Let's do a quick review of IC 7.1, and then delve into a deeper look at some of the features. IC 7.1 provides Avaya customers with contact centers that can deliver comprehensive and integrated support for all interaction types, with the back-end integration and capabilities that provide a firm foundation for a reliable and flexible multichannel customer interaction center.

Multimedia Software Developers Kit (SDK)
Customers, partners, and systems integrators can develop custom user interfaces for multimedia clients, leveraging core IC services. The multimedia SDK is available for developers to easily automate complete contact center business processes and applications.

The multimedia SDK is available in your choice of one of two platforms—either Microsoft .NET or Sun Microsystems' Java. The multimedia SDK includes the Java API, sample client, and associated documentation, and Microsoft .NET API, sample client and associated documentation.

IC 7.1's client interface API allows for development of Interaction Center agent applications. Customers can define precisely how user interface elements can be displayed, such as—embedded within other applications; standalone; Web based; client server; and custom toolbars.

IC 7.1 supports client-side integration using Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft Visual C# .NET, Java, and others. IC 7.1 supports server-side deployments, including integration to mySAP, thin clients, and browser-based solutions.

With IC 7.1, clients can be deployed on any operating system supporting either Microsoft .NET or Java including Windows, Linux, and MacOS X. Figure 1 shows the IC 7.1 client architecture in which one instance of IC can support all client types.

Figure 1. The Interaction Center 7.1 Client Architecture

The SDK client components consist of an API layer, client framework, hierarchical data store, and client messaging provider. The SDK server components consist of Web container, server messaging provider, SDK server bridge, user object model, and basic core services. Custom code sits on top of the SDK client, and the SDK server's basic services communicate with the IC core services.

Now that we have a grasp of the SDK architecture, let's take a closer look at the structure of the SDK API. The API consists of an object-oriented interface, exposed IC functionality in the form of classes, methods and contextual events, and event listener objects to consume IC events.

The SDK API object model was designed to provide access into IC functionality without an IC client. It also was designed to use transaction and state changes to trigger changes within the UI presentation; separate the delivery of work from the details of the work; allow for a future expansion of work that can be delivered; and separate interactive communications from static content.

Figure 2 depicts the Client SDK class model.

Figure 2. The Client SDK Class Model.

SDK Installation and Setup
You'll need an SDK server machine, development machine, and IC core machines for setup. You can use the Installation Wizard to install the components that you want to install. You can choose from IC core servers (the SDK server is included), IC design and administration tools, and the Avaya Agent Client Installation (not required for SDK usage).

Next, you'll need to set up the SDK, including installing IC Core; installing the SDK server; configuring the server; deploying the SDK server application; and installing SDK Design.

The following SDK installations will be available after you complete the steps above:

Server Install

• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/sdk/server - War file
• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/tomcat - Bundles tomcat
• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/Java - Bundled JRE

• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/sdk/design/C#/lib - .Net SDK libraries
• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/sdk/design/C#/sample - .Net sample client binaries and sources
• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/sdk/design/Java/lib - SDK jars
• AVAYA_IC71_HOME/sdk/design/Java/sample - Java sample client binaries and sources

Avaya customers, partners, and systems integrators contributed to the Multimedia SDK design. Avaya provided access to the SDK during its alpha and beta programs to ensure quality.

Web Services for Application Development
IC 7.1 supports the latest standard protocols, just as IC 7.0 did when it was released. IC 7.0 supported server integration using Component Object Model (COM), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), Java, and eXtensible Markup Language/Hypertext Markup Language (XML/HTML). IC 7.1 Web Services provide access to the same data—using a different integration method.

Web services provide you with easier integration options—depending on the type of application that will be used to exchange information with IC and the type of data that is required. Information stored within the IC servers includes work item data, customer repositories, and administration information.

Having this information available via Web services means you can configure IC to respond to Web services by adjusting application requirements, and then receive requested information back from the Web services. The required logic must be in IC. Similarly, you can program IC to push data back to agents' desktops via this bi-directional exchange of information.

