Next IVR provides professional services for your contact center projects.  Our industry veterans use proven tools and processes to ensure success.

With Next IVR on your team, you can run your projects with confidence.  Use our resources to complement and enhance yours.  We're with you, from early planning to rollout.

We use the vendor-provided tools to ensure our solutions serve your needs for years to come. We also build custom software solutions to meet your unique requirements.

Our seasoned programmers provide the expertise and knowledge to execute a plan from conception to rollout.  We work with our customers as teammates, solving problems together.

with experience and dedication

Contact Center Consulting


### EPM Web Console 
+ Hostname or IP Address
+ Admin credentials 
+ Ddadmin creds for internal app server   
+ Outbound routing for PSTN calls 

### EPM Host Access (ssh) 
+ Cust credentials 
+ Root credentials (or cust is in sudoers file) 
+ Software available in cust home directory 

### DB Server 
+ External DB required for production setup 
+ POM database (dev 1G, grow by 10%, prod, must be sized) 
    + Set READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT = true
    ```mssql:
    ALTER DATABASE SET READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT ON 
    ```
+ POM operations database (dev 1G, grow by 10%, prod, must be sized) 
    + Set READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT = false
    ```mssql:
    ALTER DATABASE SET READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT OFF
    ```
+ Database owner credentials for creating tables in both databases 
    + Service account that DOESN'T EXPIRE  (we don’t want the system to stop working 30 days after we are complete). 

### DBA Notes – MSSQL 
+ Set tempdb to auto grow.  
+ Ensure the disk has enough free space.  
+ Set tempdb initial size reasonably. It is recommended that it should be 1/3 of DB size. Eg. In our lab, we kept DB size is 86 GB, so TempDB size should be 30 GB.  
+ If possible, put tempdb on its separate disk.  
+ Set the recovery model of tempdb to SIMPLE. This model automatically reclaims log space.  

### Application Server 
+ Required for production setup. 
+ Admin credentials 
+ Either Windows, RHEL or CentOS 

### POM Installation 
+ For the POM install, anything important to offer as an option? 
    + Default install location (uses ~ 500M, will generate plenty of logs) 
+ DB Installation 
    + Geo Redundancy - this  can be enabled afterwards. 
    + Encrypted DB Connection? 
    + Avaya Environment 
        + CC Elite 
            + Most Common, predictive dialer features, if ever needed 
            + Monitoring skills requires RT Sockets licensing and configuration (outside of scope) 
        + Oceana 
            + "next-generation" customer engagement solution 
        + AACC 
            + Avaya Blue, older, unlikely 
        + None 
            + Perhaps an option, it doesn't hurt to install CC Elite and leave it unconfigured. 


Before starting a POM installation, here's a list of items to consider

Avaya POM Installation



<a href="https://github.com/ericp56/avaya-od-ci" target="_blank">source code</a>

## Features

- maven pom.xml which runs unit tests, integration tests and packages the war file

## Setup
Before running the mvn verify and package commands, you will have to install a few jars in your local maven repo.

- Install scert-07.23.08.01.jar (found in an OD app's WEB-INF/lib folder) and scertcommon-07.23.08.01.jar (found in the web server's lib folder):

``` bash
mvn install:install-file -Dfile=scert-07.23.08.01.jar  -DgroupId=com.avaya -DartifactId=scert -Dversion=07.23.08.01 -Dpackaging=jar
mvn install:install-file -Dfile=scertcommon-07.23.08.01.jar  -DgroupId=com.avaya -DartifactId=scertcommon -Dversion=07.23.08.01 -Dpackaging=jar
``` 
 - Also, clone and install the voicexml-util project:

``` bash
git clone git@github.com:ericp56/voicexml-util.git
cd voicexml-util
mvn install
```

## Demo

### Maven Integration Test and Packaging

This will perform like a typical maven war package goal, but it will also deploy the app on an embedded Tomcat and use voicexml-util to run the integration tests.

