Newbie Definity Question 1

[Trinition]

I've been working with a Definity G3 through some CTI middleware for a few months now. However, I have very little knowledge over how a PBX switch actually works inside. I'd like to learn more so I can understand why certain things work and others don't.

For example, from a device in the Definity controlled through the CTI middleware, I cannot conference a VDN. Completing the conference fails until the consultation call is actually answered. However, if I conference the VDN using its external DID, the conference works immediately -- presumably because the call looks like a new, independent call once it has gone through the trunks.

Why is this? Is there a better way to do this?

 

[steveave]

I'm not quite certian what you are trying to do. As far as I know there is no way to conference a VDN. You are conferencing at the CO or station level with the DID number. You can service observe a VDN if the COR on the VDN allows same. Are you using the Centre Vu-Tserver or CTconnect?

steve

 

[Trinition]

I suppose a big partof my problem is that everythign i know I only know from the software side of CTI middlewre. I've used two different middlewares: Genesys TServer and Dialogic CT Connect. I use them from Java (each offers a Java API) to control my Definity G3 v8 switch.

What I'm trying to do is conference a call that is on hold on a CTI station with a VDN. However, since a VDN is not terminal (I made that term up, bear with me), the conference fails. The conference must be to some other terminal device, like an outgoing trunk, another CTI station, or a real phone hanging off the switch. FWIW, I've used an outgoing trunk to conference back into the VDN but that ends up tying up two extra trunks.

The thing is, I don't quite understand the distinction. Certainly a VDN must have some sort of control over a callf or it to be able to divert it, yet not enough to actually interact with it. I'm trying to peer a little bit deeper into the mechanics of the PBX switch so I can better understand the limitations and learn new possibilities.