SUBSCRIBERS
This is total number of included subscribers for each edition. System capacity can be expanded by purchasing blocks of 1000 subscribers.

SWITCHware support transcoding from VoIP to PSTN and VoIP to PSTN protocols using a variaty protocols, codecs, PSTN/VoIP interfaces.

• PSTN trunks can interconnect using E1, T1, ISDN and POTS interfaces using PRI, BRI, TDM protocols.
  
• VOIP trunks can interconnect using SIP, IAX, H323 protocols. Codecs supported are: G711u/a law, G729, G723.1 *, GSM, iLBC, Speex, G726.
  

* G723.1 is suported in pass-thru mode only currently

A Session Border Controller (SBC) is a device used in VoIP networks. SBCs are put into the signalling path between calling and called party. The SBC acts as if it was the called VoIP phone and places a second call to the called party. The effect of this behaviour is that not only the signalling traffic, but also the media traffic (voice, video etc) crosses the SBC. Without an SBC, the media traffic travels directly between the VoIP phones. Private SBCs are used along with firewals to enable VoIP calls to and from a protected enterprise network. Public VoIP service providers use SBCs to allow the use of VoIP protocols from private networks with Internet connections using NAT.

Our SBCs allow VoIP calls to be set up between two phones using different VoIP signalling protocols ( SIP/H323/IAX/MGCP ) as well as perfoming transcoding of the media stream when different codecs are in use.

SWITCHware supports various real-time communications. Most of those real-time protocols cannot be used via a NAT/Firewall, so SWITCHware can act as "proxy" for those protocols. When a real-time client on a LAN tries to communicate with the a remote system on the Internet, SWITCHware creates a communication port on its own system, and forces the client to connect to that port instead of the remote system port. SWITCHware communicates with the remote system itself, relaying the data received from the remote system to the client on the LAN and vice versa. Both voice and video are currently supported.

SIP proxy and register services are integral part of the system allowing subscribers to register and use network services.

SWITCHware includes a number of wizards specifically designed to allow almost anyone to administer:

• Subscribers 
• Trunks
• Conferences
• ACD Queues
• IVR Auto Attendants
• and much more...

Administration is devided into standard and advanced mode options. 

Standard
Standard mode is designed to allow an easy 'no brainier' method of administration as the level of configuration knowledge needed is based on common fields of information (Name, email address etc.). This is possible to achieve since SWITCHware uses a powerful template system which pre-configures all advanced options leaving only common information values to be entered. 
Here is an example:

USER ADD - STANDARD:

Advanced
Advanced mode options on the other hand requires much better system knowledge in order to fine tune the system settings for various applications and usages. This manual tries to provide detailed information for advanced options. However, administrators should bear in mind that extensive training and hands on experience is required in order to be able to administer advanced sections effectively. Here is an screenshoot.

USER ADD - ADVANCED:

cont...

 

An authorised user is able to access powerful reporting statistics detailing:

• Call detail records (CDR)
• Action Logs
• CLI Messages
  

Destination Dialing
Destination permission dialing allows restrictions as to which destination(s) subscribers are authorised to dial out.

Permissions possible are:

• Authorised
• Password Required
• Not Authorised

System comes pre-configured with eE164 destination database routes. All that is needed to do is to decide which permissions to allow per user or allow all destinations to a user. In addition, as when new routes become avaialable, system has "import" facility.


Destinations permission dialing can be turned off for those organisations not needing this feature.

Enhanced Services
System allows permissions to be set as to which users are authorised to access some or all enhanced services.

Available permissions are:

1. Authorised
2. Password Required
3. Not Authorised

If user's permission is "not authorised", a "not authorised" message will be played to the user.

Call Monitoring/Recording
An user can be given a permission to monitor/listen or listen one or more subscribers live or recorded calls. This privelage is administered in users properties screen.

Incoming DID (direct inward dialing) numbers on all trunks and network DIDs is fully supported. It is just a click away to configure any of your incoming DIDs.

