- Introduction for Release Notes for Contact Center Enterprise for Release 12.6(2)
- Contact Center Enterprise Release Notes for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Unified Customer Voice Portal for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Unified Intelligence for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Finesse for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Enterprise Chat and Email for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Unified Contact Center Domain Manager CCE for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Cisco Unified Contact Center Management Portal for Unified CCE for Release 12.6(2)
- Caveats for Release Notes for Contact Center Enterprise for Release 12.6(2)
- New Features
- Updated Features
- Important Notes
- Deprecated Features
- Removed and Unsupported Features
- Third Party Software Impacts
New Features
The following table lists the new features available for each Contact Center Enterprise solution in Release 12.6(2).
Table 1. New Features for Contact Center Enterprise Solutions
Feature | Unified CCE | Packaged CCE |
---|---|---|
Connect with business through digital channels using Webex Connect | Yes | Yes |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
HTTP Strict Transport Security Support for Unified CCE Web Applications | Yes | Yes |
Yes | Yes |
- Connect with business through digital channels using Webex Connect
- Virtual Agent-Voice Call Transcription
- Preflight request for Private Network Access
- License Reservation
- HTTP Strict Transport Security Support for Unified CCE Web Applications
- Custom Truststore to Store Component Certificates
Connect with business through digital channels using Webex Connect
Note | This feature is available to customers on request and only after necessary review and agreement. Please contact your Partner or Customer Success Manager or Cisco Support for details. |
Today's customers want to connect with businesses through any communication channel of their choice. Webex Connect allows the Contact Center business and its customers to interact using digital channels such as email, chat, and SMS.
The Contact Center Enterprise (CCE) solution integrates with Webex Connect to create a seamless omnichannel experience for your agents. This integration helps your customers to interact across voice and digital communication channels as one unified solution.
Webex Connect offers a rich self-service and bot integration to empower your customers to get answers to some common questions. It provides a unified solution for integrated routing, Agent Desktop, and reporting service. Webex Connect provides a simplified framework that helps partners and customers interact through digital channels.
For details on how to configure the digital channel interaction using Webex Connect, see the Digital Channels Integration Using Webex Connect chapter in the following documents:
For information on the design considerations, see the Digital channels integration using Webex Connect considerations section in following documents:
Solution Design Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise
Solution Design Guide for Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise
For information about how to configure the Manage Digital Channels gadget, see the Manage Digital Channels gadget section in the Cisco Finesse Administration Guide.
For information about how to use the Manage Digital Channels gadget, see the Cisco Contact Center Enterprise Manage Digital Channels Gadget User Guide.
Virtual Agent-Voice Call Transcription
Note | This feature is available to customers on request and only after necessary review and agreement. Please contact your Partner or Customer Success Manager or Cisco Support for details. |
Cisco Contact Center Enterprise leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) to provide transcription services that assist agents. These services are available for the agents in the Cisco Finesse desktop gadgets.
If a customer has interacted with a virtual agent at the beginning of the call and then the call gets routed to an agent, the Transcript gadget displays the transcript of the voice conversation between the customer and the virtual agent along with the live transcript. It helps in gathering context from the earlier interaction with the virtual agent and capturing high level summary points for wrapping up the call. In addition, there is a Highlights panel that displays the intents and intent parameters based on the customer's query. This helps the agent to assess the overall interaction and how satisfied the customers are.
For details on how to configure VAV call transcription, refer to the following documents:
Virtual Agent–Voice Call Transcription chapter in the Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise Features Guide.
Virtual Agent–Voice Call Transcription chapter in the Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Features Guide.
For instructions about how to view the transcript, see the Transcript section in the Contact Center AI Gadgets User Guide for Cisco Contact Center Enterprise.
Preflight request for Private Network Access
As browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge have now deprecated direct access to private network endpoints from public websites, the preflight requests mechanism is enabled by default. This feature provides you a more secure access to web application servers that reside in a private network.
To disable the preflight request feature:
In the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE root registry, go to SOFTWARE\Cisco Systems, Inc.\ICM\SystemSettings.
