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Prerequisites for Chat functionality

aldets
Frequent Contributor

Hi,

I've tried to find the answer in the documentations, read several older installation guides and training materials but have not found an answer. My question is, what are the required Sinch Contact Pro Software packages that are needed to be installed on the server via Infrastructure Administrator to be able to use the full functionality of Chats.

Reason why I'm asking is that Sinch Contact Pro has evolved so much that most likely I have redundant software running that I'd like to remove, without breaking the installation. Also ECF has added alot that I believe some older software packages are duplicating.

 

So, if anyone knows or can point me to a specific guide, what software is needed so that different kind of social media channels can be used with Chat (FB Messenger, Instagra, ECF Visitor Chat, SInch Chat etc.). I know that SMS Server is a key software to be used with Conversation API. But what about the rest (Chat Server, Chat Portal etc.)?

 

Kind regards,
Alder

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Jukka
Employee
Employee

Hi Alder, 

I will check later if this is found from documentation, but now it's just easier to write from my (RAM 😁) memory. Let me split this one to two chapter for easier reading, please consider Communication Panel for pre-requisite for both: 

 

1. Social Channels via Conversation API
- For back-end you need Chat Server and SMS Server. Here SMS Server is the gateway that receives and sends the messages, while Chat Server is parsing, routing and adapting to Contact Pro protocol.

- SMS Server should be set to HTTP mode in SC -> Modules and restarted. 
- After that follow Configuring Sinch Conversation API 

- Additionally you should allow http traffic from and to SMS Server component 

 

2. Contact Pro Webchat and also Chatlayer or any other chatbot integration 

- For back-end you need Chat Server and ECF in visitor mode. The ECF in visitor modes differentiates from agent mode so that access to internal resources such as RI or authentication is blocked. In other words more safer to be published towards internet. 

- Once you have ECF Visitor set up and IA variables defined, then browse to http(s)://visitor url/latest/VisitorConfigurator/index.html and start building your chat app. It should fetch automatically queues in the system based on your user rights.  

- Of course you need to open connection from internet to ECF Visitor IP. 

 

We can take the firewall opening in separate, once you have set up the needed components and you are able to play with it in internal network. You may also consider if you want to enable Contact Pro webchat at all, because in Conversation API stack there is Sinch Chat available which has video and call capability over the chat. Currently we recommend the Sinch Chat over Contact Pro Webchat. If you wish to have a discussion about differences, please ping me in email. 

 

With that you should get started and feel free to reach us if any questions. 

 

BR,
Jukka

Jukka Suhonen, Contact Pro Senior Product Engineer

View solution in original post

2 REPLIES 2

Jukka
Employee
Employee

Hi Alder, 

I will check later if this is found from documentation, but now it's just easier to write from my (RAM 😁) memory. Let me split this one to two chapter for easier reading, please consider Communication Panel for pre-requisite for both: 

 

1. Social Channels via Conversation API
- For back-end you need Chat Server and SMS Server. Here SMS Server is the gateway that receives and sends the messages, while Chat Server is parsing, routing and adapting to Contact Pro protocol.

- SMS Server should be set to HTTP mode in SC -> Modules and restarted. 
- After that follow Configuring Sinch Conversation API 

- Additionally you should allow http traffic from and to SMS Server component 

 

2. Contact Pro Webchat and also Chatlayer or any other chatbot integration 

- For back-end you need Chat Server and ECF in visitor mode. The ECF in visitor modes differentiates from agent mode so that access to internal resources such as RI or authentication is blocked. In other words more safer to be published towards internet. 

- Once you have ECF Visitor set up and IA variables defined, then browse to http(s)://visitor url/latest/VisitorConfigurator/index.html and start building your chat app. It should fetch automatically queues in the system based on your user rights.  

- Of course you need to open connection from internet to ECF Visitor IP. 

 

We can take the firewall opening in separate, once you have set up the needed components and you are able to play with it in internal network. You may also consider if you want to enable Contact Pro webchat at all, because in Conversation API stack there is Sinch Chat available which has video and call capability over the chat. Currently we recommend the Sinch Chat over Contact Pro Webchat. If you wish to have a discussion about differences, please ping me in email. 

 

With that you should get started and feel free to reach us if any questions. 

 

BR,
Jukka

Jukka Suhonen, Contact Pro Senior Product Engineer

aldets
Frequent Contributor

Wow, that is exactly what I was after. Thank you so much.

 

Kind regards,
Alder