Unity 4.0 install question

chris.mott · ‎01-21-2003

I want to install 5 Unity servers, all to be installed at various remote locations in the corporate WAN. We have them all at the hub site, and I intend on installing as much as possible on them here before shipping them, and myself, out into the field to finish the install. Some notes, thoughts, and questions:

1) From what I've read about Digital Networking, all of these servers must belong to the same AD Domain for internal transfers, etc., to function properly. The customer's AD Domain reaches to each facility, where they also have a local Forest. Our plan is to install them within the main, corporate AD Domain for this DN reason. Also, I do not see anywhere within Unity that ties specific functions or services to the IP address, so considering this I should be able to light up the server at the hub using a valid hub IP address, bring the server into the Domain (which already has both Exchange and Unity servers in place ... no need for forestprep or domainprep), finish the Unity configuration, then send it completed to the remote site, where I will change the IP address and tune the local Call Manager to use it via the TSP driver. Any problems here?

2) This Unity server is being used to replace a centralized Unity server that is supporting all 5 sites (if you've followed my other posts, you know the design). This was due to several problems: ineffective CAC, no multitenant capability, calls falling through the CH cracks, etc. Assuming Idea #1 above is valid, can I also begin to migrate users' mailboxes from the main server to the new one, knowing that they cannot use them until the new Unity server is homed to their Call Manager? I know that this would be a partial migration, as in the time it takes to get on-site for the install these same users may or may not have saved some new messages they wish to keep. Thoughts?

3) Other than ExMerge or other Exchange tools, which of the AnswerMonkey tools would you suggest I use? (I apologize for not being able to read up on them, as I have lately been tasked to get the AVVID certification tests out of the way, which I succeeded in today with the final test)

Thanks in advance, and keep up the great work, y'all!

kechambe · ‎01-21-2003

Number one is going to give you some problems. When you run configuration setup and connect Unity to AD we query the RootDSA to determine the *best* DC and GC for Unity to use. The RootDSA makes this determination based on data from the AD Sites as tells Unity which DC and GC to use. The server used are are never automatically updated.

So if you have one site in LA and one site in NY and you install the Unity server in LA it will always be pointing to the LA DC/GC. This will be a major problem for Unity, trust me.

The good news is that this is easy to correct. The values are stored here:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Active Voice\Directory Connectors\DirSynchGlobalCatalog\1.00\Directory\DefaultGlobalCatalogServer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Active Voice\Directory Connectors\DirSynchAD\1.00\Domains\\DefaultDomainController

You can manually change them. After doing so you must do the following:

1. On the Cisco Unity server, browse to the location where Cisco Unity is installed (the default is C:\CommServer), and then browse to the TechTools folder.

2. Run DohPropTest.exe.

3. In the DohPropTest Logon dialog box, leave the Password box empty, and click OK.

4. On the warning dialog box, click Ignore to start the read-only mode of DohPropTest.

5. Click GC Monitor or AD Monitor to display the Directory Monitor dialog box, and click TotalResync.

6. Close DohPropTest.

Number 2 shouldn't be a problem.

Can't think of any tools to help you with number 3.

Hope that helps,

Keith

lindborg · ‎01-21-2003

Not sure exactly what you want to do with #3 but I'm guessing you want to apply a set of properties/settings/configuration info from your pre installed system at these 5 sites.

The closest thing you can get to that is the DiRT tool which you can read up on (and watch the fab training videos for) here:

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/App_DisasterRecoveryTools.htm

however you still have to install Unity up to the point it's running before you do a DiRT restore - it'll chunk in all your handlers, subscribers, greetings etc... etc... from your backed up system from there.