Contents

• Pre-installation planning overview
• Planning process
• Coordinating and scheduling tasks
• Pre-installation Document road map
• NIC and ACD supplements

Pre-installation planning overview

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Note	This manual deals with Unified ICME. For information on Unified CCE, see the Installation and Configuration Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted and the Administration Guide for Cisco Unified Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted.

The Unified ICM software is a distributed application that routes telephone calls, web inquiries, and e-mail across geographically distributed contact centers. A typical Unified ICM system includes a number of computers located at different sites. A small Unified ICM system might have computers at two or three sites. A larger system might have computers at 20 sites or more.

Because the Unified ICM software works with different types of contact center equipment and sometimes one or more carrier networks, some pre-installation planning is necessary to ensure that the Unified ICM installation process proceeds smoothly and on schedule.

This chapter provides an overview of the Unified ICM pre-installation planning process. It also contains a pre-installation planning document roadmap, which suggests an order in which you can start the tasks.

• Planning process

Planning process

The Unified ICM pre-installation planning process involves coordinating and scheduling several tasks so they are completed in time for the arrival of the Unified ICM server platforms. You typically need to make preparations at each site that is to contain Unified ICM components. Some pre-installation tasks may take longer than others. Therefore, try to start the time-consuming tasks early and continue working in parallel on the other pre-installation tasks.

• Coordinating and scheduling tasks
• Pre-installation Document road map
• NIC and ACD supplements

Coordinating and scheduling tasks

Cisco suggests that one person in your organization has overall responsibility for coordinating and scheduling the pre-installation planning tasks. This person can also delegate responsibility and assign tasks to people with the applicable expertise. For example, your MIS expert can begin working with Cisco to order the server platforms and at the same time, your data communications expert can start provisioning network facilities at each contact center site.

Pre-installation Document road map

The current document provides guidance on topics such as provisioning IXC access, preparing ACDs, and determining the Unified ICM datacom requirements. In each case, one or more pre-installation tasks are covered.

You typically start the pre-installation planning tasks in the following order:

1. Getting Started: Document current contact handling procedures. Provide configuration data for contact center sites. Understand the Unified ICM software. Review Unified ICM product options. Determine Unified ICM Configuration. See Cisco Unified ICME overview; Administration Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted.
2. IXC Access: Review ICM/IXC interaction. Choose network link fault tolerances strategy. Review IXC access specifics. See IXC overview; the relevant Cisco NIC Supplement document.
3. Switch Preparation: Determine ACD requirements. Determine CTI and MIS link requirements. Order required upgrades and enhancements. See Switch overview; Peripheral Gateway configurations; the relevant Cisco ACD Supplement document(s).
4. Product Options and System Integration: Determine product option requirements. Order any required upgrades or enhancements. See CTI planning; Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems; ICM Application Gateway and ICM Gateway SQL planning; .
5. Estimating System Size: Enter data using the Unified ICM database sizing tool. Note the specifications provided by the tool. Determine the number of PCs required. See the discussion of the ICM Database Administration tool (ICMDBA) in the Administration Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted; ICM Platform planning.
6. Network and Site Requirements: Determine requirements for Unified ICM networking. Allocate IP addresses. Order any additional network hardware. Meet basic site requirements. Order additional cabling or other equipment required. See Datacom requirements; Site Preparation; IP address worksheets. For example, since the lead-time for provisioning IXC access is several weeks, this task is started early in the process. You can then proceed with tasks such as making sure your contact center equipment (ACDs, PBXs, IVRs) have the necessary software releases and options. While that task is in progress, you can select Unified ICM product options and component platforms and begin preparing the installation sites.
7. Pre-installation End-of Life (EOL) Component Check: The ICM Installer checks if any EOL components are installed before upgrading the machine: EOL Components
   • Alcatel PG
   • Avaya G2
   • Ericsson ACP1000
   • Ericsson MD110
   • NEC PG
   • Nortel DMS100
   • Nortel Meridian
   • Nortel SL 100
   • Nortel Symposium Versions 4.2 and 5.0
   • Rockwell Galaxy
   • Rolm9005
   • Siemens HICOM 300E North America
   • Siemens HICOM 300E Europe/Intl
   • Siemens ROLM 9751
   • MEI Server
   • Application Bridge Server
   • AIN Network Gateway
   • CAIN NIC
   • G3 Dialer
   The ICM Installer removes the above components after the user confirms that they can be removed.

   Caution

   Application Bridge Server must be manually removed. It is not supported in Unified ICM 8.0. Automatic removal is not provided in this release.

NIC and ACD supplements

The NIC Supplements are reference documents that contain specific information on how the Unified ICM Network Interface Controller (NIC) interfaces with the supported IXC carrier networks. The NIC is the software process that allows the Unified ICM system to communicate with the carrier's intelligent switching network. For detailed technical information, refer to the NIC supplements when you are planning for IXC access.

There are NICs, and NIC Supplements, for each carrier supported by the Unified ICM software (AT&T, Sprint, and so on). The NIC Supplements are technical reference companions to the Cisco Unified ICM software documentation set.

The ACD Supplements are reference documents that contain the specific information you need to maintain Unified ICM Peripheral Gateways (PGs) in an Unified ICM environment. The PG is the Unified ICM component that provides an interface to proprietary ACD systems.

There are ACD supplements for each ACD supported by the Unified ICM software (Aspect CallCenter, Avaya ACM, Nortel Symposium/Avaya ACC, and so on). The ACD Supplements are the ACD-specific companions to the Unified ICM software documentation set. For example, while other Unified ICM documents such as the Configuration Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise and Hosted and the Scripting and Media Routing Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted cover general topics such as configuring an overall Unified ICM system and writing scripts to route contact center requests, the ACD Supplements provide specific information on configuring certain types of PGs and making any necessary adjustments to the ACD configuration. Refer to the ACD Supplements for detailed technical information when you are determining the requirements for your ACDs.