activity persists on a channel for a period longer that that set, then an alarm will be generated.

No Activity Alarm When enabled, if there is no activity detected on the channel for a period longer than that specified then an alarm will be generated. Configure AGC It is possible to configure Automatic Gain

Control when recording. It may be best to leave this alone and rely on replay level control unless the signal levels are particularly low or high.

2.9.3.2. NGX Card Channel Activity / Silence Detection descriptions

Field Name Description

Activity When recording using the Activity trigger, this setting allows the amount of activity to start and keep recording to be set.

Silence When recording using the Activity trigger, this setting allows the period of silence after which recording ceases to be set.

Note the Activity / Silence Detection has a very useful ‘Help’ function available on screen.

2.9.3.3. NGX Card Record Events descriptions Field Name Description

Activity Starts recording when activity is detected. Stops when silence / no activity occurs.

(50)

Hook Records when the extension is off-hook. PBX Call Records when the extension is in a call. (Does

not work for all switch types and configurations) Lights Allows the start and stopping of recording when

certain lights are present on the extension. CTI Allows recording to be controlled by third-party

applications.

Ring Starts to record when ringing is detected. Continuous (Start only) If this is set then the channel will record

continuously regardless of what signals are applied.

2.9.3.4. PCM Card Channel Configuration options TBW

2.9.3.5. DP Card Channel configuration descriptions Field Name Description

Compression See NGX descriptions Activity Alarm See NGX descriptions No Activity Alarm See NGX descriptions Configure AGC See NGX descriptions

2.9.3.6. DP Card Channel Activity / Silence Detection descriptions Field Name Description

Activity See NGX descriptions

Silence See NGX descriptions

Note the Activity / Silence Detection has a ‘Help’ function available on screen

2.9.3.7. DP Record Stop / Start Events descriptions Field Name Description

Activity See NGX descriptions

ISDN Call Records when a call is in progress.

CTI See NGX descriptions

Continuous See NGX descriptions

2.9.3.8. PT / LD Card Channel configuration descriptions TBW

(51)

2.9.4. Enable Channels

The final stage of the card and channel configuration is to enable the channel(s) to be recorded. Using Configuration / Recording the following screen is displayed:

Figure 30 Configure Recording Screen

To enable a channel to be recorded, select it from the ‘Never Record’ list and press the key to add that extension to the ‘Allow Recording’ list. The page should then refresh, the number will be shown in the ‘Allow Recording’ list and all calls made on this phone will now be recorded. Once you have registered a phone with the recorder it should not need to be done again.

(52)

2.9.4.1. Configure Record on Demand

See 3.12.1 Configuring Record on Demand (this is a routine administration task that is accessed via the Configuration / Recording screen and is not essential at the start of an installation.

2.9.4.2. Channel Allocation Mode

This allows the setting of roving and non-roving mode. [Not applicable to Line card recording]

2.10. Configuration of Network Storage

Callstore network storage configuration should be carried out before the recorder is brought into regular use. If the default settings on the recorder are used, calls will be stored onto the local hard disk drive and once this reaches capacity the oldest calls will be deleted.

It is possible to configure the recorder to use an alternative location for the storage of calls on a RAID for example. As explained in the Installation Guide, it is better to use a RAID for the whole recorder, and so this setting is best left set to Local Drive.

The Callstore size can be increased by use of network storage such as NAS or SAN.

From Release 8 of the RBR2600 it is possible to have more than one piece of Networked Storage attached to the recorder. Only one can be being written to but any number can be connected for reading.

If the Write Mode is set to “Network Archive” then when the Network Storage becomes full it becomes a read-only archive and archiving can continue on another device. This way archives can be added over time allowing all of the recordings to be retained.

If the Write Mode is “Callstore Extension” then the networked storage is treated as if it were a part of the callstore – when it becomes full the oldest calls are deleted and the space re-used. In this mode the Networked storage must be a larger capacity than the recorders Callstore.

It is also possible to import network archives from other recorders as read-only archives.

(53)

To configure the callstore to use network storage, select Control / Network Storage. The following screen is displayed:

Selecting Add brings up the selection page.

Creating a new empty Network Storage brings up the Create Network Storage page.

