Improving Customer Satisfaction Through Advances in Remote Management Technology Greg Michel Product Manager Quintum Technologies Inc.

Introduction  Challenges of providing speedy and efficient customer support in enterprise networks  Ways of addressing these challenges  Drawbacks of current methods  Introducing a new paradigm  A new remote management technology  Benefits of this new approach

Challenges  Most enterprises have strict security policies  Various NAT traversal solutions exist for VoIP access but not for device management  Direct access to gateways behind firewalls for management purposes is impossible  Greatly complicates the customer support process  Requires customer involvement in support issues  Adds delays, and extends customer downtime  May require expensive site visit or truck roll

Remote Configuration and Management Is Challenged By Firewalls  Remote management is critical for “Customer Service.”  Service Providers, VARs, Integrators, Network Administrators.  Firewalls deny accessibility.  Establishing management sessions to all endpoints is not scalable. Enterprise PBX Tenor VoIP Gateway IP Phones & Clients Configuration and Network Management PSTN IP ? ?

Possible Solutions  Install VoIP gateways outside firewalls  Usually unacceptable due to security issues  Install VoIP gateways in the DMZ  Better, but still not very appealing  Access gateways via a local PC running a secure client such as PC Anywhere  Requires involving customer personnel at the remote site  Use phone and communications with on-site customer personnel  Very slow and requires customer personnel involvement

IP Network Router Firewall/NAT “Public” LAN “Private” LAN “DMZ” LAN “Private” Port “DMZ” Port Install VoIP gateway in the public domain  Install VoIP gateways outside firewalls  Usually unacceptable due to security issues  Open to denial of service attacks

IP Network Router Firewall/NAT “Public” LAN “Private” LAN “DMZ” LAN “Private” Port “DMZ” Port Install VoIP gateway in the DMZ  Install VoIP gateways in the DMZ  Better, but still vulnerable  Open to denial of service attacks

IP Network Router Firewall/NAT “Public” LAN “Private” LAN “DMZ” LAN “Private” Port “DMZ” Port Install VoIP gateway on the private LAN  Install VoIP gateways on the private network  Ideal solution from the enterprise point of view  Management access now becomes an issue

IP Network Indirect access using phone and  Indirect support  Extremely slow and inefficient  Requires skilled local staff involvement PSTN Customer Support Specialist Service Provider NOC Customer Staff

IP Network Router Firewall/NAT “Public” LAN Secure Access Client Running on Local PC “DMZ” LAN “Private” Port “DMZ” Port Use secure remote access software  Access VoIP gateways via a Secure Access Client  Adds cost at remote site, not scalable  Requires local support to enable secure access

There’s got to be a better way !  Need transparent, secure, direct access to CPE at the customer site, even if it is deployed behind corporate firewalls  Should provide access to install, configure, upgrade, and trouble shoot remote CPE with little or no local involvement  Should provide customer support personnel with a “just like being there” experience

Introducing a New Paradigm – The Remote Management Session Server  Provides completely transparent, secure remote access to CPE behind corporate firewalls  Complete access to carry out all management and maintenance functions without local involvement  Standards based secure connection (SSH, SOCKS)  Encrypted connection supports HTTP, FTP, Telnet  “It’s just like being there” experience  Automatic notification of install via  Automatic download of logs via

Enabling Remote CPE Management – The Remote Management Session Server  RMSS sits on the public, or service provider, network and acts as a bridge between the Tenor and the management tools.  Network Administrators/Customer Support can manage access gateways anywhere. Enterprise PBX Tenor VoIP Gateway IP Phones & Clients Configuration and Network Management PSTN IP Remote Management Session Server

Pre-configuring the CPE equipment DHCP

Connecting to the RMSS

Select a unit from Registration List

It’s just like being there -

Benefits  Complete access for optimum customer support  Automates remote site installation process  No local customer involvement required  No skilled staff required at remote site  Much faster problem resolution  Minimizes customer downtime  Eliminates costly site visits or truck rolls  Greatly improves customer satisfaction  Leverages efficiency of customer support personnel

Thank You !

Back-up Information

Firewall/NAT IP WAN Firewall/NAT Customer Support Personnel Tenor Remote Customer Site NOC Enabling Secure Management of Remote Tenors  Secure management of remote Tenors behind firewalls Full remote management capability via Tenor Configuration Manager or CLI Supports configuration, trouble shooting, diagnostics, and software upgrade Central Remote Management Session Server

Firewall/NAT IP WAN Firewall/NAT Customer Support Personnel Tenor Remote Customer Site NOC Enabling Secure Management of Remote Tenors  Separate encrypted sessions insure network security Central PC console establishes an encrypted session with the server Remote Tenor establishes a separate encrypted session with the sever Central Remote Management Session Server

Firewall/NAT IP WAN NOC Managing a Network of Remote Tenors  Support multiple remote sites from one central support location Supports 100 simultaneous individual management sessions Up to 5,000 Tenors can register to one management server Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Central Remote Management Session Server

Firewall/NAT IP WAN NOC Dual Redundant Servers for Maximum Reliability  Multiple management servers provide redundancy Remote Tenors can register to primary and secondary management servers Central PC console can access Tenors via primary or secondary server Secondary Management Server Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Primary Management Server

Firewall/NAT IP WAN NOC Additional Network Management Functions  Automatic notification of network management events Sends NOC an notification when a new Tenor registers to the server Maintains logs of management sessions which can be ed to NOC Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Tenor Remote Customer Site Central Remote Management Session Server