VQManager Blogs

Author: KK

VQManager has pre build reports, which helps the administrators to get various reports just by click of the mouse. We wanted to add more reports and we asked our users ?What more reports would you like have in VQManager?? We got varied response and we realized it would be extremely difficult to match all the needs. We faced a difficult question on what report request should be included in VQManager 5.1.

This was when the “Custom reports” idea was born. That?s right, the new VQManager 5.1 will feature custom reports that will suffice all your reporting needs. The Custom report can be generated for specific URL or IP address. You also have freedom to track either the initiator or the participant or even both of them. You can also generate reports based on MOS and Call Status and even the duration of report generation can be customized. And that?s not all; you can create as many reports profiles you want and can also save it. So everyday you just need to click on the specific report link and your can see fresh reports.

By this way VQManager lets you create your own reports by specifying the parameters you need; once a report profile is created these reports are automatically generated as if they are just off the shelf.

Author: KK

We have heard it many times; there are no success stories without problems. VQManager also faced some challenges, but we have evolved and that?s how!

VQManager generates reports from RTCP data streams, which is sent by most of the SIP phones. But then, we found few instances where many administrators didn?t enable the RTCP packet generation in their IP phone or few phones never supported RTCP. So it became impossible for VQManager to generate reports.

What are we doing to rectify it? The upcoming VQManager 5.1 comes with a feature wherein administrators can turn on the VQManager to generate reports based on RTP packets. VQManager can be configured to generate reports on the basis of the RTP data streams. This option can be disabled when all the endpoints in your network sends suitable RTCP packets. VQManager processes the RTCP data stream when all the endpoints support it; otherwise it calculates the QoS metrics using RTP data streams.

So, if the endpoint does not support RTCP or if you are not sure if they send RTCP packets, it is best to have this (RTP) option enabled.

VQManager faced another issue - VQManager was not able to recognize calls originating in VLAN set up.

The new VQManager 5.1 has capability to recognize the calls, which originate from VLAN network. We included an option for Administrator to enter the filtering string (UDP||VLAN) that will enable VQManager to recognize calls coming from UDP or VLAN. Although by default the VQManager is configured to recognize both UDP and VLAN, administrators have a choice to redefine it to recognize either UDP or VLAN.

These are just few instances on how VQManager is evolving. We will keep it going because we know -Its this evolution that will put us to top!

Author: KK

We have heard it many times; there are no success stories without problems. VQManager also faced some challenges, but we have evolved and that?s how!

VQManager generates reports from RTCP data streams, which is sent by most of the SIP phones. But then, we found few instances where many administrators didn?t enable the RTCP packet generation in their IP phone or few phones never supported RTCP. So it became impossible for VQManager to generate reports.

What are we doing to rectify it? We are giving the freedom of choice to administrators itself. The upcoming VQManager 5.1 comes with a feature wherein administrators can turn on the VQManager to generate reports based on RTP packets. VQManager can be configured to generate reports on the basis of the RTP data streams. This option can be disabled when all the endpoints in your network sends suitable RTCP packets. VQManager processes the RTCP data stream when all the endpoints support it; otherwise it calculates the QoS metrics using RTP data streams.

So, if the endpoint does not support RTCP or if you are not sure if they send RTCP packets, it is best to have this (RTP) option enabled.

VQManager faced another issue - VQManager was not able to recognize calls originating in VLAN set up.

The new VQManager has capability to recognize the calls, which originate from VLAN network. We included an option for Administrator to enter the filtering string (UDP||VLAN) that will enable VQManager to recognize calls coming from UDP or VLAN. Although by default the VQManager is configured to recognize both UDP and VLAN, administrators have a choice to redefine it to recognize either UDP or VLAN.

These are just few instances on how VQManager is evolving. We will keep it going because we know -Its this evolution that will put us to top!

Author: KK

We are pretty sure that VQManager will make history in itself, but this blog isn?t about that. I am presenting you one more feature of new VQManager 5.1

The moment you open VQManager UI, you will be able to see meaningful numbers in nice tabulated form. VQManager has provisions to look back at data of calls, which happened days, week or even months earlier. But most of us know it is impossible to store data for infinite time period.

We understand that you want to store the data for much longer period of time. So, we have feature through which you can export all the tabular values to your Hard Disk or to your mailbox. The data can be exported either in .CSV format or .PDF format. You can also mail it across as an attachment.

