CUBE Analytics Setup and Configuration

Starting in Variphy version 12.3 we now have the ability to process and archive calling data from Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE).

CUBE Overview

Processing data supplied from CUBE supplies a more holistic view of an organization’s PSTN calling. It is possible for CUBE to not route calls destined to a CUCM Cluster. It is very possible to have CUBE route calls to a 3rd party application such as a Fax Server or IVR system. This gives us visibility into calls that CUCM would never see. The only calls CUCM see involving CUBE are when that PSTN call is sourced by or destined to a registered endpoint (phone, CCX port, Unity).

To the contrary, CUBE will only see PSTN facing call activity. It will not include CUCM intra-cluster call records.

CUBE Requirements

• Variphy 12.3+ with license allowing CUBE data processing
• Cisco IOS Release 12.4(20)T or a later release
• Cisco IOS XE Release 16.3.1 or a later release

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/ios/voice/cdr/developer/manual/cdrdev/cdrcsv.html#77056

Variphy Server Requirements for CUBE

One thing to note about CUBE data is that multiple event records are logged for each call routing via a CUBE device. For instance each normal Two Way Call will have at least 2 events uniquely identified by the h323 Call Origin (Answer, Originate, or Call Back).

Knowing that each call is logged with numerous events, below are the bench mark stats pulled from a sample data set. Below represents the general specifications based on 650,000 events stored in the Variphy database.

Description	Sample Amount	Requirement
Database Storage	650,000 Events	1GB
DB Memory (Separate)	1:1 of Database Storage Requirement	1 GB
Variphy Memory (Co-Res)	1:1 of Database Storage Requirement + 8GB	9GB
CPU		2 vCPU

Description	Sample Amount	Requirement
Database Storage	8,000,000 Events (8M / 650,000)	12.3 GB
DB Memory (Separate)	1:1 of Database Storage Requirement	12.3 GB
Variphy Memory (Co-Res)	1:1 of Database Storage Requirement + 8GB	20.3 GB
CPU		2 vCPU

Enable FTP on Variphy OVA

Requirements

The following high level items are required to enable FTP access for CUBE

• Variphy application running as variphyapp with directory permissions into the CDR Directories configured correctly by existing scripts
• FTP Server installed, configured/locked down, and enabled. (vsftpd). See below for setup
• FTP User accounts created. New OVA’s will have a default variphyftp user account, but upgraded installations will need to create this account. See “Upgrading an Existing Installation” below
• The FTP User account information will need to be configured in each of the CUBE devices
• The Customer’s network will need to allow FTP access from their CUBE devices to the Variphy server

NOTE – Refrain from using the ‘@’ symbol in any aspect of user accounts or passwords as CUBE will take that as an end to the connection string and a delimiter for the FTP destination .

NOTE – Ideally you will want a unique user created for each defined CUBE device directory folder.

In some cases you may need to change the home directory of an FTP user.
Example changing home directory to the default ftp account: sudo usermod --home /opt/variphy/data/folder_name variphyftp

Test FTP connectivity in Linux

After completing the FTP user setup you will need to test the FTP account both locally from the Variphy server using the below CLI commands and remotely using a FTP client like WinsSCP, FileZilla or another FTP client utility. 

• Test FTP locally in Linux

Enter ftp in the command line

ftp> open

(to) localhost

Name (localhost:variphyadmin): variphyftp (if using something other than the default please specific the ftp user you created)

Password: Variphy!! (If using a different password please specify the password you created)

230 Login successful

ftp> quit (to exit ftp)

CUBE Configurations

NOTE: IOS version 17.9.4a has changed encryption level. You will need to specify a password level of 0 prior to entering the password. Please utilize the proper commands for your IOS version.

IOS versions below 17.9.4a

Command	Description
Router # enable	Enables privileged EXEC mode
Router # configure terminal	Enters Global Config mode
Router(config)# gw-accounting file	Enables File Accounting method
primary/secondary { ftp path/filename username username password password | ifs device : filename } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# primary ftp 10.20.30.146/cdr username variphyftp password Variphy!!	Primary FTP Source and file prefix to be used. Username and Password of root folder FTP account
maximum cdrflush-timer minutes ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum cdrflush-timer 55	Set the maximum time to hold records in buffer before appending records to file. 1-1435 Default 60
maximum fileclose-timer minutes ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum fileclose-timer 60	Set the maximum time for writing records to file before closing it and create a new file. 60-1440 Default 1440
cdr-format { compact | detailed } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# cdr-format detailed	Selects the detailed format for file accounting. Supplies full set of voice attributes
acct-template { template-name | callhistory-detail } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# acct-template callhistory-detail	Collects all voice VSA (Vendor Specific Attributes) for accounting
Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# end	End gw-accounting file and configuration mode.
Router# wr mem	Write Memory and Saves config

