2012-06 Release - Narwhal

Scheduling

New TBS Scheduling Feature are now available to automated the running of FlexQL Reports. The scheduling feature is built in two main components. We have the administration screens in TBS, and the actual implementation of the feature in the TBS Backend Service.

The administration screens allow users to setup tasks to be run in a set as a process and schedule them according to a schedule they determine. The screens also allow the user to view the logs and upcoming schedules.

The scheduler feature leverages a few other new features as well. For this release we have created the idea of a distribution list in TBS. Users can now group email addresses into a group for easier emailing. These emails are configured as customers, TBS users, agents, or a custom email address. If the email address changes on a customer, TBS user, or agent they will be automatically updated in the distribution list. This feature is currently only leveraged in the Scheduler feature.

The TBS Backend Service houses the "brains" of the Scheduling feature. It manages the running of processes, creates log entries, and sends reports based on the status of the processes.

Please see the Scheduler Overview Help topic for more detailed information on this great new feature.

TBS Rest Service

Beginning with the Narwhal release, TBS is now distributed with a REST service. REST services are designed to be simpler to consume than SOAP-based services, and we will increasingly be using the REST service as a single point of entry for access to object stored in the database and actions that are made upon them. The REST service will be documented and available for clients to extend the system as their needs arise.

Single Sign-On (SSO) Service

Prior to the Narwhal release, each system (TBS, CABS) has had its own authentication mechanism. We have been waiting for the right time to singularize this process, and the introduction of the TBS REST service created a good opportunity to do so. Beginning with Narwhal, Precision solutions are now distributed with an SSO service to handle authentication for TBS, TBS Rest, and CABS (though CABS itself isn't part of the Narwhal release and will thus continue to use separate authentication until its next release).

When visiting a system, the SSO will be checked for an existing session for the user. If one exists, the user will be allowed into the system without having to supply credentials again. Logout functionality from each system is now handled by the SSO; logging out of any one system logs the user out of all systems.

User administration is now handled by the SSO. Links to user administration remain in TBS and CABS where they previously existed, but will be forwarded to the SSO Administration screens in a new window.

Below are some specific features and changes related to SSO:

24020: SSO Service

Authentication across PTT systems (CABS, TBS 2.0, TBS 3.5, TBS Rest Service) has been moved to a Single Sign-On Service.

24116: Move Security Admin pages to SSO

Security administration screens have been moved from TBS to the SSO. They currently open in a new window from TBS/CABS.

24117: Move Change Password Page to SSO

The change password page has been moved to the SSO.

24121: SSO session page in SSO

Superuser only: a new page displaying all active sessions exists in the SSO web interface.

24140: Implement MaxInvalidAttempts for UserId Rule / 24174: Implement Max Invalid Attempts by IP address

We have implemented a few mechanisms to help prevent abuse of the SSO service:

- a maximum number of attempts by IP address in a certain period of time. This are controlled by new T4Appsettings: MaxAttemptsByIp_Count (defaults to 300) and MaxAttemptsByIp_Minutes (defaults to 6).

- a maximum number of attempts for a particular userID by IP address in a certain period of time. This is controlled by T4AppSettings: MaxAttemptsByUserId_Count (defaults to 6) and MaxAttemptsByUserId_Minutes (defaults to 6).

24280: SSO use with a load balancer

To get two different SSO services to authenticate as one SSO Service:

1. DNS names must match
2. SsoCookieName in SSO web.configs must match
3. SSO Services must be pointed the same database

This has been done for all clients with a load balancer so that no matter which SSO Service the load balancer hands you to, you will authenticate correctly.

General Updates and Bug Fixes

10700: Add Cost and Cost Verified Fields to Local Usocs

To help track the actual cost of a Local Line and features, two new fields have been added to the Local screen Usoc Grid(s) and the Usoc Detail screens.  The new fields are:
- Cost - Used to track the actual cost of the USOC. 
- Cost Verified - Date field used to track the last date the cost was validated.

These fields are only viewable by users with Access rights to the Accounting module. 

23940: Add "BillHistory Backup to CSV" to Billing Control Panel

The Billing Control Panel now has a tab to backup the BillHistory database. It will backup BillHistoryV2 if it exists, else it will backup BillHistoryV1.



It defaults to the T4systems directory\BackupBillingHistory. The appsetting to override this is BackUpBillingHistoryPath. App setting changes don't take effect until the backend service is restarted.

24163 - Invoice Product Description options on Bill Setup

A new report flag, Product Description Display, has been added to the Customer Bill Setup tab for customers using the XML invoice version.
Options are Print ANI Only, Print Description Only, and Print Both.

