Archive for the ‘Announcements’ Category

New features in InformaCast are designed to further enhance the capabilities of mass notification, paging, and physical security for the Cisco Unified Communications Platform.

New features in this release include:

The following features have been added to InformaCast v7.1 to enhance functionality and improve user experience:

• Phone Updates for CallManager Express. You can now rebuild the phone cache (on the Phone Updates page) as frequently as once per minute. Previously, you could only rebuild the phone cache every hour when using CallManager Express.

• InformaCast Session Timeouts. It is now possible to control InformaCast’s session timeouts from its user interface instead of modifying the web.xml file. The Session Timeouts link in the Edit Configuration menu allows you to control not only the length of active sessions between InformaCast and your web browser, but also the length of active sessions between InformaCast and your phones, which was not possible before InformaCast v7.1.

• Skip Broadcast Initiator Logic Reworked. InformaCast v7.1’s logic has been modified so that if the audio source of a live message (which is either a phone, speaker, or Desktop Notification System machine) is initially contained in the list of recipient devices, it will be removed. For example, if a live broadcast is sourced from a phone and sent to the All Devices recipient group, that phone will not receive the message, even though it is a member of the All Devices recipient group.

• SLP Parameters. It is now possible to control InformaCast’s SLP parameters from its user interface instead of modifying the web.xml file. The SLP Parameters link in the Edit Configuration menu allows you to control how InformaCast responds when a speaker requests the location of a configuration file server during its boot process, how InformaCast responds to a device or application’s request for the location of an InformaCast SOAP service, and the location of your Configuration File Server.2

• LDAP Improvements. Several improvements have been made to the LDAP environment in InformaCast v7.1:

Different Kinds of LDAP Directories Are Now Supported—Previously, only Microsoft Active Directory and OpenDS could be integrated with InformaCast. Now, user authentication in InformaCast can be done via OpenLDAP, Sun Java System Directory Server, Apache Directory Server, and any other kind of LDAP v3-compliant server. To allow this change, a number of new fields were added to the LDAP Integration page of InformaCast.
An Additional Authentication Method is Now Supported—Earlier versions of InformaCast only allowed using simple LDAP authentication. This authentication method might pose a security risk if used over an unencrypted communication channel. InformaCast v7.1 now also supports user authentication via Kerberos v5, which is more secure, and can be used with SSL for better protection. Another advantage of Kerberos is that the configuration of LDAP integration in InformaCast can be done using the LDAP administrator’s regular login name instead of the distinguished name that consists of a number of components. With the addition of Kerberos authentication, several new fields were added to the LDAP Integration page.
• New User Role. There is a new role called messageSenderDNsRestricted. This role is very similar to the messageSender role, except that when a user specifies directory numbers (DNs) in the IP Phone Extension (DN) field on the Send Message page, those DNs are analyzed. If a given DN is not contained in a recipient group to which the user has been granted access (through the use of user or group filters), that DN will be removed from the list of recipients.

• SOAP Interface Changes. The SOAP interface has been rewritten, using Apache CXF as the new underlying infrastructure. This change allows developers to initiate live and ad-hoc messages programatically and provide dynamic audio within the SOAP request (u-law or HQ format is required for audio). Backward compatibility in the SOAP interface has been preserved, meaning that applications using the old interface, such as DORA, don’t need any updates. To deal with the changes made to the SOAP interface, a Programmer’s SOAP Guide is being developed.

• Section 508 Compliance. Section 508, an amendment to the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is a federal law mandating that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities. In compliance with Section 508, InformaCast v7.1 has a number of improvements:

Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables—Data tables have the column and row headers appropriately identified (using the tag). Tables used strictly for layout purposes do not have header rows or columns.
Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers—Table cells are associated with the appropriate headers (e.g. with the ID, headers, scope, and/or axis HTML attributes).
Electronic forms comply with assistive technology—When electronic forms are designed to be completed online, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. All form controls should have text labels adjacent to them. Form elements should have labels associated with them in the markup. Dynamic HTML scripting of the form should not interfere with assistive technologies.
A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links—Skip navigation allows assistive technology to jump over repetitive information on a page. The value of this can be understood by noting how many times a webpage refreshes when simple actions are taken. This ability allows the user to save a lot of time.
• Cisco Communications Manager v8. Support has been added for Cisco Communications Manager v8. Please Note: InformaCast v7.1 has been fully tested as integrating with Cisco’s most recent release of CUCM v8.0. However, please note that Cisco Unified CallManager 4.x is not a supported environment for InformaCast v7.1. Prior versions of InformaCast will continue to be supported with 4.x. Click to view the Dates of Service

• Intercom Functionality. Intercom functionality between two phones, or a phone and a speaker now provided through PushToTalk v2.3, a separate application offering from Singlewire.

