archiving best practices

8/3/2019 Archiving Best Practices

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Insight from InteractionsTM

NICE Perform

Releases 3.1 & 3.2

Archiving Best Practices Guidefor Customers

385A0879-01 Rev. A0

August 2010

Releases 3.1, 3.2 & 3.5


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Contents

NICE Perform Release 3.1, 3.2, & 3.5: Archiving Best Practices (Rev. A0)

5

Contents

1Introduction 7

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Main Archiving Concepts and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Call Archiving Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Archiving Process Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2Best Practices for Planning Your Archiving Policy 13

Storage Management Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3Best Practices for Setting Up the Storage Center Environment 17

Storage Center Setup Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Preparing the Storage Center Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Physical Position of the Storage Center Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Access Rights and Permissions for Storage Center Server . . . . . . . . . . 19

Defining the Storage Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Defining the Storage Center Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Creating the Storage Group(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Creating a Storage Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Installing the Storage Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Defining Storage Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Multi Data Hub Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25


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6Contents


4Best Practices for Storage Rules 27

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Best Practices for Creating Storage Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Who Creates Storage Rules? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

General Best Practices when Creating Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Naming Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Activating Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Running Rules in Multi Data Hub Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Running Past Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Scheduling Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Maximum Task Duration Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Multiple Archiving Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Defining Rule Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Defining Storage Locations for Interactions that Match the Rule Criteria . . . 33

Defining Archiving Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Force Delete (FD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

What Should I Do When Using ESM Devices? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Defining the File Name Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Validating Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Storage Rules Validator Tests Integrated into Rules Manager . . . . . . . . . . 36

Deleting Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

5Best Practices for Maintaining Effective Archiving 41

Recommended NICE Perform Maintenance Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Best Practices for Maintaining the Storage Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Making Changes to Storage Center Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Changes to a Storage Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Best Practices for Maintaining Storage Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Best Practices for Monitoring Ongoing Storage Center Activities . . . . . . . .45


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Chapter 1: Introduction


7

1

Introduction

Voice and NICEScreen Loggers have a limited capacity, and cannot be used for long-term storage

of recordings. To keep recordings for long-term storage and playback purposes, they must be

archived.

In NICE Perform, archiving of interactions is managed using two main applications:

Storage Center

Rules Manager

The Storage Center enables management of long-term archiving of interactions. Based on rules

defined in the Rules Manager and the Storage Groups, Units and Destinations defined in the

Storage Center itself; the Storage Center acts as a clearinghouse that determines where interactions

will be stored and for how long. For more information about the Storage Center, see the Storage

Center Installation and Configuration Guide.

The Rules Manager application enables definition and scheduling of rules according to which

NICE Perform knows which interactions need to be archived, when to perform archiving, and for

how long. For more information about the Rules Manager, see theRules Manager Guide.

The best practices provided in this book are NICE recommendations for maximizing performance

and results, while minimizing potential problems such as incorrect Storage Center and Storage

Rule configuration, unexpected archiving rates, etc.

Scope

This book covers best practices for archiving via the Storage Center and are relevant for NICE

Perform Releases 3, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.5. All information provided is relevant for all releases unless

otherwise stated.

Contents

Main Archiving Concepts and Definitions......................................................................8

Call Archiving Flow ........................................................................................................11

Archiving Process Flow.................................................................................................12


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8Chapter 1: Introduction


Main Archiving Concepts and Definitions


Concept Definition

Auto-Delete The basic deletion mechanism implemented by NICE Perform.

Auto-Delete works according to the FIFO (First In First Out)principle. When the recordings stored on a Storage Unit reach

the maximum threshold defined for the unit (default - 80%),

subsequent calls are archived to the next Storage Unit in the

Storage Group. When all the Storage Units in the Storage Group

reach their maximum threshold, the oldest recordings in the first

Storage Unit are deleted to make room for the new recordings.

Content Addressable

Storage (CAS)

Also referred to as associative storage.

CAS is a mechanism for storing information that can be retrieved

based on its content rather than its location. The CAS is typically

used for high-speed storage and retrieval of static content, such

as documents stored for compliance with governmentregulations.

Enterprise Storage

Manager (ESM)

A separate third-party mass storage device integrated with the

NICE Perform system where files can be stored in addition to or

instead of the Storage Groups on the File System. NICE Perform

Storage Center currently supports the following ESM devices:

EMC Centera

IBM Tivoli

NetApp SnapLock

Force Delete (FD) Defined in Storage Rules. Deletes archived calls after a defined

date. This is the only deletion mechanism that can delete calls

from an ESM device. If the FD definition in the storage rule

differs from the Retention Period defined in the Storage Group,

the FD definition takes precedence over the Retention definition.

For example, if a Storage Group is defined with a Retention

value of 7 years, but the Force Delete value of a specific rule is

set to 1year, all the files archived according to that rule will be

deleted after a year regardless of the Retention Period of the

Storage Group.

FS File System

Interactions Center (IC) The Interactions Center controls the recordings which areperformed by the capture unit. It receives call information from

the CTI server through the CTI driver.

Multi Data Hub A system where multiple data hubs are deployed in primary and

secondary configuration. This term replaces what was previously

known as multi-site.


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Network Attached Storage

(NAS)

Provides access to storage over the network. It is mass storage

attached to a computer that another computer can access at the

file level over an IP network. A NAS device is a server that is

dedicated to nothing more than file sharing.

Near-online storage Information is accessed relatively quickly (in seconds), and

without the need for human intervention (such as when retrieving

data from a tape or DVD). ESM devices are examples of

near-online storage.

Online storage In online storage, recordings located on the Logger(s) or on the

Storage Center(s) can be accessed instantly and automatically

(in milliseconds), without human intervention. Online storage

devices are based on hard disks to enable fast access to data.

Examples of online storage devices are locations on the file

system, NAS or SAN.

Retention Defined for a Storage Group. Calls are stored for a definedminimum time period (defined in days) called the Retention

Period. After the defined Retention Period expires, if there is still

room, the calls are kept. Once there is no space left, the calls are

deleted by the Auto-Delete mechanism to make room for new

calls.

