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Migration from Unity to UM & Upgrade from 4.x to 5.x

ssoliman
Level 1
Level 1

What would be the Cisco recommended upgrade and migration steps to bring a customer from 4.X Unity on an old 7815 server to 5.X Unified Messaging (integrating with Exchange 2003 server) on a new 7835 server and retain all Auto Attendant configurations.

Is cleaner/better to scrap the old Unity server and start fresh with the new UM server, if so, is their a way to just backup and restore the Auto Attendants only (via DiRT or someother tool) and not move over any subscriber information or VM's?

11 Replies 11

Tommer Catlin
VIP Alumni
VIP Alumni

What is your old platform? If it's windows 2000 and Exchange 2000, I would do the following:

(2) options:

Option 1:

build the 7835 with Windows 2003, Exchange 2003, etc. Load Unity 4.x with the same version and ES fixes as old 7815. DIRT export and DIRT import to new server.

Option 2:

Build out 7835 with windows 2003, Exchange 2003, etc.

Load Unity 5.x

Digitally network the old and new server.

Use Cobras to move CallHandlers over

User GSM to migrate subscribers from old to new.

Disasemble Digital networking.

I have done both, I tend to like option 2 better.

cheers!

ssoliman
Level 1
Level 1

Yes, the current platform is windows 2000 server and exchange 2000 server. Options 2 sounds like the cleanist option.

When you say digitally connect the old and new Unity servers, I'm assuming just give them IP connectivity, correct?

Well, its called Unity Digital Networking. If the Unity servers in the same domain, you can turn on a feature for Digital Networking. It basically creates a link between the two Unity servers. They will then "share" information, directories, etc. It is in the Unity installation guide on how to set it up. Once done, you can setup the GSM and then basically right click on a subscriber in GSM, and say "move" to new unity server at your leasure.

Is there any way to not have them in the same domain?

Usually Unity is in its own workgroup and UM is actually added to the customers AD Domain before you run the UM installation. I'm a little hesitant on moving there existing Unity server to a new domain, and I definetly would not want to move their new UM server from their AD Domain after installing UM.

??? Unity is always in a domain whether it is voicemail only or UM. and it could be a dc/gc in some configurations.

If I understand right yes you can have them in the same domain and digitaly network and use GSM to move the the subscribers as was explained.

But I am not sure what you want in the end. Tommer already gave you good directions.

Tommer do your directions involve separating the Unity servers and the domains? (I don't think so)

rlp

I may have misread or misunderstood the question, but I do not recommend setting up another domain.

- Same Domain

- Same Exchange server or Exchange Org

- Unity Old and Unity new have permissions to all Exchange servers in domain

- Digital Network Unity Old and Unity New

- preform a backup of Unity Old

- Migrate using the GSM

- Use Cobras for the Call Handlers, schedules, etc.

hope this helps!

that is what I thought too. thanks

rlp

Ok...let me re-explain:

We have always been trained (at Cisco trainings and even with our local Cisco engineers) to configure a Unity only (meaning no UM) configuration to be in its own workgroup - NOT part of the customers Data Domain. The is no integration into AD, and no disruption betwee the customers E-mail Exchange Server and the Unity Exchange Server.

When I setup/configure the new UM server, I will add it to the customers Data Network and configure UM to utilize the customers Exchange Server and integrate with AD.

At this point both servers are in different domains, the only way I can get them in the same domain is to:

a.)Remove the new UM server from the customers AD Domain and add it to the old Unity servers Workgroup.

b.)Move the old Unity Server from the workgroup it is in and add it to the customers Data Domain.

I don't think either senario is going to work very well as Exchange doesnt like being moved from one domain to another.

Ok, so let's clarify a couple things here.

Unity only runs in Active Directory. It will not run in a "workgroup".

Unity Voicemail Only runs in it's own AD domain, not connected to the "production" AD domain the rest of the company is using currently.

If you want to utilized Digital Networking, the (2) Unity servers must be in the same domain.

If you are migrating to from VM only to UM, you will want to use DIRT to backup from one system, and restore to a new system in the UM AD network. IF your Exchange Alias do not match, there is a tool for mapping "old alias" to "new alias". Example. John Doe in Unity VM only domain may use jdoe as it's alias. But in AD Production domain, his alias is john.doe. You will need to use the mapping tool for this before importing. Basically, Unity will use a CSV file for looking up the alias and mapping them to the new alias instead of creating new accounts.

Once your accounts have been migrated to the new Unity UM platform and domain, you can rebuild the old Unity server into the new UM domain and have (2) Unity servers with Digital Networking.

There is no easy way around this. You have to use DIRT or Cobras to import/export. And if your alias's are different, you will have to map everything out. Corbras does a really good job of this. It has a builtin mapping tool for this. But it's not supported by TAC so you are on your own, or fallback to the DIRT process.

Read through Corbras if you are going to use it. There a few things that DO not come over. (passwords/PINs is one thing) So your subscribers will need to setup their PINs again. (not a huge deal, but some people think so)

Hope this helps

Got it! You are correct the old unity server is running in a domain, but it is a domain that was created just for the unity server (so the unity is a DC, and the only server in the domain).

I cant add the new UM server to the same domain because I want it to be integrated into the customers Data AD domain.

In this senario is their an option to still use Cobras and GSM or is DiRT my only option?

Since the (2) servers are in different domains, your options are:

- DIRT

- Corbras.

GSM only works with Digital Networking rich requires a single domain/forest.

Check out the Cobras Tool! It will probably work for you. It's really easy to export the Subscribers (a few for testing) and import them into the new Unity server on UM side. It will not remove the accounts, its more of a backup utility as well.

cheers

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