This lets you Store the historical values?Reach them?Query them?Analyze them?Report them?for as long as you desire.

We call this feature as ?Data Export? you can call it ?History Making?!

Author: KK

VQManager depicts QoS values of all the calls using E-model. The various QoS details displayed by VQManager are R Factor, Jitter, Delay, Packet Loss and MOS value. The maximum, minimum and average of all the above parameter are mentioned in a tabular fashion. Adjacent to each statistical value are small color-coded box which signifies whether the values are within the tolerable range or below / above it.

Most of you must be wondering what?s new in this? It was already there in VQManager 5.0.

The answer is simple?At VQManager we realized although the QoS value has some standardization each network is individually different. The tolerable range in each network can be different depending on the network, its usage and other factors. When such is the case, how can we have same tolerable limit across various networks?

That?s exactly what VQManager 5.1 address?it gives you flexibility of defining your own QoS value ranges. It gives you freedom to tune the VQManager according to the tolerable range of your network. When the QoS metric values are less than the tolerable range specified by you it is classified as Poor quality whereas when it exceeds the tolerable range it is classified as Good quality.

Well if you thought it was only Themes which was customisable..You know you were wrong!!

Author: KK

What you do when you have to keep an eye on the performance of few IP addresses or when monitoring few URL is most critical in you VoIP network. You keep reaching the search tab type the URL / IP address and check the endpoints. Imagine when you got to do it for hundreds or thousands of IPs. OH! What a headache.

What is VQManager doing to get you rid of this headache? No, we are not getting you headache pills? Instead we are removing the root cause of your headache. Here is how:

VQManager 5.1 will have a new feature to group the endpoints detail on the basis of IP address and / or URLs. The idea is to give you a freedom and convenience of grouping the endpoints which needs continuous / frequent monitoring. You have a choice of defining single as well as multiple criterion to group the data. Once the conditions are defined, the client itself groups the endpoints for you.

Now, all you have to do is click away on endpoints and view their endpoint details. So from now No more Searching…..Just Grouping!!!

That’s one feature more……. keep watching.

Author: KK

I had made a post earlier on what Team VQManager is upto? So let me tell you they are adding colors to VQManager ? literally!

The latest version of VQManager will not only have a default plane blue UI. Instead it will have five personalized themes with refreshing colors and smother curves.

You can easily select the theme of your choice by just a click. That’s the first sneak preview of VQManager. Let me tell you this was just an appetizer, a gala dinner is on its way.

Keep Watching for More!

Author: KK

The Frost & Sullivan report on VoIP monitoring market has great news for all the VoIP monitoring players.

The report suggest ?VoIP monitoring/management market developed significantly over the year 2005 and revenues in this market totaled $99.3 million in 2005 and can reach $513.5 million in 2012.?

It also adds that more and more medium and large enterprise are embracing VoIP. Furthermore it postulates that telecom and cable end-user segment will offer the maximum revenue opportunity.

VQManager is typically designed for SMB markets. It offers a great value and starts at just $595. Apart from that, the product is fast evolving and the new release is just gonna be loaded with features!

No wonder why Team VQManager see good times ahead!!

Author: KK

Came across a interesting website today, which is definitely worth a mention. Voipworkgroup.com not only lists prominent VoIP bloggers, but also displays their recent post. Too good, at least for those who do not have patience or time for going through all the blogs.

Rich Tehrani says he will use the site often, Phoneboy calls it a VoIP dashboard and wonders ?what’s in this for them??

It looks to me Voipworkgroup.com is bound to get popular with many blog readers and it will attract significant eyeballs. Watchout for the sidebar (on the left hand site) which has no content currently but has potential to run advertisements. Guess what they would be doing then, start earning revenues without blogging.

Well that’s my two cents!!

Author: KK

So, the Team VQManager is very busy these days. VQManager took part in few ?Trade Shows? namely the ‘Fall VON’ in Boston, the ‘Interop’ in New York and ‘Cisco Networkers’ in Gold Coast, Australia. VQManager pulled lot of enthusiastic crowd and we were overwhelmed with the responses and the number of people watching us.

We faced lot of questions and the most common one was ?Why is VQManager is not pulling CDR logs from Cisco CallManager and generating reports??

Well here is the good news - our next release, which is slated to hit the stands by this month end, will be able to pull CDR logs and provide reports on that. And thats not all, we will be adding host of new features like new alarms, themes and so on.

Watch out for this space to know, what more the new VQManager 5.1 will do?