Current available destinations to send DIDs to are:

• Subscribers 
• Voicemail
• Conferences
• Queues
• Auto Attendants
• Remote Access

We have configured and tested a number of devices for automatic provisioning . Following UAD are curently supported:

 

• Granstream BT100, ATA 286, ATA 486. GPX2000
• Cisco ATA 186
• Sipura SPA 2000, SPA 3000,  SPA 2100, SPA 841
• UtStar  UTStarcom iAN-02EX
• Polycom 301, 501, 601
• Artdio 2002L

Online Self Care (OSC) allows system subscribers to have independent, easy to use access to essential services assigned  to them.

Subscribers can:

• Edit their details
• Check/forward/delete/move voicemail messages
• View/download CDR of all their calls
• Listen/download recorded calls
• Administer all enhanced services: (call forward, do not distturb, caller ID etc.)
  

System includes a poweful soft switch providing subscribers registrations, call routing, call signalling, call processing, service logic, switch fabric, media processing services to all network subscribers.

Pre-paid or post-paid billing is fully supported. Service providers rates are fully administered in service plans/rates.

• Call costing billing cycles: per seconds, 6/6, 30/6, 30/30,30/60, 60/60
• Exclusive or shared inclusive minutes
• Inbound calls credit/debit based on destination
• Grace period
• Minimum and connection charges
• Real time billing
• CDR billing 

NAT traversal addresses the needs of subscribers who are located behind NATs or firewalls to access communication services without additional technical support. Setup  of their UAD and NAT firewalls is automated by using NAT traversal technology.

NAT traversal, by design, is not a multi-protocol solution but is built and optimized for SIP to increase its overall performance, reliability and ease of maintenance. NAT traversal is designed to work as an intermediary between UAD such as SIP Phone devices (Hard and softphones) and SIP Proxies also known as Registrars . NAT traversal is a pure software solution , which provides great scalability at the lowest cost.

Each of the SWITCHware models operates in redundant, high availabity, fault tolerant modes.

Redundant:
Chassis includes double power supply and cooling fans insuring redundant operation. This model comes preconfigured with one universal server blade.

High Availability
This model includes an additional server blade preconfigured in high availability mode replicating all data hence allowing backup blade to provide system services in case the primary blade has failed.

Music on hold is music callers hear when they are put on hold by a user, in queues, auto-attendats etc.

PBXware brings you an easy way to manage your music on hold content just by using your web browser! Create directories: SALES, CUSTOMER SUPPORT, BILLING etc. then upload appropriate music content to each directory.

Once uploaded your music content is ready for use by all users, queues, auto-attendats etc.

Calling some destinations may be charged by a telco at different rates according what time of the day it is! Mostly, calling during peak hours, is more expensive than at off-peak and weekend.

Time based dialing allows you to select the cheapest or most reliable trunk to terminate your voice calls from one time of day to the next.

Time based dialing can be switched on or off and it is configured for your location during initial setup.

We have designed and configured a LCR (least cost routing) feature to allow you to have peace of mind terminating your important calls and to allow you to save on your voice communications spending. This is achieved by assigning primary, secondary and teritary trunks for each destinations.

This how it works:

1. Select your primary, secondary and teritary trunks for each destination based on your knowledge of reliability and pricing for each trunk.
2. Once a call is placed to any of the configured destinations, system will try to place that call using the primary trunk.
3. If for some reason the primary trunk fails to terminate the call, system will try to place that call using the secondary trunk.
4. Finally, if the secondary trunk has failed to terminate the call, the system will use the teritary trunk.

Using this feature will allow you to use the most competitive provided for any destination and at the same time will make sure your calls get properly terminated minimising the risk of calls not being completed.

SWITCHware supports E164 or private routes administration in order to allow service provider a complete control for all destination called by its users. Routes administered are fully intelinked with PBXware in order to allow PBXwar users easy and accurate access to destinations.