24179: Heartbeat Page - Update to monitor REST and SSO Services

The status of two new TBS System Services (SSOService and RESTService) is monitored on the TBS V35 Heartbeat page.

24311: Metrics Changes - Logging of Deletes

Deletes are now logged in the TBSHistory table, though there is no interface as of yet to see deleted records. Tables with a DeletedFlag show the OldValue as False and the NewValue as True, those without a DeletedFlag show every field with OldValue as its pre-delete value and NewValue as null.

24552: lkUsoc discounts

The Usoc admin screen discount fields are now displayed more accurately.  These fields should contain a percentage between 0 and 100.  The system no longer display a $ and has a description indicating that a percentage is required.

24643: Check Free minute limitations

The following Free Minute fields have been expanded to allow up to 7 digits:

BillOptions:
- Free Minutes
- Free Local Minutes
- Free Local Combined Minutes

Local:
- Free Minutes
- Free Local Minutes
- Free Local Combined Minutes

Long Distance:
- Free Minutes

Voice Services:
- Free Local LD Minutes
- Free Local Minutes
- Free Minutes

24807: Account Number / Domain Name schema

There are a few new options for Account Number and Network ID schemes:

Account Number - A new appsetting is in place that will allow the same suffix to be added to end of each New Account Number.  The suffix is in stored in the "NextAccountNumberSuffix" T4AppSetting.

There is also a new AppSetting: NextAccountNumberPadLength, that controls how many 0's to left-pad the next new account number.

NetworkInformation ID - When adding a new NetworkID, the system autogenerates the next id in sequential order.  By clearing the NextNetworkID field in TBS, the system will instead create a new NetworkID using the full Account Number.  Additional NetworkID's on the same account will increment the account number suffix by 1.

24775: Supplemental (Client-Specific) USOC Types

Additional USOC types have been added to better support the taxing of VoIP and other charges. The new types are:

- Wire Maintenance
- Professional Service
- Voicemail
- Directory Adds

In addition, we now have the ability to define customer specific "SupplementalUSOCTypes" that are customized to a specific clients needs.

Please see the Taxing in TBS help document for additional details.

23885: Bug: V20 Save Errors

Bug Fix: A few clients have experienced intermittent "TBS V20 Errors" that cannot be reproduced. As a result, we have improved the error trapping, logging, and user messages when these types of errors occur.

The updated error handling was incorporated on all Product Pages (Cable, Calling Card, Dedicated, Fixed, Internet, Local, Long Distance, Network Info, Toll Free, Usocs and Wireless).

If users see a Save Error Message popup, they should reload the customer record (Search for the customer again) and review any data changes. If the Save Error Message occurs more than once, please contact Precision Support so we can troubleshoot the issue

24017: Bug: Qwest - Import Carrier Rates Issue

Bug Fix: Qwest carrier cost import no longer mistakenly requires access type.

24124: Bug: Customer Login Prevention based upon Status

New Appsetting: DisallowCustomerLoginForStatuses.

Defaults to Collections. Can be set to a comma-separated list of statuses. Customers with this status will be prevented from being able to login.

If status is disconnected, the disconnect date is checked to see if it is null as well as the status of disconnect. Either will prevent the customer from being able to login.

This fixed an existing 1.1 bug for certain clients based on their previous status settings.

24431: Bug: Agent portal Care Codes report fix

Bug Fix: The system was showing an error when running the Care Code report from the Agent Portal.  This issue has been corrected.

24547: Bug: Large Accounts causing TBS delays

BUG Fix: Accounts with a large number of LD, 8xx and/or Travel Card lines was causing a long load time when opening the account.  This has been corrected. 

There is a new application setting (MaxNumberLDRecordsBeforePaging) that is defaulted to 100.  If an account has more than 100 LD, 8xx, and/or TC lines, TBS will show these products in a paging grid like is done for Wholesale customers.

Note that this is only done on the Customers screen.  The Orders screen is unchanged.

25160: Expand Local LineType field

The Local LineType field has been expanded to support additional line types.

"VoIPDID" Line Type has been added. This will tax the same as the "VoIP" line type but allows for more detailed reporting of VoIP DIDs.

Previously the Local Line Type had a maximum length of 10 and has been expanded to 20. This will allow for the assignment of "VoIPHghCap.XX" line types. The XX should be replaced with the number of Channels configured on this product. For example a VoIP PRI with 24 channels should be assigned a line type of "VoIPHghCap.24"