Create a DisablePnaPreflight string.
Set the value of the string to true.
Note | The system accepts only the value true for disabling the feature or it remains in its default enabled state. |
For more information, refer to the Field Notice at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/field-notices/724/fn72432.html
License Reservation
Unified CCE Deployments that are unable to share license utilization data with Cisco SSM on a regular basis due to regulatory requirements can now use the Specific License Reservation (SLR) feature. Using this feature, you can reserve licenses (including add-on licenses) for your product instance and share the license utilization data with Cisco SSM.
For information about Specific License Reservation, see the Smart Licensing section in the Administration Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise.
HTTP Strict Transport Security Support for Unified CCE Web Applications
In this release, the Unified CCE web applications such as Diagnostic Portico, CCE Administration, and Websetup will support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS). The Unified CCE web applications will use the HSTS header to instruct the browsers to use only the HTTPS connections.
The Internet Script Editor (ISE) will use the HTTPS connection to communicate with the Administration and Data Server.
The interface to download the ISE client from the Administration and Data Server will happen only over the HTTPS connection and any attempt to download using an HTTP connection will be forbidden.
The following additional security hardening measures are added on the ISE installer location:
Disabled directory and wildcard listing.
Disabled anonymous authentication, and enabled basic or windows authentication.
Disabled the following unused HTTP methods: PUT, POST, and DELETE.
For more information, see the Internet Script Editor section in the Scripting and Media Routing Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/customer-collaboration/unified-contact-center-enterprise/products-user-guide-list.html.
Custom Truststore to Store Component Certificates
Starting Unified CCE 12.6(x), a new custom truststore is created under the Unified ICM Installation directory <ICM install directory>\ssl\cacerts to store all the component certificates. With this new custom truststore, you don't need to export and import the certificates each time Java is updated in the system.
After upgrading from Unified CCE 12.5(x) to Unified CCE 12.6(x), you should export the certificates from the Java truststore to the custom truststore under the Unified ICM Installation directory <ICM install directory>\ssl\cacerts.
Export the certificate from the Java truststore:
Run the command at the command prompt: cd %JAVA_HOME%\bin.
Important
Use CCE_JAVA_HOME if upgrading from Unified CCE 12.5(1a) or Unified CCE 12.5(1) with ES55 (mandatory OpenJDK ES).Export the certificates of all the components imported into the truststore.
The command to export the certificates is keytool -export -keystore <JRE path>\lib\security\cacerts -alias <alias of the component> -file <filepath>.cerEnter the truststore password when prompted.
Import the certificate to the custom truststore:
Run the command at the command prompt: cd %CCE_JAVA_HOME%\bin.
Import the certificates for all the components that you exported from the Java truststore.
The command to import certificates is keytool -import -keystore <ICM install directory>\ssl\cacerts -file <filepath>.cer -alias <alias>.Enter the truststore password when prompted.
Enter 'yes' when prompted to trust the certificate.
Updated Features
The following table lists the updated features available for each Contact Center Enterprise solution in Release 12.6(2).
Table 2. Updated Features for Contact Center Enterprise Solutions
Feature | Unified CCE | Packaged CCE |
---|---|---|
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
No | Yes | |
Yes | Yes |
- Simplified upgrade
- AppDynamics built-in integration with CCE
- Inactivity Timer
- Support for Third Party Gateways
- Agent Multi-Edit Attribute
Simplified upgrade
The Orchestration feature provides partners and administrators an option to automatically download software updates and simplify the installation and rollback processes.
The following CLIs are introduced in Release 12.6(2):
CLI to initiate software download from Cisco hosted software artifactory to Cloud Connect server. This CLI is used to initiate software download before the next scheduled download. The CLI can also be used to enforce the clean-up and download of restricted vs unrestricted software when the usage of restricted vs unrestricted software is changed for the deployment after initial configuration.
