Configuring CUCM Push Based CDR Collection

Introduction

Using an external FTP or SFTP server, the WXP Collaboration Data Collector acts as a billing processor. This allows Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) to send its Call Detail Records (CDRs) directly to the collector instead of the collector polling them by using the API.

Each CUCM supports up to three billing servers. If all three are already in use, the WXP Collaboration Data Collector can still be configured and can forward received CDR files to another system.

Push-based CDR collection requires installation of a third-party SFTP server application on the WXP Collaboration Data Collector server. Several options are available. For example, the open-source FreeFTPd server can be configured as described in Collaboration Monitoring - Installing and Configuring FreeFTPd.

Enabling Push-Based CDR Collection

The following steps describe how to configure push-based CDR collection.

Step 1: Adding the Billing Server to CUCM

To configure the Data Collector as a billing server:

1. Log in to CUCM.

2. From the navigation dropdown menu in the top right, select Cisco Unified Serviceability.

3. Go to Tools > CDR Management.

4. Under Billing Application Server Parameters, click Add New.

5. Complete the form with the parameters for your SFTP server.

   

6. If more than one CUCM is used, replace the Directory Path with a CUCM-specific directory if more than one CUCM is used.

   1. Ensure this directory exists under the SFTP default directory on the collector server.

7. Click Add to provision the server.
   

   Note: If the password must be changed later, update it first on the external FTP/SFTP server. When updated in CUCM, the system attempts to log in with the new password. If login fails, the new password will not be saved.

Step 2: Test CDR Send

1. Place a test call between endpoints registered on CUCM.
2. End the call and verify that the file is sent to the SFTP directory on the server.

If there are errors, check the CUCM logs for more details.

Step 3: Disable Collection for CUCM

Once CDR collection is verified, disable collection for the CUCM Publisher systems being set up for push-based CDR collection:

1. Log in to the Admin Portal of WXP Collaboration.

2. Select Infrastructure.

3. Search for the CUCM Publisher to modify.

4. Click Edit or select the system name.

5. Disable the CUCM infrastructure by using toggling feature available at the top of the page.

   

Step 4: Configure WXP Collaboration Application for Push CDRs

Complete the following configuration in the WXP Collaboration Admin Portal.

FTP Settings

1. Scroll to the FTP Settings menu and expand it.

2. Enter the full path where CDRs are stored on the Data Collector (the directory used in Step 2).

3. Set the interval to 10 minutes.

4. Click Save.

CDR File Collection (Contact WXP Collaboration Support)

Contact WXP Collaboration Support and request enabling push-based CDR collection for your organization.

This can only be completed only by the WXP Collaboration Support team.

1. Scroll to the CDR File Collection (common for all CUCM systems) menu and expand it.

2. Select the checkbox Use push-based CDR collection?

3. Click Save.

Note: Push-based CDR collection must be enabled for all CUCM Publishers in WXP Collaboration. The billing server must be configured on all Publishers before re-enabling collection.

CDR Forwarding

If all three billing servers were already occupied on any of the CUCM Pubs, then it is necessary to use one of the billing server slots for WXP Collaboration and then have WXP Collaboration forward the collected CDRs to the billing server that was replaced. For this, configure the collector to forward the CDR files onward to this server by expanding the Forward menu and entering the FTP configuration used by the original billing server:

Step 5: Re-enable Collection for CUCM

1. Return to the top of the CUCM configuration page in WXP Collaboration application.

2. Enable the CUCM system.

3. Verify file uploads by checking the SFTP directory used for CDR files. Files should appear briefly and then be removed as they are successfully uploaded to WXP Collaboration.

By default, uploads occur every 10 minutes. The interval can be adjusted if needed.