(54)

Figure 31 Create Network Storage screen

Note: ‘Network Storage Support is not enabled’ will appear as standard until the network storage configuration is completed.

Field Name Instruction

Name A name for this storage.

Network Storage location Enter the network storage address in UNC

Account User name and password refers to the user

name and password of the account on the storage device that will be accessed by the recorder. NOTE: When setting up the Networked Storage Device it should be set such that its password never expires.

Write Mode Described above.

Maximum allocated size (in GB) The recorder will use this much of the Networked Storage.

Schedule… It is possible to only write to the Networked Storage between two times – this allows bandwidth management.

(55)

Start transfer from earliest… If this is checked then archiving starts from the earliest available call otherwise it starts from calls recorded from now.

If the following screen appears instead of the configuration screen it indicates that the recorder is not licensed for network storage.

(56)

2.11. Configuring Removable Archiving

It is important to ensure that you have configured your archiving prior to the recorder coming into regular use. If archiving is not configured, then calls will be stored onto the local hard disk, and once the disk reaches capacity, the oldest calls will be deleted. This section discusses the options for archiving to assist in informing the administrator in archive choices, prior to offering an explanation of how to configure the archiving.

2.11.1. Making Archive Choices

The Red Box RBR2600 series recorders can be purchased with no archive capability, one archive drive or two archive drives and a choice of DVD-RAM or VXA Tape media. Consideration needs to be given to the type of archiving to be used with the relevant RBR2600 series recorder. The archiving option that is the best match for any given requirement is given here.

2.11.2. Do I need to have a removable archive?

The CallStore of the RBR2600 recorder holds the recorded calls and is

considered to be the on-line storage. Once the Call Store becomes full, the space is automatically recovered by deleting the oldest calls, thus the Call Store

contains the most recent calls. The Call Store capacity can be easily extended using Networked storage devices which also have the benefit of providing a disaster recovery option since the Call Store can be rebuilt from the data stored on the networked storage

If your requirement is to record your calls and only be able to replay them within a few days, weeks or months of them being recorded then you may not need

archive capability.

For example, a customer may have 20 recorded extensions and the average usage is 4 hours a day so the Call Store may, on average, hold the last 200 or so working days of calls. So if the customer just needs to record for Quality

Monitoring purposes there seems to be no need for archiving.

Any calls that are singled out for attention can easily be saved as a WAV file on the replay user’s computer and if they need to be kept for longer they can then be written, for example, to a CD.

2.11.3. Why should I archive my calls? There are three main reasons for archiving calls:

• Business need

• Statutory requirement

• Avoiding data loss

If the primary need is to extend the period over which recorded calls are kept then this is achieved by archiving the calls to a removable media, then storing this media in a safe place for a period of time at the end of which the media may be reused.

(57)

The period of time that the media is stored varies from customer to customer depending on their business practices. For example, Financial Service

companies generally keep calls for a minimum of a year, but a legal or medical practice might feel that longer than this may be appropriate and a customer support operation may feel that just a month is long enough.

Another reason for archiving is to avoid data loss. Common sense dictates that a call held in more than one place must be less susceptible to loss than a call held just in one place. This can be achieved by use of a networked storage and can be further enhanced if the storage is held at another location.

The RBR2600 series recorder provides a Parallel archiving mode which further extends this concept by not only archiving the calls but also making an identical copy of the archive media, so archived calls could be stored both on-site for rapid access but also off-site for security.

2.11.4. I must archive my calls

If you have decided that you must archive your calls to removable media then the archive mode must be chosen. Remember, if no archiving mode is chosen then the calls are deleted from the Call Store using an oldest first method. If an

archiving mode is selected, this still happens but if the calls are not archived then the recorder will fill up and alarm, although this may take many weeks or months before there is a problem.

You may choose to have just one archive drive fitted. Calls are archived to the media in this drive and during the times when the drive is not archiving (for example, when the media is full, when no media is in the drive or when the drive is being used for the replay of archived calls), the calls are still being recorded to the Call Store and will be archived to the drive when archiving is re-started. Choosing one drive is the right choice for users who infrequently replay from archive or do very little recording.

