gvp whitepaper august 2004

Genesys Voice Platform

Discover the Power of Voice

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1.

Genesys Voice Platform Features 1.

Genesys Voice Platform Architecture 2.

Key Components Overview 2.

Voice Communications Server 2.

Voice Portal Manager 3.

Genesys Studio 4.

Voice Application Reporter 4.

Communication Between the Web Server and Genesys Voice Platform 4.

Automated Speech Recognition 5.

Text-to-Speech 5.

Integration with the Genesys Product Suite 5.

Genesys I-Server 5.

Integration Features 6.

Standards Supported 6.

Application Development 7.

Development Language 7.

Developer Tools 7.

Application Deployment 7

Administrative Tools 7.

Voice Portal Manager 7.

Voice Communications Server 8.

Genesys Voice Platform Configurations 8.

Single Voice Communications Server 8.

Multiple Voice Communications Servers 8.

Multiple Voice Communications Servers

with Dedicated Voice Portal Manager 8.

Dedicated Genesys Studio Host 8.

Network Deployment Options 8.

In Front of the Switch 8.

Behind the Switch 9.

Reliability 9.

Off-the-Shelf Components 9.

Recommended Hardware 9.

Required Software 9.

Recommended Third Party Software 10.

Conclusion 10.

A G E N ESYS W H I T E PA P E R



EXECUTIVE SUMMARYGenesys Voice Platform is a software product that deliv-ers next generation voice processing to meet sophisticat-ed call routing and voice self-service needs. VoicePlatform improves the value proposition of traditionalIVR systems with lowered costs and improved time tomarket for speech-directed voice applications, a stan-dards-based VoiceXML development environment,morepersonalized and dynamic customer interactions, and anintegrated approach to self-service, intelligent routingand agent-assisted service.Voice Platform enables phoneaccess to web-based content, facilitates consistent com-munications between voice and web support channels,eliminates redundant expenditures in disparate infra-structures, and delivers operational cost savings over pro-prietary IVR solutions.

The Voice Platform architecture is modeled after theweb, giving businesses the flexibility to separate theirvoice applications from the supporting telephony andspeech resources. Voice Platform allows a customer togrow their capacity by simply adding a standardWindows 2000 server with telephony cards, loading theVoice Platform software, and "telling" the new serverwhich web server it should contact to access the applica-tion.This translates into faster and easier platform expan-sion, and simplified application maintenance. It's just thatsimple.

Voice Platform utilizes VoiceXML to provide a unifieddevelopment environment that allows businesses to re-purpose web investments for voice, including applicationcode, business rules and personalization software.Voiceand web channels can share the same back-end databaseintegrations, facilitating a holistic view of the customerregardless of how they choose to interact with the busi-ness.

Genesys Voice Platform also offers the Genesys StudioGUI development tool for easy creation, testing anddeployment of VoiceXML applications as well as theVoice Application Reporter, a reporting tool to evaluatethe performance of applications and report on VoicePlatform usage by application and time of day.

Genesys Voice Platform has four primary software com-ponents:· Voice Communications Server (VCS)· Voice Portal Manager (VPM)· Voice Application Reporter (VAR) · Genesys Studio

Tightly integrated into the Genesys product offering,Voice Platform is uniquely positioned to provide a com-prehensive interaction management solution thatincludes personalized voice self-service, automatedspeech recognition, universal queuing, intelligent cus-

tomer segmentation, advanced call routing and CTI,application reporting, and easy-to use administrativeGUIs.

GENESYS VOICE PLATFORM FEATURESLike traditional IVR solutions,Voice Platform providesthe core telephony features needed to support call hand-ling for a voice application.Voice Platform expands tra-ditional IVR functionality with self-service capabilitiesthat are tightly integrated with the Genesys product suiteand a flexible, standards-based voice processing platform.

Core telephony features· Call acceptance and processing via standard tele-

phony interfaces using Dialogic DM/VA andJCT series boards

· Each VCS server can support up to 288 ports and 144 ports if ASR is present.The port density is influ-enced by processor, chassis, and ASR application factors, so actual port densities may differ depen-ding on ASR solutions.

· ISDN PRI,T1 and E1support to carriers and PBXs· Support for E1 and T1 CAS configurations· Acceptance and processing of information delivered

with a call from the PSTN including ANI, DNISand CLID both in carrier and behind PBX opera-tions

· Voice Platform telephony ports are universal in that they can terminate any call for any application. GVP uses the DNIS number to identify the web appli-cation that should be used for a given call.The VPMis used to assign DNIS numbers to web serverapplications.

· Caller interaction includes voice and TTS for prompts along with DTMF and voice recognition for data collection

· When GVP is connected to the carrier network,GVP can network transfer calls using AT&T TransferConnect,WorldCom Takeback and Transfer,and Sprint Agent Transfer.Additionally, GVP can use its own Call Bridging capability if needed.

