CX Dialer Deployment Guide

Prerequisites

Software Requirements

Port Utilization Requirements

The following ports must be open on the server for the dialer to function.

The ports can be opened as follows:

• SSH into the Debian server.

  • Use command:

    • CODE

      ssh username@server-ip

  • Enter the ssh password.

  • Use command

    • CODE

      su

  • Enter the root user's password

• Run the following command and replace PORT with each of the required ports listed above:

  • CODE

    sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --dport PORT-j ACCEPT

  • Example:  

    CODE

    sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --dport 8021 -j ACCEPT

• Save this port configuration with command: sudo iptables-save.

Set up Postgresql database and table

• Navigate to the Postgresql folder.

  • CODE

    cd /etc/postgresql/<version>/main/

  • Where <version> is the version of Postgresql being used.

• Open the file postgresql.conf.

  • CODE

    vi postgresql.conf

  • Scroll down to find the line #listen_addresses='*' and remove the # symbol.

• Save and exit by :

  • Press the Esc key.

  • Enter the phrase :wq to save and exit.

• Open the file pg_hba.conf.

  • CODE

    vi pg_hba.conf

  • Scroll down to the bottom and add the line:

    • host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5

• Save and exit by :

  • Press the Esc key.

  • Enter the phrase :wq to save and exit.

• Restart the Postgresql service:

  • CODE

    systemctl restart postgresql

• Create user 'efswitch':

  • CODE

    su - postgres
    createuser efswitch

• Create database 'efcx'

  • CODE

    createdb efcx 

• Assign password 'PASSWORD' to user 'efswitch':

  • CODE

    psql
    alter user efswitch with password 'PASSWORD';

    • Change PASSWORD to any password of your choice.

  • Check your Postgresql version:

    • CODE

      psql --version

  • If the version is 15 or higher, also run the following command:

    • CODE

      ALTER DATABASE efcx OWNER TO efswitch;

• Assign control of database 'efcx' to user 'efswitch':

  • CODE

    grant all privileges on database efcx to efswitch;

• Exit back to root with command (twice)

  • CODE

    exit
    exit

• Login to database 'efcx' with user 'efswitch':

  • CODE

    psql -h 127.0.0.1 -p 5432 -U efswitch -d efcx

  • Enter the password set earlier.

• Create table 'contacts' by running the command:

  • CODE

    CREATE TABLE contacts (id varchar(40) PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL, customer_number varchar(20) NOT NULL, campaign_type varchar(20) NOT NULL, ivr varchar(20), gateway_id varchar(40) NOT NULL, status varchar(20), call_result varchar(40), received_time timestamp with time zone, dial_time timestamp with time zone, campaign_id varchar(40) NOT NULL, campaign_contact_id varchar(40), start_time timestamp with time zone, end_time timestamp with time zone, priority integer, dialing_mode varchar(20), routing_mode varchar(20), resource_id varchar(40), queue_name varchar(20));

• Table can be queried after logging in to database with SQL commands such as:

  • CODE

    SELECT * FROM contacts;
    DELETE FROM contacts;

Container Deployment

The dialer is deployed as a docker image.

• Create a folder outbound-dialer with the command

  • CODE

    mkdir outbound-dialer

• Enter the folder with the command

  • CODE

    cd outbound-dialer

• Create a file docker-compose.yml.

  • CODE

    vi docker-compose.yml

• Enter editing mode with the 'I' or 'Insert' keys.

• Copy the contents below and paste them into the file docker-compose.yml : 

  CODE

  version: "3"
  services:
    outbound-dialer:
      image: gitimages.expertflow.com/rtc/outbound-dialer:TAG
      container_name: outbound-dialer
      ports:
        - 6666:8080
      env_file:
        - docker-variables.env
      restart: always

  • Replace the 'TAG' keyword with the required image tag obtained from the releases page here.

• Save and exit by :

  • Press the Esc key.

  • Enter the phrase :wq to save and exit.

• Create a file docker-variables.env 

  • CODE

    vi docker-variables.env

• Enter editing mode with the 'I' or 'Insert' keys.

