Troubleshooting VoIP, the SkySwitch Way

For most VoIP Providers, troubleshooting a customer complaint goes something like this:

• Ask the customer for the approximate time of the problem
• Identify the correct server and grep the log files until you find one that might contain the error condition
• If nothing obvious comes up, turn on packet capture and attempt to replicate the problem by asking the customer to try again, being careful all the while not to overburden the server with the resulting load
• Copy the results, usually a very large pcap file, to your local machine and try to extract the relevant packets using Wireshark filters
• Analyze the call and, more often than not, repeat the process

In general, this process sucks because:

• It is tedious and takes a lot of time, consuming resources that could be better spent elsewhere
• It requires a level of expertise that is typically beyond the average support technician
• It often requires that pcap files be emailed between multiple parties, where you lose control over security
• The fact that you must ask the customer to assist you portrays your company’s image in an unflattering light. 

As a SkySwitch Reseller, you can significantly improve your customer experience by leveraging tools that make your support team more efficient.  With SkySwitch, the troubleshooting process goes something like this:

1.  Find the CDR for the call in question using simple and intuitive filters

2.  Generate a SIP ladder graph with a single click

3.  Check the SIP ladder graph for obvious issues

4.  If necessary, dive down into the switch logic

5.  If the problem involves the RTP stream,  view MoS, packet loss an other RTP statistics

 6.   Share a link with other people so they can see exactly what you are.

The result is groundbreaking because:

• It provides insights into past and current call flows by combining all aspects of the call into a single visual representation.
• All call scenarios are linked directly from the customer interface, so you don’t have to search voluminous log files for calls belonging to a specific customer.
• Because the switch logic is interspersed chronologically with the SIP ladder graph you can view each SIP message in the context of what happened in the switch, greatly increasing your insight into the issue.
• You don’t have to bother your customer during the troubleshooting process.

We have been in the VoIP business long enough to know that good service depends on being able to find the root cause of a problem quickly and with minimal overhead.  As a result, we have distilled the troubleshooting process into a task that can be accomplished by an average support person in less than 5 minutes.

This is just one of the many ways that SkySwitch works hard to ensure your success.