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Configuring a Cisco Webex Directory Import

What is a Directory Import? #

A directory import is used to import information from a 3rd-party source into the ISI Analytics directory. Directory Imports are useful for automatic directory management and updates.

Getting Started #

This document provides the instructions for configuring a Webex Directory Import for use with ISI Analytics. Before you begin, please ensure you have the following:

Creating a Directory Import #

There are 2 ways to create a Webex Directory Import

  1. Create Directory import from the Directory Imports list
    1. Login to ISI Analytics
    2. Navigate to Connectors on the left, and go to the Directory Imports tab
    3. Click  to create a new Directory Import
    4. In the New Directory Import dialog, select your Connector you want the directory information to come from.
  2. Create Directory import from a Webex Connector
    1. Login to ISI Analytics
    2. Navigate to Connectors on the left
    3. Edit your Webex Connector by clicking the pencil icon to the right of the name
    4. Click the Directory Imports tab
    5. Click to create a Directory Import using the current Connector as the Source

Configuring a Directory Import #

Configuration #

The configuration tab includes the basics of the import, like import Source, Destination, and Schedule. Once you’re done customizing, click Save to move on to the Mapping & Filters Tab

General #

  • Import Name: The name of the import
  • Data Source: The destination Data Source users should be added to
  • Expiration Behavior:
    • None: In this option no objects or people are marked as expired as a result of the import.
    • Expire for Data Source: Recommended if only 1 import is being used for a data source. A user will be marked expired if they meet the following conditions:
      • They exist in the Directory
      • Belong to the selected Data Source
      • They are marked as having been imported
      • They are not in latest fetched data
    • Expire for Import Name: Recommended if more than 1 import is being used for a data source. A user will be marked expired if they meet the following conditions:
      • They exist in the Directory
      • Belong to the selected Data Source
      • They are marked as having been imported
      • They are marked with the name of the Import (having been previously imported with the Expire for Import Name enabled)
      • They are not in the latest fetched data

Source #

  • Connector: Uneditable. The Connector the directory information is being pulled from
  • Options: These options affect the logic used to query data from Webex
    • People: Sets if Users from Webex are included in the import. This will include all active Users with a Phone Number or Extension assigned to them
    • Workspaces: Sets if Workspaces from Webex are included in the import. This will include all Workspaces with a Phone Number or Extension assigned to it

Email #

  • Delivery Option: Allows an email notification to be setup when the import succeeds or fails
    • Never send email: No email is sent when the import succeeds or fails
    • Always send email: Sends email each time the import completes
    • Send email only when error occurs: Only sends an email if the import fails.
  • Email Addresses: One or more email address the notification should be sent to. Press enter after adding each email.

Schedule #

  • Enabled: Enables/Disables the schedule
  • Repeat Every: Sets the recurrence of the schedule. This can be Monthly, Weekly, Daily, or Hourly
    • Monthly: Allows for selecting a specific day of the month, a relative day of the month, or to run on the Last Day of Month
    • Weekly: Allows for selecting a day of the week for the import to run
    • Daily: Allows for selecting which days of the week the import should run
    • Hourly: Allows for selecting an hourly interval for the import to run on. The import will run every X hours.
  • Time: Sets the time and time zone the import should run on its schedule. Ex: In the screenshot below, it will run on Weekdays at 2:00 AM in the Central Time Zone.

After you have finished the configuration, click Save.  When you click save, the system will fetch data from your webex system.

Note:  Fetching data may take several minutes.

Fields & Mapping #

The Fields & Mapping tab is used to map ISI Analytics fields to Webex fields, set filters, and set default values. When you’re done customizing, click Save to be able to Preview/Import data.

By default, the following fields are mapped:

ISI Analytics Field Webex Field
Last Name LastName
First Name FirstName
Extension Extension
Device Device
Webex User ID UserId
Department Name Department

Mapping Fields #

When mapping fields, a preview of the first 500 records from Webex are pulled.

