Bridge Operator Console for Skype for Business - Specs

BLOC Stand Alone - Recommended Hardware Specs

If you have a single operator install you may choose to run the software on the same machine as the client.  If this is the case you may use the recommended hardware specs below as a recommendation, although it may vary given the numbers of phones, activity, and other concurrently running applications on that machine.

Intel i5 Quad Core CPU

4GB of Memory

100GB of Free HD Space

BLOC Server - Recommended Hardware Specs

The BLOC Server provides Active Direcory and UCMA connections (Advanced Mode), and a MS SQL Database.  Here are the suggested build outs.   The roles change based on whether or not you deploy a Basic server or and Advanced Server. The server OS is dictated by the Skype for Business version.  Example, if you wish to run Windows 2016, you must be running Skype for Business with the CU5 applied.
Suggested Minimum Server Specifications

Number of Lines SQL Server vCPUs Memory Storage NIC Less than 500 On Box 2 2 GB 100 GB C: Thin Gigabit min. Less than 500 Off Box 2 2 GB 60 GB C: Thin Gigabit min 500 - 2500 On Box 2 2 GB 100 GB C: Thin Gigabit min. 500 - 2500 Off Box 2 2 GB 60 GB C: Thin Gigabit min. More than 2500 On Box 2+ 2 GB 100 GB C: Thin Gigabit min. More than 2500 Off Box 2+ 2 GB 60 GB C: Thin Gigabit min.

* Servers may need additional resources with a high number of operators, or Executive Assistants..
Server can be either Physical or Virtual, although we prefer virtual, because it answer all of the high availability questions.  For the OS, you can run all of the latest Microsoft recommended service packs and hotfixes.  If you decide to install SQL Express on the box, there may be some MS required support software that needs to be installed.  Generally speaking, we are not very fussy on what is there as long as it is reasonably current.

Reset Default Actions

You can set a default action on either the Drag and Drop and the Double Click action.

Once chosen, the next time you perform the task, you will not receive a pop-up.  

The action will simply happen.

If you wish to reset and go back to the prompt, you can do that in the settings as indicated below.

Be sure to choose the Setting you wish to reset, and then click Reset to Default

Moving BLOC standalone to a new PC

If you are moving to a new computer, you can copy your saved groups and address books to your new machine.
Copy the XML files from the following Appdata folder on your old computer.

C:\Users\your login name\AppData\Local\BLOC

Ensure that you have at least launched the BLOC application once, and then closed the application.

Copy the files to the same location on your new machine.

Resolving Database Size Issues

Our database is typically very small.  Therefore, we will display a warning message if the database size grows to an atypical size (by default > 6gb).  This is often caused by a drive space shortage.  Each night we make a backup of the database and do a shrink.  If there is not enough space to perform the task it cannot complete.
The steps to resolve are as follows.

1. Ensure there is sufficient disk space. (Ensure that the hard drive was built per spec at 100gb to start with).
    You should have at least 1.5x the current database size for available space before attempting the backup.

2. Backup the database.  Once you initiate this backup, wait approximately 5 minutes before continuing to the next step.

3. Shrink the database.  Once you initiate the shrink, it may take up to 10 minutes to complete.

Bridge Boss-Admin Executive Console for Cisco User's Guide

Call Control Window

The call control window displays information relevant to a current call, such as the number, the name, the current status of the call, and the duration. The call control window also allows users to hang up the call, and put the call on hold. Using the search bar, results can display the name, title, and status of a user's various matching contacts, and allows for transfer features, calling the contacts, and viewing related people

Parking Lot

The Parking Lot contains the calls that have been parked on the system. Displayed are the park number, the phone number, the call's name, its time spent in the parking lot, a park for name if specified, and who the call was parked by. Calls can be retrieved from the parking lot by either double clicking or right clicking the desired call, and choosing the appropriate option. The Parking Lot is shared between users on a system.

User Searching

The User Searching window allows

users to enter part of another user's

name or title to retrieve live results. The user is then able to initiate a supervised or unsupervised transfer to any of these contacts, call the contact, or view their related people.

Related People

The Related People window is displayed when selecting the related people icon on a desired contact. Displayed are the user's manager, the user's assistant, their secretary, and additional sections for users sharing the same manager, users sharing the same title, and users sharing the same department. Included are icons for unsupervised and supervised transfers, as well as a call icon.

Google Places

Google places is a window allowing users to perform internet searches for business uses. In this example, searching bridgeoc.com fargo has returned a result of Bridge Communications, with the address, business phone number, and website all displayed following the name. Icons included are the call phone icon, the maps icon, which shows the entered address through google maps, and the go to website icon.

 Dynamics CRM

The Dynamics CRM Lookup window allows searching of a record in the upper left search bar. Once the desired record has been found, the owner, number of employees, annual revenue, primary contact, address, and description are all displayed along with a map highlighting the location. Below this is the Account Opportunities window. To the right, tabs for Open Opportunities, Contacts, Quotes, Tasks, Calls, and Emails are available. 

 Organization Lookup

The Organization Lookup window can display information about a relevant user, including the organization name, address, associated telephones, and notes. The show all emails from a caller feature allows a user to quickly see the log of email activity between the user and the organization.

LICC Integration

Integration between the Bridge Boss-Admin for Cisco console and LICC allows for real time call status in Skype for Business from a Cisco Phone. Other users on the system are then able to see presence in their own Skype for Business clients. 

Click to Dial

Right clicking a contact and selecting Call with Desk Phone allows Click to Dial from Skype for Business to a Cisco Desk Phone. This does NOT require RCC.

Searching in BOC only displays 200 results

When choosing the All group, or any large group, we will only display the first 200 entries.
If you search for the user by name or number, it should appear as expected.

