NTR VKM Configuration Guide

Overview

NICE Trading Recording (NTR) is a next-gen IP, voice recording solution. NTR supports all major recording interfaces, such as E1 and IP for PBX platforms like Avaya and Cisco, as well as other telephony vendor, network environment, and organizational structures.

The NTR Vendor Knowledge Module (VKM) provides health and performance monitoring, inventory discovery, CDR collection, and dependency trees for the NTR platform. The VKM provides system monitoring as part of Nectar Foundation and used by the Nectar Call Analysis Module (CAM).

About this Guide

This guide provides the instructions to configure the monitoring and management of the NTR system using the Nectar NTR VKM, a component of Nectar Foundation.

This guide explains how to:

Configure the NTR

Configure the NTR VKM

Configure VKM Options

View Collections

View Inventory

Manage Events

Manage Notifications

NTR VKM and Nectar UCMP

Manage System Configurations

Audience

This guide is intended for system administrators or engineers who have system administration access and technical knowledge of the NTR platform along with a familiarity with deploying Nectar Foundation.

Supported Software Versions

• Nectar UCMP v8.7
• Nice Trading Recorder v6.5

Configure the NTR

Configuring NTR includes the following tasks:

Configure NTR to Send SNMP Traps

Configure Windows Server for SNMP Polling

Configure NTR Database Data Collection

Configure NTR to Send SNMP Traps

For the NTR VKM to monitor alarms, the NTR system must be configured to send SNMP traps to the RIG.

Follow these steps to configure the NTR system:

1. Login to the NTR web interface.

Figure 2-1 NICE Recording

1. Select System Installation in the top menu bar.
2. Configure the trap settings in the SNMP monitoring panel using one of the following.

Note

You may need to maximize the browser for this box to be displayed.

• 
  
  • If the SNMP version is SNMP v1 (all), then add/enter the RIG IP address in the SNMP v1 server address field.

Note

If a system is already receiving the v1 traps, separate the IP addresses using a semicolon.

Figure 2-2 SNMP v1 (All)

• 
  
  • If the SNMP version is SNMP v1 (all) & v2 (error traps), then add/enter the RIG IP address in the SNMP v1 server address field and in the SNMP v2 server address field.

Note

If a system is already receiving the v1 traps, separate the IP addresses using a semicolon.

If a system is already receiving the v2 traps, separate the IP addresses using a semicolon.

1. Click Save Changes.

Figure 2-3 SNMP v1 (All) & v2 (Error Traps)

1. Select System Installation in the top menu bar.

Figure 2-4 NICE Recording

1. Select Settings Per Recorder.
2. Select the core server.
3. Notice the value, such as 10 seconds, in the SNMP Keep Alive Interval field.
4. Click Save Changes.

Configure Windows Server for SNMP Polling

For the NTR VKM to monitor the critical NTR services, the Windows server running NTR must be configured to allow SNMP polling.

Follow these steps to configure the Windows server:

1. Open Windows Services from the Administrative Tools Start menu. The Services window appears.

Figure 2-5 Services

1. Right-click on the SNMP Service and select Properties. The SNMP Service Properties window appears.

1. Click the Security tab.

Figure 2-6 SNMP Service Properties

1. Click Add in the Accepted Community Names box.

The SNMP Service Configuration window appears.

Figure 2-7 SNMP Service Configuration - Community Rights

1. Set the Community Rights to READ ONLY.
2. Configure Community Name.
3. Click Add.

Select Accept SNMP packets from these hosts.

1. Click Add in the Accept SNMP packets from these hosts box. The SNMP Service Configuration window appears.

Figure 2-8 SNMP Service Configuration - IP Address

1. Enter the RIG IP address in the Host name, IP or IPX address field.
2. Click OK.
3. Click the General tab.

Figure 2-9 General Tab

1. Verify the Startup type is set to Automatic.
2. If the Service status is not Started, click Start.
3. Once the service starts, click OK.

Configure NTR Database Data Collection

For the NTR VKM to collect inventory data and auto-discover the NTR servers, an ODBC connection to the NTR database is required.

• The ODBC access must be configured in the MySQL and should be set up with a read only account.
• The database must be configured to listen on an IP address accessible from the network (i.e., it cannot bind to 127.0.0.1).

Configure the NTR VKM

The NTR VKM is designed to monitor the NTR system using alarm information received via the SNMP traps, collect performance data using SNMP GETs, and collect inventory and call data via an ODBC connection to the NTR MySQL database.

