Switch Audit |
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Switch Auditing from
is designed to combat abuse of your system from within [call
barring] and from the outside world [hacking]. The aim of the
audit it to identify the areas of concern and produce an action
plan. |
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Badly programmed /
managed systems are routinely found by
.
The common problems are where system users can make unauthorised
calls. This is often from bad management: an example would be
not keeping up with the code changes where a user is barred
from premium rate calls. The problem is that he is barred from
the old code [0898] not the new code of 09.
Another common fault - usually bad programming
- is the ability of a user to bypass barring. He is barred from
std numbers yet, if he uses 121 or 141, before the outside
number: he can call anywhere he chooses.
There are many, many more ways for staff to bypass any barring:
an audit by
is a way of tackling this
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An audit by
is a way of combating the financially disastrous impact that can
be made by the hacker.
has dealt with sites that have lost up to £3000 per day from
criminal hacking. Usually taking place out of hours this
'commercial' exploitation of outward dialling routes involves
calls to overseas locations on massive scale. One site was
targeted over a week-end and suffered call charges of over
£10000 |
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Criminal hacking in the UK is not a
sophisticated process involving whiz kids or nerds hacking in vi
a pc. In the UK, DDI number ranges are 'leaked' together with
switch type to 'operators' who will find an outbound route from
the switch. Once tested and proved the required number sequences
to gain access to international destinations will be issued to
'members' of a syndicate or to a 'call centre'. The switch will
be blitzed and calls will not cease until the route is removed.
Occasional usage which can remain undetected [phreaking] is not
common - where it does exist it is usually staff or someone with
a relationship to the site
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RAS hacking is extremely rare yet
is the route most managers seem obsessed with. This is the first
door
shuts!
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An
audit will tackle issues such as passcodes, RAS admin, system
admin & switch usage. Procedures and routines will be
established catering for safe admin and to combat issues arising
from disgruntled staff and bad maintainers. |
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the
audit takes a close look at the hacker's
favourites: VoiceMail and Freephone
access |
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post
audit , the client would decide which
operational routines and switch changes would be suitable for
his particular business. Most changes can be implemented by
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as with many services &
facilities offered by
,
the audit can be tailored to client's particular needs and
encompass related areas, such as call routing & handling
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Specific items dealt
with by an
audit would include:
- DISA
- networking [inter-office]
- DDI
- networks [PTO and alternate carriers]
- ARS
- LCR
- Routing
- number management [freephone, premium
rate]
- voicemail
- extension / device
usage
- system features
- switch management
- system
access
- admin practices
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The
audit is
available to
clients as part of their support package and to any business as
a switch service. lead-times are as per the support package or,
to non
clients, within 30 days - start to complete. the audit may
involve a number of
personnel reflecting the switch and its packages [voicemail, acd
etc]. the audit is restricted to systems of a certain type and
size because many switches do not warrant the expense. on multi
site networks all switches would be examined. |
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RAS Control:
clients can benefit from
RAS Control where, upon notification or via our on site
equipment telling our support centre, switch routes,
services and facilities can be remotely altered or closed
down.
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Switch Support |
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Switch Support
services from
is your solution to the day to day management issues arising on
your site.As your business develops and
changes occur, you want to make changes quickly and correctly
Switch Support enables you to do this.
Essentially a help desk facility
Switch Support offers a solution path to cater for your own
moves and changes tasks.
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Limited Switch Support services from
are available free of charge [points based] in the period
immediately after upgrade or provision of services and
equipment.
On-going support is provided:
- as part of a service package
- paid ad-hoc [charged in units of 15
minutes]
- points based credit
- subscription
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Available during working hours
or, with selected packages, 24 / 7.
Supported users merely have to call the support services number,
give their pre-assigned passcode and state their request.
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Switch Support services from
are designed to assist you to successfully complete the routine
tasks demanded of a System Manager. With the optional use of
RAS, these tasks include over 100 system facilities, many of
which are listed here:
-
Account Codes
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Analogue device
features
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Analogue 'phone
features
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ARS Routing - basic
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Attendant Answering &
Forwarding
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Call Barring
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Call Handling - make &
take, hold, transfer, park
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Call Logging
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Call Redirection
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Class of Service
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CLIP & COLP
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Charge Accounting
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Charge Account
Authorisation
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Console operation
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DDI
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Department Management
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Digital Terminal
Features
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Directory Management
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DISA
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Distinctive Ringing
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End-to-End Signalling
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Enabling - extensions
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Extended PABX
facilities
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Feature Codes
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Groups - hunting,
pickup, incoming & outgoing
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History
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HOT Line
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LCR Routing - basic
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Line Selection
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Login
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Multi Customer
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Network Routing - basic
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Operator Answering
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Out of Service - Lines
& Extensions
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Password Management
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POT features
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Port enabling &
management
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Proprietary Terminal
Features
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Redial
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Re-enabling - trunks &
extensions
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Speed Dials -
personnel, set & system
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Tenant Working
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Time & Date
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Trunk Barring
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Trunk Steering
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Walking Class of
Service
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Voice over IP & IP Telephony |
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As
analogue voice and digital data transmissions merge, IP
telephony represents a global revolution in the way
communications are made.
With the inclusion of
the Internet in the
equation, multiple solution paths now exist for local & global
communications.
