Software Announcement September 23, 2003

Transcription

1 Software Announcement September 23, 2003 IBM WebSphere Voice Application Access, V4.2 VoiceXML 2.0 support expands speech enablement possibilities for e-business portal or contact center environments Overview WebSphere Voice Application Access (WVAA) V4.2 is a voice portal platform built on WebSphere Portal and VoiceXML technology. Solutions built on WVAA enable users to access a wide range of business applications and data, anywhere at any time, by using a standard telephone or cell phone and their voice. WVAA V4.2 leverages WebSphere Portal technology in many ways. For the user, it takes advantage of the personalization features so their voice portal can be tailored to fit their needs. For the administrator, it provides a consistent framework for administering users and extending the same portal security features for authentication or authorization across multiple channels. For the developer, WVAA V4.2 leverages the same programming model as WebSphere Portal (Eclipse-based) to build applications using VoiceXML technology. Using this IDE, developers can re-use existing code, business logic, and infrastructure to enhance the development process to build VoiceXML applications. The expanded features in WVAA V4.2 can help to: Increase productivity using personal productivity tools. Reduce a customer s total cost of ownership by re-using existing infrastructure investments in WebSphere middleware and third-party speech technology. Improve customer satisfaction by taking advantage of the latest in IBM TTS technology (WVAA V4.2 now supports VoiceXML 2.0 using WebSphere Voice Response for AIX VoiceXML browser). Enhance the VoiceXML development experience by taking advantage of new graphical interface tools. Empower your workforce by providing voice access to the right information when needed. Discounted pricing is available for existing WebSphere Portal customers. Key prerequisites Passport Advantage agreement A Single Byte Character System (SBCS) operating system WebSphere Voice Response for AIX with VoiceXML 2.0 Support WebSphere Voice Response for AIX V3.1 VoiceXML V2 and Java Enhancements electronic image CD (C506ZNA) At a glance WebSphere Voice Application Access (WVAA) V4.2 enhances the ways customers conduct their business by using a telephone to compliment other means of information access such as Web or wireless interfaces. WVAA V4.2 can: Generate value for mobile users who require a more efficient way to interact than a PC or handheld device. Help improve the efficiency of mobile workers by enabling voice access to productivity tools ( , calendar, address book, and reminder), enterprise applications, or Web content. Support interoperability with existing WebSphere infrastructure including WebSphere Portal and WebSphere Everyplace Access Maximize a customer s investment in speech technology through continued support of open standards like VoiceXML 2.0 specification. Planned availability dates September 26, 2003: Electronic software and documentation delivery October 24, 2003: Media and documentation This announcement is provided for your information only. For additional information, contact your IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU, or visit the IBM home page at: IBM United States IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation

2 Description WebSphere Voice Application Access (WVAA) V4.2 delivers a complete and scalable infrastructure for extending business application, productivity tools, or Web content to a standard telephone or cell phone. WVAA V4.2 includes out-of-the-box voice applications that can help you start using the product quickly. This voice portal platform is built on the WebSphere e-business framework, the underlying technology for WebSphere Portal and other IBM software products for a consistent and rapid programming model to create and extend business applications. WVAA V4.2 supports Windows 2000 and AIX platforms and includes the following enhancements: Support for various WebSphere products including: WebSphere Portal V4.2.1 WebSphere Everyplace Access V4.3 WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 WebSphere Voice Responses for AIX V3.1 VoiceXML 2.0 and Java Enhancements (electronic image CD, part number C506ZNA, or with PTF U installed) WVAA support for VoiceXML V2.0 specification, updated Voice Aggregator, and Numeric Alias New sample portlet Reminder based on HTML Reminder portlet included in Portal 4.2 The ability for users to select their preferred language Interoperability with Nuance Voice Platform (NVP) 2.0 Additional language support for WVAA base runtime components, configuration/administration, selected documentation, and one voice portlet (languages supported are U.S. English, U.K. English, German, and French) Support for additional LDAP servers: IBM Directory Server V4.1 Sun ONE Directory Server 5.1 (SP2 ) Update WVAA development bundle to include the updated Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio and WSSD V5 components which includes support for VoiceXML 2.0 application development Scalability Support for 192 simultaneous telephone users Functionality