Tariscope 4.x. Administrator's guide
Chapter 3. Tariscope configuration
The Tariscope configuration can be implemented in a number of programs that are included in the Tariscope system. In depending on your configuration of Tariscope, the configuration may be limited by one computer or be implemented on several computers. After the installation and the initial start, Tariscope automatically starts Initial configuration wizard.
3.1 Initial configuration wizard
The Tariscope Initial configuration wizard provides a basic configuration of the system, facilitating and accelerating this process.
The wizard allows to configure:
- Country and area codes.
- Telecommunications node name (company name).
- VAT percent.
- Main currency.
- Currency profile and a service for automatic update of currency rates.
- Telecommunications equipment type.
- Advanced settings of telecommunications equipment.
- Long distance dialing and international dialing prefixes.
- The data source through which the data will be collected (a serial port, TCP server/client, FTP server/client, etc.), and its parameters.
- Service provider, through which telephone system is connected to the telephone network (PSTN).
- Access code to PSTN.
- The internal numbering plan.
- Prefixes.
- Parameters of Flow collector if Tariscope works with a router, access server, etc.
- Import of subscribers' (customers') parameters.
- Parameters of the database backup, archiving and optimizing.
In addition, the wizard allows to activate your Tariscope license.
After completing the initial configuration, if necessary the Tariscope administrator can change these settings at any time or configure the new parameters that are not available in the wizard. For this purpose you can use one of the programs:
- Tariscope (Service menu → Tariscope Management),
- Tariscope Management,
- Tariscope Web administration.
Start
The Tariscope initial configuration wizard is automatically started after installation and initial startup of the Tariscope program (Figure 3.1.1). In the Tariscope Management program the wizard is not available. The administrator can omit any of the steps of the wizard and continue a configuration of these parameters at any later time, or opt out of this configuration.
Figure 3.1.1
The first window of wizard is an information window.
After acquaintance with contents of the first window, click Next.
Configuration steps
Step 1. Activation of Tariscope
The first step offers to activate Tariscope (Figure 3.1.2).
Figure 3.1.2
If you are just testing Tariscope, click Activate later (use trial key). As a result, you pass on to the next step of the configuration.
If you purchased Tariscope, click Activate now. Tariscope Activation Wizard appears as it is described in the Activation article. Follow the steps considered in the article, and then go to the next configuration step.
Step 2. Input of country and area codes
The Location settings window appears (Figure 3.1.3). It allows to point out a location of telecommunications equipment (PBX or telephone exchange).
Figure 3.1.3
Settings of this windows are used for proper recognition of local, long distance and international calls.
In the Country code list, select a desired item.
In the Region code list, select on a desired item.
In the Company name box, type a company name or any other name. This name will be used as name of telecommunications node.
The listed above parameters can be changed later in the All nodes page of the Tariscope Management program or in the Tariscope Management -> All node page of the Tariscope program.
You can type percent of VAT in the VAT percent box, which can be used when you create reports on the cost of calls.
In the future, this parameter can be changed in the System variables page of the Tariscope Management program or in the Tariscope Management -> System variables page of the Tariscope program.
Click Next.
Step 3. Currency settings
The next window of the wizard lets you specify a main currency of the system. The currency will be used to calculate the cost of services (Figure 3.1.4).
Figure 3.1.4
Not always you should choose as the main currency that is used in the settlements for communications services. For example, in Uzbekistan, rates of the Beeline service provider are set in U.S. dollars, and a payment is made in Uzbek sum defined on the currency rate of the payment day. Therefore, if you set as the main currency - Uzbek sum, each call will be immediately calculated in Uzbek sums corresponding to the current rate. As a result, charges of the provider will not coincide with the data of Tariscope, since the provider calculates the total amount at the rate of the payment day. Therefore, in this case would be to choose as the main currency, U.S. dollar, and the recalculation to carry out in the Uzbek sums by the Tariscope report on the payment day.
There is another example. Let's consider the rates of Ukrtelecom (Ukrainian service provider). It has local and long distance rates are given in UAH (hryvnia), and international calls - in U.S. dollars, which are converted into hryvnia at the current rate on the date of the call. In this case, the correct choice of the main currency is the hryvnia. But for this provider you must daily type the rate of the current U.S. dollar to hryvnia in Tariscope. This input is possible, either manually or automatically using the Tariscope Tasks mode.