The NTR system must be configured to send alerts via SNMP traps to Nectar Foundation. Read only SNMP access must be enabled on the Windows server and the Add NTR System Configuration window.

Configuring NTR VKM includes the following tasks:

Enable the NTR VKM

Add a NTR System Configuration

Enable Data Export

Configure Collections

Run Collections

Upload NTR Files

NTR File Storage

Enable the NTR VKM

Follow these steps to enable the NTR VKM:

1. Navigate to RIG > Module Configuration. The Module Configuration window appears.

Figure 3-1 Activate NTR VKM

1. Select NICE NTR; then click Apply.

Note

Contact Nectar for the proper license.

1. To restart the RIG and apply the changes:
   1. Navigate to RIG > Admin > Restart.
   2. When the following message appears, click Yes.

Figure 3-2 Restart

Note

After you enable this module, NICE > NTR is now a module under the Modules

menu.

Add a NTR System Configuration

Before you can deploy the NTR VKM, you must onboard the NTR system to be monitored by the Nectar Unified Communications Management Platform (UCMP). The NTR system can be one of the following deployments:

Follow these steps to add a NTR system configuration:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

Figure 3-3 NTR Setup - Configuration

1. Right-click in the Configuration pane and select Add.

The Add NTR System Configuration - General windows appears.

Figure 3-4 Add NTR System Configuration - General Tab

1. Enter the following information:

Table 3-1 System Configuration

1. Configure SNMP, if enabled.

Configure Database.

1. Click OK.

Note

For information on editing or removing a system configuration, see Manage System Configurations.

Configure SNMP

The NTR VKM supports polling information via SNMP v1, v2, and v3. Follow these steps to configure SNMP, if enabled:

Note

SNMP is enabled when you select the Use SNMP check box under the General tab.

1. From the Add NTR System Configuration window, click the SNMP tab.

Figure 3-5 Add NTR System Configuration - SNMP Tab

1. Complete the following fields:

Table 3-2 SNMP

Configure Database

Table 3-2 SNMP

The NTR VKM must be able to connect to the NTR Core Server MySQL database using an ODBC connection. The NTR VKM is used by the CAM.

Call records are collected using the ODBC connection to the NTR Core Server MySQL database on the NTR system.

Follow these steps to configure the database:

1. From the Add NTR System Configuration window, click the Database tab.

Figure 3-6 Add NTR System Configuration - Database Tab

1. Complete the following required fields:

Table 3-3 Database

Note

If you fail to populate a required field and you click OK, you will get an error message with the listed fields that need to be completed.

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  1. Enable Data Export

The NTR VKM can export call records and user data and send the data to the CAM server. Follow these steps to enable data export for a selected NTR system, if not already enabled:

Note

Data Export can also be enabled when you add the NTR system configuration and select the Data Export check box under the General tab.

For more information, see Add a NTR System Configuration.

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

Figure 3-7 Enable Data Export

1. Right-click on a NTR system and select Enable Data Export.

Note

The VKM option, exportEnabled, that controls the overall data export on the RIG must also be set to true. (The default is false.) If not, data will not be exported.

For more information, see Configure VKM Options.

When enabled, notice that enabled appears in the Data Export column.

Figure 3-8 Enable Data Export

Note

To disable Data Export, right-click on a NTR system and select Disable Data Export. Notice that disabled appears in the Data Export column.

• 
  
  1. Configure Collections

Follow these steps to configure collections:

Note

When you add or edit the NTR system parameters, the system automatically configures/re-configures the collections without any additional user action.

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

Figure 3-9 Configure Collections

1. Select a NTR system configuration; then right-click and select Configure Collections. The system configures the collections.

Note

This is an underlying process that you cannot view.

• 
  
  1. Run Collections

Follow these steps to run collections:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

Figure 3-10 Run Collections

1. Right-click on a NTR system configuration and select Run Collections.

Note

This is an underlying process that you cannot view.

• 
  
  1. Upload NTR Files

Generated files upload automatically. However, before uploading, you must configure the following VKM parameters:

• Destination Host (uploadHost)
• Port (uploadPort)
• Directory (uploadDestDir)

For more information on configuring VKM options, see Configure VKM Options.

