Bookshelf Home | Contents | Index | Search | PDF

Performance Tuning Guide > Tuning Siebel Communications Server for Performance >

Session Communications Infrastructure

---

Session communications refers to using Communications Server components to enable contact center agents or other users to handle interactive communications work items. For example, Siebel CTI supports this capability, enabling agents to handle voice calls using the communications toolbar.

It is important to understand the infrastructure that supports session communications in order to prevent or address performance issues in this area.

Session communications performance is addressed in this section and in:

• Performance Factors for Session Communications
• Topology Considerations for Session Communications
• Best Practices for Session Communications Tuning

Key Siebel Server Components

Session communications are supported in the Siebel Server environment primarily by the following components:

• Communications Session Manager (CommSessionMgr). This server component manages interactive communications work items such as voice calls.
• Application Object Manager (AOM). This server component manages application sessions for end users who use the Siebel Web Client, including users who handle communications work items (agents). Interactive communication requests from agents typically go through AOM.

  For more information about AOM, see Tuning the Siebel Application Object Manager for Performance.

• Server Request Broker (SRB). This server component handles communications between the AOM and certain other Siebel Server components, including CommSessionMgr.

  For example, when a Siebel CTI agent makes a call through the communications toolbar, the request goes from AOM to CommSessionMgr by way of SRB.

  SRB is used whether CommSessionMgr runs on the same machine as the AOM, or on a different machine. For more information about such scenarios, see Topology Considerations for Session Communications.

  For more information about SRB, see Tuning Server Request Broker (SRB).

Other Siebel Server Components

You may also be using the following components in your Siebel Server environment and communications infrastructure:

• Communications Configuration Manager (CommConfigMgr). This server component may optionally be used to cache communications configuration data.
• Communications Inbound Manager (CommInboundMgr). This server component, and related elements such as workflow processes and response groups, receives and processes inbound email for Siebel eMail Response. This component may also route communications work items by invoking Siebel Universal Queuing.

  See also Siebel eMail Response Infrastructure.

• Communications Outbound Manager (CommOutboundMgr). This server component sends outbound email or other types of messages.

Siebel Product Modules

In addition to Siebel CTI or Siebel eMail Response, you may be using the following Siebel product modules for session communications:

• Siebel CTI Connect. This module consists of CTI middleware, communications driver, and sample communications configuration data. Siebel CTI Connect is based on third-party CTI middleware—Intel NetMerge, formerly Dialogic CT Connect. For Siebel CTI Connect, consult "Dialogic" documentation provided on the Siebel eBusiness Third-Party Bookshelf.
• Siebel Universal Queuing. This module routes communications work items to agents.

  For more information, see Performance for Siebel Universal Queuing.

• Siebel Smart Answer. This module analyzes the content of email and search requests and returns an automatic response or suggests one or more responses to the user for approval.

  Siebel Smart Answer is based on third-party products from Banter. Refer to Siebel Smart Answer Administration Guide and consult "Banter" documentation provided on the Siebel eBusiness Third-Party Bookshelf.

  For more information, see Performance for Siebel Smart Answer.

• Siebel eCollaboration. This module helps agents work with customers directly over Web communications channels.

Third-Party Product Modules

You may be using third-party product modules—for example, CTI middleware, driver, and configuration; routing products; predictive dialers; interactive voice response modules; email servers; fax servers; and so on. For information about supported email servers, refer to System Requirements and Supported Platforms.

NOTE:  If you are not using Siebel CTI Connect, then, to use Siebel CTI, you must obtain a third-party CTI middleware package and work with your vendor to integrate this module.

Bookshelf Home | Contents | Index | Search | PDF