· When GVP is connected behind a PBX, it transferscalls to agents using the Genesys FrameWork's CTIlink (known as T-Server) associated with that specificPBX.The VCS communicates with the T-Serverthrough the IVR Server component.

Advanced features· SpeechWorks Speechify TTS and SpeechWorks

OSR· ScanSoft RealSpeak TTS· Advanced Call Control capabilities using XML

extensions, providing capability beyond the currentscope of VoiceXML

· XML-based back-end data capture· Intelligent call routing via integration with Genesys

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Universal Routing Server· Call parking, giving multi-site contact centers the

ability to allow self-service and call-queuing on the Voice Platform, ahead of transferring or bridging thecall to an agent

· Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the development of VoiceXML applications

· Real-time monitoring and management, as well as historical reporting and analysis via integration with the Genesys Framework

· Application-specific reporting· Deployment of outbound notification applications

developed in Genesys Studio and operated in conjunction with an outbound dialing solution providing call list management

· Web-based GUI for configuration of system features and voice applications, as well as diagnostics and other administrative functions

· Flexible deployment options including single site configuration or distributed configuration with cen-tralized management

GENESYS VOICE PLATFORM ARCHITECTUREKey Components OverviewThe Genesys Voice Platform software product integrateswith the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)to deliver web-driven telephony services to callers.TheVoice Platform has four primary software componentscomprised of the following:· Voice Communications Server (VCS) - VCS parses,

interprets and executes the VoiceXML commands in the XML documents served by the voice applica-tion.The VCS also integrates with automated speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS) soft-ware.

· Voice Portal Manager (VPM) - The Voice Portal Manager (VPM) is the component that is used to configure the various components of the Voice Platform.A web-based interface is used to administerVoice Platform components.

· Genesys Studio - Genesys Studio is a Windows-based GUI tool that can be used to build and test voice applications using a "drag and drop" paradigm.

· Voice Application Reporter - Reporter is a browser-based based reporting program that runs on a sepa-rate server. Studio applications store call information on a web server, and Voice Application Reporter can report on call statistics by application summarizing calls by time of day, application, and outcome.

A standard HTTP 1.1 compliant Web Server (IIS,Apache,Tomcat,Websphere, etc.) must be added to theVoice Platform configuration as an additional networkcomponent. In this configuration, the Voice Platformvoice applications would reside on the Web Server andbe remotely configured and managed from the VPMWeb Servers, which connect directly to the Voice

Platform server via a corporate LAN or WAN.The voiceapplication resident on the Web Server produces theVoiceXML that directs the VCS to play recorded greet-ings, prompts, and informational messages to the caller.The voice application also receives caller input via theVCS and plays customized responses. Each Web Severcan handle HTTP requests for approximately 400 voiceports. Primary and backup Web Servers are recommend-ed.The final network component is Genesys I-Server. I-Server helps Voice Platform identify the correct voiceapplication when a call arrives. It also orchestrates calltransfers.

The standard version of Voice Platform enables web-driven voice applications using DTMF input by thecaller to make selections and respond to queries.VoicePlatform supports third- party voice recognition enginesas a fast, more caller friendly means of making choicesand providing information. In addition,Voice Platformpermits rapid application development and on-the-flyinformation available to callers by supporting Text-To-Speech (TTS) engines that can read text content in oneof many different languages.

Voice Communications ServerThe Voice Communications Server (VCS) softwareworks with standard Dialogic boards to terminate andprocess voice calls that arrive on TDM circuits. WhenVoice Platform is deployed in front of the switch, theDialogic circuit boards connect to T1 lines that carry thevoice calls.When Voice Platform is behind the switch, theDialogic circuit boards connect to the premises-basedswitch via a standard RJ-48 connector.The VCS com-municates with the Dialogic boards, instructing actionssuch as playing prompts, listening, or DTMF/speechinput.

Multiple VCS hosts can be deployed in a distributed

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fashion for high availability. The VCS includes voice-browsers to interpret VoiceXML documents into callprocessing events. It integrates with other Genesys soft-ware components via the I-Server and optionally inte-grates with TTS and ASR engines.

The VCS contains several processes that work together.

WatchdogWatchdog is a centralized process that initiates the load-ing of information for all other processes. Watchdog isalways the first process that starts on the VCS. It readsinformation from the Voice Platform pop.ini file andprovides the process with settings and initialization infor-mation.

Network ManagementThis process is responsible for interfacing with theSNMP subsystem. It fields SNMP MIB requests andgenerates traps for processing by a network managementsystem. It can also provide activity logging for informa-tion and debugging purposes.The network managementprocess has a user interface component found in theVoice Portal Manager that displays statistics on the num-ber of active ports and allows the manual stopping andrestarting of VCS processes.

