Intel® NetMerge™ CT Application Development Environment



Intel® NetMerge™ CT Application Development Environment

Sales Guide

This document presents a collection of tools designed to help sales professionals understand the product, CT ADE, its value to the development community, and answers to common questions, objections, and obstacles to selling. Please send suggestions and additional questions to the product manager, (mailto:Lyle.Cowen@), or call (415) 332-5656 x1310.

Product Description 2

What is it? 2

Why? 2

Is it a programming language or a library? 2

Do you have a graphical programming interface? 2

Does it support text-to-speech? 3

Does it support voice recognition? 3

What languages are supported in the ActiveX platform? 3

What operating systems are supported? 4

Which Dialogic system releases are supported? 4

What digital protocols are supported? 4

What about VoIP? 4

Does CT ADE support all Intel Dialogic products? 4

Does CT ADE support Linux? 4

Is there an evaluation version? How much does it cost? 5

Does Intel offer training or consulting for CT ADE? 5

How long does it take to learn? 5

How do I get technical support? 5

Customer Profiles 5

Application Models 6

Business Models 6

Developer Models 7

Positioning 7

What’s the Rapid Application Development (RAD) about? 7

What kind of applications is this good for? 8

What about performance? Is there a CPU overhead penalty? 8

Is CT ADE an open platform? 9

Does CT ADE work with Web Services? 9

Does CT ADE allow the application access to low-level hardware features? 10

Why should I use CT ADE when there are “free” APIs from Intel? 10

Competition 11

Company 11

Product Maturity 11

Environment Choice 11

Extensibility 11

Licensing Model 11

Compelling Events 12

Unavailability of older hardware models 12

Speech has arrived – Are you ready? 12

Free Rides Are Over 12

Dataflex Closes US Doors 12

Product Description

What is it?

Programming environment for telephony applications

Why?

C / C++ programming is difficult (complex, verbose, and arcane)

Hardware APIs (Dialogic or anyone’s) are difficult (complex, verbose, and arcane)

Different devices and networks need different APIs and protocols

With CT ADE, each of these is simplified into a single, high-level function set

Is it a programming language or a library?

Both are available.

[pic] ADL is a high-performance run-time platform with a C-like proprietary language with built-in telephony functions

[pic] ADX (ActiveX objects) is a library that can be used with all Microsoft Windows programming languages that support the COM interface

Example ADL code:

dec

var line : 2;

var digit : 1;

enddec

program

TrunkAnswerCall();

MediaPlayFile("GREET.VOX");

MediaWaitDigits(1);

digit = MediaGetDigitBuffer();

MediaClearDigitBuffer();

MediaPlayFile("MSG" & digit & ".VOX");

TrunkDisconnect();

restart;

endprogram

Example ADX calls in Visual Basic code

Dim line As String

Dim digit As String

VoiceBocx1.AnswerCall()

VoiceBocx1.PlayFile("GREET.VOX“)

digit = VoiceBocx1.GetDigits()

VoiceBocx1.ClearDigits()

VoiceBocx1.PlayFile("MSG" & digit & ".VOX")

VoiceBocx1.DisconnectCall()

Do you have a graphical programming interface?

ADL includes an icon based program designer that generates ADL code. This automatically-generated code can be augmented or modified by the developer.

Here’s an example – wait for a call, play a welcome prompt, play a menu of choices, and route control based on response.

[pic]

Developers working with ADX can use the graphical programming tools available for their chosen programming environment.

Does it support text-to-speech?

Yes.

[pic] SAPI 5.0 / 5.1 TTS

[pic] Nuance Vocalizer

[pic] SpeechWorks Speechify

[pic] L&H RealSpeakHost

Does it support voice recognition?

Yes.

[pic] SAPI 5.0 ASR

[pic] Nuance 7

[pic] SpeechWorks 6.5

[pic] Philips SpeechPearl 2000

What languages are supported in the ActiveX platform?