Note
Software download will not be initiated during Cloud Connect restart.CLI to configure the bandwidth, used by orchestration, for downloading software from Cisco hosted software artifactory to Cloud Connect server. Bandwidth control is disabled by default, and you must configure it on Cloud Connect publisher and subscriber separately. Also, you must configure the bandwidth only after the software from Cisco hosted software artifactory is downloaded for the first time locally to the Cloud Connect server. We recommend a minimum of 10 Mbps bandwidth for optimal software download.
CLI to change the default schedule for software download from Cisco hosted software artifactory or to change the previously configured software download schedule. This is configured on Cloud Connect publisher and subscriber separately.
CLI to configure the proxy, used by Orchestration, for checking and fetching updates from Cisco-hosted cloud artifactory. Orchestration supports only HTTPS proxy.
For more information on the new CLIs, see the Orchestration chapter in the Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide or Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide.
Orchestration supports upgrade and rollback of 12.5(2) and 12.5(2) ES.
Orchestration supports the recent change in multistage upgrade workflow for 4000 agents and above deployments, where Unified CVP and Cisco VVB moved to Stage 2 and Stage 3 respectively in the updated workflow. For more information, refer to the following documents:
Unified Contact Center Enterprise: See the Multistage UpgradeWorkflow for 4000 Agents and above section in the Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide.
Packaged Contact Center Enterprise: See the Upgrade Flowcharts for 4000 Agents and above Deployments section in the Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide.
Software download via orchestration now validates the digital signature for Unified ICM and Unified CVP software and removes the software from Cloud Connect if the signature validation fails. Email notification is sent if the digital signature validation fails.
Serviceability for software download entitlement failure is enhanced. The logs capture the MDFID along with the product name for which the entitlement failed for the customer.
AppDynamics built-in integration with CCE
For Cisco Contact Center Enterprise solution, it's important to have continuous and seamless monitoring of the deployed solution and automated alerting when anomalies are detected. AppDynamics provides a solution for application and platform performance monitoring.
CCE 12.6(2) introduces the following enhancements for AppDynamics monitoring:
Support for Windows Event Log monitoring in Unified ICM 12.6(2). You can enable this monitoring service while enabling AppDynamics monitoring for Unified ICM 12.6(2). If you have configured AppDynamics for Unified ICM 12.6(1), then post upgrade to 12.6(2), you must disable and re-enable AppDynamics to enable Windows Event Log Monitoring. Administrator must provide the AppDynamics controller username and password to enable Windows Event Log Monitoring on Unified ICM. For more information, see the Enable Performance Monitoring section in the Serviceability Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise. You can also check if the Windows Event Log Monitoring service is enabled or disabled using the status CLI. For more information, see the Check Status of Performance Monitoring section in the Serviceability Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
App Monitoring Proxy Set and Show CLIs introduced in 12.6(1) are removed in 12.6(2). App Monitoring enable CLI now provides an option to configure Proxy Host and Proxy Port. App Monitoring status CLI shows the proxy enabled status. The option to configure Proxy User Name and Proxy Password is removed in 12.6(2). For more information, see the Enable Performance Monitoring and Check Status of Performance Monitoring sections in the Serviceability Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
If Cloud Connect is on 12.6(2) and the target Windows and VOS nodes are on 12.6(1) during stagewise upgrade, ensure the required ESs and COP are applied in respective 12.6(1) target nodes. For more information, see the CCE Serviceability and Monitoring using AppDynamics chapter in Serviceability Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
Note | CCE supports SaaS and On-Premise AppDynamics controller over secure connection only. For the supported On-Premise AppDynamics controller version, see the CCE Serviceability and Monitoring using AppDynamics chapter in Serviceability Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise. |
Note | AppDynamics monitoring for VVB-Admin and Finesse-Notification Java App Agents is not supported in 12.6(2). Post upgrade from 12.6(1) to 12.6(2), you will still see the VVB-Admin and Finesse-Notification services in the AppDynamics controller. But the metrics will not be received from the respective 12.6(2) nodes. You can right-click these services and remove them from the AppDynamics controller. |
Inactivity Timer
Note | This feature requires ICM_12.6(2) _ES9 to be installed on the 12.6(2) target system. |
Administrators can now configure the inactivity timeout for a session to avoid being logged out after 30 minutes of inactivity. Navigate to the tab to set the inactivity time.
