Cisco® Unified Communications is a comprehensive IP communications system of voice, video, data, and mobility products and applications. It enables more effective, more secure, more personal communications that directly affect both sales and profitability. It brings people together by enabling a new way of communicating - where your business moves with you, security is everywhere, and information is always available...whenever and wherever it is needed. Cisco Unified Communications is part of an integrated solution that includes network infrastructure, security, mobility, network management products, lifecycle services, flexible deployment and outsourced management options, end-user and partner financing packages, and third-party communications applications.
Product Overview
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console is an operator attendant console designed specially for departmental use with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Figure 1). This application supports a maximum of 150 IP phones and two operator clients per department. Associated with a Cisco Unified IP Phone, this application allows a departmental administrator (operator) to quickly accept calls, easily look up busy status, and effectively dispatch incoming calls by supporting either blind or consultative transfer to enterprise users. The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console offers a rich set of features, including a call queuing engine, busy status, and directory search capabilities, which are integrated into the Cisco Unified Communications Manager directory.
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console can be installed to a dedicated hardware server or loaded onto a desktop PC. If the dedicated hardware server approach is used, up to five departments, each with 150 IP phones and two operator clients, can be supported with a single PC server. For mission-critical installations, a dedicated hardware server is recommended because shutting off the PC server will cause the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console to lose Cisco Unified Communications Manager connectivity.
A Web-based installation utility guides you through configuring the application server with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. For each operator client, Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console client software is loaded on the operator's desktop PC.
Figure 1. Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console
Features and Benefits
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console uses a queuing engine to direct calls to the department administrator and provides several monitoring features to help ensure that incoming calls are handled effectively. The application provides one call queue and three directory search options that allow the department administrator to quickly find call destinations and effectively dispatch calls. These search options include last name, first name, and extension. After the department administrator locates the target designation, both the Cisco Unified IP Phone and associated user's cell phone number can be listed within the application. Because the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console is integrated with Cisco Unified Communications Manager, the department administrator can see busy state of the Cisco Unified IP Phone, allowing the transfer of the call directly to the extension, to voicemail, or to another destination.
Table 1 gives features and benefits of the Cisco Unified Business Attendant Console.
Table 1. Features and Benefits of Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console
Feature
Benefit
Queue Features
Support for one queue
This feature allows the department administrator to receive and screen calls.
Queue operator views
Department administrators can view all calls within the queue. If they see many calls in queue, they know that they need to quickly process callers. If there are few calls in queue, they can spend more time with each caller to provide a higher level of customer service.
Overflow options
Queue overflow is supported to better process incoming calls.
Directory Features
Support for up to 150 IP phone users
Department administrators can answer calls and view busy status for up to 150 IP phone users. Both the user's Cisco Unified IP Phone and cell phone numbers can be listed.
Directory integration
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console derives its directory from the Cisco Unified Communications Manager directory. The application includes a utility for staying synchronized with Cisco Unified Communications Manager directory.
Search options
Three directory search options are provided. They allow the department administrator to quickly find call destinations and handle calls effectively. Search options include last name, first name, and extension.
Telephony Features
Transfer Reversion (Call Recall)
This feature allows a transferred call to revert back to the department administrator so that it can be answered and then transferred to a new destination.
Call Park
With Call Park, a caller can be placed on hold while the department administrator announces that there is a call holding for a particular person or group. The call can be answered by any phone by using an access code. Both Directed Call Park and Undirected Call Park are supported.
Call Park Recall
If a call is not answered, this feature allows a parked call to revert back to the department administrator so that it can be transferred to a new destination.
Call Toggle
This feature allows the department administrator to shift between callers.
Conference
This feature allows the department administrator to provide a three-party conference call.
Accessibility
For use by the visually impaired, both Zoom Text and JAWs (with a custom script) are supported.
Localization
English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Russian, and Arabic are supported.
Product Specifications
Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console is supported on Cisco Unified Communications Manager 4.3, 5.1, 6.0 and 6.1. Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express is not supported.
Server hardware requirements of the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console follow:
• Pentium IV 1 GHz or better
• 1-GB RAM
• 80-GB hard disk drive
• 100/1000 network card
• SVGA (1024 x 768) display card with correct drivers
• Sound card
• Windows 2000 or 2003 Server plus SP2 running Windows English Regional settings
Client hardware requirements of the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console follow:
• Pentium II or III 700 MHz
• 512-MB RAM
• 3-GB available hard disk drive
• 100 network card
• SVGA (1024 x 768) display card with correct drivers
• Sound card
• Windows 2000 Professional or Vista plus SP2 or Windows XP with SP2 or Vista
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console Department Administrator (operator client) has the following PC limitations: Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console client software can be installed on many PCs throughout a department, but only two can be active at one time (requires purchase of two client licenses).
Ordering Information
The Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console is ordered on a per-department administrator (operator client) basis. A maximum of two department administrators are supported per department with 150 IP phones. When ordering, the first client includes the software license for the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console server. After ordering, Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console software and licensing keys will be provided through the Cisco Software Center.
Ordering the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Consoles requires the use of the Cisco Dynamic Configuration Tool. Input "CUD-ATT-CON=" on the Dynamic Configuration Tool to begin the configuration, and then select from 1 to 10 Cisco Unified Department Attendant Consoles (part number CUD-ATT-CON).
Table 2 gives ordering information for the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console.
Table 2. Ordering Information
Product Name
Part Number
Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console
CUD-ATT-CON
Cisco Unified Communications Services and Support
Using the Cisco Lifecycle Services approach, Cisco and its partners offer a broad portfolio of end-to-end services to support the Cisco Unified Communications System. These services are based on proven methodologies for deploying, operating, and optimizing IP communications solutions. Initial planning and design services, for example, can help you meet aggressive deployment schedules and minimize network disruption during implementation. Operate services reduce the risk of communications downtime with expert technical support, and optimize services enhance solution performance for operational excellence. Cisco and its partners offer a system-level service and support approach that can help you create and maintain a resilient, converged network that meets your business needs.
For More Information
For more information about the Cisco Unified Department Attendant Console, contact your local Cisco account representative.