The results you are seeing are by design. Each view is essentially a search. We have chosen to limit search results to 200 results.

Large organizations were experiencing performance issues when searches were unlimited.

Effectively, you are asking us to pull line status on everyone in a given search.

At 200 results this is very easy. When the results are 2000 hits or more, machine performance is impacted.

You should be able to search for, and find anyone in the organization. You just cannot display everyone at one time.

Type the name in the light green search box.

Searching Best Practices.

We were simply improving the program and attempting to circumvent support issues when people tried to display too many endpoints.

The number is set at 200 in the registry. If you choose to increase that number, you may, understanding the possible side effects.

You could change the SearchLimit value to something greater than your phone count.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bridge Communications\Bridge Operator Console 3\SearchLimit

This is a client side, per user setting

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Settings

Table Of Contents

Settings

Bridge Operator Console settings can be modified in the settings screen wizard.
Most of the settings will take effect without having to restart the program.
Screen 1 is shown below, it contains the only required information necessary to run BOC.
You must provide the server information, and select your extension (1) and corresponding phone (2).





The next page contains options that can effect the performance settings of BOC, these can be useful for updates, WAN connectivity, etc.





The final page contains options that can effect the look and feel of BOC

1. Keep the program on top of ALL other items on the screen.  Be careful choosing this.
2. Pop the BOC application to the foreground on a new call.  Most operators will want this.
3. When you click on Hangup to end a call, a notice will pop asking to to confirm.  This disables that confirmation.
4. Enable this, if you are using Extension Mobility, and need to choose your extension at each launch.
5. If you are in hybrid mode and want to watch a call until it has been answered with the option to retrieve it before it has been handled.
6. By default our application allows the operator to multi-task with multiple calls.  Do not check this box unless you wish to disable that function.  Example: Supervised transfers will no longer be possible.
7. Enable the Search to filter Location Objects for matches
8. Hide the ribbon bar cross the top of the application
9. Match Caller ID number against numbers stored in the MyAddressBook and GlobalAddressBook for a name.  Most common in locations where names are not available.
10. Enable the Search function to query the extended fields in the Global Address Book.
11. Disable the ability to redirect a ringing call to another extension without answering the call.
12. Hide the toolbar above the Extension tab
13. By default, we show all parked calls including calls parked on a physical phone.  This option would only show calls parked by the BOC application.
14. Enable Predictive Transfer.
15. Enable the Selected User pane under Extensions.
16. Enable the Blynclight hardware busy light
17. Enable the Kuando hardware busy light.
18. Enable flashing on hardware busy lights.

    19-33  Checking these boxes DISABLES visibility (hides) of the column.

    34-36 Sets the timers for the color coding of calls in the Parking Lot.

    37. This will hide the Parking Lot pane if call parking is not used.
    38.  The operator can upload a picture of themselves to display in the HUD
    39-40 allows the operator to change the password for the BOC application.  This only applies if the security module has been enabled on the BOC TAPI Server.

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - File Menu

Table Of Contents

File Menu

The File Menu will give you access to Video Tutorials, Call Detail Report and the Actions Log.

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Messaging and Paging

Table Of Contents

Messaging and Paging

Bridge Operator Console users will have menu options upon right clicking on a given extension, allowing them to send a message to that phone.

Messaging








Bridge Operator Console users now have the ability to page another users phone. 

This is done using using uni-cast streaming for 1 to 1 and multicast streaming for 1 to many, and won't use either user's phone line or interrupt an existing call.

Paging

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Phonebooks

Table Of Contents

Phonebooks

Bridge Operator Console provides 3 phone books for numbers that aren't part of the phone system.


1. My Address Book (MyAB) - These are visible only to you. You can call, transfer, email, and delete users from this list.
It can be accessed on the main screen via the tabs, or as a separate pop out window via the Ribbon.









2. Global Address Book (GAB) -

The global address book contains records visible to all users.  By default, no user has access to edit the GAB.
The system administrator can decided who has rights to add / edit / and delete records in this database from the Phone System Settings Tool on the server.

All users have the rights to call and transfer calls to these records.







3. Active

Directory Phonebook - The Active Directory Phonebook will show users in AD if the BOC TAPI server is configured to get its name, department, and title information from Active directory.

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Forwarding

Table Of Contents Forwarding

Bridge Operator Console provides the ability to forward a phone via 2 methods. The first method will forward the phone, the same way the user does when using the buttons on the phone. This method can be access via the right click on a user's extension. Once a forward is set, a phone message and tone is sent to the user's telephone alerting them to who forwarded their phone if Phone Messaging has been configured.

The second method involves using the BOC server to redirect calls bound for one extension to another destination for a specified amount of time.  This option can be accessed from the Timed Forward icon in the ribbon.

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Excluding Objects

Table Of Contents

Excluding Objects

Excluding an extension, location object, park position, or extension group from view is easy in Bridge Operator Console. Simply right click on the object to exclude, and select the appropriate task as show below. Be aware, you are hiding an extension number (DN) not just the name. If the DN is reassigned to another user, that user will not appear either. Extension Groups Location Objects Extensions (DN)

To manage exclusions select Manage Excluded Objects in the Ribbon at the top.

Windows BOC 3.3 User Guide - Parking Lot

Table Of Contents Parking Lot

The parking lot will show information about all of the calls parked on the system. It is visible to all BOC users, although certain park numbers can be excluded from view, if so desired.

The chainlink buttons allow you to change the size of the parking lot area visible, and you can hide from view with the toggle button in the upper left corner.  The parking lot provides much information about the parked calls, as well as the person it was parked for, and who parked the call.