Dialogic Call ControlThe Dialogic Call Control processes the actual voicecalls and manages the Dialogic telephony interfaces.

Dialogic Media ServiceDialogic provided call management and media process-ing services used by the Telephony Manager.

Telephony ManagerThe Telephony Manager controls the physical voice pro-cessing media and communicates with the Dialogic CallControl and the Dialogic Media Service. Through themedia's driver interface, the Telephony Manager mayissue requests such as setting up and tearing down a call,playing a voice file, or bridging a call. The TelephonyManager executes call control commands from theConversation Controller and Action Execution Engine.It also interfaces with the ASR APIs to process speechrecognition requests to the ASR components and returnsthe recognition results to the Conversation Controllerand Action Execution Engine.

Conversation Controller and Action Execution EngineThe Conversation Controller drives the conversationwith the voice application. It creates a parsed stream ofthe commands, and using the appropriate APIs, executesthe stream of commands. For standard voice processing,such as playing a voice file, it dispatches the play request

to the Telephony Manager. If TTS is required, the requestis dispatched to the TTS API by the Telephony Manager,which then plays the resulting TTS generated voice.

Page CollectorThe Page Collector is a process that fetches the XMLpages that need to be executed, determines the docu-ment format and passes the pages to the appropriateparser.

TXML ParserThe TXML Parser parses XML documents usingGenesys' own XML (TXML) tag set for specific callcontrol and sends the interpreted telephony commandsto the Conversation Controller and Action ExecutionEngine.

VXML ParserThe VXML Parser parses XML documents using theVoiceXML tag set and sends the interpreted telephonycommands to the Conversation Controller and ActionExecution Engine.

Call Flow AssistantThe Call Flow Assistant (CFA) initiates an outbound callrequest and communicates with the VPM to authorizeinstructions to the VCS.The CFA:· Provides assistance to every port in translating call

control macros into elemental call control steps· Provides two-way communication with Genesys

I-Server

I-Server ClientThe I-Server Client communicates with the Genesys I-Server on a remote host.

Text-To-Speech (TTS) APIThe TTS API communicates with a TTS resource serv-er. It receives instructions and text strings from theConversation Controller and Action Execution Engine.It then returns these execution results in a media file thatis streamed out through the Dialogic Media Services APIby the Telephony Manager.

Voice Portal ManagerThe Voice Portal Manager (VPM) is used to configurethe various components of the Voice Platform. VPMoffers a web-based interface for entering and changinginformation.The VPM can be either co-resident on theVCS or reside on its own separate server. The latter isrecommended when multiple VCS servers are deployedin the network.

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VCS Integration with VPMThe VPM acts as a central repository for the configura-tion data of each VCS installed in the Voice Platform net-work. During the installation, the VCS self registers withthe VPM. Upon any restart of the VCS, the VCS config-uration information is obtained from the informationstored in the VPM.The VPM can manage single or mul-tiple VCSs in a Voice Platform network solution. Thisenables the VPM to provide the ability to configure allVCSs in a Voice Platform network solution with onesimple graphical interface.The primary VCS configura-tion features of the VPM are:· Monitor VCS performance· Enable/disable VCS system logging· Manage grammar packages for ASR voice applica-

tions· Manage VCS system messages and traps (such as fil-

tering)· Configure TTS servers · Configure ASR servers · Manage VCS system start/stop processes· Manage TTS language types and voice types

Voice Application ConfigurationAny voice application that is processed on the VoicePlatform must be configured in the VPM.Voice applica-tions that are created using Genesys Studio are automat-ically registered in the VPM.Voice applications that arenot created using Genesys Studio must be manually con-figured in the VPM.This is necessary because the VCSuses these application configurations during call treat-ment. In addition, the VPM configuration enables theVCS to correctly identify the desired voice applicationusing the DNIS of the incoming call.The primary voiceapplication configuration features of the VPM allowauthorized administrators to:· Modify, and delete voice applications from Voice

Platform· Configure the voice application URL· Assign specific external telephone numbers to a

voice application· Enable ASR capture (when ASR is enabled)· Configure a fail over voice application upon failure

of primary voice application

Diagnostics/Network ManagementVPM provides links to graphical interfaces that providediagnostics and network management for all VCSs in thenetwork.The diagnostics interface can be used to trou-bleshoot Voice Platform problems.The network manage-ment interface provides information about each particu-lar VCS.The diagnostic and network management fea-tures of the VPM allow authorized users to:· Start and stop VCS,TTS,ASR and processes· Run diagnostic tests and view diagnostic logs· View summarized system configuration information

for each VCS

· View real-time VCS,TTS, and ASR system activity information (this does not include historical infor-mation)

Genesys StudioGenesys Studio is a GUI development tool that can beused to build and test voice applications. It is designed forbeginners and programmers who are accustomed toIntegrated Development Environments (IDEs). GenesysStudio allows applications to be generated in ASP or JSPand emits VoiceXML and XML documents.