IOS versions 17.9.4a and greater

Command	Description
Router # enable	Enables privileged EXEC mode
Router # configure terminal	Enters Global Config mode
Router # key config-key password-encrypt Variphy!!	Command to configure and enable the password (symmetric cipher AES is used to encrypt the keys).
Router # password encryption aes	Command is the master encryption key that is used to encrypt all other keys in the router.
Router(config)# gw-accounting file	Enables File Accounting method
primary/secondary { ftp path/filename username username password password | ifs device : filename } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# primary ftp 10.20.30.146/cdr username variphyftp password 0 Variphy!!	Primary FTP Source and file prefix to be used. Username and Password of root folder FTP account. IOS version 17.9.4a, you will need to specify a password level of 0 prior to entering the password, which will allow it to accept a plaintext password when building the gw-accounting file. Once the file has been written, if you do a read of the gw-accounting file the password will show an encryption level of 6 followed by an encrypted value, as it will take the plaintext password you entered and encrypt it afterward, e.g.:
maximum cdrflush-timer minutes ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum cdrflush-timer 55	Set the maximum time to hold records in buffer before appending records to file. 1-1435 Default 60
maximum fileclose-timer minutes ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum fileclose-timer 60	Set the maximum time for writing records to file before closing it and create a new file. 60-1440 Default 1440
cdr-format { compact | detailed } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# cdr-format detailed	Selects the detailed format for file accounting. Supplies full set of voice attributes
acct-template { template-name | callhistory-detail } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# acct-template callhistory-detail	Collects all voice VSA (Vendor Specific Attributes) for accounting
Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# end	End gw-accounting file and configuration mode.
Router# wr mem	Write Memory and Saves config

Optional CUBE Configurations

secondary { ftp path/filename username username password password | ifs device : filename } ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# secondary ifs flash:cdrtest2	Optional – secondary source for data delivery to FTP or Flash Memory.. Example using Flash Memory on this router.
maximum retry-count number ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum retry-count 3	Optional – Max connect attempts before switching to secondary delivery. 1-5 Default 2
maximum buffer-size kbytes ——————- Router(config-gw-accounting-file)# maximum buffer-size 20	Optional – Set the maximum size of the buffer. 6-40Kb Default 20. This will act in addtion to the maximum cdrflush-timer setting applied.

Variphy CUBE/IOS Setup

After upgrade to Variphy 12.3 and license is coded to allow CUBE devices, user will see a new CUBE/IOS Cluster type.

Click the Add New button

Name – Description of CUBE

Enterprise – Select the default or named Enterprise you’d like to associate this CUBE device to.

Host Name – This must match the output of sh version on the CUBE device

IP Address – IP Address of CUBE. We will use this for informational purposes only, at this time.

Default Time Zone – Select the time zone that this CUBE device resides in.

Data Processor Status – Current Status of data processing. This will remain Disabled until the CUBE cluster type is Activated and database created.

CDR File Delivery – The subfolder name within the root directory in which you are FTP’ing data to. For Linux this will likely read /opt/variphy/data/CUBE/.

Process Files Every – Use System Default refers to global setting defined in Settings > System > Application Settings

Preserve Files After Processing – Use System Default refers to global setting defined in Settings > System > Application Settings

Database Server – Select the predefined Database Server defined on Settings > System > Database Servers

NOTE * Using the Variphy OVA will default this setting to the local database engine.

Database Name – Indicate a unique database name that will be created to hold your CUBE data. Initial setup will create the database and write the schema to the selected database server with this supplied name.

Purge All CDR Data – The amount of CUBE data to retain in the database before a nightly purge takes place.

Purge Connected Zero Duration Call CDR Data – Ability to delete CUBE data that is Connected but also 0 duration at a different pace vs. Non-Connected events.

Purge Non-Connected Call CDR Data – Ability to delete CUBE data that is Non-Connected at a different pace than Connected / 0 duration events.

Purge CDR Daily At – Time in which you’d like the purge cycle to run.

Purge Batch Count – Default 1000. Amount of records each delete statement handles.

Purge Max Duration – The allowed time to run the purge process. IE: It will run threads (LIMITS) of 1000 records for a duration of 2 hours daily until all necessary records are deleted.

Useful troubleshooting commands.

Variphy OVA (linux) Commands

To show all vsftpd users:

cat /etc/vsftpd.userlist

To validate that the firewall is disable:

sudo ufw status

To make sure vsftpd service will run after Linux restart:

sudo systemctl enable vsftpd.service

To Check the ftp user home directory. In the below example we are validating the variphyftp user home directory.

cat /etc/passwd | grep variphyftp

To change the ftp users home directory. In the below example we are changing the home directory for the variphyftp user to /opt/variphy/data/CUBEdata

sudo usermod --home /opt/variphy/data/CUBEdata variphyftp

To reset the vsftpd users password. In the below example we will change the ftp password of the variphyftp user.

sudo passwd variphyftp

To show the VSFTPD log file.

cat /var/log/vsftpd.log

CUBE commands

To show the files contained in flash.

show flash:

To manually ftp copy a file from flash

copy flash:filename ftp://userid:password@FTPServer

Force the File Accounting configurations to run now

file-acct flush with-close

Rest the File Accounting routine. Used when File accounting stops pushing data and needs to be restarted.

file-acct reset

Show Active CUBE Calls. Useful to see calls prior to forcing a push.

show isdn active