Service provider can setup unlimited number of users service plans. Each service plan features:

• full support for E164 routes/rates
• enhanced services
• destinations
• inclusive talk minutes
• time based dialing
• pre paid / post paid billing

Call Filters & Blocking
Anonymous Calls:
All anonymous callers will be asked to key in the phone number caller is calling from in order to proceed.
Specific callers:
User can select what happens to specific callers' calls.
For example:
If a friend's mobile is calling : Forward to home line
If work is calling: Forward to voicemail
etc.
User can select up to 20 filters.

Call Waiting
Enable/Disable call waiting on the line

Group hunt rings a number of extensions at the same time allowing any of those extensions to answer the call.

Call forward allows user to forward incoming calls.

Unconditional:
ALL incoming calls will be forwarded to nominated phone number.
Line Unavailable:
If users phone line is not available all calls will be forwarded to nominated phone number.
On Busy
If users phone line is busy all incoming calls will be forwarded to nominated phone number.
No Answer
If users phone line did not answer all incoming calls will be forwarded to nominated phone number.

Do Not Disturb
User has option to send all incoming calls to voicemail or another phone number for a specific time (0-24 hours).

Caller ID
User can select to send or not to send caller ID while placing calls.

Last Caller
User can find out the last number dialed its line.

Whole systems data files, settings, recorded calls, voicemail messages are backed up to a directory on the server. In case of system failure it is easy to restore whole system with an ease. Backup is stored in a directory which can be a mounted as another hard drive, tape, NFS/SAMBA share, CD etc.

Every PBXware server is assigned simultaneous channels limitation in order to make sure excellent voice quality and reliability is acheived and maintained. If the limit is reached at any time, PBXware will inform the user with a "Channels limit reached" message.

Limitation is availabe for the following:

• Local channels
• Remote channels
• Conferences
• Queues
• Auto Attendants
• Zaptel channels

In addition PBXwarre is aware which codecs are to be about to be used on any of the channels hence the limitation is possible for all currently supported codecs.
This settings is administered in the servers properties during initial setup or it can be edited at later stage by an authorised PBXware user.

Services Monitoring Subscribers, Trunks, ACD Queues, Conferences, Live Channels and System status can be monitored by an authorised user. Monitoring data is shown in text and graphics modes.

Music on hold, sound files and greetings are all administered using web browser.

Features included are:

• Upload
• Download
• Rename
• Delete

Content administration can also be performed using SSH login.

System Alarms
At the server's properties commands, an authorised user can set system alarms:

1. Monitor interval (minutes) at which system monitors itself for normal operation. In the event that it finds an operation in a not normal state, it will restart the server immediatally. Monitor interval is set to 4 minutes as default and can be set to a different value.
2. Regular re-start/reload (hours) by which system will re-start/reload itself. Regular re-start helps to acheive and maintain system reliability. Re-start can be set to "none" as well. This value is set to "none" as default.

System Locality
During setup each system is assigned the country in which it operates. At this moment all currently known dialing codes are loaded into the system. This feature is essential to allow users to feel familiar and comfortable using the system and at the same time allows users access to local area, national and international codes, just as they are used to.

Real time call monitoring allows authorised user to listen calls of one or more users in real time.

Remote access allows users to call the system on one of the DIDs, enter their extension/PIN. After sucesfull authentication users can dial any destination for which user normally has privelages. This feature is great for users travelling frequantly or working remotely.

All incoming/outgoing calls made by user could be recorded by PBXware. All that is required is to set "Record Calls = Yes" in users settings.

Please note: Recording calls may be illegal in your state/country. Make sure you check your local governing law before using this feature.

Subscribers self provisioning is a fully supported through CMS, CRM and billing application providing users secure online access to their accounts data and services. Users are allowed access through the "My Account" section at the service provider's web site. Access is provided to:

• Invoices
• Support Tickets
• Orders
• Payments
• Referrals and Commissions
• Account Details
• "My Items"
• CDR records
• Vertical Services