Rules Engine The service in the NICE Perform system that executes the rules

defined by the User in the Rules Manager. Mediates between the

Rules Manager and the Storage Center.

Rules Manager The interface between the user and the Rules Engine. Enables

the creation of user-defined rules.

Storage Area Network

(SAN)

A high-speed sub-network of shared storage devices. A SAN is a

network specifically dedicated to the task of transporting data for

storage and retrieval. The SANs architecture works in a way that

makes all storage devices available to all servers on a LAN or

WAN.

Storage Center (SC) An entity on the NICE Perform system where you create and

manage multiple Storage Groups.

Storage Center Server The server that manages interaction capture from the Loggers to

the archiving locations defined in the Storage Center.

Storage Group The logical name for where archiving occurs; where you createand manage multiple Storage Units.

Storage Rule A rule defined in the Rules Manager instructing the Rule Engine

what to archive, when to archive it, and for how long.

Concept Definition


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Storage Unit The physical location (network path) where files are stored on

the File System (FS). It is recommended that only one network

path be defined per unit and vice versa (only one unit should be

defined for each network location.

Concept Definition


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Call Archiving Flow

Call Archiving Flow

Once the system is set up, calls are archived automatically according to how the Storage Rules,

Storage Scheduling and Storage Center are configured.

The following diagram illustrates what happens to a call once it is recorded in a Logger, as

determined by the existing Storage Rules, Scheduling and Storage Center definitions.

A call is recorded

on a Logger

Interactions Center

(IC) reports the call

data to the database

Call Data on

Database

Rule Engine processes call

according to defined rule(s)

Rule Engine delivers action

to Storage Center

Storage Center processes

interaction and archives it in

FS/ESM


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Archiving Process Flow

Archiving Process Flow

During the system lifecycle, the process of setting up and maintaining an archiving policy can be

divided into four main phases:

Analyzing Archiving Requirements

Creating Storage Groups

Creating Storage Rules

Ongoing Archiving

Each phase requires different actions by the relevant user(s)

Our best practices will be presented according to this flow.

Phase Required Actions

Analyzing Archiving Requirements Assess requirements for call archiving:

Which calls to archive?

How many calls to archive?

For how long to archive?

Where to physically store calls?

Creating Storage Groups Create required Storage Groups and their

associated Storage Units.

Creating Storage Rules In Rules Manager:

Create Storage Rules according to

archiving requirements analysis.

Create Schedule for running Storage

Rules.

Activate required rules.

Ongoing Archiving Storage Center fetches recordings from

Loggers and copies them to the network path

or ESM, according to definitions in rule and

Storage Group.

Monitor rules for accuracy. If necessary,

tweak the rules.

Monitor Storage Center archiving activity,

usage and backlog.

Deactivate/activate rules according to

system requirements.

Change existing rules and/or add new

rules, according to need.


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Chapter 2: Best Practices for Planning Your Archiving Policy


13

2

Best Practices for Planning Your ArchivingPolicy

While planning your system, it is vitally important to correctly identify and calculate your

archiving needs before NICE Perform is installed:

This is done together with your NICE representatives, who are best equipped to advise you on how

to plan and design a system that will be optimal for your organizations needs. Please read the

Storage Management Concepts section for an explanation of how interactions are retainedand/or deleted in NICE Perform. An understanding of this process will assist you in developing the

best policy for your organization.

Contents

Storage Management Concepts....................................................................................14

Need Performed by

Which calls to archive Solution Engineer during design process

How many calls to archive Solution Engineer during design process

For how long to archive the calls Solution Engineer during design process

Where to physically store the calls Project Manager or Field Engineer during

implementation


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14Chapter 2: Best Practices for Planning Your Archiving Policy


Storage Management Concepts


In most cases, archived recordings do not have to be kept indefinitely. The length of time that

recordings are stored depends on your companys policy and any relevant legal issues.

When planning, it is important to understand how archived calls are deleted or protected from

deletion in the NICE Perform system. The two deletion mechansims are Auto-Delete and Force

Delete. The protection mechanism is Retention.

Auto-Delete

Auto-Delete is the default deletion mechanism in NICE Perform. Auto-Delete implements the

FIFO (First In First Out) principle. When the recordings stored on a Storage Unit reach the

maximum threshold defined for the unit (default - 80%), subsequent calls are archived to the next

Storage Unit in the Storage Group. When all the Storage Units in the Storage Group reach their

maximum threshold, the oldest recordings in the first Storage Unit are deleted to make room for

the new recordings and the cycle continues from there. This is the case as long as there is no

retention defined on the Storage Group and no Force Delete defined in any of the Storage Rules.

Retention

The Retention period of a Storage Group is the defined minimum number of days that the Storage

Group keeps the recordings. After that, if there is still room, the recordings are kept until there is

no space left for new calls. Once there is no space left, the recordings whose retention period has

expired are deleted (by the Auto-Delete mechanism) to make room for new calls. Retention is

defined per Storage Group and calculated from the time the call was recorded .

If you set a retention value for the Storage Group and all the Storage Units in the Group reach their

maximum threshold before the retention period expires, a warning is generated but recordings

continue to be stored past the defined maximum threshold until the Storage Units reach their full

capacity. After this, no new files can be archived in this Storage Group until the problem is

resolved (such as when the Retention period elapses or if a new Storage Unit is added to the

Storage Group).

Force Delete (FD)

Force Delete is defined in Storage Rules. It is a mechanism that deletes recordings archived on

either the File System or on an ESM according to a specific Storage Rule after a defined date. This

is the only method that can delete calls from an associated ESM device.

If the Force Delete definition is different from the Retention definition, the Force Delete definitiontakes precedence over Retention. For example, if a Storage Group is defined with a Retention

value of 7 years, but the Force Delete value of a specific Storage Rule is set to 1 year; all the files

archived according to that Storage Rule will be deleted after a year regardless of the Retention

period on the Storage Group.

BEST PRACTICE:

It is recommended to set the Retention value to equal the number of days that your organization

is legally obligated to save recordings.


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15Chapter 2: Best Practices for Planning Your Archiving Policy



If for any reason your organization is required by law to delete calls (such as those including credit

card numbers or other sensitive information) after a defined period of time, you can create a rule

implementing Force Delete to ensure that these calls are deleted.


