Below follows a brief summary, grouped by manufacturer, of some of the E911 applications currently available:
CISCO: The E911 application for Cisco’s Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is Cisco Emergency Responder (CER). The CER application and server are optional and are therefore priced separately. CER can be set up for redundancy with a Primary and Secondary failover server. Multiple methods can be used to keep track of phone locations in relation to the enterprise data network, including defining "zones" (ERLs) by subnets (this is the required method for supporting wireless phones), by LAN switches, or down to the LAN switch port level. As with all manufacturers, this mapping requires a one-time setup of the application database to correlate the LAN topology with the ERL "zones" that will be used. Phones that are moved and reconnected to the network use Cisco Discovery Protocol to announce device type ("IP phone") and connection location on the network (enterprise location)--CER automatically re-assigns the proper ELIN for the user should they need to make a 911 call. If CER is unavailable or unreachable from CUCM, 911 calls are processed through the appropriate (ideally "local") gateway, and default trunk information will be passed. E911 for soft phones (Cisco IP Communicator) is supported as long as they are connected to the enterprise network. CER supports real-time notification to key users that a 911 call was placed within the enterprise; however, support for some specialized features such as silent monitoring of an in-progress 911 call is not supported at this time.
AVAYA: The E911 application for Avaya’s Communications Manager 5.0 is embedded in the generic software and is simply referred to as Enhanced 911. There is no separate server or application to purchase to activate this functionality--defining ELINs and mapping the data network is done within Communications Manager. Depending upon the level of granularity, desired network regions can be defined based on subnets, switches, or down to the (switch) port level. Since the E911 functionality resides within Communications Manager, there are no ramifications associated with a separate server/application failing. Avaya supports real-time notification of specific users that a 911 call was made within the enterprise ("Crisis Alert") and can provide the capability of monitoring and even recording the call. When "zones" are used and DID users are assigned a pseudo-ANI to tie them to their PS-ALI database record, Avaya can present the PSAP with either the pseudo-ANI or the user’s true ANI. For more demanding applications where wireless mobility is being used (e.g., Avaya’s One-X), Avaya will bring in the E911 solution offered through the third party provider RedSky.
NORTEL: The base E911 functionality for the Nortel CS1000 is embedded in the generic software and is called Emergency Services Access (ESA). If the enterprise is able to define ELINs according to their subnets, no further application is required besides the carrier's PS-ALI service for full functionality. If the enterprise needs the flexibility to define ELINs according to the LAN switch ports used, then it requires the use of a third party provider: eTelemetry's "Locate911" application. Locate911 runs on a Linux appliance which has maps, a database of all LAN switches and the addresses to be used for all port assignments. Locate911 continually monitors the network to track the location of IP phones on the network and ensure that the proper information is passed to the CS1000. Locate911 is used as a means to "see" the data network and track IP phones; it does not impact the ability of the CS1000 to process a 911 call and therefore does not pose a point of failure. ESA is capable of recognizing a PSAP callback on a 911 hang up (configurable from 5 to 1,440 minutes of when the call was made), and if the call is not answered on the ELIN DID, it will hunt the call to ring the actual DID of the user who called 911. Real time notification of a 911 call is supported (one user notification license is supported at no additional cost), and custom descriptor information is passed to the notified party.
MITEL: Basic E911 functionality exists in the Mitel 3300 ICP's generic software, but the advanced capabilities are delivered as part of Emergency Response Advisor (ER Advisor) which runs on a separate server. ER Advisor maps the data network and keeps track of Layer 2 addresses on the LAN switches and correlates them to CESIDs which are then correlated in the PS-ALI service.
NEC: Basic E911 functionality exists in the generic software for the NEC SV 8300 and SV 8500, but the advanced capabilities warrant the use of third party Amcom’s "Enterprise Alert." Enterprise Alert runs on a separate application server plus a server that acts as a VoIP tracking gateway that can track the movement of the VoIP enabled terminals within the LAN and supports up to 100 SNMP-enabled LAN switches on a single server (more than 100 LAN switches will require additional servers). If the Enterprise Alert application were to fail, 911 calls would still be processed but would do so using default trunk information; a redundant server option is available. Real time notification of 911 calls is available.
SIEMENS: The E911 application for Siemens' OpenScape Voice Application (HiPath 8000) is embedded in the generic software and is generally referred to as the "E911 Tables." Since this application is embedded, there is no separate server and there is no additional cost for the E911 functionality. Since there is no dependency on a separate application server, E911 performance is directly tied to the resiliency of the 8000 and the remote gateways in the enterprise network. Siemens uses subnets as the method to track "zones" and correlate users within the enterprise with their ELIN. Siemens does not support real time notification to specific users that a 911 call was placed within the enterprise; this functionality would require the use of a third party E911 application.
SHORETEL: ShoreTel's Unified Communications Solution contains basic E911 functionality embedded in the generic software, but for larger and more demanding E911 requirements, ShoreTel recommends third-party 911 Enable Emergency Routing Service (ERS) by ConneXon Telecom. 911 Enable offers both a CPE-based approach and a hosted service approach. The CPE solution requires a separate server to run the 911 Enable application while the hosted approach requires a trunk connection to 911 Enable's NOC, which hosts the ERS application and connections to the public 911 network. ERS can accommodate setting up Emergency Response Location "zones" according to existing subnets, switches, or on a switched port-by-port basis. Redundancy can be built into either the hosted approach (multiple trunk connections) or the CPE approach (redundant servers). Based on how the application is set up, the user’s ANI or their ELIN can be passed to the PSAP.
3COM: 3Com's VCX platform (Connect 100/200, V7000 Enterprise, and Unified Communications on IBM System i) is paired by 3Com with third party provider ConneXon Telecom's 911 Enable product. 911 Enable runs on a separate server and will accommodate the use of Emergency Response Location "zones" by subnet, switch assignments, or down to a switch port basis.
AASTRA: Clearspan, Aastra's SIP-based solution based on software from Broadsoft (Broadworks carrier grade call control system), is paired with their redundant Location Information Server application ("LIS" server) to provide full E911 capability. The LIS server allows Emergency Response Zones to be defined according to subnets while a later release is planned to allow for definitions down to Layer 2 (switch ports). In addition, Aastra phones support Link Layer Discovery Protocol-Media Endpoint Discovery. Aastra supports notification (including email messaging to security personnel) active or passive bridging to a Security Desk of in-progress calls.
Third Party Providers: It should also be noted that a number of specialized third party application providers focus on the E911 space and some of these are the preferred third party providers to the major telephone system manufacturers listed above. Some of these include:
* 911 Enable
* 911 ETC
* Amcom
* eTelemetry
* Red Sky
A review of their product offerings reveals standard E911 applications plus advanced, specialized feature sets for organizations that have specific and demanding E911 requirements.
