Glossary

Click on a letter to browse the terms associated with it.

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Data-Directed Call Routing	A capability whereby an ACD can automatically process calls based on data provided by a database of information resident in a separate data system. For example, a caller inputs an account number via touch-tone phone. The number is sent to a data system holding a database of information on customers. The number is identified, validated and the call is distributed automatically based on the specific account type.
Data Mart	A small, single subject warehouse used by individual groups of users.
Data Mining	Data mining refers to the actual process of analyzing the data in a data warehouse. The data miner decides what queries are required of the database, and uses a special query language to create the reports.
Data Warehousing	Data warehousing refers to the logical and strategic ordering and storage of contact data into a database thereby allowing easy and intuitive analysis and reporting. This generally requires a company to connect multiple, existing databases.
Database	Collection of data structured and organized in a disciplined fashion for quick and easy access to information of interest.
Day of Week Routing	The routing of calls to different destinations based on time of day. Generally used to route calls to alternate sites or automated systems on weekend days or holidays when agents may not be available at traditional destination.
Default Router	For IP devices, identifies the default gateway used by the device. Also called default gateway.
Delay Announcements	Recorded announcements played to holding callers containing information and requesting their patience in waiting for an agent.
Delay or Queue Time	The time callers remain in queue waiting for an agent to become free. May include the time listening to the delay announcements, but does not include the time spent going through an automated attendant menu system selecting choices that result in direction of the call to a specific resource or agent group. This statistic is calculated by the ACD system and may vary among vendor products.
Dependent Variable	This is the variable, which is to be predicted from the independent variable(s). For example, if "satisfaction with talk time" were the dependent variable, then "talk time" would be the independent variable from which satisfaction could be predicted.
Dial Peer	An addressable call endpoint. In voice over IP, there are two kinds of dial peers: POTS and VoIP.
Dial Plan	A system that allows one telephone or Cisco IP device to connect to another telephone or Cisco IP device by using dialed digits. In North America and many Caribbean nations, the dial plan is called the North American Numbering Plan.
Dialogic Card	Hardware made by Dialogic (an Intel company) that initiates dialing and voice detection that is found in many VoIP systems.
Dial-up Line	1. A communications circuit established by a switched connection. 2. Any circuit available over the public switched telephone network. See also PSTN.
Dial-up	The use of a rotary or dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) telephone to initiate a call over the public switched telephone network.
Direct Inward Dialing (DID)	Direct Inward Dialing. A method of directly dialing the directory number of a Cisco IP Phone or a telephone attached to a PBX without routing calls through an attendant or an automated attendant console, such as Cisco WebAttendant. Compare to DOD.
Distributed Call Processing	A processing construct in which each central site and branch office contains its own call processing resources. In terms of the Cisco CallManager, distributed call processing means that each central site and branch site contains its own Cisco CallManager or Cisco CallManager cluster.
Directory Number (DN)	Directory Number. The telephone number of internal extension assigned to a Cisco IP Phone. The directory number is assigned to the phone itself, not a location or a user, so if the phone is moved, it still retains the same directory number. Also called subscriber number.
Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS)	Dialed Number Identification Service. This feature is commonly used in a call center that has multiple phone numbers to distinguish which specific number the caller dialed. The information can be used to direct the call to the appropriate answering point, such as a department or specific ACD group.
Domain Name Service (DNS)	Domain Name System. System used in the Internet for translating names of network nodes into IP addresses.
Direct Outward Dialing (DOD)	Direct Outward Dialing. The ability to dial directly from Cisco CallManager or PBX extension without routing calls through an operator, attendant, or automated attendant functions. Compare to DID.
Denial of Service (DoS)	Denial of Service. Type of attach that prevents access to, or operations of a device or network.
Double Jack	The act of plugging two headsets into one telephone set or workstation for the purpose of two persons listening to the same contact.
Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP)	Differentiated Services Code Point, or DifferServe CodePoint. A marker in the header of each IP packet that prompts network routers to apply differentiated grades of service to various packet streams, forwarding them according to different Per-Hop Behaviors (PHBs). Part of DiffServe, a set of technologies proposed by the IETF that allows Internet and other IP-based network service providers to offer differentiated levels of service to customers and their information streams.
Digital Signal Processor (DSP)	Digital Signal Processor. Specialized computer chip designed to perform speedy and complex operations on digitized waveforms. Useful in processing sound, such as voice phone calls, and video.
Dual-Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF)	A method of signaling a desired telephone number by sending tones on a telephone line. Often referred to as touch-tone.