Cisco Enterprise Accounting Overview

Cisco Enterprise Accounting (CEA) is an end-user application that monitors, accounts, and reports on ISDN network usage.

This chapter contains the following sections on CEA:

Note For detailed information on the CEA Windows application, see the context-sensitive online help system. This comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.

Cisco Enterprise Accounting Features

Cisco Enterprise Accounting (CEA) provides the following special features:

Collecting Call Data

: CEA collects raw call data from your network devices on a continual basis. This raw call data is originally stored in Cisco IOS software Management Information Bases (MIBs) on Cisco ISDN routers. The CEA Data Collection Engine, which is located on a Sun SPARC workstation, uses SunNet Manager to obtain this raw call data through SNMP requests and traps. CEA automatically translates this raw call data into call data records, which are stored in a relational database.
: Refer to the "Installation and Configuration Procedures" and "Maintenance and Troubleshooting Procedures" chapters for details on the Data Collection Engine.

Cost Allocation

: CEA allows you to charge-back costs for calls to those individuals, organizational units, or locations responsible for them and to reconcile statements from the network service providers. Additional charges can be assigned to each account, such as one-time charges for installation or continuing charges for quality of service (QoS) or use of equipment. You set up and maintain the information needed for cost allocation in the Directory file.

Queries and Reports

: Queries retrieve every current record that matches your search criteria and display them in grid format. Queries allow you to focus on records with certain characteristics. From the query record set, you can update individual records.
: Reports, like queries, search for records matching your specified criteria. However, reports can include processed data, such as summaries, subtotals, and minimum and maximum values. The data is formatted for the printed page and cannot be changed. Reports can be previewed on your screen, printed, sent by e-mail, or saved to a file.

Directory Management

The Directory is a database containing information about individuals, locations, and equipment. You can access the Directory to:

View Directory records from different viewpoints.
Add, update, and delete Directory records.
Generate Directory reports.

Call Record Maintenance and Views

Call Record report templates allow you to create reports to review call records, allocate call costs to the accounts that are responsible for them, and reconcile statements from the phone company. You can access the Call Records file to:

View call records from various viewpoints, such as all calls from people in the Marketing department.
Re-price specific calls by correcting individual call records and recosting the calls.
Produce costing reports.

Traffic Statistics Reports

: Traffic Statistics reports show statistics related to the performance and cost effectiveness of your network. These statistics include packet and octet counts, maximum and minimum call duration, and call charges. Information by can viewed by different criteria such as date and time, trunk and circuit, or type of call.

Exception Reports

: Exception reports detect improper use of network resources or misconfigured network devices based on criteria you specify. For example, calls from a certain IP or ISDN address might be monitored to ensure proper use of network resources. Alternately, an excessive number of short duration calls with little or no packet transmission might indicate a router with the wrong configuration.

MS Office Compatible and ODBC Compliant

: CEA reports are easily exported to other desktop applications, such as an Excel spreadsheet.

Cisco Enterprise Accounting Main Window

The Cisco Enterprise Accounting (CEA) main window is illustrated in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1: Cisco Enterprise Accounting Main Window

The CEA main window consists of the following elements:

Main Menu--Provides shortcuts for the major activities.

Menu bar--Provides access to all CEA functions. Table 2-1 through Table 2-8 list and explain the options under each menu.
Toolbar--Provides icons for commonly-used tasks involving records.

Main Menu Overview

The Main Menu focuses on the major activities and guides you through simple steps to perform them. You can perform the same activities using the File menu. If you prefer not to use the Main Menu, you can close it. The View menu on the menu bar contains a Main Menu command that opens and closes the Main Menu. If the Main Menu is open, the command has a check mark next to it. To open or close the Main Menu, click the Main Menu command.

Use the Home, Back, and Next buttons in this window to navigate through the screens.

View and Update Directory Records

The Directory File button provides access to the following activities:

Add Directory records. This activity provides quick access to the entire Directory file. It displays a blank Data Entry page so you can immediately enter a new record. It also allows you to view, change, and delete existing records.
Produce Directory reports. This activity allows you to select a Directory report and the output options for the report. It also allows you to view and change the parameters that define the specific data the report contains.
Retrieve specific sets of Directory records. This activity allows you to run a Directory query to retrieve a specific set of records. You can view, change, and delete the records in the record set. You also can add records to the file regardless of whether the new records belong to the same record set.

View and Update Call Records

The Call Records File button provides access to the following activities:

Produce Call Records reports. This activity allows you to select a Call Records report and the output options for the report. It also allows you to view and change the parameters that define the specific data the report contains.
Retrieve specific sets of Call Records. This activity allows you to run a Call Records query to retrieve a specific set of records. You can view, change, and delete the records in the record set. You also can add records to the file regardless of whether the new records belong to the same record set.

Produce Traffic Statistics Reports.

The Traffic Statistics Reports button allows you to select a Traffic Statistics report and the output options for the report. It also allows you to view and change the parameters that define the specific data the report contains.

Produce Exception Reports

The Exception Reports button allows you to select an Exception report and the output options for the report. It also allows you to view and change the parameters that define the specific data the report contains.

Menu Bar Items

Table 2-1 through Table 2-8 list and explain the options under each menu name.

Table 2-1: CEA File Menu Items

Items	Explanation
New	Create a new query or report.
Open	Open an existing query, report, or other type of file.
Close	Close the current query.
Save	Save changes to the current query design.
Save As	Save changes to the current query design with a new name.
Export Data	Save the data in the current query record set as a FoxPro table, Excel spreadsheet, or comma delimited text file.
Delete	Delete existing queries and reports.
Print Preview	Preview a quick report of the query record set.
Print	Print a quick report of the query record set.
Send	Display Mail window for sending the query record via e-mail.
Exit	Exit CEA.