One
of the deciding factors in choosing a
VoIP solution is, by
sending voice traffic over a data network, costs for a long
distance call may be reduced by a massive 90%
Other significant costs can be
saved such as in infrastructure: Instead of 2 separate networks
- voice and data - VoIP merges the two into a single IP network
reducing cabling and its associated costs [eg maintenance]
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Solutions
IP capable switches
offer in-built VoIP facilities. However,
gateway
solutions offer immediate cost effective solution paths for all
environments:
There are,
obviously, unlimited variants in solutions and applications.
However, it is possible to visualize three main scenarios:
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Site to site to
multi site |
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2. Main Site to remote
site |
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3. Main
Site to mobile worker /
SoHo worker
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The three
scenarios [above] are simplified working examples of ‘typical’
applications. In the real world there can be combinations of the
above and multiple sites.
Additionally, there are applications working outside of the
intra company environment such as supplier to customer
where an outside party would be given a protected route into his
customer’s network.
In short,
there are many applications which have not even been thought of
yet.
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Implementation
The IP
routing equipment required to provide these solutions is
available now from
.
Tried & tested, the solutions are not expensive and can offer
return of investment in weeks or months not years.
The IP route
needed can be any IP route even ADSL and even dial up!
Voice over
Broadband: Voice over Broadband (VoBB) offers the ideal
route for VoIP traffic when looking to replace expensive, local,
inter-site traffic that, traditionally, has been catered for by
expensive private wires [circuits]. Carrying VoIP on a VPN [
virtual private network] using broadband is becoming
common, which also allows savings on the cost of inter-site
'internal' calls.
When
considering VoBB, factors such as
network stability and capacity, plus quality of service, must be
analysed.
Remember, DSL
network downtime doesn't mean that you just lose your EMail or
Browser for a while: you've now lost your inter-site voice comms
- a case which never happens with private wires. Equally, a
local power cut can silence your network.
Some integrated voice backup, therefore, must be enabled
to provide assured service
Because
voice
traffic must be 'live' it is a far more critical application
than data. Companies need SDSL [as opposed to the, common, ADSL]
for a reliable service. Although flexible bandwidth from the ISP
may be offered in the future to allow allocation of capacity to
voice, it needs to be stressed that a plug n play solution does
not exist and the achievement of the required Quality of Service
may have to be through a combination of measures
Home users may call pals PC-to-PC
over the Internet but calls outside the VPN are over the PSTN
network. Calls using broadband are using the internet as their
carrier! As the available bandwidth is variable, congestion can
remove the voice link. The route of data traffic may even be
transcontinental causing unacceptable delay.
is the only UK company offering the entire implementation
service. As is known,
will
tailor any application to the particular requirements working,
where necessary with all concerned parties [IT department,
Maintainers etc].
1.
Services
is totally independent:
does not sell LCR, ADSL, ISDN or any network services. The
customer’s LCR routes are tailored to the customer's needs free
from unnecessary routing.
will arrange for all required services and deals with all UK
service providers.
In short,
is the one stop shop.
2.
PBXs
These
solutions work on any PBX and
’s
expertise allows implementation on any switch with creation /
preservation of full ARS.
’s
range of fully supported switches is unparalleled
Customers
requiring upgrades [eg additional hardware] to switches to
accommodate the new solutions can be processed by
entirely: provision of hardware, installation and on-going
maintenance.
3.
LAN WAN
can fully implement the solution onto the existing IP
infrastructure or create an IP network from scratch. This
includes the necessary security and firewall applications.
4.
Geography
provides implementation throughout the UK and, where required,
internationally.
5.
Customer Sales
provides regular seminars for end users so they can see
scenarios in action and full sales support – including site
visits.
6.
Support
provides full maintenance services on all IP products and, where
required, remote maintenance & management.
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Training |
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From user training to highly
sophisticated system manager modules
offers the ability to use and control your switch to the maximum
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Courses & modules from
take place at your own site on your own switch, saving you time
& expense. The courses are tailored to reflect your particular
site[s] and can be regarded as bespoke.
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also provides a range of training packages aimed at
providing the skill-sets demanded of today's voice & data
professionals such as Voice over IP implementation for systems
sales staff and GSM routing for dealers. These solutions are
designed to equip the people in the field with the ability to
provide sales and services based on a sound knowledge
foundation. Contact
direct with your requirements
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Least Cost
Routing & Automatic Route Selection |
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is the UK leader in the implementation of ARS & LCR and services
in relation to CPSSpecialising in large
switches & networks,
's
expertise has been employed world-wide
Now, these services are primarily used for removing LCR from
switches and route creation to accommodate VoIP
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Video
Audio & Web Conferencing |
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offers the very highest quality conference solutions
's
expertise and massive portfolio of switches means that a full
package is available complete with installation and, in the case
of non stand alone applications, upgrading & programming of the
host switch
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SJG |
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Network Infrastructure: Supply, installation & maintenance of
voice & data networks; cat 5, 6 fibre.
Telephone systems: Supply, installation & maintenance of
telephone systems inc. VoIP
Specialised testing Datacomms: Fibre, ISDN [PRI, DASS , DPNSS &
BRI]
Specialised testing Electrical: PAT, ELI, Distribution
CCTV: Supply, installation & maintenance of CCTV
Door Entry & Access Systems: Supply, installation & maintenance
of multiple integrated access control systems
Nurse Call Systems: Supply, installation & maintenance of
systems for healthcare sectors |