Cisco BroadWorks, like most systems, has some unique vocabulary. It began as a project from ex-Nortel employees, who imported some of their own lingo. ECG began working with BroadSoft BroadWorks heavily in 2002. This particular material is taken from our BroadWorks provisioning training, which is taught both to direct admins and also those who are building OSS/BSS platforms to manage BroadWorks. Like concrete in civil engineering, BroadWorks has been a core part of the VoIP Calling Story for over two decades.
This glossary collects and explains the key terminology used throughout BroadWorks provisioning and administration. Definitions draw directly from the platform’s hierarchical design, provisioning workflows, and feature behavior. Each entry includes a clear explanation suitable for administrators coming from other VoIP platforms (such as Asterisk, FreePBX, 3CX, or Cisco Unified Communications Manager) and highlights how BroadWorks uses the term in its own unique way. Examples are included to show real-world application.
Authentication Service
The mandatory service that must be assigned to a user before any SIP phone or softphone can register. In BroadWorks this is not automatic; administrators must explicitly go into the user profile, assign services, and then set the SIP username and password on the Utilities → Authentication screen. Without Authentication assigned, anyone can take over this user's service. When Authentication is assigned, but no username or password are set, then the endpoint cannot register Identity Device Profile exists. This prevents toll fraud by ensuring no device can connect until strong credentials are in place. Example: After creating a new user, the first step is always to assign the Authentication service and generate a long random password.
Authorize vs. Assign (Services)
Two distinct steps in BroadWorks licensing and feature activation. “Authorize” makes the feature checkbox available at the enterprise or group level (like giving permission to use it). “Assign” actually activates the feature for an individual user and consumes a license from the service pack pool. Other VoIP platforms often combine these into a single “enable” action, but BroadWorks separates them deliberately so that customers or group administrators can decide what to turn on without immediately burning licenses. Example: Call Forwarding Always is first authorized at the group level (checkbox appears), then assigned to the specific user (license is consumed and forwarding begins). Call Recording is one of the example services supported in BroadWorks.
Busy Lamp Field (BLF) and Enhanced BLF
A client application feature that lets one phone monitor the status (idle, ringing, busy, or DND) of other users. The monitoring phone displays indicators and, with Enhanced BLF, allows direct call pickup by pressing the key. Unlike shared call appearance, BLF does not give the monitoring device full call control or outbound calling rights for the monitored user. It is far more efficient in signaling than shared lines. Example: An assistant’s phone shows BLF keys for five executives; when one executive’s line rings, the assistant can answer it directly from the BLF button.
Call Center
An "advanced" group-level feature that provides call queuing, announcements or music on hold while callers wait, agent sign-in/out, ready/not-ready status, and detailed statistics. Agents must be assigned the Call Center Agent license and can dynamically join or leave the queue. Unlike hunt groups, call centers support true queuing and more sophisticated routing policies. Example: Inbound sales calls arrive at a single number; callers hear “Your call will be answered in the order received” and wait in queue until an available agent answers.
Call Forwarding Always / Busy / No Answer / Unreachable
Four related user services for redirecting incoming calls. Call Forwarding Always redirects every call unconditionally. Call Forwarding Busy redirects when the user is on another call or has Do Not Disturb enabled. Call Forwarding No Answer redirects after a configurable number of rings. Call Forwarding Unreachable redirects when the device is unregistered or unreachable. These are configured under the user’s Incoming Calls tab after the service is authorized and assigned. Example: A user sets Call Forwarding Always to their mobile number so all calls ring the cell phone immediately.
Device Type / Identity Device Profile Type
The model-specific template (e.g., “polycom VVX 601”) that tells BroadWorks which configuration files and tags to use for that hardware. It is selected when creating an Identity Device Profile and must match exactly. Using the precise device type records accurate inventory and enables model-specific signaling customizations. Example: When provisioning a Polycom VVX 601, administrators copy the exact string “polycom VVX 601” from an existing device to ensure the correct template is applied.