Visual Basic

Visual C++

Visual FoxPro

Delphi

PowerBuilder

Javascript

C#



Any other language that supports the COM controls

What operating systems are supported?

[pic] Windows NT and 2000

[pic] Windows XP is on the roadmap – to follow driver support (SR 5.1.1 FP 1)

Which Dialogic system releases are supported?

[pic] Latest supported release is SR 5.1.1 SP1

[pic] SR 6.0 (PCI and cPCI) in the works

[pic] Normally CT ADE works without update on new system releases

What digital protocols are supported?

T1 CAS

ISDN (PRI and BRI)

SS7

E1/R2

Any protocol supported by Dialogic’s Global Call library – PDK or ICAPI

For ISDN, all major switch protocols are supported, e.g. 4/5ESS, DMS 100, QSIG, CTR4, …

Transfer is supported for Two B-Channel Transfer (ISDN), Hook-Flash (T1 CAS)

What about VoIP?

Just released CT ADE v8.2 SP1 that includes support for IPLink boards – features include:

[pic] H.323

[pic] Embedded Stack

[pic] G711 (64k Alaw and Ulaw), G723.1 (5.3k and 6.4k), G729 (Annex A and B), GSM Full Rate

[pic] Media streaming through the GlobalCall API, not IPML

V8.3 (expected Q1 2003) will support HMP 1.0

Does CT ADE support all Intel Dialogic products?

Just about. See the support matrix:

[pic]

The release notes shipped with CT ADE provide our customers with earliest notice of problems that real applications will encounter, whether using CT ADE or the C API. For specific cases, review the release notes on FDBL (and below) – search for “PTR.”

[pic]

Does CT ADE support Linux?

Our sales team is working now to define the business potential for Linux application development tools. Like any other investment decision, if we see the business case that will justify the development expense, we will follow the market requirements. If you have interested customers, we’d like to know. Please forward functional and price-point requirements to the product manager.

An alternative being considered is to interface CT ADE with the Intel OPS high-availability platform. The client would be a CT ADE Windows NT/2000 application; the server would be an OPS hardware platform running Linux. This would be less expensive to develop but has a more restricted market.  Again, let us know if you find interest in this solution.

Is there an evaluation version? How much does it cost?

The evaluation software provides all of the development features but a restricted run-time that works only with a simulated phone line (software included in the kit). Works on any PC, including laptops, that have a sound card.

It’s free! Download from - Download your version

Does Intel offer training or consulting for CT ADE?

Yes.

Visit then link to

[pic] Consulting – Jumpstart service - fixed price training and development service. Consulting services can also be customized to fit specific needs of your customer, if the JumpStart as defined service does not. For additional information and sales support, contact Mark Karan at Mark.Karan@, (973) 967-5223.

[pic] CT ADE Training – Scheduled classroom training available in New Jersey and Santa Clara

How long does it take to learn?

For ADX, if you already know VB, C, Delphi, or other COM compatible language, you need a day or so to work with the sample programs and extensive on-line help

For ADL, you can be productive following one week of training or self-study – can follow sample programs for most of the major trunk types and media operations

One of the quickest ways to learn any new skill is by following examples. Here is a list of sample programs provided with each development kit.

[pic]

How do I get technical support?

Provided by your Intel Dialogic distributor – backed up by Intel factory support engineers

Customer Profiles

The sections below identify several of the “markets” for CT ADE. These definitions are intended to highlight the particular mindset a prospect might have when considering the application development choices available. It is important to understand, however, that CT ADE is a development tool that can be used effectively in –all- Windows NT/2000 telephony application development cases – all application types, for all telephony technologies, and by all development shops. There may be non-technical obstacles that derail the sale, but there is no technical basis that will disqualify its use.

Market segment and customer profile strategies will be even more effective when targeting the sale of telephony hardware. Once the appropriate avenue has been determined and the hardware sale is proposed, then offering CT ADE as the development platform is universally appropriate. In some cases the revenue from CT ADE is equivalent to that of the hardware and the profit margins significantly higher, so it makes sense to include a discussion of development methods during each of these opportunities.

