Dialogic and SCO Announce the First Open CTI Server for UNIX Systems

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is being announced today?
A: Today, SCO and Dialogic are announcing that we are working together to develop, market and support the first open, standards-based CTI server operating in a UNIX system environment.

Q: Why is CT-Connect important to UNIX system solutions providers?
A: There is a substantial base of SCO UNIX system-based computer-telephone applications already available in the market, and more being developed every day. Many of these could be profitably enhanced with call control services. A UNIX system-based CTI server will allow solutions providers to deliver these systems in a homogeneous UNIX system environment and often on a single physical system, simplifying support and operations logistics.

Q: How is CT-Connect configured for the SCO UNIX System?
A: CT-Connect consists of a central server module and a set of distributable client modules. Dialogic offers CT-Connect client modules for a range of operating systems, including several versions of UNIX, but a UNIX system-based server module has not previously been available. Now, through our cooperative arrangement, Dialogic and SCO will provide a CT-Connect server module for the SCO UNIX system environment, making it the first open, standards-based CTI server to operate on a UNIX platform.

Q: What do you mean by "open, standards-based?"
A: Both Dialogic and SCO believe firmly in the principle of open, standards-based systems. This means that our products are designed to interoperate with other vendors' products in a modular manner, so that customers can select the elements of a solution based on merit and without artificial restrictions.
In the case of CTI server software, the important interfaces are: connections to switches; client-server networking; application operating systems; and application programming interfaces (APIs). In each of these categories, CT-Connect endeavors to offer the widest possible range of options. For example, CT-Connect supports the internationally-agreed upon standard protocol for server-to-switch connections, CSTA, as well as several proprietary protocols used by vendors who have not yet adopted the CSTA standard.

Q: Is this the first area of cooperation between Dialogic and SCO?
A: Dialogic is the world's leading supplier of computer-telephone hardware and software components. Dialogic delivers this technology to solution providers such as independent software developers (ISVs), original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs), value-added resellers (VARs) and integrators who in turn build and deliver end-customer solutions. A significant proportion of Dialogic's revenue is derived from cooperative solutions based on SCO UNIX systems, which is understandable considering the extensive support of the SCO UNIX system across Dialogic's product range.
Dialogic and SCO have been working together in the CTI marketplace for some time. This announcement is the first formal agreement between the two companies, demonstrating their mutual commitment to supporting the computer-telephony industry.

Q: How will CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems be developed, marketed and supported?
A: Dialogic's CT-Connect engineering team is responsible for developing the SCO UNIX system-based product. SCO is providing advice on specific SCO UNIX system implementation techniques.
Dialogic and SCO will both market and support the product. Initially, Dialogic will sell the packaged product through distribution channels, while SCO will provide the product through its OEM relationships. The financial arrangement between the companies is not being disclosed.

Q. What is the UNIX system history in the Computer-Telephony market?
A. UNIX was originally developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories, one of the pre-eminent research facilities in the telecommunications industry. Its openness, reliability and scalability has led to its widespread use in a large range of telecommunications-related systems. SCO sales to the telecommunications industry contribute significantly to the company's total revenues. SCO's UNIX system operating environments are being widely utilized in solutions such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Voice Messaging, Formal and Informal Call Centers, CTI Gateways, CTI Workgroup Systems, Telephone Switching Systems of all sizes, telephone network signaling and routing, and many other telephony-related applications.
Today there are in excess of 12,000 different UNIX system-based applications, many of which can be enhanced through CTI. This has created a momentum for UNIX systems in a growing server marketplace.

Q: Which version of SCO UNIX will CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems support?
A: The initial release will run under SCO UnixWare. Subsequent releases will be compatible with the evolving SCO UNIX system product line.

Q: Which PBXs will CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems support?
A: CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems will support switches with CTI links compliant with the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) Computer Supported Telephony Application (CSTA) protocol specification, as well as proprietary protocols supported by the Lucent DEFINITY G3 and NorTel Meridian 1 switches. The list of CSTA-compliant switches include: Alcatel, BBS Telecom, Bosch Telenorma, Cortelco, Ericsson, Intecom, Mitel, Rockwell, Siemens Rolm, Tadiran and other switches.

Q: Which application programming interfaces (APIs) will the SCO UNIX system-based CT-Connect server support?
A: It is the intention of Dialogic and SCO to make it as convenient as possible for application writers to incorporate telephony features into their products. Although there is not yet an accepted open industry standard API for computer telephony, CT-Connect supports several proprietary APIs that have achieved defacto industry acceptance. These APIs will be available on various client operating systems depending on market demand and technical feasibility.
The initial release of the UNIX system-based CT-Connect server will support Microsoft's dynamic data exchange (DDE) on all Windows client platforms, and TAPI V1 functions on Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 client systems. Because of the proprietary design of Microsoft's TAPI V2 architecture, it is not clear at this time whether that architecture can be supported from an open UNIX server platform. Within these constraints, and depending on market demand, we intend to implement as much of TAPI V2 as is technically possible in an open, server environment.
The Telephony Services API (TSAPI), originally developed by AT&T and Novell in support of their own commercial products, is currently being studied by several industry consortiums and standards bodies. These discussions may yield the industry's first open, multi-vendor call control API, which we will implement if there is market demand. In the interim, we will offer one of the existing proprietary versions of the TSAPI programming interface.
We are also studying object-oriented interfaces such as: Javasoft's Javatel, Microsoft's ActiveX, and CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) from the Open Management Group.

Q: Why has SCO not developed this in-house?
A. As a leading operating system vendor, SCO will be compared with the very different approaches taken by Microsoft NT, where no PBX drivers are supplied; and Novell NetWare, where all PBX vendors must commit to support an operating system environment. SCO feels that although PBX call control interfaces have harmonized around CSTA, they will never fully standardize.
Supporting these interfaces is a field of specialization in which Dialogic excels and should not be a core competence of a mainstream operating system vendor committed to open standards. SCO is committed to working closely with vendors such as Dialogic, who offer best-of-breed technology, and integrating those technologies into solutions based on the SCO UNIX system platform.

Q: Will CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems support applications running on the server?
A: Software developers will be able to co-locate UNIX system-based telephony applications with the SCO UNIX system-based CT-Connect server module if they desire. In a client-server architecture, the physical arrangement of client and server software modules is unimportant. CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems follows this design principle. The CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems server software, the client modules that provide the APIs, and the applications thus supported can all operate on a single physical system.

Q. Telephony applications are beginning to utilize the Internet. How does CTI support these systems?
A. The Internet has tremendous synergy with computer telephony. For example, a customer using an Internet web browser to view a catalog might request a traditional voice conversation with a service representative in a formal call center. Using CTI technology, the application can set up a voice connection between a service representative and the customer and simultaneously show the service representative the correct web page and relevant customer information. The result is better customer service and reduced operating costs.
CTI plays an important role in such configurations by giving integrated multi-media call center applications effective control of traditional telephone connections and complete information about the status of the connected parties.
Both Dialogic and SCO provide a broad range of products and services for Internet-related telephony applications. For example, SCO's Internet Family is a perfect compliment to CT-Connect for SCO UNIX systems, and allows VARs and ISVs to maximize on their UNIX expertise and create integrated solutions.