You can use a search to quickly find a currency. In the Search box, type either a currency code, or its name, or name of your country. Any of these options allows to quickly find the required currency.
When there are rates, for example, for the international calls, which are given in different currencies than the main currency, and it should be converted into the main currency at the current rate of the currency, check the Automatically update currency rates check box and select the appropriate profile. With this choice, the Tariscope Tasks mode will be daily automatically executed the task to update the currency rate.
Currently profiles are available for Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and Kazakhstan:
- UA-NBU — currency rates in relation to the UAH according to the National Bank of Ukraine.
- UA-PIB — currency rates in relation to the UAH according to the Prominvestbank of Ukraine.
- GE-NBG — currency rates in relation to the GEL according to the National Bank of Georgia.
- RU-CBR — currency rates in relation to the RUB according to the Central Bank of Russian Federation.
- KZ-NB - currency rates in relation to the KZT according to the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
If the profile for your country is absent, do not check this box. You can contact SoftPI support for help to create a currency profile.
You can change the main currency in the Currency rates mode of the Tariscope Management program or in the Tariscope Management -> Currency rates mode of the Tariscope program. In this mode you can also perform a manual input of currency rates. To automatically update currency rates, use the corresponding task in the Tariscope Tasks mode.
Click Next.
Step 4. Choice of telephone system type
The next window (Figure 3.1.5) allows to set a telephone system (PBX or telephone exchange) type.
Figure 3.1.5
A choice of the telephone system type affects on the correctness of processing call information. When the choice is wrong, the processing of call information will not be executed or it will be executed with mistakes.
The choice of the desired type of telephone system is executed in the Equipment type box.
To install a specific type, click on the "..." button. The Choose equipment type window opens as shown in Figure 3.1.6.
Figure 3.1.6
Select the equipment type from the list, either directly or through a search box. After this choice, a telephone system name will be displayed in the Equipment type box of the window shown in Figure 3.1.5.
It is possible to specify additional parameters for some telephone systems. In this case, the Advanced settings link becomes active (Figure 3.1.5). If the link is active, click on it. As a result, the CDR configuration window appears. It is specific one for each type of telephone system. The example of the window for Cisco Unified Communications Manager is show in Figure 3.1.7.
Figure 3.1.7
If necessary, select the desired parameters in this configuration window.
If you do not know exactly the type of your telephone system, Tariscope can determine it himself in most cases.
Leave the Auto value in the Equipment type box. In this case Tariscope automatically determines the type of telephone system when it will process CDR. But for a number of PBXs (Alcatel OmniPCX Office, Aura, S8800, S8700, S8500, S8400, S8300, Definity) due to the fact that they have a custom CDR format it cannot be used the automatic recognition.
Then, in the Equipment configuration window (Figure 3.1.5), specify a long distance dialing prefix (the National code box) and international dialing prefix (the International code box). This information affects the correctness of the detection of the long-distance and international calls.
In the future you can change the type of telephone system and use the long distance and international prefixes in the following mode: All nodes → required node → Equipment → specific equipment.
Click Next.
Step 5. Choice of a data source
The Call Detail Recording data source window appears (Figure 3.1.8).
Select a source of information which is used to collect information about calls.
Configure parameters of the data source.
To define which a data source is used in your telephone system, see the documentation on your telephone system. Improper selection or improper configuration of source parameters will not allow receiving information from the telephone system.
Figure 3.1.8
You can find a detailed description of all parameters for each type of data source in the Tariscope documentation or articles of the site.
As a result of the data source choice and assignment of its parameters, the profile will be created, which will be displayed in the Data collection/CDR Observer mode of Tariscope or Tariscope Management programs. At the same time the appropriate Windows service will be started.
To make further changes to the data source profile, select the Data collection/CDR Observer mode in Tariscope or Tariscope Management programs. Profile will be named: "name_equipment type", where "name" takes the value entered in the Company name box in Figure 4.1.3, and "equipment type" takes name from the corresponding item in Figure 3.1.5. Click on the Stop Service link, the Configure link will become active. Click on this link and make the the desired changes.
Click Next.
Step 6. Scripts
The Wizard window will be as shown in Figure 3.1.9.
Figure 3.1.9
The Scripts window allows you to enable the performance of certain scripts when one of the following events occur:
- Exceeding the set limit for a subscriber if the Tariscope license contains the restriction feature of "Subscribers only";
- A subscriber made a call the cost of which is more than a predetermined value;
- The onset of a predetermined time.