Application Models

Opportunities to sell CT ADE will not only be recognized by the type of company or development organization, but also by the nature of the application being considered. Some of the more common systems that will apply are

[pic] Contact Centers – can be in-house, service bureau, packaged system

[pic] Unified Messaging – variation on call center using telephone, fax, and e-mail forms of customer contact

[pic] Interactive Voice Response – customer access to data routed through prompt and response interactions

[pic] Debit Card / International Call-Back – applies least cost routing and/or pre-paid calling concepts

[pic] PBX – local site telephone switching via trunk-to-station device; options might include voice mail, follow-me

[pic] Conferencing – enterprise or service-bureau facility for multi-party conversations

[pic] Chat-room – combination of IVR and conferencing to route caller to desired conversation

These are only a few of the common applications whose development will be accomplished faster with the help of a toolkit and associated expertise embodied in our product’s features, sample programs, and support services.

Business Models

Telephony applications are built, deployed and/or operated by companies with diverse business models:

Independent software vendors / original equipment manufactures

Companies who build and sell their own software products that are or can be integrated with our products

[pic] Offers opportunities to market each other’s products

[pic] Lets the ISV or OEM focus on their business solution competency, using CT ADE to handle the telephony technology

Telephony application developers / system integrators / value added resellers

Companies building and selling telephony applications

[pic] Build business solutions and let CT ADE address the many different trunk types that will be encountered as the application is sold to a variety of customers using different hardware configurations – and even speech technologies

[pic] Build business solutions that can be sold in international markets with the aid of international phrase grammars

[pic] Offer them advantages of Intel’s partner programs – Converged Communications Developer network

Telcos

Companies providing telephone connection services - These basic telephone service offerings often need value-added voice applications such as calling card administration and customer service. These customers often require high-density, high-capacity deployments.

[pic] High-density deployments require high-performance designs – ADL state machine with multi-tasking features

[pic] Keep up with the rapid changes in high-density technology – DM3, IPT

Telephony application service providers

Companies building telephony applications and selling the use of those applications

[pic] Combines both worlds of application resellers and high-density deployments

Enterprise in-house developers

Companies building or integrating telephony applications for their own use using in-house technical staff. Users of these applications may be enterprise customers, suppliers, or internal employees. In-house developers are usually found in vertical industries for which telephone applications are strategically critical such as finance, travel/hospitality, retail and health care.

[pic] Reduce investment in learning and maintaining telephony expertise in-house; focus on business competence

Developer Models

C/C++ Programmers

[pic] Use ADX for telephony components, focus energy and money on business logic

[pic] Use ADL or ADX for proof of concept – get to market with the product faster and cheaper, replace with own C/C++ library after

[pic] High-density will require state-machine application design and/or multi-processor platforms – ADL is already optimized for high-density configurations

Graphical Language Programmers

[pic] VB, J++, Delphi – Use ADX for telephony components

[pic] Use multi-processor platforms for high-density deployment

Business/Data Programmers

[pic] Provide end-user access to application data via telephony – drag and drop it in!

Web Programmers

[pic] ADX can be embedded in web pages and driven by VBscript, Javascript, J++ and other script languages

[pic] ADL and servers built with ADX can interact with other subsystems using web methods such as Microsoft .Net and J2EE

.NET Programmers

[pic] ADX works in .NET environments since Visual Studio languages such as C# and have native support for .NET communication methods

[pic] ADL can interoperate with other subsystems communication methods through the use of RLL plug-ins.

Positioning

What’s the Rapid Application Development (RAD) about?

• Sample application provided with R4 (single channel) was 2,100 lines of C code

versus

• Same application in ADL was 280 lines! (plus it automatically supports multiple channels!)

An order of magnitude difference in the number of lines of code means significantly less developer time (and cost) and far shorter time to market - for every version the developer releases.

What does API transparency mean to me?

It means using your development resources (and budget) for new applications – not rewriting the same ones because the underlying technology changed.

