Overview
CounterPath’s Client Configuration Server (CCS) is a carrier-grade platform specifically designed for service operators who have or intend to deploy softphone end-points. CounterPath’s Client Configuration Server enables enterprises and service providers to deploy their own CCS solution and manage the CCS platform in their network, which is a critical solution for any softphone or SIP endpoint deployment.
The CCS provides the ability to automatically apply the proper configuration to an end user’s softphone device, perform configuration updates over time and upgrade client softphone software. With the technology based on CounterPath’s Network Convergence Gateway (NCG), the CCS platform inherently provides service operators with the reliability and scalability that is required for this critical network service.
Client Configuration Server
Deployment Options
The CCS can be deployed as a premised based or hosted solution, giving service operators and enterprises the ability to determine how much up-front investment they want to spend on hardware, space, power and network connectivity.
Premised-Based Deployment
For this deployment option, CounterPath specifies the server configuration requirements in a Bill of Materials (BoM) and the customer is responsible for purchasing the hardware and operating system for CounterPath to install the CCS software onto. The customer is also responsible for all physical installation and meeting network connectivity requirements, while CounterPath provides on-site and remote support options for the installation and deployment process. Bria softphone clients must be purchased in advance and are “locked” custom branded clients.
Hosted/Cloud-Based Deployment
CounterPath manages and purchases all of the hardware, space, power and bandwidth necessary to host and manage the CCS in this deployment option. Customers use the CCS API or web interface to facilitate Bria softphone administration and management within the cloud. The Hosted CCS also includes multi-tenanted capabilities, enabling customers to create sub-groups and assign administrators. These sub-groups can be used for internal stakeholders or for resellers or corporate customers. As with the premise-based deployment, Bria softphone clients must be purchased up-front.
Software as a Service (SaaS) Deployment
The CCS can also be deployed as a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering. The CCS is deployed the same as the Hosted/Cloud-Based CCS, but instead of buying Bria softphone clients upfront, customers rent them for a monthly fee. This allows customers to avoid upfront investment and ongoing maintenance charges.
For more information on the various deployment options, please contact your CounterPath sales representative or complete and submit a Sales Request Form.
Features
The Client Configuration Server (CCS) is available as a customer deployment or as a hosted product.
New! CCS 1.4 Feature Highlights
- Reporting Utility and Analytics – This new feature enables Administrators to create customized reports for the softphone clients they manage. This includes reports for the number of softphone clients by platform type, version, device OS version and device type. Reports can be viewed from the CCS or exported to a CSV file.
- Royalty-Bearing Codec Enablement – Administrators can now enable royalty-bearing codecs, such as H.264, AMR-WB and G.729, for their softphone endpoints on-demand. This also include the ability to view royalty reports on a per customer, as well as system wide, basis.
- Simplified Client Debug Logs – Administrators can now provision Bria clients to send easy-to-read client logs to their CCS system, allowing operations support staff to immediately troubleshoot softphone client issues.
- IP Roaming Controls – This new feature enables operators to control where their softphone endpoints can be used, providing them with the ability to leverage the CCS to provide tiered service offerings. This includes the ability to restrict service access when connecting to networks outside the operator’s home network or within a specific country.
CCS Core Features
The Client Configuration Server (CCS) provides the follow key features and functionality:
- Initial Client Configuration - Performs the initial configuration and provisioning of CounterPath softphone clients. Configurations are delivered to the client based on the subscriber’s account and profile and template structure.
- Ongoing Configuration Management - Provides an update service that allows softphone clients to check for configuration changes and updates upon startup and/or based upon an internal timer mechanism.
- Ongoing Version Management - As operators roll out new softphone client versions, they can push these changes out to their existing customer base using the CCS. Operators can also set these upgrades as optional or mandatory to their end users.
- Device Tracking and Management - Allows administrators to set limits for maximum numbers of devices per user based on Profile and/or User level attributes.
- License Management - Operators and IT managers can build pools of license keys which can be drawn upon as part of the end user provisioning process. Support for individual and group licenses is provided.
