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Cytracom UCaaS: What is Voice Continuity?

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Ronald Tadoum

Topic

This article discusses voice continuity in Cytracom UCaaS.

Environment

  • Cytracom UCaaS

Description

Voice Continuity (VC) allows users with PBX access the ability to set up a backup and recovery plan to keep voice up and running. Chosen devices are actively monitored, and a predefined recovery plan is automatically triggered in the event of a failure. 

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The Components of a VC Policy

  • Devices to be monitored
  • Failure and optional warning alert thresholds
  • Failover actions
  • Recipients for alerts when thresholds are met

VC Policy Modes

  • Monitoring: the policy is enabled and actively monitoring devices
  • Disabled: the policy is set up, but not turned on
  • Failover Mode: the policy is rerouting incoming calls according to the failover actions in place because the Failure Trigger Threshold has been met

Note: Failover actions can use all call routing options found in the PBX.

When a Business Might Need a VC Policy

  • One office goes offline, so then an office at another location can answer those calls
  • An office goes offline and calls automatically go to a cell phone
  • Failover to a group of cell phones using Find Me

Set Up and Enable a VC Policy

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net and log in
  • Click on PBX
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • Click +New
  • Name the policy, i.e. Chicago Office
  • Select the devices to be monitored
  • Click to enable Auto Restore to automatically return to normal call routing when the disruption is over
  • Click and slide the Warning Alert Threshold bar to the desired number of failed devices to trigger an alert to the Notify Me list - this is optional 
  • Click and slide the Failover Trigger Threshold bar to the desired number of failed devices to trigger the Failover Actions. A notification will be sent to the Notify Me list
  • Key in the Notify Me email address and/or phone number of those to get notifications 
  • Click enter after each recipient and add as many as desired one at a time pressing enter after each entry
  • Click +Add to insert a blank failover action
  • Select the phone number from the dropdown list that needs this policy applied
  • Select the desired route from the dropdowns. This is where the calls will be routed during a failover for that phone number
  • If desired, click +Add to insert additional failover actions for other phone numbers
  • Click Submit
  • The new policy will now be shown as Monitoring

 

Note: Leave the Warning Alert Threshold at zero if no Warning Alert Messages are desired. Likewise, the Failover Trigger Threshold can be left at zero if no Failover Actions are desired - in this case, only Warning Alert Messages will be sent.

Review of Existing VC Policies

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net
  • Click on the PBX tab
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • The VC policies will be listed along with their current mode - Monitoring, Disabled, or Failover 
  • Click the edit icon on the VC policy to view details
  • If changes are made, click Submit

Note: VC policies currently in failover mode cannot be edited. In order to edit these, first recover the policy.

review.png

Disable a VC Policy

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net
  • Click on the PBX tab
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • The VC policies will be listed along with their current mode - Monitoring, Disabled, or Failover 
  • Click the edit icon on the VC policy to be disabled
  • Click the Disable Now button and it is immediately disabled
  • Click Voice Continuity in the menu at the top of the page to return to the VC policy list
  • This policy will now show a disabled status

disabling.png

Enable a VC Policy

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net
  • Click on the PBX tab
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • The VC policies will be listed along with their current mode - Monitoring, Disabled, or Failover 
  • Click the edit icon on the VC policy to be enabled
  • Click the Enable Now button and the policy is now enabled
  • Click Voice Continuity in the menu at the top of the page to return to the VC policy list
  • This policy will now show an enabled status

enabling.png

Manually Restore a VC Policy

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net
  • Click on the PBX tab
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • The VC policies will be listed along with their current mode - Monitoring, Disabled, or Failover 
  • Click the edit icon on the VC policy to be restored
  • Click the Restore Now button and now the status is disabled
  • Click Voice Continuity in the menu at the top of the page to return to the VC policy list
  • The VC policy will now show a disabled status

restore.png 

Note: The restored VC policy defaults to the disabled status. To enable again, simply click the Enable Now button.

Delete a VC Policy

  • Go to secure.cytracom.net
  • Click on the PBX tab
  • Expand the menu bar by clicking on the +
  • Click on Voice Continuity
  • The VC policies will be listed along with their current mode - Monitoring, Disabled, or Failover 
  • Click the delete icon on the row of the VC policy to be deleted

delete.png

Note: VC policies currently in failover mode cannot be deleted. In order to delete these, first recover the policy, and then follow the instructions to delete.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

  • The failover routing will go into effect after approximately 6 minutes of monitoring a disruption in service to limit the risk of unnecessary failovers
  • Multiple VC policies can be made, however a phone number (DID) may only be added to one VC policy at a time
  • Extensions only registered to a softphone, when unavailable, could trigger a policy i.e. airplane mode, rebooting, closing the softphone application
  • Conversely, having another device registered when a disruption occurs, could prevent a VC policy from failing over
  • Call routing cannot be edited on a phone number (DID) that is currently in failover mode

Note: Click here for a Voice Continuity Demo video

Still have questions? Click here to learn how to contact Cytracom Technical Support or open a ticket.

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