Avaya ARS Simplified
A Basic Analogy of Avaya Automatic Route Selection
In this post “Avaya ARS Simplified – A Basic Analogy of Avaya Automatic Route Selection”, you will learn 6 steps how outgoing calls get routed whenever a user tries to make a phone call. Second, Understanding how the system analyses the digits dialed, and Third, how it processes the phone calls comparing its different tables.
As engineers we get to work with ARS features and functionalities almost every time we need to troubleshoot or implement a telephony feature. Here I provide 6 steps for you to understand ARS Tables.
- 1.- What’s ARS?
- 2.- Who’s allowed to dial what?
- 3.- Which trunks should be utilized?
- 4.- ARS allows for system security
- 5.- hnpa, fnpa, natl, int, svc. What these all mean?
- 6.- ARS Wildcards
1.- What’s ARS?
The Avaya Aura Communication Manager ARS feature allows digit analysis, then comparing it with public network number, with entries in the system’s tables. The system does this comparison by mapping the dialed number first to a configurable public network routing pattern. AAR is similar, but utilizes private network routing instead. Automatic Route Selection (ARS) also defines call privileges by assigned Class Of Restrictions (CORs) and Facility Restriction Levels (FRLs).
WCR and Digit Conversion on a nutshell
World Class Routing – This Avaya Aura CM feature combines both ARS and AAR routing capabilities, giving the enduser the capacity of routing domestic and global calls.
Digit Conversion – Can be used to reroute digits dialed from AAR to ARS and vice versa.
2.- Who’s allow to dial what?
When configuring a system, you need to understand who will be using the system, and telephones. For instance you might have a customer with guest phones, regular users, hoteling, heavy phone users, and administrators. Each of these user groups need a COR and FRL assigned to allow call privileges. I suggest that you create a COR based on a group’s category.
In a simple scenario, the system will first analyze the dialed digits, then send it to the Route Pattern, then to the Trunk Group. Depending on the Service Provider, you can send the entire dialed number at once, or one number at a time. Normally you will send digits as you dial them, the system will then match those to the ARS Analysis Table Entries.
Some other features associated with ARS are Tenant Partition with Partition Routing Tables – this feature will route calls based on locations. Another feature is RHNPA (Remote Home National Plan Area) Tables which define route patterns for specific 3-digit codes, usually direct distance dialing (DDD) prefix numbers. There are many ways to configure outgoing dialing patterns on CM. For this post I am going over the basics.
3.- Which Trunk should be utilized?
For a customer with remote locations, they can really take ARS Tables to a different level, by creating routes based on local area codes, defining the remote system’s local area codes parameters.
e.g. a system in London with a remote location in New York City (NYC). London can create an ARS Table entry 1718 minimum digits dialed= 11, maximum digits dialed= 11, Route Pattern= 7 (P1), Call Type= fnpa. This 1718 route allows London to dial 11 digits through the NYC Telephone System, through the MPLS or Point to Point Circuit. The call will display the NYC switch trunk information.
4.- ARS Allows for system security
Because you can have rules associated with system’s users and other elements, ARS also lets you secure the phone system by creating rules based on locations, local dialing parameters, long distance, international, 911 emergency, etc.
5.- hnpa, fnpa, natl, int, etc. What these all mean?
If you ever had to create an ARS Table entry in Avaya Aura Communications Manager, you are familiar with these terms. But why? When is it best to use them?
When a user dials a number, the system needs to know which call type to use. It is a good idea to contact the service provider to match these call type flags to the Service Provider’s.
These are just 4 of the many call types available in Communications Manager.
- hnpa – Home Numbering Plan Area – refers to North American numbers without the need of entering a local area code.
- fnpa – Foreign Numbering Plan Area – refers to North American numbers entering a local area code.
- natl – National – For all national PN numbers
- int – International dialing
6.- ARS – Wildcards
This security feature allows the system administrator to create a specific number, instead of a broad range. Instead of allowing the entire 1718 dialing plan, you can narrow down to a specific prefix mark. e.g 1718123xxxx (This will allow 1-718-123-000 thru 1-718-123-9999).
Note – IP Office will use a shortcode under the Use Rights Form or ARS Table.
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