Open interfaces of OpenScape Office LX/MX/HX and HiPath 3000

Overview
The open interfaces of the Siemens Enterprise Communications platforms differs due to historical reasons. For platform specific details use one the following links.

OpenScape Office family

 * Open Interfaces of OpenScape Office LX/MX V3
 * Open Interfaces of OpenScape Office MX V2

HiPath OpenOffice family

 * HiPath OpenOffice ME open interfaces
 * HiPath OpenOffice EE open interfaces

HiPath 3000 family

 * HiPath 3000 open interfaces

If You are new in the business or not familiar with communication platform specific interfaces read the following explanations and decide afterwards, which interface fits the best for Your purpose.

Determine the suitable interface
Before starting with an implementation it is essential to think about the customer requirements and to determine the suitable interface / protocol of the HiPath platform for realization. The following paragraphs give a short overview about scope and use of the protocols.

CSTA protocol
The CSTA protocol is the most powerful protocol of Hipath OpenOffice to control devices and to get information about device status and calls. The CSTA protocol has been defined by ECMA and contains definition of services, events and the call flow. Within the definition mandantory and optional services / elements are described. So called private events allow manufactures to implement proprietary functions. Early protocol versions required an ASN.1 compiler to code the functions within a programm. Latest versions faciliate the coding and debugging by using XML.

CSTA protocol is used mainly to build applications which are time critical and/or which need to know the exact status of the devices such as:
 * Call center routing applications
 * Presence based solutions (Team functions or rule engines)
 * etc.

Building CSTA based applications require deep know how about telephony call flow in general and the manufacturer specific implementation. CSTA is not coupled to dedicated development environments or operating systems.

For testing within HiPath openOffice / 3000 environment a CSTA Switch Simulator and a CSTA Browser are available.

TAPI
The Telephony Application Interface (TAPI) was Microsoft´s first approach to integrate telefon functions into Windows based application. Microsoft intended to eliminate manufacture specific dependencies and defined telefony functions within the so called TAPI.DLL which can be evoked by applications. TAPI.DLL is deployed by Mirosoft with every Windows operating system. Description of DLL functions is part of the Microsoft Windows Development Kit. Over the time Microsoft enhanced TAPI functionalty from direct phone control (1st party) to the control of multiple devices via a dedicated Telephony Server (3rd party.) Telephone platform specific parts are also required within the TAPI world. For this reason Microsoft defined a "TAPI Service Provider" (TSP) as the specific SW-counterpart for the TAPI.DLL. TSP have to be programmed and delivered by the telefon system manufacturers.

TAPI is used today mainly for telephony platform independ and not time or callflow critical applications as:


 * CTI dialer
 * Database integrations

It can also be found in many customer specific applications

HiPath OpenOffice / 3000 provides different TAPI Service providers (TSP):


 * CallBridge Collection as 1st party TSP
 * HiPath TAPI 120 TSP as 1st party TSP
 * HiPath TAPI 170 TSP as powerful 3rd party TSP

Building TAPI based applications requires know how about telephony control in general and about the functions which the manufacturer has build into the TSP. In addition profound knowledge about Microsofts development environment is required.

TAPI based applications always need Microsoft Windows operating systems and the manufacturer dependen TSP.

For testing Microsoft provides a TAPI Browser within the MDSN. Microsoft® FTP Site for TAPI Developers

Mircrosoft TAPI quick start

In addition many TAPI testtools are available within the internet. A good overview about available TAPI materials is given here:

Andreas Marschall’s TAPI and TSPI FAQ

WEB (http / https) based interface (HiPath OpenOffice only)
The WEB interface offeres selected easy to understand telephony functions on base of http(s) requests. The WEB interface is propriatary, the core is the so called G-Server which is built in within OpenOffice ME and OpenScape Office MX plattforms. The implemented functions are currently focussed on telephony service but it is intended to expand the functions to access also the internal sources / database of HiPath OpenpOffice platforms.

The WEB interface is primarily used to implement HiPath OpenOffice or OpenScape Office services into Web / Web-Browser technology based applications e.g Yahoo´s Widget engine.

Further information can be found within this wiki under:

OpenScape Office MX G-Server Interface

A good example for demonstation of the capabilties of this interface is the myPortal Entry application.