If there are not events that you are interested in, click Next.
To enable a script to change a subscriber access to the PSTN, select the Enable subscribers restrictions check box. The restriction feature has several options. This setting is applied only for the case of "Subscribers only". For complete configuration of the restriction feature after the Tariscope initial configuration, you should set specific restrictions for each subscribers.
To fully set the restriction feature after the Initial configuration, you should configure the restriction classes and set limits for subscribers.
If you want the system automatically sends an e-mail notification for each call with cost over a specific value, select the Send email to administrator after every too expensive call more then check box and type the maximum cost value of such calls. In the case, when the call data is processed in the off-line mode, do not use this setting.
Tariscope can perform one of the following actions:
- to reconnect the data source,
- to send limits warning (50, 75, 90% of limit). (This item is actual only if you have the license with the restriction feature),
- to send character CR to keep alive the connection with PBX.
Select the Periodical script check box. The period of performance of such script is 5 minutes.
Click Next.
Step 7. Choice a provider and rate
The Wizard window will be as shown in Figure 3.1.10.
Figure 3.1.10
The Provider and rates window is intended to select a telecommunications service provider through which your telephone system is connected to the PSTN, if the parameters of this provider are present in Tariscope. The selected provider is associated with all routes (groups of lines), which the telephone system has. As a result, all calls are made through the telephone system, will be charged at rates of the selected provider. If your telephone system has several routes that are connected to different providers using different rates, then you can either pass through this configuration step or after the initial configuration you should correct parameters of routes.
The list of providers that are included in the installation package is shown in the window. In addition to them there are a number of providers that can be imported from the SoftPI Web-site. To get the list of providers, click on the Import online link. This list is shown in Figure 3.1.11.
Figure 3.1.11
We recommend to select the General codes item which contains telephone area codes in English. Then you must configure rates as described in the documentation.
If necessary, in the Access code (general prefix) box, type an access code to a route, which is used in CDR (SMDR) in the dialed phone number.
For further adjustment of providers' parameters, use the Providers and rates mode.
To link a specific route of your telephone system with a service provider and change an access code to the route, select the All nodes mode → specific node → Equipment items→ specific equipment → Routes and gateways.
Click Next.
Step 8. Internal numbering plan
The Internal extensions window allows to set an internal numbering plan (Figure 3.1.12).
Figure 3.1.12
This setting can be useful when you must manually enter the large number of extensions in the Tariscope database, as well as you have telephone systems in which the definition of extension is difficult without a numbering plan. These are such telephone systems:
- Asterisk,
- Cisco IOS VoIP (CallManager Express - CME),
- Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM),
- Microsoft IAS,
- Elcom.
By default, it is assumed that the extensions can range from 100 to 9999.
To change this numbering plan, clear the Default range (100-9999) check box. Click Add, the Numbering plan window appears as shown in Figure 3.1.13.
Figure 3.1.13
In the Name box, type the name of a numbering plan.
From the Type list, select the Phone Numbers item.
In the From box, type a telephone number from which the numbering range begins.
In the To box, type a telephone number which the numbering range ends.
Click OK.
If necessary, repeat the procedure.
To change the numbering plan in the future, use All nodes mode → specific node → Equipment items → specific equipment → Numbering plan.
After input, click Next in the window as shown in Figure 3.1.12.
Step 9. Configuration of prefixes
The Prefixes window (Figure 3.1.14) is used to change a prefix in dialed numbers for outgoing calls or telephone numbers of calling party for incoming calls.
Figure 3.1.14
If you do not use prefixes, click Next and go to the next Wizard window.
To specify a prefix, clear the Default prefixes check box and click Add. The Prefix window appears as shown in Figure 3.1.15.
Figure 3.1.15
In the Name box, type a rule name to change prefixes. This is an information field.
In the Code box, type a code (prefix) which you want to change on another code.
If you wish to use this rule to group of prefixes, which have different digits in the same position, select the Prefix code is mask check box. In this case, in the Replace to box, you should type the underscore character ("_") in the required position.
When the rule should apply only to a certain length of phone number, select the Number length check box and specify its length.
If you want to change phone numbers in the Tariscope database after the application of the prefix rule, select the Save changed number check box.