Genesys Studio offers a series of palettes that includeblocks which represent predetermined functionality in acall flow.These blocks can be dragged-and-dropped ontoa canvas to quickly build a call flow that denotes thevoice application. This speeds application developmentby freeing the developer from having to learn and writeVoiceXML tags. Instead, developers can focus on appli-cation call flow. Genesys Studio works in conjunctionwith the VCS to enable developers to debug voice appli-cations that are built using Genesys Studio or in nativeVoiceXML. Once a voice application is created inGenesys Studio and configured using VPM, it can beinstalled on a Web Server for access by a VCS. GenesysStudio provides a graphical interface for observing inter-actions between the VCS and the Web Server. TheGenesys Studio software can be installed on a VoicePlatform server or on a separate Web Server.

Voice Application ReporterGenesys Studio developed applications have the addedadvantage of offering application developers and opera-tional managers a view into how callers are using thevoice applications. The Voice Application Reporter(VAR) server takes logging events from Studio-generat-ed applications. The logged information is routed andstored on a separate server, where the Voice ApplicationReport server can compute summary statistics. Thereporting client offers pre-defined reports on the basiccall information handled by the Voice Platform includingdetails by application and call outcome.This applicationinformation is available on an hourly, daily, and/or week-ly basis. From any browser, the supervisor or any otherinterested party can examine call summaries or individ-ual call details over selected time intervals and by appli-cation type.This information can be exported to spread-sheets for further analysis. The Voice ApplicationReporter provides an application-level complement tothe comprehensive global reporting capabilities found inthe Genesys Framework customer reporting solutions.

Communication Between the Web Server andGenesys Voice PlatformCommunication between the Web Server and VoicePlatform is analogous to the desktop web browsermodel. In a standard web-based application, servers issue

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instructions to desktop browsers using HTML. Thebrowser responds by rendering a page on a computerdisplay and establishing links to other pages on the Web.When the user clicks on a link, the browser issues arequest to the designated URL, which results in anotherweb page being fetched and rendered.When the page orits contents change, the next fetch from any browserreceives the updated page.

Requests and information exchange on the VoicePlatform are handled in a similar fashion,but the markuplanguage is VoiceXML instead of HTML.The VCS has aVoiceXML-enabled web client that fetches pages fromWeb Servers.Voice applications are generally developedin Active Server Pages (ASPs) or Java Server Pages (JSPs)that render and deliver instructions in VoiceXML form.The VCS parses the VoiceXML and instructs call han-dling (answering, bridging, disconnecting calls), mediamanagement (playing greetings, prompts, and messagesusing cached voice files and text to speech), and callerinput (collect touch-tone digits, perform speech recog-nition).VoiceXML enables a voice application to drive aninteraction with a caller in the same way that it wouldinteract with a desktop web browser to render a screenand react to keyboard or mouse input.As with the desk-top browser, any changes to the voice application on theWeb Server become effective the next time a page isrequested.

Automated Speech RecognitionVoice Platform incorporates pre-built ASR interfaces foruse in speech-enabled voice applications. The VoicePlatform ASR architecture is designed to allow commu-nication through standard Ethernet networks of100Mbps or more. The primary ASR components ofVoice Platform are:· ASR Software - Processes that run on the VCS and

handle ASR-related tasks· ASR Package - A package that is specific to each

voice application. It consists of the complete set of files required to run an ASR voice application including the grammar, dictionary, parameter settings,and prompt files.

· ASR Application Related Prompts - The prompt files that are played during the execution of the ASRvoice application.These are also voice application specific.

All of the aforementioned ASR components run on theVCS.These components, or processes, are referred to as“servers” by some vendors. Voice Platform supportsScanSoft OSR, ScanSoft SpeechPearl, or Nuance 8.0

ASR with a default grammar package running on theVCS. A database is also required to store the compiledgrammar records. A file system database is used on theVCS.

Text-to-SpeechVoice Platform includes interfaces for incorporatingthird party text-to-speech technology for use in voiceapplications. Voice Platform currently supportsSpeechWorks Speechify and ScanSoft RealSpeak TTS.The API that interfaces with the TTS software is referredto as the TTS Server. Both the TTS Server and the TTSsoftware are installed on the VCS.The VCS communi-cates with the TTS server through HTTP.

The TTS Server can convert TTS in real-time or batchmodes. In real-time mode, text is converted to speechand directly streamed back to the client. In batch mode,the converted text is posted to a specific URL at the endof conversion.

INTEGRATION WITH THE GENESYS PRODUCT SUITEVoice Platform takes advantage of the existing GenesysFramework to interface with various components of theGenesys product suite. The integration between VoicePlatform and other Genesys components is via theGenesys I-Server.