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Chapter 3: Best Practices for Setting Up the Storage Center Environment


17

3

Best Practices for Setting Up the StorageCenter Environment

The NICE Storage Center is an effective on-line archiving solution that supports the long-term

archiving and playback of audio and screen interactions. Archiving is based on Storage Rules

created, managed and customized by authorized users in the Rules Manager.

Storage Center benefits:

Eliminates need for hard-copy archiving (tape/DVD)

Call retrieval is completely transparent to the end-user

Screen recordings can only be archived using the Storage Center

Manages archiving to ESM devices

Contents

Storage Center Setup Workflow....................................................................................18

Multi Data Hub Considerations .....................................................................................25


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18Chapter 3: Best Practices for Setting Up the Storage Center Environment


Storage Center Setup Workflow


The Storage Center can be installed on a dedicated server or on the same server on which NICE

Perform applications are installed.

The following table lists the steps involved in setting up the Storage Center environment and theperson who performs the step:

BEST PRACTICE:

When the storage area is located on a dedicated network, for example, a Storage AreaNetwork (SAN), it is recommended to install the Storage Center on the same machine on

which NICE Perform applications are installed.

When the storage area resides on its own dedicated server, it is recommended to install theStorage Center on this server.

The storage area to which the Storage Center archives the calls must not be located on the

Storage Center servers local hard drive, but on an external Network Attached Storage

(NAS), Storage Area Network (SAN) or Content Addressable Storage (CAS).

Step Performed By

Preparing the Storage Center server(s) Project Manager as part of site preparation

Defining the Storage Center server(s) in NICE

Perform

Field Engineer

Installing the Storage Center software Field Engineer

Defining Storage Center rules Field Engineer based on Solution Engineer

design


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Preparing the Storage Center Server

Physical Position of the Storage Center Server

In both Single Data Hub and Multi Data Hub environments, it is recommended to position the

Storage Center server(s) as close as possible to the Database Server to minimize latency.

Access Rights and Permissions for Storage Center Server

It is recommended that users of the Storage Center have log on as a service privileges. This

privilege is not given by default to users with Administrator rights and must be added manually.

For more information, see theNICE Storage Center Installation and Configuration Guide,

Appendix B: Enabling a User to Log On as a Service.

Defining the Storage Center

Before the Storage Center is installed, it must first be defined in the System Administrator. The

number of Storage Centers installed in a system depends on the scope of the required storage

capacity. Each Storage Center should contain at least one Storage Group, and each Storage Groupshould contain at least one Storage Unit. If there is an ESM, it must also be defined in the System

Administrator.

The Storage Unit is the actual location on the File System where the recordings are stored. The

Storage Center and Storage Group are merely logical containers for the Storage Units. Without the

Storage Units, there is no place to archive the recordings.

Defining the Storage Center Server

When defining a Storage Center, you define the server name and IP Address or Host Name of the

Storage Center server, as well as the location and size of the Retrieve Storage Unit.

In the System Monitoring branch of the System Administrator, you can view a list of all theStorage Center servers that were defined. For each Storage Center and all the storage areas defined

for the Storage Center, you can view current status information and you can generate a history

report of the storage usage. For more information, see theNICE Perform Storage Center

Installation and Configuration Guide, Tracking the Status of your Storage Centers.

If the Storage Center server has more than one active Network Interface Card (NIC), the IP

Address given when defining the Storage Center must be the primary network connection. For

more information, see theNICE Storage Center Installation and Configuration Guide, Appendix

C: Storage Center Troubleshooting Flow, Archiving Failure: Multiple Network Interface Cards.

When a user wants to play back an interaction, he or she runs a query to locate the interaction,

which may be recorded on a Logger or archived to a Storage Center. The order in which the system

searches for the interaction (the Locate Order) is defined in Locate Settings (in the SystemAdministrator application, navigate to Master Site > Applications > Configurations > Locate

Settings). The Locate order options may be to search only Loggers, only Storage Centers, Loggers

before Storage Centers, Storage Centers before Loggers or it may be a customized order.


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Figure 3-1 Locate Settings (example taken from NICE Perform Release 3.2)

When you add a Storage Center server to the site, make sure to add it to the list of all the Storage

Center servers defined in the site and that the order of the Storage Centers in the list is in the

correct order of priority for the search. For more information, see the System Administrator Guide,

Defining Search Order and Locations for Storage Centers and Loggers.

For each Storage Center defined, a Retrieve Storage Group containing a Retrieve Storage Unit is

automatically created. In systems integrated with ESMs, this serves as a local buffer when

retrieving recordings from the ESM to the Storage Center local disk. Even if your system does not

include an ESM, these cannot be deleted.

If you have a redundant Storage Center, when defining the Storage Group in the redundant Storage

Center where the archived calls will be stored if the primary Storage Center fails, make sure not to

select the same server that you selected for the primary Storage Center.

Creating the Storage Group(s)

Just to review, a Storage Center consists of one or more Storage Groups. A Storage Group is the

logical container of one or more Storage Units, which are the actual locations on the network

where the recordings are archived. Each Storage Group must contain at least one Storage Unit.

When creating a Storage Group, you define the Storage Group name, Retention details, Retention

Period and the Storage Units (including location, size and maximum threshold).


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Figure 3-2 Setting the Retention Period of a New Storage Group

Retention Guidelines

By default, there is no mandatory Retention Period. The maximum Retention Period is 2560 days,

which equals 7 years. Retention should be defined according to the needs of your organization.

The Storage Center can support periods longer than 7 years (the higher value can be defined in the

Retention field). However, the NICE database must be modified as well! In these cases, please

contact NICE Professional Services.

Retention vs. Force Delete

TheRetention periodis the defined minimum period of time measured in days that NICE Perform

stores calls on a Storage Group. The retention period is defined specifically for the Storage Group.