Reminder portlet is based on the HTML Reminder portlet included in WebSphere Portal V4.2 and is intended to show how Web-based applications can be designed and converted to voice applications. The new language support allows system administrators and users to pick a voice portal language. During system set-up and install of WVAA V4.2, a default language is selected by the system administrator, however, each individual user has the option of personalizing this language option by selecting the language they want to use when connecting to their voice portal. Languages supported in WVAA V4.2 include: U.S. English, U.K. English, German, and French. Compatibility across WebSphere products WVAA V4.2 will support compatibility with WebSphere Portal Offering V4.2.1 and WebSphere Everyplace Access V4.3 releases. Customers interested in creating and deploying a complete pervasive solution with Web, wireless, and phone access can do so with these specific releases. WVAA V4.2 is also compatible with WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 and with WebSphere Voice Response for AIX V3.1 (with PTF U installed or electronic image CD Part number C506ZNA) for WebSphere Voice Response VoiceXML 2.0 support code as the connection environment. Interoperability with Nuance Voice Platform (NVP) 2.0 WVAA V4.2 was enhanced to support the latest VoiceXML 2.0 language specification to reinforce the IBM strategy to promote and drive open standards and support interoperability with other products that also adopt the same open standards. The strategy will allow customers to preserve and extend their current investment in voice server technology so that they can adapt it to WVAA. Not only will this allow them to leverage their capital investment, but it will also allow them to leverage their investments in voice application development, tooling, and knowledge base around what they already have in place. WVAA V4.2 supports interoperability with Nuance Voice Platform (NVP) 2.0 through an API developed/distributed by Nuance so that customers who are interested in deploying a voice portal solution using WVAA V4.2 can continue to use NVP 2.0. Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio V4.2 enhancements. The Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio prepackaged with WVAA V4.2 was enhanced to support the latest VoiceXML 2.0 specification. The components modified include the development toolkit and runtime, which are necessary to configure a development environment to create, test, and debug custom voice portlets using VoiceXML 2.0. A migration tool is available to assist customers in migrating their VoiceXML 1.0 applications to VoiceXML 2.0. Accessibility by people with disabilities WVAA V4.2 is a voice application enabler, which services three types of users, system administrators, application end-users, and application programmers. WVAA V4.2 provides the following accessibility features for each of those user groups: System administrators Does not interfere with keyboard accessibility features built into the operating system Offers text through standard system function calls or through an API, which supports interaction with assistive technology Provides documentation in an accessible format Telephone callers (end users) Allows Web-based information retrieval visually (via Web browser) or auditory (via telephone), benefiting users with a broad range of abilities and assistive devices Provides the opportunity for customers to offer a new input/output modality (speech) for existing GUI portlets, such as travel, weather, and stock information

3 Provides a new input/output modality (speech) for personal management applications (Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange) Provides end-user documentation in an accessible format Application programmers: Offers the opportunity for developers to offer a new input/output modality for portlets, using a VXML developers environment, and pronunciation tools Product positioning For more information about WVAA V4.2, other WebSphere products and Pervasive Computing products, refer to your IBM Pervasive Computing representative, authorized IBM Business Partner or visit: Trademarks Everyplace is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both. WebSphere, AIX, Passport Advantage, SP2, and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both. Windows and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others

