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CX Dialer Deployment Guide

Prerequisites

Software Requirements

Item

Recommended

Installation guide

Operating System

Debian 12

                                                           -

Docker

v24 or higher

https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/debian/

Postgres

v13 or higher

https://www.postgresql.org/download/linux/debian/

Media Server

Latest version

Installation

Configuration

Voice Connector

4.5

Deployment

Port Utilization Requirements

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

Type

Application

Description

Port

TCP

Media Server

ESL port

8021

TCP

Media Server

Websocket port

7443

TCP

Dialer

Access port

6666

TCP

Postgres

Database access port

5432

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.

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

    • CODE
      ALTER DATABASE efcx OWNER TO efswitch;
      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

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