Force Delete (FD) is the deletion mechanism that instructs the NICE Perform system to delete

archived calls after a defined date. FD is defined in the Storage Rules for a specific rule or rules. Inaddition to forcing deletion of archived calls on the File System (in archiving locations or

SAN/NAS), this is the only method that can delete calls from an ESM device.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

The retention period is calculated from the date the interaction was recorded.


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If the Force Delete definition in the Storage Rule is earlier than the Retention Period defined in the

Storage Group, the Force Delete definition takes precedence over the Retention definition. For

example, if a Storage Group is defined with a Retention value of 7 years, but the Force Delete

value of a specific rule is set to 1 year, all the files archived according to the rule to that Storage

Group will be deleted after a year regardless of the Retention Period of the Storage Group.

Creating a Storage Unit

Storage Units are defined using the New Storage Unit Definition Wizard. Each Storage Group

must contain at least one Storage Unit. The New Storage Unit wizard automatically starts after you

finish creating a new Storage Group. You can also start it independently to add a new Storage Unit

to a previously existing Storage Group.

For each Storage Unit:

Define the name of the Storage Unit.

Define the destination path of the Storage Unit.

Each Storage Unit should be on a dedicated partition. For example, if archiving to a serverwith a 1 TB hard drive divided into five partitions, there should be one Storage Unit for

each partition.

Do not use an absolute path (c:\...). Use a UNC path (network path). This makes it

possible for one Storage Center to play back calls archived on other Storage Centers. Donot use the IP address and do not modify the storage path or host name. Do not change the

storage path manually. Any and all of the these practices may lead to severe Playback and

Storage management problems including data loss.

BEST PRACTICE:

To manage deletion of archived calls, NICE recommends the following:

In systems where calls are archived to the File System: Use Retention on the Storage Groupsand DO NOT define Force Delete in Storage Rules. The Retention Period ensures that the

calls are retained for the required period of time. Not defining Force Delete ensures that

there is no conflict and that calls are not deleted accidentally.

In systems implementing an ESM: In the Storage Rules, indicate that the interactions shouldbe moved to the ESM and use Force Delete. DO NOT define a Retention Period for the

Storage Groups. The interactions are stored on both the file system and the ESM. The File

System serves as a buffer (as well as for immediate playback and Audio Analytics purposes).

BEST PRACTICE:

When defining Storage Units, NICE recommends that a dedicated partition be defined for each

Storage Unit. When planning the system, be sure to include enough partitions to support all

required Storage Units.


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The destination directory (partition) must be defined as shared with write permissions.

Make sure to validate the destination path:

If the path is invalid, an error message appears.

If the path is valid, the system recommends that the size of the Storage Unit be half thesize of the maximum capacity of the destination. Modify the default size of the unit as

needed.

If you select to continue defining the Storage Unit without validating the destinationpath, make sure to manually verify that the path format is valid, that the destination

actually exists on the network and that there is enough space in the physical location

to accommodate the archived calls.

Storage destinations on the file system should be used for storage purposes ONLY! Keeping

other files in the same folders may adversely affect monitoring of Storage Unit free/used

space. Make sure that the destination location is being used only by the Storage Group/Unit for

which it was defined. Do not save any other files in this location or allow it to be used by any

other applications. This may cause storage conflicts.

Select the Storage Unit type: Directory Per Day. DO NOT select the Multiple Directories

storage unit type, which is obsolete and should not be used.

Define the capacity of the Storage Unit (in gigabytes) and the maximum threshold of the

Storage Unit (in percent). The system automatically suggests that the size of the Storage Unit

should be one half the capacity of the defined location. This can be modified manually. The

Default threshold for the Storage Unit (NOT the defined location) is 80%.

IMPORTANT

The destination path of the Storage Unit must be excluded from antivirus scans to avoid

playback, performance, and retention issues. See TN0564: Antivirus Certifications for NICE

Products for more information on how to set up the antivirus scan.


When a Storage Group reaches its defined capacity and the existing calls cannot be deleted

(because of the defined Retention period on the Storage Group), the Storage Center will continue

archiving calls to the Storage Group (if the user has the correct permissions on the destination)

until the entire capacity of the Storage Units has been used up.


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Figure 3-3 Defining a new Storage Unit

If the required size of the Storage Unit was not determined in advance, you can use the SC

Calculator to calculate the required storage space. For more information, see the section onGuidelines for Using the Storage Size Calculator in Chapter 3, Configuring the Storage

Center of the Storage Center Installation and Configuration Guide.

Installing the Storage Center

When installing the Storage Center software, it is recommended that the person performing the

installation be logged in with Administrator privileges and also be able to log in as a service. This

privilege is not given by default to users with Administrator rights and must be added to the

Storage Center user. For more information, see the Storage Center Installation and Configuration

Guide, Chapter 4, Installing the Storage Center.

IMPORTANT

If your Storage Center environment includes an ESM, do not use the same destination path to

the ESM as that defined for the Retrieve directory. This could lead to a loss of archived files!

IMPORTANT

When you have finished installing the Storage Center software, do not install the Storage Center

Update Pack at this point. This should be done only after NICE Perform is completely installed

and configured.


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Multi Data Hub Considerations

Defining Storage Rules

For Storage Rules best practices, see Best Practices for Creating Storage Rules on page 29.

Multi Data Hub Considerations

A Multi Data Hub environment consists of several Data Hubs sharing information. Each Data Hubhas its own databases, applications, Loggers, etc. Information is shared across Data Hubs when

you define Replication between the Data Hubs.

One Data Hub is defined as the Primary Data Hub. All other Data Hubs are defined as Secondary

Data Hubs. You can have one or several Secondary Data Hubs. During Database Suite installation

you define each installation as either Primary or Secondary. There can be only one Primary Data

Hub. All other Data Hubs are Secondary Data Hubs. The Secondary Data Hubs do not have a

Reporter server or a Data Mart. These are installed only on the Primary Data Hub.

In a Multi Data Hub environment, the Storage Center is external to the above. Recordings can be

archived across the network from one Data Hub to another. A single Storage Center can be used

for all Data Hubs or you can have a one or more Storage Centers per Data Hub.

Since the physical position of the Storage Center server is important, a decision must be made

where to place the server if there is only one Storage Center for the entire system. It is

recommended to position the Storage Center server(s) as close as possible to the Database Server

to minimize latency.