  • Fields can be mapped by dragging and dropping them from the Fields list on the left to an Add Column box. Once a field is mapped, it will show a checkmark to signify it is mapped. A single column can have multiple ISI Analytics fields mapped to it.
  • To change a mapped field, it can be dragged and dropped from one column to another
  • To remove a mapped field, click the X on the mapped field
  • Each field has transformation options that can be applied by clicking the pencil icon
    • Basic: Easy way to strip values to keep relevant information
      • Strip Non-Numeric Values: Strips any characters that are not numeric (0-9)
      • Strip Non-Alphanumeric Values: Strips any characters that are not letters or numbers (a-z, A-Z, 0-9)
      • Keep only the Left/Right X Characters: Keeps only the left or right X characters. This can be used to extract the last 4 digits of a phone number, for example.
    • Advanced: Allows for a Regex Transformation to be applied. This allows for advanced text manipulation. The regex expression should include one capturing group to extract a portion of the value.
      • Ex: ^(.*)@.*$ will extract everything before the @ symbol in an email address

Applying Filters #

  1. To apply filters to the import, click on the Filters tab on of the menu on the left.
  2. Add a filter by selecting the field from the Source Field dropdown
  3. The following filters can be applied to a field:
    • Value Filter: Allows for filtering on specific values
      • Equals/Not Equals: One or more text filters to match to the value of the field. Press enter after adding each value.
      • Like/Not Like: One or more patterns to match to the value of the field. * wildcard indicates any number of characters. ? wild card indicates 1 character. Press enter after adding each value.
        • Ex: *Support* would filter for any values with the word Support in them
        • Ex: 5??? would filter for any values that start with 5 and have 3 characters after them. Good for getting all 4 digit extensions that start with 5
      • Regex: A single regex pattern to use to filter for specific values
    • Data Length: Allows for items that are at least X number of characters long or at most X number of characters long.
    • Must be Numeric: Filter for numeric values only (0-9)
  4. Existing filters can be edited by clicking the pencil icon, or removed by clicking the trash icon

Setting Default Values #

Default values are used to set default values for Org Levels and Extension Line Type when no value is available in the import. This is useful for a couple of scenarios:

  • If you aren’t able to include an Org Level in the file, you could set a default value. Ex: setting Cost Center Name to “West”. This will import all users with a Cost Center Name of West.
  • Every extension needs a Line Type to note what kind of line it is. By default the value is Station. Changing this to “Voicemail” will import all extensions as Voicemail Ports. This is used to determine if calls are transferred to voicemail.

Default Values can be set by modifying the fields provided. Depending on the Org configuration of your system, these may look different.

  • Each Org Level Name requires a value. By default it is Unassigned
  • Extension Line Type requires a value. By default it is Station. This could be changed to Voicemail.

Data Fetching #

Data Fetching is used to pull data from Webex and store a copy in ISI Analytics. Fetching data does not import the data into the product, it just creates a cache for Preview and Importing.

You can manage this by using the Fetch Latest Data option at the top middle of the import. This section will show you the last date/time we have information for, along with the button to fetch data manually.

While data is fetching, it will show that data is fetching and the Preview or Import Now will be inactive.

Note:  Fetching data may take several minutes.

Preview Import #

The Preview option is used to see what information is mapped, what text transformations are applied, and what filters are applied. This is useful for debugging the import configuration. To preview the import, click the button.

The Preview includes the following information:

  • The number of users in the import
  • A search box to quickly filter on any of the columns
  • All of the mapped columns, including Default values. The values are shown with the text transformations applied.

Performing a Dry Run #

Sometimes, it may be useful to run a trial import prior to performing the actual import.  This will allow you to see what effect the import will have prior to committing the changes.  To perform a trial import:

  • Configure the import as described above
  • Be sure to configure an email address in the delivery address section and select always send email.  You will be sent an email with the results of your dry run.
  • Click the button.

Click on the Dry Run button to start the import.

After the import runs, you will receive an email at the configured delivery address.  It will show you what would happen if the import ran.  For example:

Updates:
– Added: 3
– Updated: 0
– Moved: 0
– Deactivated: 122

After Import:
– Number of Active Licensed People: 12
– Number of Shared People: 0
– Number of Company(s): 2
– Number of Division(s): 2
– Number of Cost Center(s): 2
– Number of Department(s): 86
– Number of Active Extensions: 420

If the results meet your expectations, you can run the actual import.  If not, you can make changes and do another dry run.

Run Import #

Once you have verified the import looks good using the Preview option, you can run the import by clicking the button. It will ask for confirmation before starting the import. Based on the email option you selected, you will receive an email when the email succeeds and/or fails.