Enterprise vs. Service Provider Mode
Two operational modes that determine visibility and feature scope. In Enterprise mode, the enterprise is the customer and groups represent internal locations or departments; users share an enterprise-wide directory and can use private dial plans and Voice VPN. In Service Provider mode, each group is a separate customer with isolated directories and dialing. The mode is chosen when the container is created and cannot be changed later. Example: A large corporation with three offices uses Enterprise mode so employees in different offices can dial short extensions and see a unified directory.
Group
The container that holds users at a single customer location or department. Many features (hunt groups, auto attendants, paging, music on hold) are confined to users within the same group. Most day-to-day provisioning and service assignment happens here. Example: “Barney North” is a group containing its users, telephone numbers, and group-level services.
Hunt Group
A group-level feature that distributes incoming calls to a list of agents using one of four routing policies: simultaneous (all agents ring at once), regular (sequential), uniform (even distribution), or circular (round-robin). No queuing is provided; callers hear ringback until answered or forwarded. Users are added as agents and can be static. Example: The Accounting hunt group rings both Dick Puckett and Christie Black simultaneously when the main accounting number is dialed.
Identity Device Profile (IDP)
The BroadWorks record that links a specific physical or virtual device (identified by MAC address) to a user. It includes the device type, MAC address, and line/port value. The IDP tells the profile server how to generate the phone’s configuration file. It can be created at the group level or enterprise level. Example: A Polycom phone’s IDP contains its MAC address 004f2babc999, device type “polycom VVX 601,” and line/port set to the user’s telephone number.
Line/Port Value
The registering SIP URI component stored in the Identity Device Profile. It ties the physical device to the specific user. The most common value is the user’s ten-digit telephone number, although organizations may use other naming schemes. Example: The line/port value is set to 2293061994 so the phone registers as that user.
MAC Address
The twelve-character hexadecimal identifier (0-9 and a-f, lowercase, no punctuation) of the physical phone. BroadWorks normalizes the entry automatically. It is required when creating an Identity Device Profile and is used in the config file name (%BWMACADDRESS%.cfg). Example: Administrators enter “004f2babc999” (normalized from any format containing colons or uppercase letters).
Private Dial Plan and Voice VPN
Enterprise-only features that allow abbreviated internal dialing across groups. Users can dial short codes or site prefixes to reach extensions in other groups without using full public numbers. Example: Dialing “3” + “567” reaches extension 567 at Site 3 anywhere in the enterprise.
Device Management Servers (ADP, XSP, Profile Server, "/fileRepos", and "/dms")
The servers responsible for delivering device configuration files. The phone first contacts the ADP (XSP on older releases) using the "/dms" application deploed on that server. Internally, the "/dms" application is routed to the ADP (Profile Server on old releases), running the "/fileRepos" application, which redirects it to the BroadWorks Application Server where the fully rendered config files reside. Administrators rebuild using the Application Server, which stores them on the appropriate "/fileRepos" instance.Example: After a tag override, the phone fetches the updated file from the ADP ("/dms"), which finds out where it's stored from the Network Server, which refers to the Application server, so that the "/dms" application ultimately gets it from the ADP ("/fileRepos").
Provisioning
The term "Provisioning" has multiple uses; inside the Application server, the "Provisioning Server" (PS) generates configuration files. Generally, though, it refers to building the settings and features for calling service. ECG's Alpaca platform provides ready-made tools for bulk provisioning and user portal options to allow users to adjust their own settings.
Service Pack
A bundled set of licenses that matches what is purchased from Cisco. Features are ideally assigned through service packs rather than individual services to keep licensing aligned. Assigning a feature consumes one instance from the service pack pool. Example: A “Business Line” service pack might include Call Forwarding Always, voicemail, and other features; assigning it to a user consumes one license from that pool.
Shared Call Appearance
A call control feature that lets one user appear on multiple devices with full incoming and outgoing call capability. Each device gets a button for the shared line. It generates significant signaling load. Example: An executive’s extension appears on both a desk phone and a softphone; either device can answer or place calls as that user.
Standard %BW% Tags vs. Custom Tags
Standard tags (beginning with %BW) are built-in values BroadWorks supplies automatically (e.g., %BWCLID-1% for calling line ID, line port value). Custom tags are defined by the system operator or overridden per device for deployment-specific settings such as software version or logo URL. Tags are substituted into device templates to produce the final config file. Example: An administrator overrides the %VVX601appversion% custom tag on one phone to test a newer firmware release.