In this system configuration, it is especially important to create the Storage Rules in such a way

that it is easy to understand whatis being archived where and when.


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Chapter 4: Best Practices for Storage Rules


27

4

Best Practices for Storage Rules

Contents

Overview..........................................................................................................................28

Best Practices for Creating Storage Rules ..................................................................29

Validating Rules..............................................................................................................36

Deleting Rules.................................................................................................................39


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28Chapter 4: Best Practices for Storage Rules


Overview

Overview

Storage Rules define archiving tasks that are performed by the Rule Engine and the Storage

Center. Every time a specific Storage Rule is run, the Rule Engine submits the interactions that

match the rule to the Storage Center, which then archives the interactions to the defined storage

destination for long-term storage.

Storage Rules enable you to define:

Which interactions to archive

Where the interactions will be stored

When archiving occurs

The maximum number of days the interactions are stored, after which they are deleted (ForceDelete)

Each call is archived in NICE proprietary media format (.nmf) which requires the NICE Player for

playback. As a rule, NICE Perform does not support other media formats (such as wmf, etc.). If

there is a need for your system to support legacy formats, contact NICE Professional Services.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

A rule can run on both future and past interactions.

You can have multiple rules running simultaneously.

If there are no active storage rules, no calls will be archived.


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Best Practices for Creating Storage Rules


When creating a rule, you must define the following:

The name of the rule

If the rule is active or inactive

If the rule is ongoing or past

An archiving schedule (when and how often archiving takes place)

An archiving filter (which interactions should be archived)

The Storage Group where the interactions should be archived. In the case of multiple storagecenters, this must be the Storage Group in the Primary Storage Center. In systems with

redundant Storage Centers, the redundant Storage Center where the interactions should be

archived if the Primary Storage Center fails. Since retention is defined for a Storage Group,

this also determines the retention period of the interactions.

The maximum number of minutes that the archiving task can run. (The default is 3600 minutes

= 60 hours).

Force Delete: the maximum number of days that an interaction can be stored in the StorageGroup. After this number of days has elapsed, the interaction will be deleted from the Storage

Center, even if the Retention Period of the Storage Center is defined to expire at a later date.

Whether or not to move the archived interactions to an ESM device.

File name mask (the formula used for naming the stored interaction files).

Who Creates Storage Rules?

The process of creating Storage Rules is complex and requires careful consideration. Some tasks

require high-level design on the part of the NICE Solution Engineer. Others are performed by theField Engineer during installation and implementation.

BEST PRACTICE:

The customer should not create, modify or otherwise handle Storage Rules before receiving the

appropriate training from NICE. In any case where there is a question, problem or other issue

concerning Storage Rules, contact NICE Customer Support.


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General Best Practices when Creating Rules

Naming Rules

Rule names and descriptions should be meaningful to ensure that the person managing the rule

understands its purpose.

Activating Rules

If a Storage Rule needs to be active and running, make sure that the Active Rule checkbox is

selected. If not, archiving of interactions that match the rule will NOT TAKE PLACE.

In the Rules Manager, you can activate or deactive a rule directly from the Storage Rules list.

Simply select or clear the Active check box for the required rule.

Running Rules in Multi Data Hub Environments

If your system contains a Multi Data Hub, make sure to indicate whether the rule should run on all

data hubs or only on selected Data Hubs. For more information about archiving best practices in a

Multi Data Hub environment, see Multi Data Hub Considerations on page 25.

Running Past Rules

A Storage Rule can be eitherongoing, meaning that it runs from the time it is activated on all

future interactions; orpast, meaning it runs on interactions that were recorded in the past.

BEST PRACTICE:

When storage rules already exist in your system, you can use the Save As feature to save an

existing rule as a new rule. Simply give the rule a new name and modify the parameters asrequired. This can be done with active, inactive and even completed rules (in the case of past

rules).

When defining filters for a rule, make sure the person creating the rule has all the relevantprivileges. Only those filters for which you have privileges are saved when you save the rule.

Minimize the number of Storage Rules - too many active rules running simultaneously canadversely affect system performance. The maximum number of simultaneous active rules

allowed is 20. If you feel that the business needs of your organization require more, contact

NICE Professional Services.


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Scheduling Rules

When you schedule a Storage Rule, you define the following parameters:

The date and time the rule should start running How often the rule should run (recurrence in minutes, days or weeks)

The length of time that the archiving task defined by the Storage Rule runs during eachrecurrence (Maximum Task Duration)

Maximum Task Duration Considerations

Maximum Task Duration defines the length of time that the archiving task represented by the

Storage Rule should run. The default duration is 3600 minutes (60 hours). If the time allocated for

the duration of an archiving task expires but not all the interactions that match the Storage Rule

criteria have been archived, the remaining interactions are marked to be archived during the next

BEST PRACTICE:

Past Rules are used primarily to catch calls that might have been missed during the initialstages of live operation, or for reprocessing past calls. Past rules can run up to 50 days in the

past. However, if you set a past rule with a time frame that exceeds 20 days, consult with

NICE Customer Services first.

While executing a past rule, make sure to monitor the size of the nice_rule database. A pastrule runs on ALL the old calls recorded in the system. As a result, the volume of calls

processed may be considerably greater than the size that the database can usually handle

without problem.

DO NOT make changes to the filters in a Past Rule. This will cause the rule to start over.


Loggers work First In First Out (FIFO); if no more room exists on the Logger, the oldest call is

deleted to make room for the newest call. You can estimate how many days a High DensityLogger (HDL) keeps the calls. For example, if a Call Center handles 60,000 calls a day, the

average time of a call is 3 minutes and an HDL has a maximum capacity of 50,000 hours, then

the available space on the logger will be used up in approximately 16.67 days. On VoIP Loggers,

the space depends on the storage space available on the computer running the VoIP Logger. This

should be taken into consideration during the planning stages. If you decide a couple of months

later that you want to run a Past Rule, you may find that the calls no longer exist.