Fitting two drives and using one drive for archiving and the other for replay purposes is also an option. Selecting one of the single drive archiving options allows archiving to take place on one drive only, whilst leaving the other drive free for replay or use in the event of primary archive drive failure. This has the added benefit that if another set of archived calls needs to be replayed, the archive drive can be used for replay also, giving more archive replay capability. Additionally, if the archive drive became faulty, the recorder can easily be re-configured to use the replay drive until the recorder is repaired, likewise if the replay drive failed, the archive drive can always be used for replay purposes.

For many customers, the sequential archiving mode is ideal. In this mode,

archiving takes place to each drive in turn. When the media in one drive becomes full, the other drive takes over archiving. The customer can then replace the full media at a convenient time, loading new media and putting the drive into standby ready to be used when the ‘active’ media becomes full. This gives the customer confidence that the calls are always being archived and allows the recorder to be

(58)

left unattended for extended periods of time. The drive that is not being archived to can also be used for replay purposes. This mode maximises drive life, with each drive being used for only half of the time, minimises the time that the recorder is not archiving and maximises the unattended duration of the recorder whilst still allowing full replay capability because both drives can be used for replay.

If you always require a duplicate copy of the archived media, choose parallel archiving mode. The downside of this mode is that archiving and replay from archive cannot take place concurrently, if one drive is stopped in order to replay from archive, the other drive stops.

2.11.5. I need to replay a lot of old calls

Customers who do a lot of replay from archived media should choose a two-archive drive configuration and avoid parallel archiving mode unless they also do very little recording.

2.11.6. What is Autocycle mode?

Autocycle mode is included in the product primarily as a future-proof for a time when the capacity of the archive media exceeds that of the Call Store. Currently, the only customer benefit is that in this mode, when the media in a drive becomes full, it is automatically put into standby and recording takes over on the other drive. When this drive becomes full, archiving starts on the standby drive. Thus the recorder can be left unattended.

2.11.7. Should I choose DVD-RAM or Tape? There are three main factors affecting media choice:

• Capacity

• Cost

• Performance

Currently the stated maximum native capacity of the DVD-RAM media and Tape media we offer are 4.7GB (per side) and 74GB respectively. Converting this into hours of uncompressed VoIP recording, we can get around 80 hours onto DVD-RAM and around 1200 hours onto tape.

As can be seen from this, you are going to have to change your media more often if you use DVD-RAM than if you use tape. We recommended that customers who record more than 80 hours of calls a day should not use DVD-RAM although there is no technical impediment.

The cost of the media is another important factor. Tape is traditionally less

expensive than DVD-RAM although the cost of DVD-RAM media has dropped in recent times.

The media life (stated by media manufacturers) is 30 years for both DVD-RAM and Tape and both can be heavily re-used. The handling and storage

(59)

In the end it comes down to cost (DVD-RAM is more expensive per Gigabyte) and performance although if you are intending to record more than 80 hours per day, you should also consider the fact that you will be changing the DVD-RAM media more than once a day.

In performance terms, DVD-RAM beats tape. Compared to DVD-RAM, the load and unload times are slower and most importantly the time taken to replay from archive is significantly slower.

The typical replay times are: DVD-RAM is < 5s

Tape < 60s

These times change little for DVD-RAM but can vary enormously for tape because the recorder has to locate the call. This usually manifests itself in the form that it can take up to a minute to find a call but then replaying calls which are local to the first one on the tape is much quicker (usually just a few seconds). Your dealer / reseller should be able to advise you or if you still have queries please contact Red Box Recorders directly.

(60)

2.11.8. Configuration / Archiving

To configure the archive mode select Configuration / Archiving.

Figure 32 Configure Archive screen

Field Options Description Archive Mode None

Drive 1 only Drive 2 only Autocycle Sequential Parallel Archive modes

Optimization Mode Maximum Performance (Standard)

Maximum Resilience

In maximum resilence mode, call data is written to the drive as soon as possible as it is being recorded. This can mean that even lightly loaded recorders can cause the DVD or Tape drive to be operating continuously causing a lot of wear and reducing drive and media life. Maximum performance mode is preferred because this improves drive life. Nearly Full Number field (75 to 99) This is the threshold value

(61)

Watermark Percentage

at which the recorder alerts the user to the fact that the media is becoming full. On lightly loaded recorders this can be set to higher values than heavily loaded ones.