Genesys I-ServerThe Voice Communications Server includes an I-Serverclient that communicates with a Genesys I-Serverprocess running on a remote host.When Voice Platformis configured in front of the switch, I-Server is informedof new calls arriving at the VCS as well as the termina-tion of existing calls. In a behind the switch configura-tion, the Genesys I-Server is contacted at call setup tofurnish the ANI and DNIS of the incoming call so thatthe correct voice application can be identified.

In either case, I-Server is able to control the VoiceXMLscripts that are executed by the VCS.VCS relays call datato I-Server and I-Server is able to orchestrate the trans-fer of the call to the appropriate agent as necessary.

Call information along with any data associated with thecall is passed to the Genesys I-Server. I-Server transmitsthe information to other elements of the Genesys suitefor integrated call handling and management including:

Integration with the Genesys Management LayerThe Management Layer of the Genesys Frameworkincludes a Solution Control Interface (SCI), which canbe used to view and manually start/stop all VoicePlatform processes.

Integration with the Genesys Reporting LayerThe Reporting Layer of the Genesys Framework pro-vides a foundation for real-time and statistical historical

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reporting. The Reporting Layer consists of Call CenterPulse for integrated real-time reporting and monitoring andCall Center Analyzer for integrated historical reporting andanalysis.The GVP I-Server client will provide call informa-tion in the form of key/value pair attached data to enableGenesys real-time and historical reports.

Integration with Genesys Universal Routing Server (URS)The VCS integration with Genesys I-Server allows URS tocontrol voice application treatment, perform call transfersand gather reporting information. Genesys I-Server passescall information and attached data to the Genesys URS.

Integration with Genesys Workforce Management and WorkflowThe Workforce Management solution is a multi-mediaresource planning tool which provides the same scheduling,forecasting and adherence capabilities for a workforce han-dling any combination of voice and Internet-based transac-tions.The Workflow solution helps manage the lifecycle ofa customer interaction from initial contact through fulfill-ment - regardless of how the customer chooses to commu-nicate with the business.

A voice media channel for the Genesys Universal Queueallows a business to route all incoming customers, regardlessof contact media, to a single, integrated media queue.Thisgives the customer a single point of contact with the com-pany, and the company a common view of the customer.

Integration FeaturesAs a result of the Voice Platform integration with GenesysFramework, various contact center features are made avail-able.

Call flow typesVoice Platform, working with the Genesys Framework, cansupport both Voice Platform controlled and Call Routercontrolled call flows. In a Voice Platform controlled call flow,the self-service phase of the call can continue without I-Server assistance.The I-Server is contacted once the call isqueued by the voice application using the TXMLQUEUE_CALL tag.The I-Server is always notified of callarrival and the hang-up of events for reporting purposes. Ina Call Router controlled call flow, the self-service phase can-not continue without I-Server assistance. The VoicePlatform will wait for the URS to instruct which voiceapplication to execute.

Route RequestThis feature allows the voice application to park a call on theVoice Platform and issue a request to the GenesysFramework for identifying a target where the call can betransferred. The voice application makes the request usingthe TXML QUEUE_CALL tag.

Transfer of CEDWhen a voice application queues the call, the voice applica-tion can send Caller Entered Digits (CED) via theQUEUE_CALL TXML tag.The CED can also be trans-ferred using the SCRIPT_RESULT tag when the call flowtype is 'Call router controlled call flow'.

Launching of routing strategy on URSThis feature allows a voice application to specify theRouteDN based on the CED.The RouteDN is utilized bythe URS to launch different routing strategies, or routingscripts. The routing strategy contains the logic to controlhow the call is handled.

Call transferThe voice application can transfer the call by providing aphone number.The transfer can be invoked either via theVoiceXML Transfer tag or the TXMLCREATE_LEG_AND_DIAL tag.

WhisperThe whisper feature allows the voice application to performa whisper on the agent leg before the caller and the agentlegs are bridged.This feature is available for "in front" of theswitch Voice Platform configurations when the voice appli-cation performs a VoiceXML transfer and bridging is notused.

IVR Take BackThis feature allows control to be returned to the voiceapplication after the caller has finished speaking to the agent.This feature is available for "in front" of the switch onlyVoice Platform configurations when the voice applicationperforms a VoiceXML transfer and bridging is not used.

STANDARDS SUPPORTEDVoice Platform is a pure software solution that does not relyon proprietary programming languages or hardware. Itcomplies with the latest industry standards as well as emerg-ing standards from organizations such as the InternetEngineering Task Force (IETF), the InternationalTelecommunications Union (ITU) and the World WideWeb Consortium (W3C).