BEST PRACTICE:

When scheduling the running time of rules, consider factors such as network bandwidth and

peak hours, Rules should run when there is the least amount of network traffic to reduce load on

system resources. By default, the NICE Perform system is configured to run all rules

simultaneously. This improves performance.


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recurrence of the Storage Rule. These interactions are archived first, then any new interactions that

match the rule criteria are archived. In cases where the Maximum Task Duration is too short, this

could lead to a chronic backlog of interactions that are waiting to be archived.

Multiple Archiving Considerations

By default, a call is archived only once, even if it matches more than one rule. The archivingproperties (Retention period on the Storage Group, Force Delete in Storage Rule, etc.), are

determined by the properties of the first match. The call will not be archived again, even when

other rules apply to it. Multiple archiving, meaning that the same call is archived every time it

matches a rule, can only be enabled by NICE Customer Support (this entails modifying the Rule

Engine configuration file).

The implications of multiple archiving are:

A recording will be sent for archiving every time it matches a rule. That means the samerecording may be archived two or more times.

Storage Center archiving time may increase, potentially leading to a backlog.

Duplicate archived calls consume valuable storage space.

Defining Rule Filters

When you define the rule filters you are defining the criteria according to which interactions are

archived.


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Defining Storage Locations for Interactions that Match the Rule Criteria

In systems with redundant storage, one Storage Center is defined to be the Primary Storage and the

second Storage Center is defined to be the Secondary Storage that takes over from the Primary

Storage Center when necessary. When defining the Storage Group on the Secondary Storage

BEST PRACTICE:

When defining recording-based criteria for Total Recording Solution (TRS) calls, DO NOTselect a filter in the Call Direction area. If you do so, TRS calls with an Inbound, Outbound

or Internal filter will not be archived.

The following Audio Analysis parameters do not appear in the filter criteria for StorageRules and can therefore not be used when defining a Storage Rule:

Emotion Certainty

Emotion Speaker

Segment Word

Segment Word Count

Segment Word Count Speaker

Segment Word Group

Segment Word Group Count

Segment Word Group Count Speaker

Talk Over Agent Burst

Talk Over Agent Talk

Talk Over Customer Burst

Talk Over Customer Talk

Talk Over Percentage

Talk Over Silence

Talk Over Total Burst

All fields that are the result of Scoring or Classification rules (even if they do not include

any of the above fields in their filter criteria)

If your system still uses Storage Rules created in NICE Perform Release II or earlier, andyou try to edit a rule that contains Audio Analysis parameters as filter criteria, an error

message appears. If you save the rule, then the field(s) are removed from the Storage Rules

filter criteria. This is because these fields are no longer supported as filter criteria for Storage

rules.

In NICE Perform Releases II, 3, and 3.1, DO NOT use the All Users filter. If you want toinclude an All Users rule, simply do not define the User Group field or use specific groups

and/or users.


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Center where the interactions will be archived if the Primary Storage Center fails, DO NOT select

the same location (same Storage Center server and Storage Group), that you selected as the

Primary Storage Center.

Defining Archiving Duration

The Max. Task Duration field defines the maximum length of time for each archiving session.Depending on the size of the contact center, and factors such as storage capacity, bandwidth, etc.,

the time allocated to perform the archiving task may not be long enough to finish archiving all the

calls in the logger(s). Each time a new archiving session starts, it begins archiving from where it

stopped at the end of the previous archiving session. Eventually, though, a large backlog may build

up and certain calls that should have been archived may not actually be archived.

Force Delete (FD)

This feature deletes archived calls after a defined date has passed. This is defined in a Storage Rule

(as opposed to the Retention Period, which is defined for a Storage Group). If the FD definition in

the storage rule differs from the Retention Period defined in the Storage Group, the FD definition

takes precedence over the Retention definition. For example, if a Storage Group is defined with aRetention value of 7 years, but the Force Delete value of a specific rule is set to 1 year, all the files

archived according to that rule will be deleted after a year regardless of the Retention Period on the

Storage Group.

What Should I Do When Using ESM Devices?

If your are archiving to an ESM device, in the Storage Center Action window, Action

Parameters tab, make sure to select the Move to ESM option. This will ensure that, from thetime the Move to ESM option is selected and applied, all recordings matching this rule are copied

from the Storage Center to the ESM device.

TheMove to ESM option is enabled only when NICE Perform is configured to work with an ESM

device.


Force Delete is the only method that can delete calls from an ESM device.

BEST PRACTICE:

The preferred configuration for systems implementing ESM devices is: Force Deletion without

Retention. Setting Force Delete is required to delete the calls from the ESM device. The Storage

Center functions only as a buffer (and for immediate playback/Audio Analytics).

Retention is optional, since files are also saved in the ESM device. However, especially insystems implementing Interaction Analytics, it is recommended to define a Retention period of

approximately 20 days on the Storage Group to ensure that the recordings are not deleted from

the Storage Center before being archived to the ESM.


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Defining the File Name Mask

In the File Name Mask tab of the Storage Center Action window, you define the naming

convention for archived files. File names for archived files can include any field available in the

Available Fields list. The default fields, Site ID, Segment ID and Recording ID, are mandatory and

cannot be removed or rearranged.

The maximum number of characters allowed in the archiving path, including the server name, unit

path, rule name, date of archiving and file name is 256 characters. When defining the File Name

Mask, be sure to take this into consideration and keep the File Name Mask as short as possible.

BEST PRACTICE:

It is recommended to add the date to the File Name Mask.

Do not: define a File Name Mask with business data.

Do not define a File Name Mask with values from the tblParticipantXX or tblRecordingXXtables.


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Validating Rules

Validating Rules

Every time a rule is created or modified, it should be validated. Validation should also be

proactively performed periodically to ensure that the rules are still valid and running properly.

Storage Rules can be validated at any time using the Storage Rules Validator (SRV) utility. The

Storage Rules Validator can currently be run on the following versions of NICE Perform:

Release 3 Service Pack 4, running on MS SQL 2000 or MS SQL 2005

Release 3.1, running on MS SQL 2005

Release 3.2, running on MS SQL 2005 or MS SQL 2008

Release 3.5, running on MS SQL 2005 or MS SQL 2008

For more information, see theNICE Perform Storage Rules Validator Guide.