CT ADE’s Resource Manager resolves disparate trunk, media, and speech technologies to a set of consistent application functions – answer a call, make a call, play a prompt, recognize an amount. Whether using any of these technologies

▪ analog channel on a 4-port board

▪ digital channel on a T1 with ISDN

▪ digital channel on an E1 with an R2 protocol

▪ virtual channel on an IP network

▪ voice operation on a DM3 board

▪ voice operation in Host Media Processor

▪ speech recognition with SpeechWorks

▪ speech recognition with Nuance

all are accomplished with the same high-level function calls: MakeCall, AnswerCall, PlayFile, VrPlayAndRecogMoney.

What kind of applications is this good for?

Partial list of applications successfully developed and deployed using CT ADE:

|IVR – DTMF/Speech Enabled |Automated assistant |

|Unified Messaging |Follow-me services |

|Voice Mail |Talking email |

|Call/Contact Center |Intelligent call routing |

|Conferencing/Chat |Voice-activated dialing |

|Call-Back/Debit Card |Fax-on-demand |

|Soft PBX | |

Any application type you can write in C you can write with CT ADE

CT ADE is a C++, object oriented, high performance, field-tested application that supports all Intel telephony products and features. There are no technical limitations to the kind of CT application that can be implemented with these tools. To demonstrate, please review the following application summaries:

[pic]

What about performance? Is there a CPU overhead penalty?

In order to achieve its goal of API transparency, CT ADE inserts a resource management layer that unavoidably introduces some overhead. However, that overhead has been minimized through optimized program design, as demonstrated in real applications in the field.

In any application, CPU usage varies according to the program design.

Easiest development effort, Heaviest CPU load – multiple exe, Windows process switching

Medium development effort, Medium CPU load – multiple thread, Windows thread switching

Most difficult development, Lightest CPU load – single thread, state machine task switching

ADX (CallSuite) operates at the medium CPU load level, comfortable at up to 100 lines with a single processor

ADL (VOS) operates at the lightest CPU load level, comfortable at over 500 lines with a single processor

Fact is CT ADE operates much the same as any special purpose library. If a developer does not use the CT ADE resource management capability, they will have to develop their own – probably incurring a greater level of overhead.

[pic]

Here are some actual performance results, in our lab and in the field.

Intel benchmark results

|Configuration |Density (Ports) |Platform |Memory |CPU |

|Windows 2000 Server | | | | |

|Pentium III 650 MHz |288 (144 in, 144 out) |ADL |33MB |15% |

|250 MB RAM | |ADX |43MB |30% |

|DM/V960A-4T1 | | | | |

|SR 5.1.1 | | | | |

|CT ADE v8.2 SP1 | | | | |

Application makes/answers calls, plays a prompt (streams audio), disconnects and repeats

Customer applications

▪ Miami – 16 T1s (384 lines), debit card, < 30% CPU [500MHz]

▪ Vancouver – 20 T1 + 4 (484 lines), chat line, < 40% CPU [1.26GHz]

▪ Portland – 16 T1s (384 line), debit card, < 50% CPU [650MHz]

▪ Israel – 16 E1s (480 lines), 40k calls/hour, < 30% CPU [500MHz]

What's the highest density deployed today?

▪ 500+ ports in one PC in production today

▪ 10,000 ports in a LAN configuration – pre-paid calling card system

Is CT ADE robust enough for telco deployment?

CT ADE is the application platform for local and long-distance telephone companies in the US, UK, Switzerland, Korea, Philippines, Spain, Peru, Argentina, Columbia, France, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Brazil, and more.

Is CT ADE an open platform?

CT ADE offers more than one platform - one proprietary and one that supports a wide range of standard programming languages.

ADX (ActiveX objects) can be used in C or any other Windows programming language that supports the COM interface. The underlying telephony resource manager is designed to support multi-threaded, event driven application programs using a separate thread per network channel. Since the ActiveX interface on our C++ library is very thin, we expect this will satisfy the majority of customers who want to write their apps in C++ but don't want to take on the low-level device API. We can look at packaging the class library itself if we find that the ActiveX interface falls short of developer's needs and the demand warrants, but it is not in our Product Roadmap at this time.