Supported standards include:· VoiceXML 2.0 (CR & PR)· HTTP for all inter-server communications· TCP/IP and UDP protocols· SNMP manageability for both hardware and software

processes· ISDN PRI· T1 Robbed-bit (in-band signaling)· E1 CAS

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APPLICATION DEVELOPMENTThe skill set needed to write Voice Platform applications isessentially the same as that for writing any Web application,with the additional consideration of the target user interface(audio vs. visual).Development does not require knowledgeof proprietary languages or telephony-related functionssuch as DID/port allocations or call handling. VoicePlatform's web-driven development platform allows busi-nesses to leverage existing web development expertise aswell as any existing web-based integration with back-endsystems. Furthermore, businesses may be able to re-purposeapplication code, business logic and software that is current-ly used in conjunction with its online applications.

Development LanguageVoice applications written for use on Voice Platform mustbe written in the nonproprietary coding language ofVoiceXML.Voice Platform supports both the W3C stan-dards for VoiceXML 2.0 (CR & PR).

Voice Platform also supports XML tag extensions to assist inthe sophisticated call control requirements of many voice applications.These tags include advanced functionality suchas leg creation, dialing, bridging, queuing, carrier-specificintegrations, etc.Furthermore, the tag extensions allow inte-gration of a web application that drives media interactionswith an intelligent call router such as Genesys URS. Forinstance, they allow the voice application to communicatecollected information to the intelligent call router for use inan agent screen pop.Voice Platform can intersperse TXMLand VoiceXML pages.

While the use of VoiceXML greatly increases portabilitybetween VoiceXML compliant platforms, it is important tobe aware that some companies have taken shortcuts, notimplemented certain features, or changed the VoiceXMLstandard according to what they see appropriate. It is alsoprudent to understand that a complex VoiceXML applica-tion that is built for one platform is unlikely to workunchanged on another platform.

VoiceXML applications can be developed using the GenesysStudio GUI tool. Or, they can be written in nativeVoiceXML using any VoiceXML 2.0 (CR & PR) develop-ment tool or be written manually using a standard text edi-tor.

Developer ToolsAs mentioned earlier, the Voice Platform product suite pro-vides a VoiceXML application development tool calledGenesys Studio. Genesys Studio is a Windows-based GUItool that is used to build and test voice applications using a"drag and drop" paradigm. In this paradigm, developers canarrange, add and delete functional blocks - such as start, stop,prompt and menu - in the main window. The blocks arethen connected to build the call flow for the voice applica-

tion. Once the code is generated, an Active Server Page(ASP) or Java Server Page (JSP) file is created for each block.

The tool is designed for beginners and programmers whoare accustomed to Integrated Development Environments(IDEs).Genesys Studio supports touch-tone and ASR voiceapplications, as well as provides a common mechanism tolink to databases. In addition to Genesys Studio, the VPMalso provides a tool that allows developers to capture caller"utterances" for tuning of ASR voice applications. GenesysStudio also includes a code-tracing feature that aids in voiceapplication debugging.

Application DeploymentOnce a voice application has been debugged and is ready fordeployment, it can be configured for actual use through theConfigure to Go Live feature of Genesys Studio. Whenusing Genesys Studio, voice applications are automaticallyregistered to the VPM. Users are prompted to enter infor-mation such as the toll free number associated with theapplication, the fail over number and a backup voice appli-cation URL.Voice applications that are written in nativeVoiceXML require the developer to load the VoiceXMLfiles onto a standard web server and then use the GenesysVoice Portal Manager to associate the toll free number withthe start page's URL.

ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLSVoice Portal ManagerVoice Platform provides a Voice Portal Manager (VPM),which includes a configuration GUI that is accessible viaInternet Explorer. VPM provides the ability to configurevoice applications and administer solution components. Italso provides diagnostic tools.

VPM allows:· Configuration of system features· Configuration of voice applications including the ability

to add a new voice application, edit voice applications or delete voice applications

· Enabling of voice applications· Viewing of various operational logs· Ability to view status of Advanced Speech Recognition

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(ASR) engines· Ability to view status of Text to Speech (TTS) engines· Ability to view connectivity with Genesys I-Server· Ability to view connectivity with voice application Web

Servers· Ability to access the Dialogic diagnostic software· Diagnostics to analyze and test the Voice Platform· Ability to view the active calls on Voice Platform

Multiple local or remote servers can be configured from asingle VPM or multiple VPMs based on user preference. Inaddition, when separate Web Servers are used to host thevoice applications, they too can be configured using VPM.

Voice Communications ServerWithin the VPM GUI is a link to administration GUIs foreach of the VCSs that are configured for the Voice Platform.These GUIs can be accessed from any computer that hasHTTP connectivity to the VCS. They allow the user tomonitor VCS performance and perform diagnostics includ-ing connectivity tests.

