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Client/Server Architecture

 

 

Interaction Dialer is a client/server system—its software components run on different hardware devices. The figure above shows the subsystems that run on ODS/MCS and CCS servers, and desktop applications used by agents, administrators and developers. The Central Campaign Server is depicted in a Campaign Server Switchover Pair, but can be a single CCS. The DBMS is depicted on dedicated hardware, but in some cases the database can exist on same server as the CCS.

Dedicated Server Hardware

Since the CIC's system architecture is event-driven, hardware devices are isolated from command and control subsystems. This allows the CIC to support a wide range of telephony hardware with minimal system integration overhead.

Because Interaction Dialer uses client/server architecture, the software is deployed across servers and workstations that collectively make up the system. Two to three dedicated servers are required to implement Interaction Dialer:

  • Outbound Dialer Server (ODS)/Manual Calling Server (MCS). This is a CIC server with Interaction Dialer installed. An ODS performs automatic outbound dialing for agents in that location. An MCS provides agents with a structured mechanism for manually making outbound calls. Multiple ODS/MCS servers can participate in the same campaign. 

  • Central Campaign Server (CCS). The Central Campaign Server sends campaign configurations, threshold alerts, and other notifications to the Dialer Server subsystem, which in turn communicates with Interaction Processor to control processing.

    The CCS provides ODS/MCS servers with campaign configurations, control messages, statistics, and contact list data.  Each ODS/MCS communicates with a controlling CCS to obtain its current configuration and control messages that signify campaign property changes, campaign starts, stops, or error conditions. This arrangement makes it easy to implement an Interaction Dialer solution in complex multi-site environments.

    A Central Campaign Server can be set up in a Campaign Server Switchover Pair configuration for redundancy. If the primary CCS goes down, the backup CCS will take over.

    NOTE: The Campaign Server Switchover feature requires special installation steps. For more information, see the CCS Switchover Setup Assistant section of the Interaction Dialer Installation and Configuration Guide, which you can find in the PureConnect Documentation Library.

  • A DBMS Server. Interaction Dialer supports either Oracle Database or Microsoft SQL Server. Each campaign has a set of database tables that are created and managed automatically by Interaction Dialer.  History tables are consolidated, such that there is one set of history tables (agent statistics, call history, and campaign statistics) in the CIC database for all campaigns. Customers are responsible for managing contact list and do-not-call tables only.  All other tables are created and managed automatically by Interaction Dialer.

    While the CCS and DBMS can reside on the same physical server, it may not practical for all situations.

    • For environments that have a high call volume, having the DBMS server reside on dedicated hardware will provide better overall Dialer performance.

    • For environments that employ the CCS Switchover feature, having the DBMS server reside on dedicated hardware will ensure that the backup CCS will still have access to the DBMS even if the physical server running the primary CCS goes down completely.

Desktop Components

CIC Administrators, Call Center Supervisors, Dialer Agents, and Script Developers all use client software on desktop PCs.

  • Interaction Dialer is configured using Interaction Dialer Manager, a plug-in module for Interaction Administrator.  Configuration data is stored on the Central Campaign server.

  • Dialer reports, statistics, and views are available in IC Business Manager.

  • Agents run Interaction Scripter Client to participate in campaigns. At the desktop level, campaign scripts run inside the Interaction Scripter predictive client application.

  • A CIC client, which is available to all CIC users.

  • Developers can use Interaction Scripter API (licensed separately from Dialer) to develop custom campaign scripts for the Interaction Scripter .NET Client. Application programmers can use the IceLib.Dialer API to create custom clients (like Interaction Scripter .NET Client) and even applications that arbitrate between contact list data and the Dialer system.