• Newly Supported Phones. InformaCast now supports new Cisco IP phones: 6921, 6941, 6961, 7937, 7971, 8961, 9951, and 9971.

• Key Pair Regeneration. For any users experiencing browser problems with importing InformaCast SSL certificates, there is a new section in the Troubleshooting chapter dealing with regenerating a key pair.

To learn more and download a 30-day free trial of InformaCast, visit us at www.singlewire.com/talkwithus.

In January 2009, Kentucky was hit with a severe ice storm that affected large areas of the state. The storm caused damage to systems and infrastructure that was so dramatic that it was comparable to damage sustained in an earthquake of 6.2 in magnitude.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which has 16 campus locations located throughout Kentucky, had several schools that were severely impacted by the storm. Through the KCTCS “SNAP” emergency notification system, which includes Singlewire InformaCast and SchoolMessenger, officials were able to send notification to students and staff alerting them that school locations were closed and the dangers associated with the storm.

Click to Learn More

Watch this short video to learn more about how this event unfolded at KCTCS and how they used their emergency campus notification system to send the alert. Visit http://www.singlewire.com/kctcs.

Cisco Case Study – Elon University uses mass notification and ip paging functionality of InformaCast as part of their campus security strategy.

Located in North Carolina, Elon University is a private university with 5400 students and 1150 faculty and staff. The university’s 100 buildings are situated on a beautiful and historic 575-acre campus, away from urban centers. “Students feel very safe here, and that’s part of the university’s appeal,” says Christopher Waters, the university’s assistant chief information officer and director of information systems. “At the parent orientation in 2008, one of the most popular question from parents was whether the campus had video surveillance.”

Elon’s campus security department can now view real-time and archived video surveillance footage on demand, thanks to the Cisco® Video Surveillance Operations Manager. The system operates over Elon University’s existing Cisco network, which is also used for Cisco Unified Communications; a Cisco digital signage solution; and for intercom, using Singlewire Informacast software and the built-in speakers of Cisco Unified IP Phones.

Click to read full case study featured on www.cisco.com – PDF

Cleveland County Public Schools adds AP instruction to another school without hiring a new teacher, with Unified Videoconferencing.

Formed when three school districts merged, North Carolina’s Cleveland County Public Schools has 29 elementary, junior, and high schools spread out over 40 miles. “Our biggest challenge is providing an excellent educational experience with limited budget and personnel,” says Rob McDaniel, network engineer for the district.

The district uses the built-in speakers of its Cisco Unified IP phones for intercom and bells, using InformaCast software from Singlewire, a Cisco partner. “Cisco Unified Communications cost approximately the same as a new PBX and intercom system,” says McDaniel. “The return on investment includes lower monthly recurring costs, the safety of having a phone in every classroom, and the ability to send text alerts to classroom phones in the event of weather-related or campus safety emergencies.”

Click to read full case study

Additional information on this solution – http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns151/networking_solutions_unified_communications_home.html

CyberData partners with Singlewire to offer IP speakers for use with Singlewire’s InformaCast® paging, emergency and mass notification systems.

Learn more about this announcement by visiting www.cyberdata.net.

http://www.cyberdata.net/corporate/pdf/CyberData-Singlewire_Press_Release.pdf

On November 11, Singlewire released InformaCast^® v6.1.1 on Cisco’s Application eXtenstion Platform (AXP). Cisco’s Integrated Services Router (ISR) combined with its Application eXtension Platform (AXP) allows businesses to cost-effectively meet their office communications and application integration needs by delivering data, voice, security, wireless LAN, switching, and video services on a single converged network and enabling hosting and integration of custom applications and network services. Cisco’s ISR and AXP have been instrumental in integrating networking infrastructure and reducing operational costs.

Singlewire’s InformaCast revolutionizes organization-wide communication. You can simultaneously send an audio stream and text messages to any combination of Cisco IP phones, InformaCast-compliant IP speakers, legacy paging systems, and PCs. With the push of a single button on the phone or a single click from a PC, a user can send a live, recorded, or scheduled broadcast to one or more paging groups.