System
The top-level container representing the entire BroadWorks application server cluster. Global settings (signaling properties, voice portal behavior, password complexity rules) are defined here. System administrators have the broadest privileges. Example: Password complexity rules for Voice Portal passcodes are set at the system level and apply platform-wide.
User
The leaf node in the hierarchy that represents an individual line or subscriber. Each user typically has one primary PSTN phone number, an optional extension, associated devices via Identity Device Profiles, and assigned services. Example: “James Smith” is a user with telephone number 2293061994, extension 1994, and a Polycom VVX phone assigned through an Identity Device Profile. In other platforms, these are typically called "subscribers" or maybe "extensions".
Voice Messaging Group / Voice Messaging User
Group-level and user-level services required for voicemail. The group service enables the capability for the entire group; the user service activates it for the individual subscriber and consumes a license. Voicemail is deposited via SMTP as a .wav email attachment and retrieved via IMAP/POP3 or the Voice Portal. Example: After authorizing Voice Messaging Group at the group level and Voice Messaging User at the user level, administrators assign a Voice Portal number and set the user’s email address for unified messaging.
Voice Portal
The telephone user interface for voicemail retrieval and management. A dedicated telephone number must be assigned to the Voice Portal at the group level before users can call in to check messages. Example: Users dial the group’s Voice Portal number (e.g., 9997) and enter their portal passcode to listen to messages.
Squared Key System Emulation
The practice of using Shared Call Appearance to make every user’s line appear on many phones (emulating old key-system telephones with a button for each line). It is strongly discouraged because it generates substantial sub-signaling for every call. Example: Attempting to put all ten users’ lines on every phone in a department quickly overwhelms signaling capacity.
Q&A Section: Common Questions About BroadWorks Terminology
Q1: What is an Identity Device Profile (IDP) and why is it different from other VoIP platforms?
A: The Identity Device Profile is the BroadWorks record that links a specific physical device (by MAC address) to a user, including the device type and line/port value. It tells the profile server how to generate the phone’s configuration file. Unlike simpler MAC-based provisioning in other systems, the IDP is a full object that can be created at group or enterprise level.
Q2: What does “authorize” versus “assign” mean for services?
A: Authorize makes the feature checkbox available at the group level. Assign activates the feature for the user and consumes a license. This two-step model is unique to BroadWorks and allows controlled feature rollout without immediate license consumption.
Q3: How does a Group differ from an Enterprise in BroadWorks?
A: A Group contains users at a single location or department and confines many features to those users. An Enterprise is a collection of groups belonging to one corporation (in Enterprise mode) or acts as a reseller container (in Service Provider mode).
Q4: What is the difference between standard %BW% tags and custom tags?
A: Standard %BW% tags are built-in values BroadWorks supplies automatically (such as calling line ID or line port). Custom tags are created by the system operator or overridden per device for settings like software version or logo URL.
Q5: What is a Service Pack and how does it relate to licensing?
A: A Service Pack is a bundled set of licenses purchased from Cisco. Features are ideally assigned through service packs rather than individually so that consumption matches what was bought.
Q6: What does Busy Lamp Field (BLF) allow that Shared Call Appearance does not?
A: BLF provides monitoring and (with Enhanced BLF) call pickup without giving the monitoring device full outbound calling rights or adding heavy signaling load.
Q7: How does Voice VPN work in BroadWorks?
A: Voice VPN is an enterprise-only feature that allows abbreviated internal dialing across groups (e.g., dialing a site prefix plus extension). It's a "Private Network" in the sense only that it provides extension dialing across multiple groups.
Q9: Why is strong authentication emphasized so heavily?
A: Without the Authentication service assigned and strong passwords set, an attacker from the internet can discover credentials and register as a legitimate user, committing toll fraud.
Q10: What is the Voice Portal and why is a dedicated number required?
A: The Voice Portal is the telephone user interface for voicemail retrieval. A dedicated telephone number must be assigned to it at the group level before users can call in to check messages.