GENESYS VOICE PLATFORM CONFIGURATIONSThere are four basic Voice Platform configuration options:

Single Voice Communications ServerIn this basic configuration, there is only one Voice

Communication Server (Host 1). The VPM is co-residenton the VCS.A separate Web Server hosts the voice applica-tions as well as the Genesys Studio software.

Multiple Voice Communications Servers

The VPM is co-resident on one of the VCSs (VCS Host 1).The other VCSs rely on access to the VPM on VCS Host 1.This implies that the VPM components on VCS Host 1must be active even if the VCS processes on VCS Host 1 aredown.A separate Web Server hosts the voice applications as

well as the Genesys Studio software.VCSs can be physicallydistributed across sites for high reliability.All VCSs are man-aged by the centralized Voice Portal Manager.The combi-nation of distributed voice processing nodes and centralizedapplication and configuration management eliminatesduplication that is typical in traditional IVR solutions,resulting in significant cost and time-savings to business cus-tomers.

Multiple Voice Communications Servers withDedicated Voice Portal ManagerThe VPM is resident on a dedicated host (VPM Host).TheVCS hosts access the VPM independently. Therefore, theVCS host can be down for maintenance without impactingthe other VPM hosts' access to VPM.A separate Web Serverhosts the voice applications and Genesys Studio.

Dedicated Genesys Studio HostIn this configuration, the Genesys Studio developmentcomponent is on a dedicated host (Development Host).TheWeb Server only hosts the voice applications. All of theabove configurations are equally valid with a dedicateddevelopment host.

NETWORK DEPLOYMENT OPTIONSVoice Platform can be positioned as a solution "in front" ofthe premises switch (calls will be terminated directly intoVoice Platform from the PSTN) or "behind" a premises-based switch configuration. Both in front and behind theswitch configurations can be deployed in a single or multi-site environment. Additionally both have universal portcapability - meaning that a call received on any physical portcan access any configured voice application.

In Front Of the Switch

In this deployment, the VCS directly interfaces to thePSTN. Incoming calls terminate directly on the VCS wherethe voice application treatment occurs. ISDN protocols areused for signaling between the PSTN switch and the VCS.Use of ISDN enables the VCS to ascertain the ANI andDNIS of the incoming call.The DNIS enables the VCS toidentify the desired application. If agent assistance is needed,VCS instructs the PSTN switch (using take back and trans-fer capabilities) to route the call to the correct destination.

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The VCS is integrated with the Genesys I-Server so that theGenesys Universal Call Router can control voice applica-tion treatment, call transfer and gain reporting information.

Behind the SwitchIn this configuration, the Voice Platform only receivesincoming calls that are directed to the VCS by an enterprisePBX. It is the PBX that directly interfaces to the PSTN.

When a call arrives from the PSTN, the PBX performs thenecessary signaling hand-shakes to accept the call.The call isthen switched (by the PBX) to the VCS. In this deployment,the VCS is also integrated with Genesys I-Server. I-Serverprovides the VCS with ANI and DNIS information so thatthe correct voice application can be identified.At the end ofthe voice application call flow, if the call needs to be routedto an agent, the VCS again contacts the I-Server to transferthe call to the appropriate agent.

RELIABILITY

High reliability is achieved via physically distributed VoiceCommunications Servers. In a distributed Voice Platformdeployment, the VCSs are daisy-chained for automatic serv-er- to-server overflow. In the event of a busy condition orserver failure, calls can hunt transparently and automatically to the next server. If all ports at all VCSs are busy, callscan fail over to a predetermined backup location.

Voice Platform ports are universal in that any port can han-dle any call application. This enables businesses to employcost-effective redundancy since the capacity needed torecover from a single server failure is greatly reduced.

VCS components are monitored by a Watchdog process thatautomatically restarts failed processes and alerts the enter-prise Network Management System (NMS) through anSNMP trap. The Watchdog process resides on the VoicePortal Manager and includes a user interface to allow themanual stopping and starting of any VCS component.

Communication between the VCS and Voice PortalManager is via HTTP.VCSs can access locally stored con-figuration information for each of the applications fromlocal cache. This information is accessed in the unlikely

event of a loss of connectivity with the Voice PortalManager. In this case, the VCS will automatically accept thecall and complete it using the stored backup terminationnumber.

In a large-scale Voice Platform solution, an external orMicrosoft caching appliance can be used in providing effi-cient communications between a VCS and the Web Serverin which the voice application resides. In a smaller-scaleVoice Platform implementation, such as when the WebServer is collocated with one of the VCSs, the need for acaching appliance on every VCS is not required.

Application reliability is achieved via deployment of a back-up Web Server.Through the Voice Portal Manager, multipleWeb Server hosts can be configured. The order in whicheach Web Server is contacted is also provisioned in the VoicePortal Manager. In the event that none of the Web Server hosts can be contacted in a reasonable time period, the VCScan automatically reroute the call to a backup number, typ-ically terminating at a customer premises or contact center.