- See <a href="https://github.com/ericp56/avaya-od-ci/blob/main/src/integration-test/java/flow/SimpleIntegrationTest.java" target="_blank">SimpleIntegrationTest.java</a> for the sample testing of the deployed app.

I added in #comment lines below, noting points of interest.

```bash
# Here's the maven command
[ericp@local avaya-od-ci]$ mvn clean verify package
[INFO] 
[INFO] ---------------------< com.avaya.demo:MyMathQuiz >----------------------
[INFO] Building MyMathQuiz 1
[INFO] --------------------------------[ war ]---------------------------------
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-clean-plugin:3.1.0:clean (default-clean) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Deleting /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-source (add-source) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/src added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:resources (default-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/main/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:compile (default-compile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Changes detected - recompiling the module!
[INFO] Compiling 34 source files to /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/classes
[INFO] /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/src/flow/RandomNumberGenerator.java: Some input files use unchecked or unsafe operations.
[INFO] /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/src/flow/RandomNumberGenerator.java: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-source (add-integration-test-sources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Test Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/java added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-resource (add-integration-test-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:testResources (default-testResources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/test/resources
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:testCompile (default-testCompile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Changes detected - recompiling the module!
[INFO] Compiling 3 source files to /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/test-classes
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-surefire-plugin:2.22.1:test (default-test) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
# Unit tests...
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO]  T E S T S
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Running flow.SimpleUnitTest
*********UNIT TEST*********
*********UNIT TEST*********
*********UNIT TEST*********
[INFO] Tests run: 1, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 0.009 s - in flow.SimpleUnitTest
[INFO] 
[INFO] Results:
[INFO] 
[INFO] Tests run: 1, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0
[INFO] 
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-war-plugin:3.2.2:war (default-war) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Packaging webapp
[INFO] Assembling webapp [MyMathQuiz] in [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Processing war project
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/lib] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/data] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/icons] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Webapp assembled in [104 msecs]
[INFO] Building war: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz.war
[INFO] 
#Starting Tomcat
[INFO] >>> tomcat7-maven-plugin:2.2:run-war (start-tomcat) > package @ MyMathQuiz >>>
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-source (add-source) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/src added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:resources (default-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/main/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:compile (default-compile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Nothing to compile - all classes are up to date
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-source (add-integration-test-sources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Test Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/java added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-resource (add-integration-test-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:testResources (default-testResources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/test/resources
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/resources
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:testCompile (default-testCompile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Nothing to compile - all classes are up to date
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-surefire-plugin:2.22.1:test (default-test) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Skipping execution of surefire because it has already been run for this configuration
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-war-plugin:3.2.2:war (default-war) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Packaging webapp
[INFO] Assembling webapp [MyMathQuiz] in [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Processing war project
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/lib] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/data] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/icons] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Webapp assembled in [77 msecs]
[INFO] Building war: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz.war
[INFO] 
[INFO] <<< tomcat7-maven-plugin:2.2:run-war (start-tomcat) < package @ MyMathQuiz <<<
[INFO] 
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- tomcat7-maven-plugin:2.2:run-war (start-tomcat) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Running war on http://localhost:8080/MyMathQuiz
[INFO] Creating Tomcat server configuration at /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/tomcat
[INFO] create webapp with contextPath: /MyMathQuiz
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:07 PM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol init
INFO: Initializing ProtocolHandler ["http-bio-8080"]
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:07 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService startInternal
INFO: Starting service Tomcat
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:07 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine startInternal
INFO: Starting Servlet Engine: Apache Tomcat/7.0.47
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:08 PM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol start
