Voice Logger and Archival (VLA)
The Voice Log Archiver (VLA) is an automated system that fetches, converts, encrypts, and stores call recordings. It ensures that voice logs are retained for extended periods (up to 8 years) without impacting the performance of the active Contact Center.
Archival Process Workflow
The VLA operates through a four-stage process to ensure data integrity and security:
- Fetching: The system monitors the Ameyo Call Server in real-time. New voice logs are identified and downloaded to the Archiver server with a typical lag of only 20–25 minutes.
- Conversion:
- Raw audio files (separate In/Out streams) are first converted to WAV format.
- The streams are mixed into a single WAV file.
- The file is compressed into MP3 format to optimize storage.
- Encryption: The compressed files are secured using AES encryption. A unique key is generated for each voice log and stored in the Archiver Database. When BYOK is enabled for the contact center, this per-call key is itself protected by the deployment's secret manager rather than stored in the clear — see Data EncryptionData Encryption for how the secret manager and key hierarchy work.
- Storage: The final encrypted files are transferred to a mounted network drive (NAS/SAN) via FTP.
User Interface & Search
The VLA Console provides a centralized interface for Supervisors and Administrators.
Search & Retrieval
Supervisors and Administrators can locate specific recordings using a combination of standard and advanced filters on their interface:
- Standard Filters: Date Range, Campaign, Queue, User/Agent, Customer Phone Number, and Talk Time.
- Call Content Filters:
- Call Notes: Search for keywords within the notes added by agents.
- QA Scoring: Filter by "Scored" or "Unscored" calls.
- Dispositions: Filter by System or User Dispositions.
- Advanced Search: Allows attribute-based queries using operators (e.g., Credit Card Number Equals 1234).
Downloads
- Single/Bulk Download: Users can download individual files or select multiple records to download as a ZIP file.
- Format: Downloads are typically provided in MP3 format for easy playback.
Configuration & Administration
Administrators have access to system-level settings via the Configuration tab.
- Audio Controls:
- InGain / OutGain: Adjust the volume levels for the input (customer) and output (agent) audio streams. Values range from 1 to 9.
- Presets: Select audio processing presets such as HIGH_PHONE, LOW_PHONE, HIGH_VOICE, or LOW_VOICE to optimize audio quality based on the source.
- Storage Path: Define or update the destination directory on the NAS/SAN storage.
- Reload: Applies changes made to the call server configuration without restarting the system.
Monitoring & Safeguards
The system includes built-in health monitoring to prevent data loss or server crashes.
- Disk Usage Protection: The system continuously monitors disk space. If free space falls below 5 GB, the fetching process stops automatically. Administrators must manually resume the service after clearing space.
- Execution Details: The Monitoring tab displays the real-time status of the "Conversion" and "Fetching" jobs.
Operational Guidelines
Prerequisites
- Licensing: Separate licenses are required for Voice Log Archiver
- Infrastructure:
- Dedicated Archiver Server (Windows/Linux).
- Network Storage (NAS/SAN) accessible via FTP/Mapped Drive.
- Ameyo Call Manager (for VLA) and Ameyo Database access.
Sizing Considerations
Proper sizing is essential for performance. Factors influencing server requirements include:
- Total Agents and Calls Per Day.
- Average Call Duration.
- Retention Period (e.g., 1 year vs. 5 years).
- Recording Format (MP3 compression ratio).
Retention & Cleanup
- Data Lifecycle: Data is retained based on the configured policy (e.g., 3 years).
- Auto-Cleanup: The system can be configured to automatically purge data older than the retention period to free up storage, though archival to external media is recommended before purging.
- Per-Tenant Retention Overrides (4.13.48+): Administrators can configure per-tenant voice-log retention periods via the server_preference_store, overriding the global default. The minimum retention is 3 months. A nightly cleanup job automatically purges recordings that exceed the configured retention window.
Number Masking in Voice Logs
When Number Masking is enabled at the process level, voice log filenames on the call server are masked by default. The following controls are available:
- Reveal Real Numbers (4.13.9+): Authorized users with the appropriate privilege can click an eye icon in the VLA console to temporarily reveal the actual phone number associated with a masked recording.
- Unmasked Filenames on Call Server (4.13.26+): The unmaskRawVoiceLogs system configuration flag, when set to true, writes voice log files on the call server with the real (unmasked) filename while the UI continues to display masked values. This is useful for integrations that rely on filenames matching actual phone numbers.
- Unmasked Filenames in VLA Storage (4.13.38+): The unmasked-filename behaviour was extended to recordings archived by VLA, ensuring downstream systems consuming archived files also receive unmasked filenames.
Token-Based Voice Log Download API
Starting from version 4.13.25, a token-based download API is available for secure programmatic access to voice log files. External systems (CRM, analytics, compliance tools) can request a short-lived download token and use it to retrieve recordings without requiring a full UI session. This is the recommended approach for automated integrations.
Version History
Version | Enhancement | Release Notes |
|---|---|---|
4.13.9 | Authorized users can reveal real numbers via eye icon when masking is on | 4.13.9 Release Notes4.13.9 Release Notes |
4.13.25 | Token-based Voicelog Download API for secure integrations | 4.13.25 Release Notes4.13.25 Release Notes |
4.13.26 | unmaskRawVoiceLogs flag for unmasked filenames on call server | 4.13.26 Release Notes4.13.26 Release Notes |
4.13.38 | Extended unmasked-filename behaviour to VLA stored recordings | Contact Center - Patch Release Notes - Version 4.13.384.13.38 Release Notes |
4.13.48 | Per-tenant retention overrides (min 3 months, nightly cleanup) | Contact Center - Patch Release Notes - Version 4.13.484.13.48 Release Notes |