Cisco WebAttendant

Document ID: 7913

Contents

Introduction
Prerequisites
      WebAttendant Users, Devices, and Accounts
      Conventions
Windows Workgroup Model
      Task 1: Create a New User on the CallManager Server
      Task 2: Share the Users Folder to Provide Access to the User Database
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Introduction

This document is part four of a ten-document set. For information on each of these documents, consult the index for this set: Installing and Configuring Cisco WebAttendant for CallManager 3.0.

Note: Cisco WebAttendant has been superseded by Cisco Attendant Console (which is compatible with Cisco CallManager 3.1(2c). Refer to the Installation and Administration Guide and the User Guide for information on installation, configuration, and the use of Cisco Attendant Console.

The Cisco WebAttendant client displays user and line information in the Directory section of its user interface. The Cisco TCD Database Path field in the Cisco WebAttendant client Settings dialog box controls where the Cisco WebAttendant client looks for its directory information.

By default, the WebAttendant client is configured to use cached user directory information directly from the user database of the Cisco CallManager server. This is the preferred option. In this case, the path of the WebAttendant client to the database is [\\<ip-address>\WAUSERS], where <ip-address> is the address of the CallManager server or [\\<dns-name>\WAUSERS] where <dns-name> is the name of the CallManager server.

There are other options to allow WebAttendant clients to access the user database. The WebAttendant client PC can be configured to point to a local copy of the database on its own hard drive or on the hard drive of a remote server. If you decide to implement one of the alternative options, the database must be manually refreshed on a regular basis (copied from the CallManager server) to the location that you use to provide access for the WebAttendant clients in order for the WebAttendant clients to have the most up-to-date database.

All the options to make the user database available to the WebAttendant client require that the proper access permissions are granted for the folder in which the database resides. Networks that use a Domain-based security model can also require that the PC that runs the WebAttendant client application is granted access to the network.

Prerequisites

WebAttendant Users, Devices, and Accounts

This section explains some of the issues related to the provision of access to the CallManager user database for the WebAttendant user. It also explains the relationship between the CallManager WebAttendant users and the CallManager users that are stored in the DC Directory. If you already understand how to share folders and assign access rights, how to allow devices (PCs, servers) to access an NT or Windows^® 2000 environment, and the relationships between the different CallManager users, you can skip this section and proceed to the next section.

The creation of a functional WebAttendant environment involves several different user accounts, possibly device accounts, and other security issues. The goal of this section is to expose the reader to these issues.

This figure shows the Workgroup model that allows WebAttendant clients to access the user database.

Conventions

Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.

Windows Workgroup Model

The network security is based on a Windows Workgroup model. The WebAttendant client application accesses the user database on the CallManager server with the default method.

This table shows the steps involved.

The network security is based on a Windows NT Domain. The WebAttendant client application accesses the user database on the CallManager server with the default method.

The table shows the steps involved.

Note: A thorough explanation of the issues related to security and other network-related issues in a Microsoft Windows environment is beyond the scope of this document. There are many third-party books available that explain these issues in detail.

Refer to How to Enable Browsing Using NetBIOS Over IP for more information on this subject.

Task 1: Create a New User on the CallManager Server

If your network uses the Domain authentication model, you need to create the new accounts on the primary domain controller or master database server. The process is very similar to steps 7 and 8.

The default configuration for Windows 2000 on the CallManager server does not have the User and Group management application installed on the menus. In addition to the explanation of how to add a new user, this task also explains how to add the application to the menu system.

Note: Windows 2000 has very good context sensitive help that is accessible with F1. Press F1 within any step in this task to see the help that is available.

1. Go to the Start menu on the CallManager server and choose Run. Type MMC and press OK. This starts an instance of the Console application.

2. From the Console menu, choose Add/Remove Snap-in.

   

3. Click Add from the window that appears.

   

4. Scroll down the menu, locate the Local Users and Groups snap-in, and click Add.

   

5. You see a window similar to this. Choose the Local Computer option.

   

   Click Finish and then Close.

6. You see a window similar to this.

   

   Click OK.

7. Right click on Users and choose New User.

   

8. In this example, wa is used as the User name and cisco as the password. Choose the password options as appropriate for your security guidelines.

   

   Note:  This User name and password combination is not the same as the User ID and password used by the CallManager WebAttendant user configuration task. Many customers use the same values, but the values are held in separate databases and must be managed separately.

9. When you close the MMC Console1 window, you can see a message that asks if you want to save the configuration to make it available from the menu system of the CallManager server. It is recommended that you choose Save from this window to ensure that the Users and Group management application is easily accessible in the future.

   

   In this case, the new console is saved as Manage Users and Groups. It appears on the Start / Programs / Administrative Tools menu list. This completes this task. Proceed to the next task to share the folder for the new user.

Task 2: Share the Users Folder to Provide Access to the User Database

This task explains how to share a folder on a server and assign the correct permissions so that WebAttendant client application users can access the user database on the CallManager server.

Note: The steps in this task are similar for both Workgroup and Domain based networks.

By default, the WebAttendant client is configured to use cached user directory information directly from the user database of the Cisco CallManager server. This is the preferred option. In this case, path of the WebAttendant client to the database is [\\<ip-address>\WAUSERS] where <ip-address> is the address of the CallManager server or [\\<dns-name>\WAUSERS] and where <dns-name> is the name of the CallManager server.

This window shows that the Cisco TCD Database Path is currently blank, so it uses the default method to access the user database.

In order to ensure that this default setting works properly, the Cisco CallManager administrator must share the C:\Program Files\Cisco\Users folder as WAUSERS and set permissions so that all Cisco WebAttendant client users have read and write access. This must be done on all Cisco CallManagers in the cluster.

This task explains how to configure this.

1. Double click the My Computer icon on the desktop of the CallManager server to begin navigation to the Users folder, then the Cisco folder.

   

   Note: If you see a message similar to this one, you need to choose the Show Files option in order to complete the navigation process to the Users folder.

   

2. You see a window similar to this.

   

   Double click on the C: drive.

3. You see a window similar to this.

   

   Double click on the Program Files folder.

4. You see a window similar to this.

   

   Double click on the Cisco folder.

5. This window shows the location of the Users folder.

   

   Right click on it and choose Permissions.

6. You see a window similar to this.

   The Sharing tab has been chosen, and the name WAUSERS has been entered.

   Note: When you use the default method to provide access to the database, as explained in this task, you must use the name WAUSERS. The use of any other name does not allow the WebAttendant client application to access the user database.

   

   Choose Share this folder.

7. The new user (wa) must have Read and Write access permissions on C:\Program Files\Cisco\Users\ folder. In order to assign these permissions, click the Security tab. The other permissions shown are assigned in step 9 of this task.

   

   Click Add.

8. You see a window similar to this.

   

   Scroll down to the wa user name, then click Add and OK.

9. You see a window similar to this. Choose the Read and Write options.

   

   Click OK.

   This completes this task.

   Return to the index page.

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