INFO: Starting ProtocolHandler ["http-bio-8080"]
#Tomcat is up, time for testing!
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-failsafe-plugin:2.22.1:integration-test (default) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO]  T E S T S
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Running flow.SimpleIntegrationTest
*********INTEGRATION TEST*********
log4j:WARN No appenders could be found for logger (org.apache.http.client.protocol.RequestAddCookies).
log4j:WARN Please initialize the log4j system properly.
#ddconfig allowing temporary running of app without license server, but this will be regenerated with every "clean verify" instruction
INFO: Using path [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz/WEB-INF/lib/ddconfig.xml] to configuration file
INFO: No runtimeconfigextensions.xml file found, skipping.
File [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz/WEB-INF/lib/ddconfig.xml] could not be found, using empty configuration file
# Here's the OD app logging as the integration test is running.
09/06/2021 21:46:09  INFO - Start | channel:unknown | MyMathQuiz:Welcome | Play Prompt | Welcome to the math quiz. |  |  | 
09/06/2021 21:46:09  INFO - In Progress | channel:unknown | MyMathQuiz:MathQuizChoice | Play Prompt | Would you like to be quizzed on Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication or Division? |  |  | 
09/06/2021 21:46:09  INFO - In Progress | channel:unknown | MyMathQuiz:calculate | Choices | Caller chose to be quized on  | MathQuizChoice:interpretation | addition | 
09/06/2021 21:46:09  INFO - In Progress | channel:unknown | MyMathQuiz:calculate | Score | Total number of questions so far are  | TotalQuestions | 1 | 
09/06/2021 21:46:09  INFO - In Progress | channel:unknown | MyMathQuiz:calculate | Quiz Question | What is  | Temp | 7 plus 9? | 
[INFO] Tests run: 1, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0, Time elapsed: 1.034 s - in flow.SimpleIntegrationTest
[INFO] 
[INFO] Results:
[INFO] 
[INFO] Tests run: 1, Failures: 0, Errors: 0, Skipped: 0
[INFO] 
[INFO] 
#Success!  Tear down the tomcat service.
[INFO] --- tomcat7-maven-plugin:2.2:shutdown (stop-tomcat) @ MyMathQuiz ---
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol pause
INFO: Pausing ProtocolHandler ["http-bio-8080"]
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService stopInternal
INFO: Stopping service Tomcat
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader clearReferencesThreads
SEVERE: The web application [/MyMathQuiz] appears to have started a thread named [DebugInfo] but has failed to stop it. This is very likely to create a memory leak.
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader clearReferencesThreads
SEVERE: The web application [/MyMathQuiz] appears to have started a thread named [LicenseTimer-certCheck] but has failed to stop it. This is very likely to create a memory leak.
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader clearReferencesThreads
SEVERE: The web application [/MyMathQuiz] appears to have started a thread named [LicenseTimer-Refresh] but has failed to stop it. This is very likely to create a memory leak.
WARNING: An illegal reflective access operation has occurred
WARNING: Illegal reflective access by org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader (file:/home/ericp/.m2/repository/org/apache/tomcat/embed/tomcat-embed-core/7.0.47/tomcat-embed-core-7.0.47.jar) to field java.lang.Thread.threadLocals
WARNING: Please consider reporting this to the maintainers of org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader
WARNING: Use --illegal-access=warn to enable warnings of further illegal reflective access operations
WARNING: All illegal access operations will be denied in a future release
Jun 09, 2021 9:46:10 PM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol stop
INFO: Stopping ProtocolHandler ["http-bio-8080"]
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-failsafe-plugin:2.22.1:verify (default) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-source (add-source) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/src added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:resources (default-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/main/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:compile (default-compile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Nothing to compile - all classes are up to date
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-source (add-integration-test-sources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Test Source directory: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/java added.
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- build-helper-maven-plugin:3.2.0:add-test-resource (add-integration-test-resources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.0.2:testResources (default-testResources) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Using 'UTF-8' encoding to copy filtered resources.
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/test/resources
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/resources
[INFO] skip non existing resourceDirectory /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/src/integration-test/resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:testCompile (default-testCompile) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Nothing to compile - all classes are up to date
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-surefire-plugin:2.22.1:test (default-test) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Skipping execution of surefire because it has already been run for this configuration
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-war-plugin:3.2.2:war (default-war) @ MyMathQuiz ---
[INFO] Packaging webapp
[INFO] Assembling webapp [MyMathQuiz] in [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Processing war project
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/WEB-INF/lib] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/data] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Copying webapp webResources [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/icons] to [/home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz]
[INFO] Webapp assembled in [63 msecs]
#All done, and here's the war file
[INFO] Building war: /home/ericp/Workspaces/avaya-od-ci/target/MyMathQuiz.war
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] BUILD SUCCESS
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time:  9.022 s
[INFO] Finished at: 2021-06-09T21:46:10-04:00
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------