Storage Rules Validator Tests Integrated into Rules Manager

A number of tests from the standalone Storage Rules Validator (SRV) utility have been integrated

into the Rules Manager (as of NICE Perform Releases 3.1.21 and 3.2.11 and in Release 3.5),

providing real-time validation of rules as they are being created. The following validations are

performed in real time while creating Storage Rules:

BEST PRACTICE:

Run the SRV after installation to make sure that at least one rule is active, that all rules thatshould be running are active, and that all required Storage Groups are being used. If a

storage rule is not active, the interactions that the storage rule is meant to archive WILLNOT BE archived.

Run the SRV after a new Storage Rule is added to validate the new rule and to ensure that

existing rules are still valid.

Run the SRV whenever an existing rule has been changed.


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Validating Rules

SRV Test

Number

Test Test Description

4 Verifiy that Storage Rule

filters are valid

Checks that the values defined in storage rule filters are

valid. For example, a storage rule includes a filter to archive

calls according to department name. The relevant text fieldis limited to 32 characters but the department name

entered has 40 characters. The entry is invalid and the rule

engine will not be able to process the rule.

If the filter value is invalid, a critical error is generated. For

example, if a rule includes a filter whose value is out of

range, the following message is displayed:

The value must be with the range of - .

6 Verifiy that all Storage Rules

specify Loggers that exist in

the system

Checks that a Logger (as identified by Recording Logger)

specified in a storage rule using the =, , and List of Values

(LOV) filter conditions actually exists in the system. If the

Logger does not exist, the test fails and triggers a warning:

The Logger or Loggers: currently does

not exist in the system. Do you want to create the rule

anyway?

7 Verifiy that all Storage Rules

specify User IDs that exist in

the system

Checks that a user (as identified by User ID) specified in a

storage rule using the =, , and List of Values (LOV) filter

conditions actually exists in the system. If the Logger does

not exist, the test fails and triggers a warning:

The User ID or User IDs: currently does

not exist in the system. Do you want to create the ruleanyway?

11 Verify that the current

number of active Storage

Rules does not exceed the

recommended maximum

Checks the number of active rules in the system and

compares that number with the recommended maximum

(20 active rules).

If the number of active rules is greater than 20, a warning is

generated:

The recommended maximum number of active storage

rules is: 20. If you click Yes, the number of active rules will

be: . Are you

sure you want to activate this storage rule?


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Validating Rules

13 Verifiy that the Force Delete

date in the Storage Rules is

later than the Retention date

The SRV checks the Storage Groups for inconsistencies in

the definition of Force Delete as opposed to Retention set

on Groups.

If the Force Delete date is earlier than the Retention date, a

warning is generated:

Force Delete value should be equal to or greater than the

Retention value on the Storage Group. Change the Force

Delete value or change the Retention value on the following

Storage Groups: . Are you sure you

want to continue?

14 Verify that Storage Rules

which move calls to an ESM

have a defined Force Delete

value

Checks that a Force Delete value is defined for Storage

Rules that move interactions to ESM device.

If no Force Delete value is defined, a critical error is

generated and the user will not be able to continue creating

the rule until the Force Delete option is selected and

defined:

When selecting to move files to ESM, a Force Delete value

must be defined.


which move calls to an ESM

are attached to Storage

Groups with no defined

Retention

In systems where interactions are stored on an ESM

device, there is no need for retention on the Storage Group.

The SRV checks for Storage Rules referring to Storage

Groups that have a defined Retention period.

If such a Storage Rule is identified, a warning is generated:

A storage rule that moves files to an ESM should not be

attached to a Storage Group with a defined Retentionvalue. It is recommended to remove the Retention value

from: . Are you sure you want to

continue?

SRV Test

Number



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Deleting Rules

More detailed information can be found in the upcoming releases of theRules Manager Guide and

the Storage Center Installation and Configuration Guide.

Deleting Rules


include File Name Masks

that yield consistent results

When defining a storage rule, the user can define the

formula for naming interaction files. This is the File Name

Mask. The default fields are [Site ID] [Segment ID]

[Recording ID], which is the minimum required. The usercan add other fields to the file name. However, certain

recording or participant-related fields may cause the

validations to yield inconsistent results.

The problematic fields are:

All fields beginning with Participant

Recording Initiator Type ID

Recording Initiator User ID

Recording Site Type ID

If any of these fields are detected in a storage rule, a

warning is generated:

When running the storage rule with a File Name Mask that

includes this field, the file names in the storage area may

be inconsistent. NOTE: This only affects the files' names. It

has no affect on the recording itself.

Are you sure you want to add this field to the File Name

Mask?

20 Verify that all Storage Rules

specify Agent IDs that exist

in the system

Checks that an agent (as identified by Agent ID) specified

in a storage rule filter condition actually exists in the

system.

If the agent does not exist, a warning is generated:The agent ID or agents IDs: currently do

not exist in the system. Do you want to create the rule

anyway?

SRV Test

Number


BEST PRACTICE:

Storage rules should not be deleted. When you no longer want to run a rule, deactivate it. Rules

that are deleted cannot be viewed, edited or re-activated. Once a rule is deleted, it is gone forever.


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Chapter 5: Best Practices for Maintaining Effective Archiving


41

5

Best Practices for Maintaining EffectiveArchiving

The Storage Center server fetches recordings from Voice and/or Screen Loggers and copies them

according to rules to a network path and/or (when implemented) to an ESM device. Once a system

is up and running, it is of vital importance to maintain the system to ensure efficient archiving and

storage of recordings.

Contents

Recommended NICE Perform Maintenance Routine ..................................................42

Best Practices for Maintaining the Storage Center .....................................................42

Making Changes to Storage Center Infrastructure......................................................43

Best Practices for Maintaining Storage Rules .............................................................44

Best Practices for Monitoring Ongoing Storage Center Activities............................45


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42Chapter 5: Best Practices for Maintaining Effective Archiving


Recommended NICE Perform Maintenance Routine

Recommended NICE Perform Maintenance Routine

The recommended NICE Perform maintenance routine includes a number of archiving

maintenance tasks that the customer should perform on a regular basis. The purpose of these tasks

is to check that the systems archiving functionalities (including archiving status, validity of

storage rules, the availability of storage space, etc.) are operating correctly. The scheduled

archiving maintenance tasks that need to be performed by the customer are:

For more information on how to perform these procedures, see theNICE Perform 3.x

Maintenance Guide for Customers.