4 IBM US Announcement Supplemental Information September 23, 2003 Offering information Product information will be available on day of announcement through the Offering Information Web site: You can also visit the Passport Advantage Web site at: Publications No hardcopy publications are shipped with this program. All product publications are available in softcopy on the respective CD-ROM. The WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 publications and WVAA V4.2 publications are also available via the IBM Publications Center. The IBM Publications Center: The Publications Center is a worldwide central repository for IBM product publications and marketing material with a catalog of 70,000 items. Extensive search facilities are provided. Payment options for orders are via credit card or customer number. A large number of publications are available online in various file formats, and they can all be downloaded free of charge. The IBM Publications Notification System (PNS): pnsrege.nsf/messages/welcome The PNS enables subscribers to set up profiles of interest by order number/product number. PNS subscribers automatically receive notifications by of all new publications defined in their profiles. These may then be ordered/downloaded via the Publications Center. Hardware requirements Technical information When used with WebSphere Voice Response for AIX The required hardware for WebSphere Voice Response for AIX is based on existing hardware support from WebSphere Voice Response V3.1 (with PTF U installed or electronic image CD Part number C506ZNA) product offering. Refer to the WebSphere Voice Response product documentation for details. When used with WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 for AIX The required hardware for WebSphere Voice Server for AIX is based on existing hardware support from WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 product offering. Refer to the WebSphere Voice Server product documentation for details. When used with WebSphere Portal Enable for Multiplatforms The required hardware for WebSphere Portal Enable for Multiplatforms is based on existing hardware support for the WebSphere Portal offering. Refer to the WebSphere Voice Application Access InfoCenter documentation or WebSphere Portal Enable for Multiplatforms product documentation for details. WebSphere Voice Application Access minimum system requirements: The minimum hardware required for WebSphere Voice Application Access server is as follows: Windows AIX Resource server server Processor Intel RS/6000 Pentium III 450 MHz 1.5 GHz Memory (RAM) 2 GB (RAM) 2 GB (RAM) Disk Space 3 GB (note) 3 GB (note) Network TCP/IP TCP/IP Other CD-ROM Drive CD-ROM Drive Note: The total amount of space required depends on number of users and amount of application data that you expect to have in the system. For AIX, /home should have a minimum of 200 MB free space (this is required for Database). WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 Server minimum hardware requirements: The connection environments supported by WebSphere Voice Server software included as part of the WebSphere Voice Application Access V4.2 offering is WebSphere Voice Server for WebSphere Voice Response. Refer to WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 Software Announcement , dated September 23, 2003 for specific technical requirements. Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio minimum hardware requirements System suitable for running Microsoft Windows 2000 Minimum of an Intel Pentium 500 MHz processor or equivalent (1.0 GHz recommended) 768 MB RAM A display adapter setting of at least 256 colors and 800 x 600 resolution or higher (1024 x 768 resolution recommended) 200 MB free disk space (in addition to the disk space requirement for WebSphere Studio Site Developer V5.1) Installation requires an additional 200 MB temporary space on the drive specified in the user TMP environment variable This announcement is provided for your information only. For additional information, contact your IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU, or visit the IBM home page at: IBM United States IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation

5 Note: The additional hardware requirement is that which is required over and above this to install and run the Concatenative Text-to-Speech for the development language, if so chosen during installation. If you plan to install WebSphere Concatenative Text-to-Speech, the following additional resources are required: 150 MB RAM for each CTTS language 640 MB disk space for each CTTS language, of which 300 MB is for temporary storage Software requirements When used with WebSphere Voice Server for AIX V4.2 Server AIX 5.1 WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 for AIX Language support with ASR (included in this package) WebSphere Voice Server V4.2 for AIX CTTS (included in this package) When used with WebSphere Voice Application Access for AIX Server AIX ML2 WebSphere Voice Server for AIX V4.2 Server (included in this package) When used with WebSphere Voice Application Access for Windows Server Windows 2000 Server (SP2 ) or Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP2) WebSphere Voice Server for AIX V4.2 Server (included in this package) When used with Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio The supported software platform for the Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio is Windows The installation program will not permit installation on any other platform. The software prerequisite is an existing installation of WebSphere Studio Site Developer V5.0.1 or WebSphere Studio Application Developer V5. For voice application developers using IBM products on non Windows 2000 platforms, the solution is to use Windows 2000 as the development platform, and deploy the application to the server on whatever platform they choose. Voice Toolkit