Cisco TAPI integration
MiaRec call recording software uses Cisco TAPI interface in conjunction with Cisco SIP trunk-based active recording (Built-in-Bridge) to retrieve additional call metadata about recordings.
MiaRec uses Cisco TAPI interface for the following tasks:
Retrieve the the remote party phone number/name on Cisco UCM before version 8.5.1.
On older versions of Cisco UCM SIP trunk-based recording (Built-in-Bridge) doesn't pass the remote party phone number over SIP channel to the recorder. TAPI interface is used to retrieve such missing call information. On newer version of CUCM (starting from v.8.5.1) the remote party info is sent to the recorder over SIP channel and TAPI interface is not necessary for this case.
Retrieve Cisco partition information.
The partition information is required in rare scenarios when different branches have overlapping extensions. For example, the same extension 123 is used in multiple remote offices. The partition information is used to identify user uniquely.
Retrieve accurate call direction for recordings.
Due to limitation of Cisco SIP Trunk-based recording (Built-in-bridge), a call direction is not passed by CUCM to the recorder. MiaRec application can determine call direction automatically based on knowledge of near-end and far-end refci values. In some call scenarios such detection is not accurate. As a result incoming calls may be displayed in recorder as outgoing or vice versa. If your Cisco system suffers from such issue and call direction is critical, then TAPI interface allows to determine call direction accurately.
Automatically play recording announcement for any call scenarios, including inbound and outbound.
Usually, a recording announcement is implemented for inbound call scenarios only. With MiaRec it is possible to play automatically recording announcement for outbound call scenarios as well.
Limitations
TAPI is supported in Windows version only. An alternative cross-platform JTAPI interface is in our roadmap.
MiaRec supports TAPI integration with Cisco UCM in conjunction with active recording (Built-in-Bridge) method only. Passive recording method (port mirroring) does not integrate with TAPI.
The maximum number of CTI-controlled devices per node varies by server class. As an example:
- MCS-7825 and MCS-7835 servers support up to 800 CTI-controlled devices per node.
- MCS-7845 servers support up to 2500 CTI-controlled devices per node.
CTIManager provides two advanced, clusterwide service parameters that are used in conjunction with the CTI Super Provider capability:
Maximum Devices Per Provider - This parameter specifies the maximum number of devices that a single CTI application can open. The default specifies 2000 devices.
Maximum Devices Per Node - This parameter specifies the maximum number of devices that all CTI applications can open on any CTIManager node in the Cisco Unified Communications Manager system. The default specifies 800 devices.
Configuration
Configuration of Cisco TAPI integration consists of the following steps:
Create TAPI user in Cisco UCM Admin portal.
Install and configure Cisco TAPI TSP driver on machine, where MiaRec software is running
Verify Cisco TAPI driver configuration
Enable Cisco TAPI interface in MiaRec configuration
Add TAPI user for MiaRec application
You must first create the application user who is capable of monitoring and, optionally, controlling phones.
Navigate in Cisco Unified CM Administration web portal to the menu User Management -> Application User and click Add New button to create new user account.
In the list Available Devices select the devices, which state should be monitored by MiaRec and click arrow V to move such devices to the list Controlled Devices
In the section Permissions Information click the Add to Access Control Group button to select permissions for application user.
In the new pop-up window select the following required options:
- Standard CTI Allow Control of All Devices
- Standard CTI Allow Control of Phones supporting Connected Xfer and conf
- Standard CTI Allow Control of Phones supporting Rollover Mode
- Standard CTI Enabled
Other options are not required.
Save the settings of new application user.
Configure Cisco TAPI TSP driver
The Cisco TAPI Service Provider (TSP) is a TAPI driver that is installed on the Windows server that allows communication of line events between MiaRec software and the Cisco UCM.
Download the TAPI driver
The installer for the client can be obtained from the Cisco Unified CM Administration portal using the following steps:
Open Cisco Unified CM Administration portal in a web browser and log in with an administrator account.
Once logged in, hover over the Application menu across the top of the site, and click the Plugins link.
On the Find and List Plugins page, enter "Cisco TAPI" into the search field and click Find.
The plugin list will load. Click the Download link on either 32-bit or 64-bit client depending on your operating system.
Install the TAPI driver
Open the CiscoTSP.exe installer and follow instructions on screen. You will be asked for Cisco CallManager address and application user/password as created in previous steps.
Restart operating system is required after installation of Cisco TAPI driver.
[Optional] Modify Cisco TAPI configuration
To modify Cisco TAPI driver configuration use CiscoConfig.exe utility, which is installed with TAPI driver.
Start this utility and click Configure button.
The following screenshots demonstrate example of configuration.
Verify Cisco TAPI configuration
To verify the TSP operation on the machine where the TSP is installed, use the Microsoft Windows Phone Dialer Application.
When the program is run, a dialog box displays that asks which line and address the user wants to use to connect. If there are no lines in the Line drop down list, then a problem may exist between the TSP and the Cisco Unified Communications Manager.
If lines are available, choose one of the lines, keep the Address set to zero (0) and click OK. Enter a Number to dial, and a call should be placed to that number.
If call is successful, you know that the TSP is operational on the machine where the TSP is installed. If problems are encountered with installation and setup of Remote TSP, this test represents a good way to verify whether the TSP is operating properly and that the problem is with the configuration and setup of Remote TSP.
Enable trace in Cisco TAPI driver.
Start CiscoConfig.exe utility and click the Trace tab.
Select Trace On check box and select:
- TSP Trace to trace the TSP internal messages.
- CTI Trace to trace the messages sent between CTI and TSP.
- TSPI Trace to trace the requests and events that are sent between TSP and TAPI.
Select Error to just log errors in the TSP or Detailed to log internal messages for debugging purposes.
Set up a Directory that is the path for the trace log. For example, C:\CiscoTapiLog
No. of Files: Setting this to a value greater than or equal to 1 enables rolling log files. For example, a value of 10 will cause up to 10 log files to be used in a cyclic fashion. Max lines/file: specifies the maximum number of trace statements that will be written to each log file. For example, a value of 1000 will cause up to 1000 trace statements to be written to each log file.
After Trace is enabled in Cisco TAPI driver, start the TAPI application (for example, Windows Phone Dialer) and then examine logs.
Enable Cisco TAPI interface in MiaRec
By default Cisco TAPI is disabled in MiaRec because it may increase startup time of application when TAPI driver is not configuration properly.
To enable Cisco TAPI interface in MiaRec, navigate to menu Administration -> System Configuration -> Recording Interfaces.
In the section Supplementary Interfaces locate the Cisco TAPI and click Configure button to enable Cisco TAPI.
Troubleshooting
For troubleshooting purposes you may enable trace in MiaRec to examine Cisco TAPI messages received by MiaRec from CUCM.