• 
  
  1. NTR File Storage

The NTR VKM generates two types of csv files:

• Call records data
• User data

These files are generated and stored in the following directories, which are created during RIG startup:

cdr/nice

archive/nice

When these files get generated, the data is first stored in the cdr/nice folder until the files are transferred to the destination CAM server. After the files are successfully transferred, they are stored in the archive/nice folder. Any files that remain in the cdr/nice folder did not transfer.

Note

At this time, if a file does not transfer, there is no attempt to re-transfer that file.

cdr folder

Follow these steps to navigate to the cdr/nice folder:

1. Navigate to RIG > File Manager. The File Manager window appears.
2. Locate the cdr folder in the application folder.
3. Locate the nice folder in the cdr folder.
4. View the following example path:

C:\applicationhomedirectory\cdr\nice

1. View a list of csv files in the nice folder, for example:

Figure 3-11 Data Files

archive folder

Follow these steps to navigate to the archive folder:

1. Navigate to RIG > File Manager. The File Manager window appears.
2. Navigate to the folder where the application is installed.
3. Locate the archive folder in the application folder.
4. Locate the nice folder in the archive folder.
5. View the following example path:

C:\applicationhomedirectory\archive\nice

1. View a list of archived files in the nice folder, for example:

Figure 3-12 Archived Files

4.Configure VKM Options

Follow these steps to configure the VKM options for the NTR system:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the VKM Options tab.

The NTR Setup - VKM Options window appears.

Figure 4-1 NTR Setup - VKM Options

1. View a list of the following parameters:

Table 4-1 VKM Options

Table 4-1 VKM Options

1. To change a value, right-click on the VKM option and select Edit:

The Edit VKM Option window appears for that option/parameter.

Figure 4-2 Edit VKM Option

1. Enter the new value for the parameter; then click Update.

The new value appears for the parameter in the VKM Options list.

Note

Generated files upload automatically. However, before uploading, you must configure the following VKM parameters:

• Destination Host (uploadHost)
• Port (uploadPort)
• Directory (uploadDestDir)

Note

If troubleshooting creates a need to disable NTR events, you need to change the handleNtrEvents parameter.

For more information, see Disable Events.

5.View Collections

Follow these steps to view a list of collections for the NTR system:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the Collections tab.

The NTR Setup - Collections window appears.

Figure 5-1 Collections Tab

1. Select a NTR system in the NTR Systems pane.
2. View the Collections for the selected NTR system in the Collections pane.

Figure 5-2 Collections

1. View collection data for the system configuration, such as:

Name

Status

Schedule

Last Execution

Last Execution Duration

1. Right-click on a collection and select one of the following:

Figure 5-3 Collections

Enable a Collection

Disable a Collection

Change a Collection Schedule

Execute a Collection

Enable a Collection

Follow these steps to enable a collection for a particular NTR system:

View Collections.

1. Select the collection you want to enable.
2. Right-click on the collection and select Enable.

The Enabled column for the system changes to true.

Disable a Collection

Follow these steps to disable a collection for a particular NTR system:

View Collections.

1. Select the collection you want to disable.
2. Right-click on the collection and select Disable.

The Enabled column for the system changes to false.

Change a Collection Schedule

Follow these steps to change the collection schedule for a particular NTR system:

View Collections.

1. Select the collection you want to change.
2. Right-click on the collection and select Change Cron String. The Update Cron String window appears.

Figure 5-4 Update Cron String

1. Enter the new collection schedule using a Cron expression.
2. Click OK.

Execute a Collection

Follow these steps to execute a collection:

View Collections.

1. Select the collection you want to execute.
2. Right-click on the collection and select Execute Now.

6.View Inventory

The NTR system uses a database query to determine the IP address and state of each server (Core, Satellite, CTI, and Recording). The results are displayed on the NICE NTR Inventory window under the respective Server tab. Each server that is discovered with this query is also polled and added to the dependency tree. For more information, see NTR VKM and Nectar UCMP.

Note

The frequency of the database query is specified in the VKM Options.

For more information, see Configure VKM Options.

The NTR system also pulls the following data:

• Channels
• License Information
• Locations
• Content Rules
• Users
• Retention Rules
• Targets
• Litigation Hold
• Link Controllers

The results are displayed on the NICE NTR Inventory window under the respective data tab. Follow these steps to view and verify the collected inventory data:

1. Navigate to Reports > Inventory > NICE NTR.

Figure 6-1 Reports > Inventory > NICE NTR

The NICE NTR Inventory window appears.