• Copy the contents below and paste them into the file docker-variables.env : 

  CODE

  DB_URL=192.168.1.10
  DB_USERNAME=username
  DB_PASS=password
  DB_PORT=5432
  DB_NAME=name
  DB_CONN_TIMEOUT=3000
  ESL_IP=192.168.1.10
  ESL_PORT=8021
  ESL_PASSWORD=ClueCon
  DEFAULT_IVR=*9664
  SERVICE_IDENTIFIER=1218
  VOICE_CONNECTOR=http://192.168.1.10:8115
  ESL_CONNECT_DELAY=60
  CONTACT_RETRIEVAL_DELAY=20
  MAX_CONCURRENT_CALLS=5
  MAX_CALL_TIME=60
  CALLS_PER_SECOND=10
  LOG_LEVEL=INFO

• Set these according to the following table:

Config Params	Expected Values	Notes
DB_URL	IP Address e.g. 192.168.1.2	The URL of the database from which contacts are to be pulled. Change this to the IP address of the current server
DB_USERNAME	Text e.g. admin	The dialer database username
MAX_CONCURRENT_CALLS	Number e.g. 10	Maximum number of calls that can be active at a time This value must always be less than the maximum concurrent calls allowed on the EFSwitch SIP trunk in use for outbound calls. If set higher, then the extra calls created by the dialer will be stuck in the database on the dialed state. These stuck calls can only be removed by directly interacting with the database. Before setting this value also account for the call volumes and speed of the other types of calls taking place on the EFSwitch (manual outbound, IVR inbound etc). To confirm the maximum concurrent calls allowed by the trunk, contact your SIP Trunk provider.
DB_PASS	Text e.g. abc123	The dialer database password
DB_PORT	Number e.g. 5432	The dialer database port (Default 5432)
DB_NAME	Text e.g. dialer	The dialer database name
DB_CONN_TIMEOUT	Number e.g. 3000	Maximum time allowed (in milliseconds) for connecting to the database. (Default 3000)
ESL_IP	IP Address e.g. 192.168.1.2	IP address of the EFSwitch ESL to use. (The IP of the server that EFSwitch is deployed on)
ESL_PORT	Number e.g. 8021	Port of the EFSwitch ESL. (Default 8021, Same as in EFSwitch settings here)
ESL_PASSWORD	Text e.g. ClueCon	Password for the EFSwitch ESL. (Default ClueCon, Same as in EFSwitch settings here)
DEFAULT_IVR	IVR Dialing number e.g. *9664	Default IVR to play in case of none provided for outbound call (Default *9664)
SERVICE_IDENTIFIER	Number e.g. 1218	Service Identifier for the voice connector. (Default 1218, set in EFSwitch IVR settings here)
VOICE_CONNECTOR	FQDN with IP Address and port e.g. http://192.168.1.2:4321	Webhook of the voice connector. Format: http://VC-IP:Port
ESL_CONNECT_DELAY	Number e.g. 60	Delay in seconds between checking EFSwitch ESL connection status
CONTACT_RETRIEVAL_DELAY	Number e.g. 20	Delay in seconds before retrieving contacts from the dialer database
CALLS_PER_SECOND	Number e.g. 10	The maximum number of calls that can be generated in a second This value must always be less than the sessions-per-second value in EFSwitch otherwise the excess calls created per second by the dialer will be stuck in the database on the dialed state. These stuck calls can only be removed by directly interacting with the database. To confirm the value of sessions-per-second on EFSwitch: Open the EFSwitch command line on the EFSwitch server via the command fs_cli -p <EFSwitch-CLI-Password> Run the command fsctl sps and note the value displayed. Before setting this value also account for the call volumes and speed of the other types of calls taking place on the EFSwitch (manual outbound, IVR inbound etc).
MAX_CALL_TIME	Number e.g. 60	The time in minutes for which each contact in the database is allowed to stay on the dialed or agent_pending states, after which it’s state is manually updated to pending state to be retried This value must always be greater that the Agent TTL value in the EF CX Channel Settings in Unified Admin.
LOG_LEVEL	INFO/DEBUG	Determines the amount of detail in the logs. Default is INFO, and for more detailed logs the value should be DEBUG.

• Save and exit by :

  • Press the Esc key.

  • Enter the phrase :wq to save and exit.

• Run the command:

  • CODE

    docker login gitimages.expertflow.com

  • Enter your username and password as prompted (make sure that you were granted access to the repository).

• Within the folder run the command:

  CODE

  docker compose up -d

• Confirm that the docker container is running by using the command:

  • CODE

    docker ps

    

• Confirm that the container is running correctly by opening the logs with command:

  • CODE

    docker logs -f containerID