.. _configure-route-groups:

Route groups
---------------


.. tip:: 

   :ref:`use-action-search-to-navigate-automate`


Overview 
............

A route group allows you to define the order in which gateways are selected.
It allows you to prioritize a list of gateways and ports for outgoing trunk
selection.

For example, if you use two long distance carriers, you could add a route group
so that long distance calls to the less expensive carrier are given priority.
Calls only route to the more expensive carrier if the first trunk is unavailable.



Configure route groups
........................

This procedure adds or updates route groups.


**Prerequisites**:

* You must define one or more gateway or SIP trunks before you add a route group.


.. note::

   Each gateway or gateway and port combination can only belong to one route
   group and can only be listed once within that route group. All gateways in
   a route group must have the same route pattern. The pattern is assigned to
   the route list containing the route group (not the route group itself).
   
   Route groups are optional. If a proposed route group only contains one
   gateway or one gateway and port combination and that route group is not to
   be included in a route list, the route group is not needed.


**Perform these steps**:

1. Log in as Provider, Reseller or Customer administrator.
2. Go to (Cisco UCM) **Route Groups**.

3. **Choose an option**:

   * **Add new route group**? Click **Add**. Go to step 4. 
   * **Edit an existing route group**? Click the group to be updated, edit the 
     fields as required, then click **Save** to save the edited route group.
     
4. In the **CUCM** drop-down, select the Cisco Unified Communications
   Manager corresponding to the route group.
5. In the **Route Group Name** field, enter a unique name for the new route group. 

   .. note:: 
      
      A route group name can comprise up to 50 alphanumeric characters and can contain any 
      combination of spaces, period(s), hyphens (-), and underscore characters (_). Ensure 
      that each route group name is unique to the route plan.

      Use concise and descriptive names for the route group. The ``CompanynameLocationGroup`` format 
      usually provides a sufficient level of detail and is short enough to enable you to quickly and easily
      identify a route group. For example,  - CiscoDallasAA1 -  identifies a Cisco Access Analog route 
      group for the Cisco office in Dallas.

6. Select Distribution Algorithm options for the route group. The default value is Circular.

.. tabularcolumns:: |p{3cm}|p{12cm}|

+----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| Option   | Description                                              |
+==========+==========================================================+
|          | Allows UCM to                                            |
|          | distribute a call to idle or                             |
|          | available members starting with the first idle or        |
|          | available member of a route group to the last idle or    |
| Top Down | available member of a route group.                       |
|          |                                                          |
|          | This option is mandatory if you want to prioritize the   |
|          | order of devices.                                        |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
|          | Allows UCM to                                            |
|          | Communications Manager to distribute a call to idle or   |
|          | available members starting from the (n\+1)th member of a |
|          | route group, where the nth member is the member to       |
| Circular | which the UCM most                                       |
|          | recently extended a call. If the nth member is the last  |
|          | member of a route group, UCM                             |
|          | distributes a call starting from the top of the          |
|          | route group.                                             |
+----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

7. Click the Plus icon (+) to open the **Members** box. 

8. Choose an option:  

   * Add a device to the route group? Go to Step 9.
   * Modify the priority of a device? Go to Step 10.
   * Remove a device from the route group? Select the relevant device, and click the Minus sign (-). 
     Ensure you leave at least one device in the route group.
   
8. To add a device to the route group:

   a. From the **Device Name** drop-down menu, choose the device where the route
      group is added.
      
      .. note:: 

         When adding a SIP trunk or gateway, all ports on the device are selected.

   b. For Device Selection Order, indicate the order in which to
      prioritize multiple devices. A lower selection order indicates
      higher priority. This field requires an integer value. The
      default is no setting. The device selection order, if specified,
      overrides the position of the device in the list.

   c. To add another device to the route group, click the Plus icon (+) at 
      **Members**, then repeat this step for each device you want to add.

10. If no device selection order is specified, you can change the priority
    of a device by moving the device up or down in the list by clicking
    the arrows on the right side of the **Members** box. Using the Up arrow,
    move the device higher in the list to make it a higher priority in the
    route group, or using the Down arrow, move the device lower in the
    list to make it a lower priority in the route group.

    .. note:: 
      
       The Top Down distribution algorithm must be selected in Step 6 to prioritize the order of devices.

11. Click **Save**. The new route group displays **Route Group** list.



.. _delete-route-groups:

Delete a route group
.....................

To delete a route group: 

1. Log in as Provider, Reseller or Customer administrator.

   .. warning:: 

      When deleting a route group, ensure that you select a valid site under your
      customer in the hierarchy node breadcrumb at the top of the view. If you
      attempt to delete a route group at any other node in the hierarchy, you will
      receive an error indicating that you must be at a site.

2. Go to **Route Groups**.

3. From the list of trunks, select the route group you wish to delete. 

4. Click **Delete**, then click **Yes** to confirm.