- End User Notifications - Operators can generate fully customizable emails to their end users with specific client login information through the CCS web interface.
- Multi-Group Management - Provides provisioning group functionality which allows customers to manage distinct groups of subscribers with different settings, client versions, etc.
- Dynamic Configuration File Generation - Client provisioning files are generated on demand to ensure real-time content accuracy in the configuration database.
- Configuration Framework - The CCS provides a framework for IT and operations staff to both customize and standardize softphone configurations based upon a flexible structure of profiles, templates and attributes.
- Analytics & Reports - Provides analytics and reporting to customers to review their subscriber base with respect to the scope of softphone configuration and usage.
- Security Settings - Client communications are facilitated via HTTPS so that softphone client configuration files are secure as they are transferred between the CCS and the client.
- User List Download and Upload Capability - Administrators can make bulk moves, adds or changes using a CSV file containing data for all of their users and the attributes set on a user level. They can also download CSV files for archive or editing purposes.
Key Benefits to Service Operators
- Five-Nines (99.999 percent) Reliability - The CCS is based on CounterPath's Network Convergence Gateway (NCG) technology, ensuring carrier class reliability.
- Security - All client communications are done via HTTPS so that softphone client configuration files are secure as they are transferred between the CCS and the client.
- Scalability - With a minimal capital hardware investment, customers can support millions of softphone/SIP endpoints under configuration management.
- Flexibility – The CCS's profile and template structure supports a wide variety of client types and end-user configurations.
- Multi-Tenanted Capabilities – Allows for a hierarchy of groups to be created, and within each of those groups multiple profiles and configuration templates are supported. Sub-groups can have their own administrator so that control of configuration can be passed to these administrators.
- Multiple Configuration Interfaces – The CCS is designed for both programmatic back-end systems and operations staff for configuration access on a per-tenant basis.
Specifications
Configuration Management
- Configuration of clients over HTTPS
- Freeform template infrastructure for client configuration
- Group and Profile structure for user group management
- Profile selection based upon device type for single user – multiple device support
- Freeform attribute infrastructure for both profile and user level configuration customization.
Management Interfaces
- RFC 2616: Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1
- RFC 2818: HTTP over TLS
- Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 Specification from w3c.org
- XML based REST API for group and end user provisioning
- Administrative web interface for group and end user provisioning
- CLI for system configuration, group, and end user provisioning
OSS/BSS
- Event Detail Record Generation
- OS Resource Monitoring / High Availability
- SNMP v 2C Alarm Monitoring, Statistical Gathering
- MIB II (RFC 1213)
- Subscriber Trace
Operating System
- Redhat Linux Redhat Enterprise Linux 5 Update 5
Standard System Configurations
- Small Configuration
- 2 IBM X Series Servers or 2 Blade Servers
- Scalable 2/2/2/4 Redundant Configuration
- 2 IBM Blade Center T or E Chassis
- 2 Convergence Database (CDB) blades
- 2 Network Signaling Handler (NSH) blades
- 4 Convergence Services Gateway (CSG) blades
Hardware (Minimum Specifications)
- IBM Blade Server (T or E Chassis)
- 4 Power Supplies/Chassis
- 2 Management Modules/Chassis
- 2 1 Gigabit Ethernet Switch/Chassis
- NEBS 3 and ETSI certified for T Chassis
- 19” rack width Chassis
- Either AC or DC power
- No single point of failure
- Hold up to eight (8 or 14) blades
- IBM Blade Servers or 1U X Series Servers
- 2.6 6C GHz CPU
- 12G RAM
- 80G Hard Disk: Two 80G SCSI drives in RAID1 configuration
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports per server
System Performance
- 3.5M clients under management in 'Small Configuration' above.
Pricing
To inquire about the CCS solution, please complete and submit the Sales Request Form and a CounterPath sales representative will contact you with more information.
Videos
Jim O'Brien, Director of Server Engineering for CounterPath, hosts a one-hour session detailing the features and benefits of CounterPath’s Client Configuration Server (CCS). Learn how to streamline your softphone deployments and manage endpoints with ease and efficiency in this informative recorded webinar.