ADL, our high-performance proprietary platform, can be used as one of several languages applied by the engineering staff. ADL is a C-like language with built-in telephony functions. C and other open languages can be used for the remaining features of the application – database, accounting, etc. Data between these components can be bridged with a high-performance, memory resident link – NetHub.

Does CT ADE work with Web Services?

As back-office data is increasingly available through web services, how are the telephony applications going to migrate to this new inter-process communication protocol? Well, if you are working in Visual Studio with CT ADE’s ActiveX objects (ADX), you get web services automatically when you upgrade to Visual Studio .NET.

Does CT ADE allow the application access to low-level hardware features?

CT ADE features high-level abstractions to avoid the more complex programming model, but also provides direct access to API functions for less common operations.

CT ADE was designed for API transparency—the same set of functions works under all supported telephony APIs and all supported trunk types—but some features are available only under certain technologies. For these cases, the hardware API is exposed through GetInt (get integer value) and SetInt (set integer value) and counterparts for boolean and string values.

These functions are not required to program applications using the telephony hardware, but are available for more advanced operations. The functions translate directly to the execution of the hardware API functions, as named in the descriptions below.

Example – Set the retry strategy for fax operations:

|SetInt |R4GrtFaxRetryStrategy |2002 |Use this REGID to set the m_gfqRecord.retry_strategy API |

| | | |element. |

Example – Set the digit detection feature on a DCB conference device:

|SetInt |R4DcbConfEnableDigitDetection |1911 |Use this REGID to directy access the |

| | | |dcb_setdigitmsk(handle, ConfId, Value, CBA_SETMSK) API |

| | | |function to enable and disable digit detection. |

Example – Enable any device mask for a digital trunk using GlobalCall:

|SetInt |R4GcEnableMask |523 |Use this REGID to directly access the gc_SetEvtMsk API |

| | | |function with the GCACT_ADDMSK parameter. |

There are over 300 such technology-specific access functions for telephony devices and more for text-to-speech, voice recognition, and wave media features. Any telephony operation that is required that cannot be achieved in some other manner can be implemented as direct access functions.

In addition, hardware parameters can be set a start-up. These will execute the board-level API calls. Arguments and results from these operations are written to a runtime log file to help configuration trouble-shooting.

Why should I use CT ADE when there are “free” APIs from Intel?

The real value proposition and way to look at run-time license fees is to compare them to the following customer costs and opportunities:

- Initial application development – This would include brand new application as well as the first project to add telephony related capabilities to an existing application. Applications developed with CT ADE should take less time and fewer resources to deploy (e.g. Dialogic’s multi-threaded sample app is 2100 lines of code; done with CT ADE it’s 280 lines).

- Ongoing Development - Our customers will continue to enhance and update their applications with new capabilities and technologies. The cost of development for future releases needs to be considered. These are recurring costs typically measured in number of resources and time.

- Technical Support – Since the application and actual code developed will be much smaller with CT ADE than with the alternative, support costs should also be less. This will especially be true with applications that are adding CTI and are not first and foremost telephony applications. The reason for this is that CT ADE applies the telephony expertise built upon over 13 years of commercial success.

- Time to market and revenue – Although this oft-heard phrase is becoming somewhat of a cliché, it really applies in this instance. A company that can get their product to market faster can realize a revenue ramp and competitive advantage that should be included in the equation when weighed along with the other benefits against the cost of run-times. For example, if customer business plan shows $500K in year 1 and $1.5M in year 2, it’s quite possible the time to market benefit in this case might yield $1M in year 1 and $3M in year 2. This is significant financial and competitive benefit that is perpetual year after year, release after release.

Competition

There are a number of key features that distinguish CT ADE from the competition that prospects will want to understand before making their toolkit decision.

