route filters- why?

[iptuser]

Router filters- why use them


In a normal CCM with a Country Dial Plan having been implemented you create a multiple instances of Route pattern 9.@ with different partitions - or it is in my supported system

9.@ partition - mobile
9.@ partition - local
9.@ partition - international

You then assign these partitions local, mobile, international to a CSS which is assigned to a end user- this provides the users call barring


In addition there are also route filters

local
mobile
international

Route filters also provide a call barring feature i.e User`s CSS "tells" you which route pattern to use which also has a route filter assigned to it.

e.g A user dials 9.077- UK mobile so you select Route pattern 9.@, partition mobile which your CSS can see.

within this route pattern 9.@( 9.077) is a filter called mobile which states service for exists for mobiles, pages so they call continues- so again can act as a second call barring feature


My question is why have filters as well since the discussion to deny access or not is taken at the users CSS level, also the Dial plan lists all the available mobiles, in our examples so you are not picking out certain mobiles to block anywhere since the service is set to exist in the filter


My view is to have a single 9.@ or even 9.! as a route pattern, allow all PSTN access on the device level and then use blocking routes on the users CSS to deny calls- The reason I'm saying this is that I`m reviewing an existing install with the above set up and my personal option is the blocking method - any thoughts
thanks

 

[whykap]

Route filters make the system more flexible, and easier to administer your outbound calling. It is also a CISCO best practice.
You do not have to use them if you do not want to however. It has nothing to do with restrictions only with how the call is dialed.
Personally, I would not install a call manager without using route filters along with my route patterns.

 

[HmmG3]

I find them useful in restrictions. For example, I have a filter that has nothing but country codes that I need blocked. With multiple regions, I have each one with a 9.@ using that filter set to block calls. If I need to block or unblock a country, it's just one filter that needs to be updated. If I did that at the region level, I would have over 20 updates to make. Plus each region would have multiple block patterns (one for each country).

Overall it lets me keep the route patterns simple and more clean. But if you have a simple dial plan and no need to block certain areas or countries, then it's not going to be too useful.