For instructions, see the Miscellaneous section in the Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Administration and Configuration Guide.
For instructions, see the System Setting for Unified CCE Deployment section in the Administration Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise.
Support for Third Party Gateways
Note | This feature requires ICM_12.6(2) _ES9 to be installed on the 12.6(2) target system. |
Administrators can now add third-party gateways to the inventory for routing calls. For instructions, see the Optional Configurations section in the Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Administration and Configuration Guide.
Agent Multi-Edit Attribute
Note | This feature requires ICM_12.6(2) _ES9 to be installed on the 12.6(2) target system. |
Administrators and supervisors can now edit multiple attributes for a set of agents at the same time. Ensure that the agents belong to the same site and department. The agents can also be global agents.
For instructions, see the Agent Multi Edit Attribute section in the Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Administration and Configuration Guide.
For instructions, see the Manage Agents section in the Administration Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise.
Important Notes
- OpenJDK Java Runtime Update
- Tomcat Upgrade
- Account Lockout Support for Active Directory
- CUIC Co-resident Compatibility
OpenJDK Java Runtime Update
The CCE 12.6(2) installer installs the OpenJDK version 1.8 (32-bit), update 352. If the existing Oracle JRE is not needed, you may uninstall it from the system manually.
For more information, see the following documents:
Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide
Security Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise
Cisco Packaged Contact Center Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide
For information about supported Java versions, see the Contact Center Enterprise Solution Compatibility Matrix.
Tomcat Upgrade
Tomcat is upgraded to 9.0.69. For details on how to apply later security patches on Tomcat 9, refer to the Upgrade Tomcat Utility section in the Security Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
Account Lockout Support for Active Directory
The account lockout mechanism is now supported for Microsoft Active Directory users of the following applications:
Unified Contact Center Enterprise Management administration portal
Web Setup tool
Diagnostic Portico web service
For more information, see the following documents:
The Active Directory Deployment section in the Security Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
The Active Directory and ICM/CCE section in the Staging Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise.
CUIC Co-resident Compatibility
CUIC Co-resident Live Data can be used on 12.6(2) when the CCE Central Controller/AW is on 12.6(1). However, if both Live Data and CCE Central Controller/AW are on 12.6(2), then the ports used in Live Data will change. Releases earlier than 12.6(2) use ports 12005 and 12008; 12.6(2) and later releases use port 443.
Deprecated Features
Deprecated features are fully supported. However, there is no additional development for deprecated features. These features may be scheduled to be removed in a future release. Plan to transition to the designated replacement feature. If you are implementing a new deployment, use the replacement technology rather than the deprecated feature.
Table 3. Deprecated Features
Deprecated Feature | Announced | Replacement | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
UCC Enterprise Gateway PG (Parent PG in Parent-Child deployments) | 12.5(1) | None | None |
Microsoft Windows Server 2016 | 12.6(2) | Microsoft Windows Server 2019 | None |
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 | 12.6(2) | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 | None |
Webex Experience Management | 14 November, 2022 | None | None |
Removed and Unsupported Features
The features listed in the following table are no longer available.
Table 4. Removed and Unsupported Features
Feature | Effective from Release | Replacement |
---|---|---|
Integrity Check Tool | 12.6(2) | None |
External Script Validation | 12.6(2) | None |
Translation Route Wizard | 12.6(2) | Translation Route Explorer |
Generic PG | 12.6(2) | Agent PG and VRU PG |
ECSPIM/Avaya (Definity) PG using CVLAN interface | 12.6(2) | TAESPIM/Avaya (Definity) PG using TSAPI interface |
App Monitoring for VVB-Admin JVM App Agent | 12.6(2) | NA |
Third Party Software Impacts
For the list of third-party softwares, see Open Source Documents. Filter by Product/Release Name and Version to download the required Open Source document.