for WebSphere Studio requirements Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 2, or later, applied WebSphere Studio Site Developer V5.0.1 (or WebSphere Studio Application Developer V5) installed Compatibility: Coexistence and interoperability It is assumed that WVAA server and WebSphere Voice Server, server software will be installed on separate systems. The WVAA server software uses the WebSphere Portal Enable V4.2.1 for Multiplatforms server and it is not guaranteed to work with earlier or later WebSphere Portal Offering releases. All required WebSphere Portal Offering software must be installed on the same physical system as WVAA base runtimes. A customer upgrade of WVAA server to WebSphere Portal Offering V5.0 or later, is not supported. If there is a WebSphere Everyplace Access release that contains WebSphere Portal Offering V4.2.1 level of software, it will be supported. WVAA supports coexistence and interoperability with WebSphere Everyplace Access V4.3. WVAA V4.2 has been enhanced to support the latest VoiceXML 2.0 language specification supported through WebSphere Voice Response for AIX V3.1 to reinforce the IBM strategy to promote and drive open standards and support interoperability with other products that also adopt the same open standards. The strategy will allow customers to preserve and extend their current investment in voice server technology so that they can adapt it to WVAA. Not only will this allow them to leverage their capital investment, but it will also allow them to leverage their investments in voice application development, tooling, and knowledge base around what they already have in place. Performance considerations: The actual system requirement depends on several factors that can affect minimum system requirements. This includes the following: For WebSphere Voice Server system: The maximum number of T1 channels The number of calls handled during the busiest hour of the day The number of available PCI slots in the system Redundancy requirements For WebSphere Voice Portal Access system: The maximum number of Portal users The maximum number of concurrent Portal users (channels) The number and requirements of Voice Portlets installed Planning information Customer responsibilities: It is the customer s responsibility to provide a technician with telephony platform expertise to set up the telephony environment and configure the gateways. It is strongly recommended that planning and implementation of WebSphere Voice Portal Access with an integration agreement with IBM Global Services or other capable service provider. Contact your IBM Voice Systems representative for more information. Packaging: WVAA V4.2 is shipped in Passport Advantage media pack package or is available via an e-image on the Passport Advantage download site. Trade up options are also available for eligible customers. Security, auditability, and control WebSphere Voice Application Access uses the security and auditability features of the host hardware or software. The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communication facilities

6 Ordering information This product is only available via Passport Advantage. It is not available as shrinkwrap. WVAA V4.2 is a stand-alone product with one charge unit per processor. It is available in units of one. Passport Advantage customers should order the applicable One Processor Entitlement licenses in a quantity equal to the number of processors on which they install this product. A processor is defined as any system or node executing all or part of WVAA. For example, two 4-way symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) systems, whether stand-alone or nodes in a larger system are counted as eight processors. In this situation, order the applicable Passport Advantage part number in a quantity of eight. If one dual processor system will be used, order the applicable Passport Advantage part number in a quantity of two. In addition to the regular Passport Advantage options for licensing and maintenance, IBM is offering a reduced price trade up for WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms V 4.X (5724-B88) users. WVAA extends the capability of IBM WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms V4.1 by adding the voice enabling framework and capability to WebSphere Portal. Customers who currently are active Passport Advantage licensed users of WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms V 4.X (5724-B88), may license WVAA (5724-D39) at a discount. This action does not require any forfeiture of current licensed capability of either of these products The discount is merely recognition by IBM that the customer is already licensed for some of the function contained in the WVAA product. Passport Advantage licensing WebSphere Voice Application access Passport Advantage customer Media pack entitlement details: Customers with active maintenance or subscription for the products listed below are entitled to receive the corresponding media pack. WVAA V4.2.0 Entitled maintenance Media packs Part offerings description description number WebSphere Voice WVAA English U.S. BL030ML Application Access Windows 2000, Processor