In the Replace to box, type a value of prefix, which should replace the beginning of a phone number.
If you wish to rate calls that contain this prefix using specific rates, select a telecom provider name from the Operator list, which provides such rates.
The prefixes can be set to dialed numbers or telephone numbers of calling party from which incoming calls were made. Depending on which type of phone numbers you want to use a prefix, in the Direction list, select: Outgoing or Incoming.
The Active from and To boxes allow you to specify a valid period of the prefix rule.
To change the prefixes in the future, use the All nodes mode → specific node → Equipment items → specific equipment → Prefixes.
Click Next.
Step 10. Settings for IP traffic collection
The next Wizard window is the IP traffic collection one. It is shown in Figure 3.1.16.
Figure 3.1.16
If you do not use Tariscope to collect data about IP traffic, skip this Wizard window. To collect IP traffic using NetFlow, IPFIX, rFlow or cFlow, select the Collect IP traffic check box, and click Add.
In a new window that appears, type the IP address of the telecommunications device from which you will receive a traffic data flow.
By default, the flow collector, which is a part of Tariscope, has the IP port: 2055. If necessary, you can change it.
By default, the Aggregate by networks check box has selected that reduces the load on the SQL server and significantly reduce the amount of stored data. The list of IP networks you should adjust after the completion of the wizard.
To change the settings of the Flow collector you should select the Collector NetFlow/IPFIX/rFlow mode → Configure link.
Click Next.
Step 11. Import of subscribers' data
The Subscribers window allows to import subscribers' data (Figure 3.1.17).
Tariscope supports several different options of the customer (subscriber) data entry. In the wizard you can enter the data only in automatic modes:
- Import from file. The subscriber data are imported from files of the following formats: Microsoft Excel, Excel 2007, Access, Access 2007, CSV, TabText, dBase.
- Import from Active Directory. The subscriber data are imported from Microsoft Active Directory or LDAP catalog.
- Automatically create subscribers. The subscriber data are created in the time of processing of CDR data. A subscriber has name the same as his phone number with 'a' prefix.
Figure 3.1.17
Select the desired option and import the subscriber data.
If you wish to input the subscriber data into the Tariscope database later, select the I will add subscribers later option.
Step 12. SMTP configuration
The next Wizard window (Figure 3.1.18) allows to specify notifications about events in the Tariscope system.
The window provides a choice: to specify parameters of notifications for the Tariscope administrator about the system events or to skip this configuration.
Figure 3.1.18
Select the Open SMNP configuration dialog option, if on the sixth step of the configuration you have selected item requiring notifications.
In case you selected the Open SMNP configuration dialog option, the Mailing configuration window appears, which is used to configure notifications about Tariscope events (Figure 3.1.19).
Figure 3.1.19
In the SMTP Server box, type a domain name or IP address of SMTP server.
In the Port box, type a IP port which is used by the SMTP server. By default: 25.
If the authentication is required to connect to the SMTP server, select the SMTP server requires authentication check box.
In the User and Password boxes, type a user name and password that will be used to authenticate to the mail server.
In the Sender partition, in the Email Address box, type an email address from which will be executed sending emails.
In the Name box, type a user name from whose name will be executed sending emails.
In the Message partition type the folowing information:
- in the Default address box, type an email address on which messages will be sent;
- in the Subject box, type a subject of the message. By default: Tariscope;
- in the Message template box, type a specific part of the message, which will display in the beginning of the message. A position of message is specified by the template {0}.
To verify the settings, click Test.
You can change the configuration of email parameters in the Notifications and mailing configuration page.
Step 13. Configuration of maintenance
The final configuration step is a configuration of data of the system maintenance (Figure 3.1.20).
The window allows to set the procedures of database backup, archiving and optimization of the database. All these processes can be performed automatically on a predetermined schedule when using the Tariscope Tasks configuration page.
Figure 3.1.20
To use the Tariscope Tasks mode, select the Enable Tariscope Tasks service check box.
To automatically run the backup, select the Database backup every check box and select a period from the list, after which the backup will be created.
To automatically delete calls more than one year from the database, select the Monthly cleanup of too old calls (older then 1 year) check box.
To automatically perform the database optimization, select the Monthly database optimization and maintenance check box.
In the future, to change the settings, select Tariscope Tasks → Tariscope Tasks → the required task. You can also create other periodic tasks.
At this the initial configuration is completed.
