Telephony Glossary - Page 6

Lookahead Interflow - A software application for DEFINITY® systems that link multiple Call Centers. It works with Call Vectoring to intelligently route calls between multiple centers so that they can share work loads, expand hours of coverage, and handle calls in different time zones.

Macro - A sequence of keyboard strokes or other steps that a user records for later use with a specific application. Once the macro has been recorded, the sequence can be launched automatically when the user clicks an icon or presses a hot key, or when a certain event occurs, such as a telephone ringing. Macros are commonly used to eliminate repetitive tasks and speed up procedures.

Maintenance - One of the CTI capabilities in the TSAPI Library, which software developers can write into their TSAPI-compliant applications.

Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) - A specification for automating manufacturing tasks, which involves linking the factory's computer networks, machines, and components.

Map, mapping - Sometimes used to describe how switch-specific CTI software such as PassageWay™ Telephony Services and CallVisor® ASAI translate between the switch and the API, to enable the switch to work with applications written to the API. A command in ASAI is mapped to a corresponding function in the API.

MAPD -

Melita - An ISV that has developed ASAI-compliant CTI applications, including PowerPACT, a predictive dialer application.

Micro Channel - Micro Channel is the proprietary bus developed by IBM for its PS/2 family of computers.

Middleware - Software that resides between the API layer and an organization's existing Windows software and enables the applications to work as CTI applications without changes in their code.

Mitel - Manufacturer of a switch that is compatible with PassageWay™ Telephony Services and a vendor partner with DEC/Dialogic, LANNET Data Communications Limited, and Natural Micro Systems. (Reviewers: Need more info?)

Mosaix® - An ASAI-compliant application by DSI that helps Call Centers use agent resources productively to handle inbound and outbound calls by automatically switching agents between inbound and outbound calls as needed.

Nabnasset - An ISV that has developed ASAI-compliant CTI applications, including a custom application development tool called Voice Enhanced Services Platform (VESP).

NCR - A computer manufacturer that has developed an ASAI-compliant API called CallVisor 3000 for some of its proprietary operating systems.

net.Vectoring - Technology by Genesys that allows Internet platforms to communicate with PBXs.

NetWare - See Novell NetWare.

NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) - Programs that are loaded into the NetWare file server's operating memory as needed, then unloaded when they're no longer needed. NLMs can be software applications such as PassageWayŌ Telephony Services, or they can be software utilities that enhance the capabilities of NetWare by providing additional services (for example, anti-virus, network administration, software backup).

Network layer - Layer 3 of the ASAI protocol stack. The internal functions of this layer include the preparation of data for transmission across the physical link and accepting data from the link and preparing it for the Presentation Layer. (See also Presentation Layer.)

Notification - One of eight ASAI Application Service Elements, or ASEs. Notification allows the application to receive information it has previously requested about events in the switch. For instance, applications can monitor call related activities of an ACD split, such as calls in queue, and can control incoming calls to the ACD split.

Novell NetWare - A widely used network operating system. PassageWay™ Telephony Services is compatible with both NetWare and Microsoft Windows NT.

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) - A Windows feature that allows Windows-based applications to share information and other objects, such as recordings and graphics. When a link is created, the linked object is updated when the same object in the file from which it came is updated. When an object is embedded, there is no link to the original file, but the user can edit the object as needed.

OCM Gold™ - An ASAI-compliant Outbound Call Management application from EIS International.

On Time - A PIM application popular with knowledge workers. When PassageWay™ Direct Connection is installed, the application can be "telephony-enabled" with middleware such as FastCall™.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) - A Microsoft Windows API that allows Windows PCs to access data from various ODBC-compliant databases on PCs, minicomputers, and mainframes.

Open system - An operating system or API whose specifications are made available to ISVs, so that they can create compliant applications that users can purchase off the shelf; for example, TAPI, TSAPI, ASAI, DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, and Macintosh. Closed operating systems are called "proprietary" systems.

ORACLE® - A popular ODBC-compliant SQL database program.

OS/2 - A 32-bit operating system developed by IBM.

Outbound Call Management (OCM) - A category of CTI applications that manages the placement of outbound calls using customer records and calling lists.

PABX Host Interfacing (PHI) - General term for CTI used by Probe Research.