AIX V5 CD-ROM Digital Disk ISO 9660 Standard Withdrawal of previous Passport Advantage part numbers: The following Passport Advantage part number will be withdrawn on November 14, 2003: Withdrawn program WebSphere Voice Application Access V4.1 media pack Part number BL009NA Orders for this part number will not be accepted after the stated effective date of withdrawal, nor will normal marketing activities or educational support be available unless previous agreement exists between the customer and IBM. Terms and conditions Description Voice Application Access per processor license, SW maintenance 12 months Voice Application Access per processor SW maintenance reinstatement 12 months Voice Application Access per processor SW maintenance annual renewal WVAA frm WS Portal Enable per processor license, SW maintenance 12 months Passport Advantage Supply Description WVAA V4.2.0 Media pack English U.S. Windows 2000, AIX V5 CD-ROM Digital Disk ISO 9660 Standard V4.2.0 Part number D520ALL D520CLL E00M5LL D520DLL Part number BL030ML Licensing: IBM International Program License Agreement (IPLA). Proofs of Entitlement (PoE) are required for all authorized use. Part number products only, offered outside of Passport Advantage, where applicable, are license only and do not include Software Maintenance. License Information (LI) form number: L-AFOS-5PRHHJ Limited warranty applies: Yes Money-back guarantee: If for any reason you are dissatisfied with the program, return it within 30 days from the invoice date, to the party (either IBM or its reseller) from whom you acquired it, for a refund. This applies only to your first acquisition of the program. Copy and use on home/portable computer: No Volume Orders (IVO): No Passport Advantage applies: Passport Advantage Web site at: Yes and through the Software maintenance applies: Yes

7 Software Maintenance, previously referred to as Subscription and Technical Support, is now included in the Passport Advantage Agreement. Installation and technical support for the product announced in this letter is provided by the Software Maintenance offering of the IBM International Passport Advantage Agreement. This fee service enhances customer productivity by providing voice and/or electronic access into the IBM support organizations. IBM includes one year of Software Maintenance with the initial license acquisition of each program acquired. The initial period of Software Maintenance can be extended by the purchase of a renewal option that is available. While your Software Maintenance is in effect: IBM provides you assistance for your routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions and code-related questions. IBM provides assistance via telephone and, if available, electronic access, only to your information systems technical support personnel during the normal business hours (published prime shift hours) of your IBM support center. This assistance is not available to your end users. IBM provides Severity 1 assistance 24 hours a day, every day of the year. For additional details, consult your IBM Software Support Guide at: guides/handbook.html Software Maintenance does not include assistance for the design and development of applications, your use of programs in other than their specified operating environment, or failures caused by products for which IBM is not responsible under this agreement. For more information, about the Passport Advantage Agreement refer to the IBM International Passport Advantage Agreement Software Announcement , dated July 10, 2001, or visit the Passport Advantage Web site at: Global Financing IBM Global Financing offers competitive financing to credit-qualified customers and Business Partners to assist them in acquiring IT solutions. Offerings include financing for IT acquisition, including hardware, software, and services, both from IBM and other manufacturers or vendors, as well as commercial financing (revolving lines of credit, terms loans, acquisition facilities, and inventory financing credit lines) for Business Partners. Offerings (for all customer segments: small, medium, and large enterprise), rates, terms, and availability can vary by country. Contact your local IBM Global Financing organization or visit the Web at: Use the Select a Country menu to find a contact in your location. Trademarks Everyplace and iseries are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both. Passport Advantage, WebSphere, AIX, RS/6000, and SP2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both. Intel and Pentium are trademarks of Intel Corporation. Windows and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. IBM operational support services Support line: No iseries software subscription applies: No Passport Advantage Prices For Passport Advantage information and charges, contact your IBM representative or authorized IBM Business Partner. For additional information about the Passport Advantage offering, visit the following Web site: To order, contact the Americas Call Centers, your local IBM representative, or your IBM Business Partner. To identify your local IBM Business Partner or IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU ( )