OFF-THE-SHELF COMPONENTSRecommended hardwareGenesys Voice Platform runs on standard, commonly avail-able hardware platforms. The following specifications arerecommended:

Required SoftwareThe following software is required for a Voice Platforminstallation:

Genesys· Genesys Voice Platform software (available on a CD from

Genesys)· Genesys Framework including I-Server Windows

Windows· Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4· Internet Explorer 6.0 +· MSXML 4.0+· Windows 2000 Components:

· Internet Information Server (IIS) > Common files· Internet Information Server (IIS) > File Transfer

Protocol (FTP) Server· Internet Information Server (IIS) > Internet

Information Server Snap-in· Internet Information Server (IIS) > World Wide Web

Server· Management and Monitoring Tools > Simple

Network Management Protocol· Windows time service· Telnet service

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Component Value

CPU Dual Intel Pentium III CPU,

recommended 2.4Ghz

Hard Drive Two 10K RPM 18Gb with RAID 1

Memory 2 GB for dual CPU configuration

TelephonyThe following Dialogic telephony hardware is required:· Dialogic DM/VA series card.( There is also a DM/VA

driver which is shipped with the Voice Platform installerdiscs.)

· Dialogic D/JCT series card for lower cost, lower densityenvironments for GVP: EE systems only

Supported Dialogic cards include:· Dialogic DM/V960A (4T1; 96 ports)· Dialogic DM/V480A (2T1; 48 ports)· Dialogic DM/V1200A (4E1; 120 ports)· Dialogic DM/V600A (2E1; 60 ports)

Supported Intel Dialogic cards for JCT use (GVP: EE only) · Dialogic D/600 JCT-E1 (ISDN; 30 ports)· Dialogic D/600 JCT-2E1 (E1; 60 ports)· Dialogic D/480 JCT-T1 (ISDN; 24 ports)· Dialogic D/480 JCT-2T1 (T1; 48 ports)· Dialogic D/300 JCT-E1 (E1; 30 ports)· Dialogic D/240 JCT-T1 (T1; 24 ports)

Speech RecognitionThe following software is required if speech recognitionsoftware is used:· ScanSoft OSR 1.1.4, or· ScanSoft OSR 2.0.3 or· ScanSoft SpeechPearl MRCP, or· Nuance 8.0 ASR

Text to SpeechThe following ScanSoft software is required if text-to-speech software is used:· ScanSoft Speechify TTS 2.1.6, or· ScanSoft Speechify TTS 3.0.2, or· ScanSoft RealSpeak TTS 3.5.1

Speaker VerificationThe following ScanSoft software is required if speaker veri-fication software is used.· ScanSoft OSDM SpeechSecure 1.2.3Note: SpeechSecure 1.2.3 requires prior or concurrent pur-chase of OSR 1.1.4

Miscellaneous· WinZip, PKZip or any other un-zipping program

Recommended third party softwareIt is recommended that the Voice Platform components runwith the following third party network management soft-ware:· PC AnyWhere version 10.0

CONCLUSIONVoice Platform is a powerful premises-based voice process-ing solution for both medium and large-scale enterprises.Since the solution is based on open standards,Voice Platformoffers flexible deployment options and multiple otheradvantages over traditional, proprietary IVR systems.Theseadvantages translate into reduced capital spending, reducedoperations staff, new revenue opportunities, and acceleratedtime to market.



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Key Genesys Voice Platform AdvantagesSeparates application logic from voice processing - applica-tions can be centrally managed and updated.

Uses off-the-shelf hardware.

Leverages VoiceXML 2.0 (CR) and standard web programming(ASP, JSP, Java).

Provides tight integration with Genesys product suite.

Supports SpeechWorks Speechify TTS and SpeechWorksOSR, ScanSoft TTS, and Nuance 8.0 ASR

Allows web investments to be extended to the telephoneincluding application code, personalization software andback-end integrations.

Designed to take advantage of modern web standards,including distributed applications, personalization tools,caching, audio techniques, security and networking.



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Genesys Corporate Headquarters

2001 Junipero Serra Blvd Daly City, CA 94103 Telephone: +1 415.437.1100 Facsimile: +1 415.437.1260 Web: www.genesyslab.com E-mail: [email protected]

Genesys Asia Pacific Telephone: +65 538 9886 Genesys Australia Telephone: +61 2 9463 8500 Genesys Canada Telephone: +1 506 658 1080 Genesys Europe/Middle East Telephone: +44 118 974 7000 Genesys Japan Telephone: +81 3 5649 6821 Genesys Latin America Telephone: +1 305 789 6660

All other company and product names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarksof their respective owners.

Copyright © 2004 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.All Rights Reserved

gvp whitepaper august 2004

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