```


Example of setting up an Avaya OD app with maven for build-time integration testing.  

CI Testing with Avaya OD


I'm keeping a list of things to consider when you are deploying an IVR application.  This is for a business with a customer service call center, looking to use an IVR server to automate the simple tasks, so agents can focus on higher-quality customer interactions.  Here's what I have so far.
# Management
The goal of an IVR application is to save money on customer service transactions without sacrificing customer satisfaction.  You should be providing reports to measure things that tell you how your are doing on your "goal."
## Switch Reports
1. Currently, you probably use switch reports to analyze where customers are going in your phone system, as well as where they finish/disconnect.  Your IVR's built-in reports should provide exit reports that can match up to the switch reports. 
## Switch vs IVR reports
1. Beyond call routing, task and activity reports should provide counts of automated tasks.  You may have to create these completely on your own, or you may be using a platform that has some built-in tools.  As part of the development, audit the report accuracy.
1. Keep in mind, tasks reports are what you need them to be.  Don't expect custom reports to match up 100% with other reports, unless you plan on devoting time auditing the reports, and rolling out post-production fixes.
## Project Management
1. To have a successful deployment, you should have a project manager running weekly meetings.
- There are many little tasks that need to be done.  Sometimes they take a few tries to get technology working as expected.  Sometimes they stall, with one group waiting on another.  The PM is a big help in making sure people complete their tasks.
- On occasion you'll need to pull together a few groups to make sure all the technology is working from beginning to end.
# Design
1. The contact center management will be helpful in telling you what your first application should do.
1. Once you have the IVR application consistently handling a percentage of the call center traffic, any application "outage" will overwhelm the contact center.
# Development
1. Log errors that will need attention once you are in production (i.e. timeout error during payment processing).
1. Log information that will help you analyze what happened during a call.  

# Testing
1. One tester should triage all testing team issues.
2. Don't use email to document issues.  Use a shared spreadsheet(good) or online issue tracker(better).
## Reporting issues.  
1. Include the time of the test, what was expected and what actually happened.  Also include the test case info to recreate it - the number called, the date and time, the information entered and where in the design/spec/test case the problem is.
Test the report features
# Rollout
1. Schedule a final go/no-go meeting.
1. Have a rollout/rollback plan for everything.  Use QA/UAT rollouts as an opportunity to build up the production deployment checklist.
1. Send a communication to all concerned parties.
1. Have two conference bridges during the rollout - one for the tech team that is doing the rollout and one for the high-level parties who just need the high-level progress report.
# Ongoing Support
1. After going live, someone will request an application change.  You should have a parallel development environment for developing and testing the changes.  You should also have a plan to deploy app changes to production, and to roll them back if there is an unforeseen problem.
1. Roll out changes during the working day, if you can.  Everyone is available and awake.
1. If you are rolling out after hours, follow your deployment checklist.
1. Don't roll out changes at the end of the workday or workweek.
1. Provide IT with a list of log files to monitor, and when to trigger alerts.
1. Use a log consolidation platform, so you can see what is happening across systems during each call.



High-level list of items to consider when deploying an IVR application.  

Contact Center Consulting

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CI Testing with Avaya OD

Your first IVR app