Requirements
CAMPUSCALL requires a telephone, workstation footprint electrical requirements, networking for each station, the server, and the supervisor station, and minimum workspace dimensions.
Telephone
The system requires one (1) analog phone line for each station. In order to optimize the automated dialing, we recommend that all features (call waiting, call transfer, 3-way conferencing, etc.) be removed from the calling lines. This minimizes the chance of a “hang up” command from the software being misinterpreted as a flash-hook.
Workstation Footprint
Each workstation is typically a personal computer with a dialer connected via an available 9-pin serial (COM port – RS-232) and a companion headset that connects to the front of the dialer. In the event a 9-pin serial port is not available, a USB to Serial adapter must be deployed. These are commonly available and typically are easy to set-up.
The footprint will vary depending upon the specific computer selected; most are less than two (2) square feet. A unit we often use from Dell computers is 19″ x 19″ with a keyboard that is 19″ x 7″.
The PC’s are standard units and can be the “tower” design if desired. The tower unit has frequently been placed on the floor in the workstation area. The dialer is 9″ (L) x 5.5″ (W) x 1.5″ (H).
Electrical
The total electrical requirement is less than three (3) amps at each workstation. Three (3) outlets are needed for each caller workstation. One is for the primary PC unit itself, one for the monitor and one for the dialer’s transformer. These do not need to be fully “hard-wired” duplex outlets as high-quality surge suppression power strips may be used to minimize the number of outlets necessary. The dialer transformers may, however, take up two (2) slots on the power strip due to the spacing between outlets.
One workstation will serve as the “supervisor station” and will not have a dialer connected to it. It will draw well less than three (3) amps total without the dialer. Two (2) outlets will be sufficient for this station unless a secondary color printer is desired at that location.
Most sites’ servers are now housed in dedicated facilities on-campus. Contact us directly regarding considerations for stand-alone servers.
Networking
Each station, the server, and the supervisor station require a 100mbps Ethernet network connection. This is (most typically) an RJ-45 jack wired to the 100-Base-T standard. You will need adequate ports on a local switch to handle the full number of stations including supervisor and server. To optimize performance and for additional security, you may want to consider isolating the CAMPUSCALL® system on a separate network or subnet. The server requires access to the main campus network and Development Office database system for sending and receiving files. The workstations themselves do not require such access. Many sites prefer to limit this capability (including Internet access, etc.) to keep better control over their calling sessions.
For security purposes, we assume that some type of firewall is implemented on campus to provide protection for the server and calling stations.
Workspace Dimensions
Our recommendation for minimum space at each workstation is 36″ wide by 30″ deep. 30″ width can be used but would be the absolute narrowest in terms of caller comfort and ability to use the keyboard and mouse together. Separate “pull out” keyboard shelves with a mouse area can be of great benefit in this regard and are sometimes necessary for workstations with limited depth.
Most clients now choose LCD “flat-panel” monitors for just this reason. This previous “option” has become virtually standard with all PC vendors and the only impact on cost is in the selection of monitor size. 15-17″ are standard.
Request information for CAMPUSCALL Phonathon Software