Figure 6-2 NICE NTR Inventory

1. Select a NTR system in the NTR Systems pane to view data for the selected NTR system in the right pane.

Figure 6-3 Inventory Data

1. Notice the different tabs of data in the right pane.
2. Select a tab, such as Core Servers or Satellite Servers, to view the corresponding data.

Manage Events

This section explains how to:

View Events

Disable Events

View Events

The NTR VKM allows you to view NTR-specific event(s) that are created when the NTR trap is received.

Follow these steps to view NTR-specific events for a Blue Wave director:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the NTR Events tab.

The NTR Setup - Events window appears.

1. View the Events and associated information.

Figure 7-1 Events

1. Right-click on an event and select one of the following:

Figure 7-2 Commands

Disable Events

Table 7-1 Event Commands

If troubleshooting creates a need to disable NTR events, you need to change the

handleNtrEvents parameter.

Follow these steps to disable NTR-specific events:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the VKM Options tab.

The NTR Setup - VKM Options window appears.

1. Locate and select the handleNtrEvents option; then right-click and select Edit. The Edit VKM Option window appears for the option/parameter.
2. Select false using the drop-down; then click Update.

The new value appears for the parameter in the VKM Options list. For more information, see Configure VKM Options.

Manage Notifications

This section explains how to:

Add a Notification

Edit a Notification

Remove a Notification

Add a Notification

Follow these steps to add a notification:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the Notifications tab.
2. Click Add.

The Add Notification Group window appears.

Figure 8-1 Add Notification Group

1. Enter the following information about the new notification; then click OK.

Table 8-1 Parameters

Edit a Notification

Follow these steps to edit a notification:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the Notifications tab.
2. Select an existing notification; then click Edit.

The Update Notification Group window appears.

Figure 8-2 Update Notification Group

1. Make changes to the following parameters, as needed; then click OK:

Recipients

• Filter (Variable, Function, Value, and Is Variable)

Remove a Notification

Follow these steps to remove a notification:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Click the Notifications tab.
2. Select an existing notification; then click Remove.
3. When the following message appears, click Yes to remove the notification.

Figure 8-3 Remove

NTR VKM and Nectar UCMP

After deployment, the NTR VKM creates the following elements:

Dependency Trees

Agents

Pollers

Traps

Events

Dependency Trees

After deployment, the NTR VKM adds a dependency tree for each NTR system. The dependency tree displays all of the poll functions for the system.

Follow these steps to view the dependency tree:

1. Navigate to Configure > Dependency Trees. The Dependency Trees window appears.
2. Select an agent Name in the left pane; then click View to view the dependency tree in the pane to the right.

Figure 9-1 Dependency Tree

Note

You can also double-click on the dependency tree you want.

1. View NTR data based on your system configuration.

Agents

After deployment, the NTR VKM adds an agent for each system. Follow these steps to view the agents:

1. Navigate to Health > Elements. The Elements window appears.

Figure 9-2 Elements

1. Click on Agents.
2. View a list of agents.

For each NTR system, you should have an agent.

Note

You can add an agent(s). For more information, see RIG Administration Guide.

Pollers

Follow these steps to view pollers for the agent:

1. View Agents.
2. Click on an agent and view the poller functions:

Figure 9-3 Poller Functions

Traps

Follow these steps to view the traps for the agent:

1. View Agents.
2. Click on an agent.
3. Click Trap Groups to view the trap groups created for the agent.

Events

Figure 9-4 Trap Groups

You can view any events reported for the NTR systems. Follow these steps to view the events:

1. Navigate to Health > Events. The Events window appears.
2. View a list of events in the Current Events pane.

Figure 9-5 Events

1. Select an event; then right-click and select View Event.

The View Event pane appears with the event details.

Figure 9-6 View Event

Manage System Configurations

Managing system configurations also includes the following tasks:

Edit a System Configuration

Remove a System Configuration

Note

For information on adding a system configuration, see Add a NTR System Configuration.

Edit a System Configuration

Follow these steps to edit a NTR system configuration:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Select a system configuration you want to change; then right-click and select Edit. The Edit NTR System Configuration window appears.

Figure A-7 Edit NTR System Configuration

1. Make changes, as needed.
2. Click OK.

Remove a System Configuration

Follow these steps to remove a system configuration:

1. Navigate to Modules > NICE > NTR.

The NTR Setup - Configuration window appears.

1. Right-click on the system configuration you want to remove and select Remove. The Removal Confirmation window appears.

1. Click Yes.

Figure A-8 Removal Confirmation

The system configuration is removed.