You should note that the Web Services interface is not used to create custom clients.

With IC 7.1 Web Services, most data exchanges fall within two categories—real-time data and historical data.

Real-time Data
Real-time data provides information about work routed, including information such as how many e-mail messages came from a specific company's domain. Other real-time data includes the status of a current agent, such as whether or not he or she is on a call, how many e-mail messages he or she is currently working on, and other pertinent call center status information. It also provides the status of how much e-mail is being routed by IC. Further, real-time data details how many chats are in queue.

Some examples of what, IC 7.1 could allow you to do:

• Get the status of a current agent, whether or not he or she is on a call, how many e-mail messages he or she is working on currently, and other information.
• Get the status of how many e-mail messages are being routed by IC.
• Get status of how many e-mails are being routed by IC from *.company.com.
• How many chats are in queue.
• How many agents are logged in.
• Update custom routing table used for zip code routing rules.

Historical Data
IC 7.1 provides historical data, such as how many calls from a particular area code have been entered into the system over the past month. It also provides all of the chat transcripts from specific agents in a given timeframe. Further, IC 7.1 details how many e-mail messages from specific domains are entered into the system in a given timeframe.

Interaction Center Workflow Designer
You can use Avaya's Interaction Center Workflow Designer application for rapid development of custom interfaces to enterprise applications. It provides integration tools and packaged connectors for Common Object Model (COM), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and other Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) standards.

Figure 3 shows a screen sample of IC Workflow Designer.

Figure 3. Interaction Center Workflow Designer

Interaction Center Database Designer
You can use Interaction Center Database Designer application for simplified database access. IC Database Designer provides packaged connectors for Structured Query Language (SQL), Oracle, DB2, and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)-compliant databases. As such, you can leverage native drivers for standard solutions utilizing unique and specific database vendor technologies.

The abstraction layer allows business logic to be independent of the database, allowing for simple migrations. IC Database Designer provides mapping rules to leverage external data at its current location, without requiring custom development of programmatic interfaces.

Figure 4 shows a screen sample of IC Database Designer.

Figure 4. Interaction Center Database Designer

Custom Media Delivery
IC 7.1 provides the ability for customers to request a call back either immediately or at a future date and time. This feature is licensed as part of the Web channel, and it requires Avaya Agent Windows Client. Note that call back will not work with Avaya Agent Web Client, however, custom clients can emulate this functionality.

You can leverage the multi-media SDK to create an agent workspace for custom media. You simply input a work item into the IC database, along with attributes and requirement time for routing.

With the call back functionality, requests are routed and reported on using Web channel. Further, support for both WACD and IC Advocate are included.

Web-based call back is integrated completely with Interaction Center 7.1, so no separate administration or reporting is required.

Back to the Surface
The closer look we just took at IC 7.1 and three of its primary features—Multimedia SDK, Web services for application development, and custom media delivery—only scratches the surface of the capabilities of IC 7.1. We were able to explore the architectures and APIs a bit, the components of the Multimedia SDK, how to use IC Database Designer and IC Workflow Designer for developing Web services, and the how to install and set up the SDK.

Here's what you do to test drive it:

Ordering Information
IC 7.1 comes pre-packaged and can be ordered via your company's Avaya sales person. A non-production copy of the platform also is available free of charge.

Avaya customers do not have to be Avaya Developer Connection members to test drive IC 7.1. However, your Developer Connection membership, if your company has one, does provide support for the application programming interfaces (APIs), assistance in building applications, access to the message boards, and other Developer Connection benefits.

The non-commercial copy of IC 7.1 provides you with access to a 90-day customer evaluation, DevConnect Partner Lab Systems, or Reseller Lab Systems. You are required to order one of these using Avaya's SAP codes—189214, 189219, or 189220, respectively. Customers interested in ordering an evaluation copy are required to order a combination of a usage SAP code. The Avaya SAP code for the IC 7.1 Application Media Bundle is 189130. The Media Bundles include three software CDs, Avaya Agent Web Client for IC 7.1, full-text search engine, license instruction documentation, and IC 7.1 documentation.