Alcatel-Lucent's IP-PBX management offering is called the Alcatel OmniVista 4760. It is a modular suite that runs in client-server configuration on a server running Windows XP or Windows 2003 Server. The applications are accessible through a Web browser or a Java client.
For enterprises with more than 500 users on their PBX, Alcatel-Lucent recommends using Windows 2003 Server. Additionally, if you have a very large installation, the product's Accounting portion can be split off onto a separate server.
It's all secured via SSL, SSH and Secure FTP. You can encrypt and protect everything you're managing. The system as a whole can support up to 400 nodes or 50,000 users. You can log-in and manage multiple nodes at the same time. A nice feature allows views to be customized by the administrators. Any changes made are highlighted in an icon until they are actually applied and saved.
The OmniVista 4760 is divided into several application modules including: LDAP Directory, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Network Topology and Alarm Notification. In general, we found the product to be very straightforward, intuitive and simple to use.
LDAP Directory
The LDAP Directory module is used for configuring all the LDAP directories, such as the OmniPCX database LDAP directory. If a company has multiple buildings on the same campus and separate PBXs, these devices can be configured to communicate, to update and replicate each other's directories.
Because this is a full LDAP directory, confidentiality levels can be configured to protect the users’ information from anyone else. Since the application is Web based, it can be accessed from any browser or from any network workstation via a directory client.
Configuration
This module presents network managers with a graphical interface for all network objects. This is the place where moves, adds and changes are handled. We were able to do bulk edits, cut-and-paste users, and import/export with a Microsoft Excel file. The visual representations of the phones and button assignments were nice. It also allows the assignment of users and MAC addresses. The system pushes down a template with button mapping and extensions. One of the nicest features of the Alcatel system is that profiles can be created that can be used to manage multiple phone types. The setup must be done carefully, but if templates are properly configured and create a hierarchy, high-end phones with numerous buttons are automatically set-up with all the features; while those devices with fewer buttons are mapped to the best of the Configuration module's capability. This is a new feature that can be a time and resource saver.
Also, when administrators log in they can see the state of individual phones, such as if they are locked or unlocked, and change those states. The configuration tool, which matches its interface to the platform being managed, can configure media gateways and translations management. The module allows class-of-service control, allowing the manager to restrict employee telephony rights (such as the ability to dial internationally). You can also set up phone attendants and configure groups. The module provides some rudimentary call-center functionality, including the ability to create circular, sequential and parallel hunt groups.
In the Configuration module, administrators can configure tenanting so that various groups of tenants sharing a divided PBX can manage their portions of the phone system. The system can support up to 1,000 tenants and about 30 domains.
Accounting
This call-monitoring module pools all the call detail records (CDR) and serves as the place where you can apply imported carrier tariffs (i.e., the calling fees charged by the telephone companies).
We liked the cost calculator capability of the application, which matches the company's CDRs to imported tariff sheets. This will show potential savings by switching providers. These comparisons are presented in easy-to-read graphics, and the application provides reports in a number of formats that can be e-mailed.
Performance
The Performance module is an analysis tool for service quality of various parts of the network. It provides managers with detailed information pertaining to network response time, VoIP traffic and quality and other areas. The module includes templates that can be used to generate reports which can be scheduled by the administrator.
Network Topology
This module provides a nice, graphical view of the network. We found it easy to overlay alarm information for various PBX sites. When a red alarm showed up, we could drill down to the problematic component. A nice feature is the way the application allows you to import your own background images. For example, you can import a map of the country that will graphically show trunks and other network segments. The topology map is animated in real time, and clicking on the represented objects launches the Configuration module.
Alarm Notification
Five levels of color-coded alarms are provided. You can drill down on them to configure the component that caused the alarm, and you can add notes to various alarms. If there's one alarm you periodically get – say, for example, that traffic flooding regularly occurs in one site and triggers identical alarms -- you can note that recurring tendency in the alarm. There is no expert analysis function, but we liked the way the screen updates automatically when new alarms are generated. In the lab, we caused faults and watched as they appeared almost instantly on the screen. Audio alerts are also available.
Other Tools
The OmniVista 4760 has a reporting function that is broken into six pre-defined areas: Accounting, traffic analysis, thresholds, VoIP, alarms and templates (custom templates for reports). It's an Alcatel-developed reporting engine, not Crystal Reports. You can schedule them to be written, sent to a printer, e-mail, text file, Excel file, XML file or PDF.
There is also a scheduler that shows green if a job was successful and red if it wasn’t. Additionally, a maintenance tasks tool takes care of software and firmware upgrades and does basic maintenance tasks such as defrags and backups.