Media Security Always Ask

Option to overwrite from 1 month to 14 months (user defined)

Never Overwrite

Use of this field can prevent media being reused if the calls on it are less than the age

specified, thus allowing a rolling reuse strategy to be deployed. The ‘Never Overwrite’ option prevents the media ever being overwritten.

Automatically Eject?

Check box In cases where the media

drive is behind a panel (i.e.in a rack mount) automatically ejecting the media may cause the drive door to hit the panel, causing it to reload. Deselecting this checkbox allows the media to be manually unloaded by physically pressing the unload button on the front of the drive.

2.12. Annotation Configuration

Up to 2 fields in the recorder database can be created, sized and named in the configuration phase. Once the fields are created and defined, the information contained within them can be searched upon. It is important to note that only users with the Annotation privilege (see Configuration / Users section 3.1) can populate the fields.

Note: It is possible to configure the annotation fields post installation, but it would be far better to make the business rules relating to them prior to installation so that they are utilised fully and correctly from the initial use of the recorder and relevant information for all calls to store is captured.

(62)

Select Configuration / Callstore to define the annotation fields at the bottom of the screen as follows:

Figure 33 Configuration Callstore screen – Annotation Database Fields detail

Field Description

Reference Field Checkbox to indicate this field is to be available for annotation use

Field Name (Max 80) Free text field for naming of field on database Field Size (10 -20) Number of characters permitted in the field ** Allow manual annotation Selecting this checkbox allows annotation using

replay and record on demand applications

Text Field Checkbox to indicate this field is to be available for annotation use

Field Name (Max 80) Free text field for naming of field on database Field Size (50 -260) Number of characters permitted in the field ** Allow manual annotation Selecting this checkbox allows annotation using

replay and record on demand applications

** The reference field will always have fewer characters than the text field. The reference field could be used, for example, for the customer name, account number or a coded reference to the context of the call (i.e. Sales, New Lead, Technical Query, etc.) and the text field for the detail of the call, for example the actions required as a result of the call. If the conventions are adhered to by

(63)

users, it would then be possible to run a search on the Reference Field and organise any activities required as a result of the record made.

2.13. Multiple Recorder configuration

It is possible to run recorders as parallel pairs. The advantages of doing this with 2 recorders is to create a 100% resilient system wherein if one recorder fails, the parallel recorder continues recording. The configuration is carried out using the Configuration / System page as detailed below:

Selecting ‘Parallel’ as the ‘type of system that this recorder is part of’ activates the ‘Recorder Type’ and ‘Parallel Slave’ fields. If the ‘Recorder Type’ is ‘Master’ the IP address of the parallel slave to the master should be entered in the ‘Parallel Slave’ field.

The parallel pair of recorders must be identical (have the same hardware) – any changes applied to the master configuration are sent to the slave. Both recorders record the same calls but the Slave recorder does not write any calls to its

archive devices (either removable or networked). If the Master fails or the Slave loses contact with the Master then the Slave recorder archives calls from a period starting 2 hours prior to the failure (to guarantee an overlap). The slave continues to archive calls until it is told to resume standby (and can communicate with an error free Master) and then continues for a further 2 hours after that time before suspending archiving and entering standby once more.

(64)

3. Administrator Guide

This section covers the ‘regular’ administration tasks that should be carried out on your Red Box Recorder. It is assumed that you are familiar with general computing and

networking terminology and that you understand the needs of your business and users in respect of the recorder

Topics covered: User Management Control View Configuration Diagnostics Event Logs Export Settings Downloads Application support Upgrading the recorder Faults

Automatic Call Deletion

Search and Replay and personal user configuration is detailed in the User Guide, section 1.

(65)

3.1. User Management

3.1.1. Creating a new user

Users are created through Configuration / Users. The following screen is displayed

Figure 34 Configure Users Screen

User Guide. RBR2600 Recorder Release 8

User Guide

RBR2600 Recorder Release 8

Red Box Recorders Ltd

The Coach House, Tollerton Hall

Tollerton,Nottingham NG12 4GQ, UK

Table of Contents

COMMON PROCEDURES/CONVENTIONS

1. GETTING STARTED WITH A RED BOX RECORDER

Defining, Executing and Modifying Searches

Using Live Acquire

2. CONFIGURATION GUIDE

3. Administrator Guide