Best Practices for Maintaining the Storage Center

Table 5-1: Scheduled Archiving Maintenance Tasks for the Customer

Procedure Purpose How Often?

Verifying Storage Center

Archiving

To check that the Storage

Center is archiving calls

Daily

Verfying space in a Storage

Group

To check that there is enough

space to enable archiving

activities in all the Storage

Groups in the Storage Center

Weekly

Verifying Storage Rules and

Storage Configuration

To ensure that all

storage-related rules and

configuration are correct

Weekly

BEST PRACTICE:

Storage destinations on the file system should be used for storage purposes ONLY! Keepingother files in the same folders may adversely affect monitoring of the Storage Unit free/used

space. Make sure that the destination location is being used only by the Storage Group/Unit

for which it was defined. DO NOT save any other files in this location and DO NOT use it

for any other applications. This may cause storage conflicts.

Do not add or delete files manually from a storage location. Due to the way that NICE

Perform counts the files, this may disrupt the synchronization between the NICE Perform

system and the file system, resulting in loss of visibility the system may lose the ability to

see the Storage Center.
http://www.extranice.com/EIS/Customers/DiagnosticsandMonitoring/Pages/MaintenanceGuide.aspxhttp://www.extranice.com/EIS/Customers/DiagnosticsandMonitoring/Pages/MaintenanceGuide.aspxhttp://www.extranice.com/EIS/Customers/DiagnosticsandMonitoring/Pages/MaintenanceGuide.aspxhttp://www.extranice.com/EIS/Customers/DiagnosticsandMonitoring/Pages/MaintenanceGuide.aspx


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Making Changes to Storage Center Infrastructure

Making Changes to Storage Center Infrastructure

Over the lifecycle of a system, it may be necessary to implement changes to the archiving

infrastructure, including changes to a Storage Center or the ESM (when implemented).

Changes to a Storage Center

These activities include changing the name of a Storage Center server, replacing a Storage Center

server, removing a Storage Group, adding a unit to a Storage Group or expanding a unit in a

Storage Group.

Required change Comments

Changing the name of a Storage

Center server

To change the name of a Storage Center server,

contact NICE Support.

The name of a Storage Center server can be

changed using the Rename Host Tool. This can only

be performed by NICE Customer Support Tier 3 andup.

For more information, see theNICE Perform 3.x

Maintenance Guide for Customers..

Updating Storage Center/Storage

Group parameters

Some parameters cannot be modified. Contact NICE

Support for assistance.

NOTE: If you modify a storage destination, the files

that are already archived to the previous destination

are not moved to the new destination.

Deleting a Storage Center component It is not recommended to delete a Storage Center

component. You cannot delete a Storage Group if the group is

defined in an active storage rule.

If you delete a Storage Center server from the

Organization tree, you will delete all the

definitions for the Storage Center including its

ESM and Storage Groups.

When you delete a component, its

subcomponents are deleted as well.

If you do delete a Storage Center component, make

sure to preserve the path to the recordings so that, if

necessary, they can be easily accessed.

Adding a Storage Unit to a Storage

Group

Use the procedure in theNICE Perform 3.x


Expanding the Size of an Existing

Storage Unit

Use the procedure in theNICE Perform 3.x

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Best Practices for Maintaining Storage Rules

Best Practices for Maintaining Storage Rules

BEST PRACTICE:

Use the Storage Rules Validator (SRV) to check the Storage Center, Storage Rules and the

Storage Rules database for critical errors and issues that may affect system performance.

Run the SRV according to the Maintenance Schedule, every time a change is made to theStorage Rules (a rule is added or changed), and after every change to the configuration of the

Storage Center.

After making changes to Users or Groups, check related rules.

Do not delete storage rules. Deactivate them instead when you no longer want to run them.Rules that are deleted cannot be viewed, edited or re-activated. Once a rule is deleted, it is

gone forever.


As of NICE Perform Releases 3.1.21, 3.2.11 and 3.5, a number of SRV tests have been integrated

into the Rules Manager, providing real-time storage rule validation as you create or update them.

For more information, see Validating Rules on page 36.


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Best Practices for Monitoring Ongoing Storage Center Activities

Best Practices for Monitoring Ongoing Storage CenterActivities

BEST PRACTICE:

NICE Perform provides a variety of tools and applications to help monitor and optimize StorageCenter performance:

Storage Rules Validator (SRV) - The Storage Rules Validator (SRV) is a standalone utilitythat can be run on the NICE Perform system to verify the validity of the Storage Rules and

storage configuration in the system. To ensure that archiving is taking place and that there is

enough disk space to support archiving activities, run the SRV according to the Maintenance

Schedule and every time a change is made to the Storage Center .For more information, see

theNICE Perform Storage Rules Validator Guide .

Storage Center Monitor- You can monitor the current status of a Storage Center in theSystem Administrator application. In the Storage Center Servers branch of the Organization

tree, select the name of the Storage Center, Storage Group or Storage Unit to view the

current status of the respective entity. For more information, see theNICE Perform System

Administrator Guide , Chapter 28, Tracking the Status of Your Storage Centers for the

relevant NICE Perform release.

NICE Sentinel - A real-time monitoring tool that, among other system information, collectsinformation mainly about recording and archiving system health from different data sources

and provides alarms. For more information, see theNICE Perform Sentinel User Guide.

For a list of SNMP Traps, see theNICE Perform Sentinel User Guide , Appendix A:

Alarms Recommended Actions, in the Storage Center section.

Health Check Reports - A set of reports that provides information about recording and

archiving performance in the system. The reports can be seen in the NICE Perform Reporter

application. For more information, see theNICE Perform Health Check Reports Guide .
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archiving best practices

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