Technology

Building A Resilient Contact Center

Looking to the Cloud

Many people look to cloud solutions to get the resiliency they need. They don’t want to be “in the data center business” and may lack the expertise, resources and/or facilities needed.

As we’ve pointed out in other Tech Line articles, “cloud” can be delivered in various ways, so looking to the cloud to address resiliency must take into account the approach and service offered. True cloud solutions can offer redundancy and failover services; however, not all vendors have this built in or part of a standard offer. You may “get what you pay for” when choosing a low-cost option. An alternative approach is a private cloud or hybrid model with a dedicated platform with geo-redundancy. In these scenarios, you have more control but, of course, it is not the lowest cost alternative. Regardless, you need to consider the network connectivity (e.g., between your site and the cloud solution) and a variety of elements in the architecture and vendor support processes to ensure your needs are met. And whether premise solution or cloud, you need to define what is onsite and what is in the data center. Decisions can include gateways for carrier network termination and recording servers and storage.

Another enticing option is managed services, putting the technology and its management into a vendor’s hands. But managed services itself may not provide more resiliency. It’s still a question of architecture and service level agreements (SLAs). Managed services could speed recovery time (and make someone else responsible for it) if you are concerned about internal IT resource availability and processes.

Regardless of sourcing strategy, proper SLAs that include the target uptime, response times under various scenarios, escalation processes (timing and resources), resolution targets, and remediation are the crucial pieces of the resiliency puzzle. Without “dollar-andcents” remediation, any SLA becomes a statement of good intentions, not a commitment to reliability and resiliency. Some vendors offer no remediation, so decide in advance if remediation is a “deal breaker” and pursue solution options accordingly.

Pursuing Best Practices

Beyond the SLAs, “best practices” start with geo-redundancy across two (or more) data centers that are not vulnerable to the same issues for storms or other natural events, or major network or power outages. The provider offers data center expertise (directly or through a third party) that includes hardened, secure facilities, with biometrics for access.

Core functionality is duplicated and delivered in true “active/active” mode, with duplicated data and automated failover. A caution is in order here, as vendor definitions can vary. “Active/standby” may be called “active/active” but not include proactive data sharing. You must assess what it means and if it meets your needs.

Ideally, the network and server capacity can handle the entire load in one location in the event of a failure. Full redundancy of network connectivity can be hard to achieve and require cost and value tradeoffs. The perfect scenario includes different carriers and different entry points into a single data center or dual centers with diverse carrier paths. You must look beyond carrier brands as the physical trunks and paths can be the same. Internet Service Provider (ISP) redundancy can be particularly important for cloud-based solutions that depend on Internet connectivity. The net of all these variables is network connectivity can be the Achilles heel, and IT’s overall resiliency architecture and BC/DR plans may play an overarching role in the contact center options.

Let’s not forget (easily neglected) testing in the pursuit of best practices. You need to routinely (e.g., annually or biannually) test failure scenarios and the abilities of the systems and network, as well as human process execution. If you have a full BC/DR plan, testing for the center may be part of it. Too few companies have strong and comprehensive BC/DR plans that account for the center’s specific requirements. A resiliency project can help bring this need into focus. If you are pursuing a cloud solution, make sure periodic testing is part of the vendor’s routine (see THE SIDEBAR for other questions to ask of vendors).

If you are single site, you may be wondering if you can still get resiliency. The answer is a qualified yes. For example, you could have a dual processor (A/B) at that site, employ third-party data centers that are geo-redundant (even if both serve the same site), or consider disaster recovery services. Some cloud vendors are seizing this opportunity with low-cost “insurance policy” licensing that lets you kick into backup mode on their technology when needed.

Protect Your Center, Customers and Company

The first step on the path to resiliency is to assess your current state and define your desired state, gaps and how you will address them. Identify single points of failure and other vulnerabilities. Define the level of resiliency you need and the associated requirements. Decide if you will enhance what you have, or replace (and enhance) it. Then you must consider sourcing strategy, recognizing that resiliency is just one factor in that big decision. Define the roles of your vendor along with internal IT and contact center roles.

Once you have a new resiliency plan and solutions in place, operate with best practices. Manage vendors (or IT) and hold them accountable. Routine tests will give you the confidence that when something happens, you are ready to protect the needs of your center, company and customers.

Lori Bocklund is Founder and President of Strategic Contact.

– Reprinted with permission from Contact Center Pipeline, http://www.contactcenterpipeline.com

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