InformaCast’s messaging and notification capabilities are numerous and constantly growing:

• Create live, ad-hoc, or pre-recorded audio broadcasts and/or text broadcasts
• Create paging groups using a variety of flexible means
• Filter access to message types and recipient groups by user
• Schedule messages to be sent at a preset time or on a recurring basis
• Administer broadcasts from a secure web interface or IP phone
• Broadcast multiple messages simultaneously to different paging groups
• Use the Bell Scheduler’s calendar format for complex ringing environments such as schools, and schedule passing bells for an entire school district, modifying the bells as needed
• Use the Talk and Listen feature and allow all recipients of a broadcast to take turns talking within the group by pressing a Talk softkey

With the release of InformaCast v6.1.1, Singlewire improved functionality:

• Message priorities. You can now assign a priority level to messages, allowing you to control how messages will be played by recipient devices. For example, a principal’s message about a tornado in the area (with a priority setting of 1) would override the students’ daily announcements (with a priority level of 3).
• Bulk IP speaker volume adjustment. This feature allows you to increase or decrease the volume of registered IP speakers. You can apply the volume adjustment to all registered speakers or to a subset of registered speakers.
• Scripting. InformaCast can be configured to run a scripts after a broadcast has been sent or after it backs up its configuration.
• SchoolMessenger/SOAP interaction. If you use the SchoolMessenger application, you can now create a message script that is attached to an InformaCast message. When the InformaCast message is broadcast, it will prompt SchoolMessenger’s application to execute a specific job. The SchoolMessenger application normally performs message delivery through phone calls, emails, and SMS.

Singlewire’s Legacy Paging Interface (LPI) allows you to incorporate your existing, analog paging system with our InformaCast^® application:

• Create live, ad-hoc, or pre-recorded audio and/or text broadcasts
• Play those broadcasts over speakers and IP phones
• Filter access to message types and recipient groups by user
• Schedule messages to be sent at a preset time or on a recurring basis
• Administer broadcasts from a secure web interface or IP phone
• Broadcast multiple messages simultaneously to different paging groups

You save money and time by leaving your existing paging system in place, and you gain functionality and versatility in your paging abilities.

The LPI works as a liaison between your existing paging system and our InformaCast solution. When you configure your speakers with the LPI, they can be integrated with InformaCast, and you can add them to recipient groups, create paging zones modeled after your existing zones, and send audio broadcasts out to any combination of speakers/zones.

With the LPI, you create a definition of your existing paging system, which is stored in the LPI’s database. Each definition may have one or more paging zones (i.e. group of speakers) associated with it, and each paging zone can be accessed via a single or multiple dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones.

Once your definition is complete, the LPI creates a software “model” of your speaker for each defined paging zone and assigns to it a specified MAC address within the LPI. The speakers register with the InformaCast server and play the broadcasts it sends out.

Because the LPI allows you to incorporate your external paging system with InformaCast, you save time and money by continuing to invest in your existing architecture. Since you are able to use the existing zones you have already configured for your organization, you cut down on confusion and effort in creating new zones. By incorporating InformaCast into your organization, you gain the increased functionality of either application, giving you more flexibility in your paging options and control over your paging environment.

The LPI supports the Grandstream HT502 and the following Valcom devices:

• VIP-821
• V2000A
• V2001A
• V2003A
• VIP-812
• V2904
• V2924A
• V9970
• MultiPath Valcom

Squaw Valley, USA – March 10-11, 2010

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER

Singlewire Software is excited to announce our return to Squaw Valley for a better than ever 2010 event. This year’s event offers attendees an affordable conference that will allow you to gather answers and resources that will assist in the day-to-day decisions your business faces regarding your existing and potential technology solutions.

To Register, visit – http://www.singlewire.com/keyword/squawvalley2010.

Singlewire’s InformaCast has been highlighted as a part of Cisco’s Notifi-Ed Solution for School Safety and Security Application Deployment Guide. The guide is written for school districts, and their assisting sales engineers, who are interested in using Cisco Unified Communications for both everyday and emergency notifications.

The Notifi-Ed solution addresses a number of challenges facing school districts today including school safety and security and maximizing network and communication investments. It also addresses challenges in infrastructure by offering integration with the newest technologies available and also integrating with a school district’s existing  technology when possible. Cisco’s Notifi-Ed guide offers solutions to these challenges by using Singlewire and SchoolMessenger software.

With Singlewire’s InformaCast you can simultaneously send an audio stream and text messages to any combination of Cisco IP phones, InformaCast-compliant IP speakers, and PCs anywhere in your school district. InformaCast allows you to send a live, recorded, or scheduled broadcasts to all the devices in your district or only a select few. You can also control your school’s bells using the Bell Scheduler’s calendar.

To learn more about InformaCast please visit http://www.singlewire.com/informacast.html. To learn more about Notifi-Ed or other Cisco Validated Designs please click here.

A new solution video has been posted to Singlewire.com. Click to learn more about Singlewire Software by following this link. http://www.singlewire.com/solutions.html