Table 2-2: CEA Edit Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Undo	Undo the last command or action.
Redo	Repeat the last command or action.
Cut	Remove the selection and place it onto the Clipboard.
Copy	Copy the selection onto the Clipboard.
Paste	Paste the contents of the Clipboard.
Clear	Remove the selection without placing it on the Clipboard.
Select All	Select all the text of items in the current window.
Find	Search for specified text.
Replace	Replace specified text with different text.

**Table 2-3: CEA View Menu Items**
Item	Explanation
Main Menu	Open or close the Main Menu. A check indicates that it is currently open.
Parameters	Change the parameters for the query.
Record set	Display the record set from the query.
SQL	Display the query in Structured Query Language (SQL).
Toolbar	Turn the Toolbar on or off.

**Table 2-4: CEA Tools Menu Items**
Item	Explanation
Clean up Files	Remove deleted records from your hard disk and rebuild the index.
View Log File	Display the system log file.
Cost Call Records	Calculate the cost of new calls, calls in the current record set, or all call records.
Reconcile Calls with Directory	Assign Directory members to call records to charge-back calls.
Import	Import call records.
Archive Database	Create a copy of the entire CEA database.
Command Line	Display the Debug window. Use the command line only under the guidance of a Cisco representative.

Table 2-5: CEA Records Menu Items

Item	Explanation
New	Add a new record.
Save	Save the current record.
Restore	Restore the current record.
Delete	Delete the current record.
Find	Find a particular record.
Replace	Replace all occurrences of one value with another value.
Refresh Record Set	Re-run the query to retrieve the very latest set of records.
First	Move to the first record.
Previous	Move to the previous record.
Next	Move to the next record.
Last	Move to the last record.

Table 2-6: CEA Settings Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Lookup Values Table	Set up lists of possible values for fields in the Directory files. You can select these values from drop-down lists when you add or update Directory records.
Device and Costing Setup	View or change the costing information used to calculate the cost of calls.
Passwords	Set or change the password to access CEA.
Recording Setup	View or change the Data Collection Setup information.
Options	Change various CEA settings, such as company name, file locations, and browser information.

Table 2-7: CEA Window Menu Item

Item	Explanation
Cycle Windows	Cycle through all open windows.

Table 2-8: CEA Help Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Help Topics	Display Help table of contents.
Guided Tour	Start the CEA Guided Tour.
About Cisco Enterprise Accounting	Display information about CE A and the system configuration.

Toolbar

The toolbar contains buttons for the following tasks:

Move to the first record.
Move to the previous record.
Move to the next record.
Move to the last record.
Add a new record.
Save the current record.
Restore the current record.
Delete the current record.
Close the current window.

Port Monitor Overview

The Port Monitor application controls and monitors the incoming information. As long the Port Monitor application is running, your computer records the raw data from the data collection engine. In addition, you can view the raw data, translated data, or current status of the serial port.

The Port Monitor Main Window contains standard File, Edit, Window, and Help pull-down menus. The View, Port, and Translation menus, described in Table 2-9, Table 2-10, and Table 2-11, contain Port Monitor-specific commands.

Table 2-9: Port Monitor View Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Tool Bar	Display or hide the function buttons along the top of the window.
Status Bar	Display or hide the status bar at the bottom of the window.
Translated Data	View call records scrolling across the screen as they are translated from raw data to the Calls file.
Raw Data	View the raw data in the rawcalls.dbf database file. As long as the system is recording, data will appear in this window.

Table 2-10: Port Monitor Port Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Configure Alarms	Set port alarms to notify you if the flow of call record data from the data collection engine stops for a specified period of time. You can set as many alarms necessary to cover traffic variations during the week.
Configure Serial Port	Configure the serial port settings and view current port status.

Table 2-11: Port Monitor Translation Menu Items

Item	Explanation
Start	Start call data translation if it has been turned off. You should keep your system translating data continuously.
Stop	Halt the translation of your raw call data. The raw call data is still collected, but it is not translated into the calls file database.

Online Help

Context-sensitive online help provides step-by-step instructions on how to use Cisco Enterprise Accounting (CEA) or Port Monitor. The online help system also provides an index and keyword search capability.

Note Report any online help bugs to cs-cea@cisco.com or bug-doc@cisco.com

F1 Key and Context-Sensitive Help

Press the F1 key while in a CEA dialog box to open a context-sensitive help window.

Help Window Menu and Button Bars

Each help window has a menu bar and a button bar. The menu bar provides standard Microsoft Windows help functions for printing help topics, copying text from help topics, making online notes about particular help topics, placing bookmarks, and displaying the history window.

The button bar provides the following buttons:

Contents--Opens the Help Topics window. This window includes the following tabs:
- Contents--To show or hide the help topics in a particular book, double click on the book icon or book name. Select a help topic to open a help screen specific to the topic. Port Monitor help does not contain a Contents tab.
- Index--Use the Index screen to search for a particular topic or definition.
- Find--Use the Find screen to search for a keyword. The first time you select the Find tab, the system needs to create a searchable file. Once this file is created, you will be able to search online help for specific words.
Back--Moves you back sequentially to previously opened help screens.
Print--Prints the current help topic.
Close--Closes the help window.

Guided Tour

The Guided Tour introduces you to the main windows and tasks of the CEA application. Use this tour to familiarize yourself with the Directory, reports, queries, and templates used in CEA.

To start the Guided Tour, click on the Guided Tour command in the Help menu.

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