[asterisk-users] CDR Design

[Atis Lezdins]

On Fri, Dec 5, 2008 at 3:41 PM, Andrew Thomas <andy at datavox.co.uk> wrote:
> "Pardon me,"
>
> Granted ;).
>
> "I have created realtime stats package that's based on CDR, you see new
> info immediately after call leg/event is over"
>
> I see what you are saying but can you show hold-times etc?  For example,
> call comes in to A, A puts call on hold, A dials B, B answers A, A
> transfers call to B, B speaks to caller.  Basic PBX functionality - but
> how long did it take B to answer A?  What if B is an external number
> (trunk to trunk)?
>
> To illustrate - dial an external number and, while on that call, check
> your CDR's - there isn't any.  Now put that call on hold, still none,
> now call another internal extension - still none. Now hang up and
> transfer the call. Now there is one CDR for your call. That isn't
> real-time - that's historic (ie. it happens AFTER the call is finished).

Well, by "real-time" i meant that you don't have to run CDR processing
at the end of month to see some reports/logs, etc. When i started to
write this implementation, luckily i didn't had much expertise in
telephony, so i did it from programmers point of view. There's even
funny story about this in our company - we had some "Project managers"
and "Development managers" hired later who had lots of experience in
telephony, and at some point when discussing some minor problems with
my implementation, they told me that this is not the way how to do it.
Telco's do all processing at end of month, so this system won't last
for long. Currenty everybody in our company probably would be very
disappointed if they wouldn't be able to see fresh data in reports
immediately.

Regarding hold and transfers, yes - you can't achieve that in
real-real-time, but i think it's not important. Calls don't last for
several days, and even if they do - you have different view where you
can see active calls. It's completely logical that CDR's get posted
after finishing certain action - in order to account correct timing.
Otherwise Asterisk would have to post a record, and later modify it
(yet another minefield).

> The CDR that's produced here will show your call to the outside world -
> and its duration etc. So far, so good (for historic reporting).  Now get
> the person you transferred the call to to hang up.   Another CDR record
> - but this show as you talking to the internal extension - not the
> external extension talking to the outside world.
>
> Therefore, if the 2nd extension stays on that call for a long time -
> who's picking up the bill?
>
> Current CDR's are lacking in this respect - and I think this is what
> murf is trying to sort out (please jump in here murf).
>

I would like to comment really much of this, but I'll refrain until i
complete reading Murf's RFC. I just don't feel competent enough to
speak about this without reading he's ideas first.

Regards,
Atis

-- 
Atis Lezdins,
VoIP Project Manager / Developer,
IQ Labs Inc,
atis at iq-labs.net
Skype: atis.lezdins
Cell Phone: +371 28806004
Cell Phone: +1 800 7300689
Work phone: +1 800 7502835