Cloud computing call centers
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a cloud computing call center that may provide a multi-tenanted platform for scalable, dynamic allocation of telephony, PBX, and call center capabilities. Embodiments of the invention include implementations of a software telephony switch in a cloud computing environment that may dynamically allocate software based PBXes, virtual interactive voice responses (IVRs), and other system components to particular calls.
1. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processing unit to perform actions comprising:
receiving a call, including a number called;
routing the call to a call flow service, wherein the call flow service is selected, based at least in part, on a load of the call flow service;
after receipt of the call at the call flow service, temporarily loading into a memory accessible to the call flow service at least one dialplan stored remotely from the call flow service, wherein the dialplan is selected based, at least in part, by the number called; and
accessing the at least one temporarily loaded dialplan and processing the call using the at least one temporarily loaded dialplan.
2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the dialplan includes an interactive voice response.
3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the dialplan includes an association between an extension and a telephony resource.
4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the call is formatted using a voice over IP format and received over an Internet.
5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the call is a first call, and the instructions further include instructions for receiving a second call, including a second number dialed; after receiving the second call, accessing a second dialplan, based at least in part, on the second number, wherein the second dialplan is different from the first dialplan, and processing the second call during at least a portion of time the first call is being processed.
6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions for receiving a plurality of calls, and accessing different respective dialplans for each of the plurality of calls based on respective numbers dialed.
7. The computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further include instructions for receiving a de-allocation signal, and wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to, responsive to the de-allocation signal, copy local data to a remote storage device and cease receiving further calls.
8. A cloud computing call center comprising:
at least one processing unit and memory encoded with executable instructions coupled to the at least one processing unit;
a virtual instance configured to utilize at least a portion of the at least one processing unit and memory, the virtual instance configured to execute instructions causing the at least one processing unit to perform actions including:
receiving a call, including a number called;
routing the call to a call flow service, wherein the call flow service is selected, based at least in part, on a load of the call flow service;
after receipt of the call at the call flow service, temporarily loading into a memory accessible to the call flow service at least one dialplan stored remotely from the call flow service, wherein the dialplan is selected based, at least in part, by the number called; and
accessing the at least one temporarily loaded dialplan and processing the call using the at least one temporarily loaded dialplan; and
call control services configured to utilize at least a portion of the at least one processing unit and memory, the call control services configured to monitor a load on the virtual instance and allocate additional virtual instances based, at least in part, on the load.
9. The cloud computing call center of claim 8 , wherein the call control services are further configured to de-allocate the virtual instance based, at least in part, on the load.
10. The cloud computing call center of claim 8 , wherein the call is a first call, and the instructions further include instructions for receiving a second call, including a second number dialed; after receiving the second call, accessing a second dialplan, based at least in part, on the second number, wherein the second dialplan is different from the first dialplan, and processing the second call during at least a portion of time the first call is being processed.