Company

Does the vendor have the financial strength to offer the best technology in the shortest time with the highest quality? Does it have hardware and software support services under the same roof? Is that support available across the nation and throughout the world?

Not only does Intel bring its financial and business practice strengths to CT ADE product development, but also opens direct lines to developers of the hardware and software technologies on which our platforms rest. The CT ADE development team maintains close contact with other Intel engineering teams, particularly those teams developing telecommunications interface boards. Our goal is for the CT ADE to support new Intel technologies as quickly as possible after they are released.".

Product Maturity

The value of a toolkit is how effectively it delivers complex technologies in an easy-to-use form. This is not accomplished without pain and persistence. It’s critical then to know the history of the product’s evolution not only from its beginnings but also with any specific technological advance, e.g. DM3 architecture, speech recognition ecology, etc.

CT ADE – descendent of Parity Software’s VOS and CallSuite – delivers 13 years and 8 versions of refinement. Its DM3 and speech recognition implementations embody over 2 years of field trial already.

Environment Choice

Building computer telephony applications requires controlling the telephony devices while at the same time creating the business logic. Developers rarely master both disciplines. So toolkits can be used to control the devices but what programming forms are available to take advantage of existing experience in business logic environments?

CT ADE offers three different platforms so customers can best utilize their existing programming expertise or preferences.

[pic] ADX (ActiveX) objects in C, C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, C#, or other standard programming language

[pic] ADL (C-like syntax) optimized for CT operations and multi-port configurations

[pic] AD Flowchart for graphical design of CT solutions

Extensibility

While some products offer an easy-to-use interface it is important to know if the tool allows user extensions or back-doors to lower level operations. Several of the graphical interface products on the market today don’t support this easily or at all.

All three platforms within CT ADE support access to hardware and speech APIs. These operations are not required for most applications but are available when needed for specific, less common demands.

Licensing Model

Assuming that the features of available toolkits meet the technical needs of the intended application development, price and available licensing options may be the determining factors. Most products are sold in two forms: development systems and run-time licenses. Development system costs range from free to several hundred dollars. The more significant costs are in the run-time licenses which are usually based on number of resources used. Some companies charge for all resources in the configuration – trunks, media, speech technologies, etc.

CT ADE is the most affordable toolkit in the industry since we only charge for media resources; trunk interfaces do not require CT ADE license fees. There are no hidden charges! And there is only one universal CT ADE development kit, attractively priced, that covers all the technologies you need: T1, E1, IP, SS7, ASR, TTS, MSI, FAX, etc.

Compelling Events

Unavailability of older hardware models

As Intel discontinues older technologies and offers newer ones, there is a ready-made market segment of prospects that now have to re-invest in existing applications to add support for DM3, PCI, CompactPCI, IP telephony and Host Media Processing. These companies will understand the value of building their solutions on CT ADE to carry them forward with little or no impact to their development resources.

Speech has arrived – Are you ready?

Recent advances in the speech recognition technology have resulted in growing acceptance of speech-enabled telephone services. Many of today’s touch-tone IVR applications will be redeveloped using Nuance, SpeechWorks, Philips, or SAPI ASR engines. This can be a daunting challenge that CT ADE cuts down to size. Developers will have their hands full designing effective VUI (voice user interface) which is completely different from more primitive input methods. CT ADE handles the interface to the engine – the developer can concentrate on the application dialogs.

Free Rides Are Over

All of the major CT toolkit vendors now charge run-time licenses for each deployment of their products. Customers who want to enhance their applications that used products with previously free run-time licenses will be looking for new cost-effective solutions.

Dataflex Closes US Doors

Dataflex Holding PLC (UK) closed their US subsidiary, Dataflex, Inc. (formerly Telephony Experts.) Quoting from the information released on January 2, 2002, “In view of the current harsh trading environment in the US and its impact on the Company’s Billing and Voice Applications business, we have decided to close the group’s Los Angeles subsidiary, Dataflex, Inc.”

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