Unity Networking available on VoiceMail Only

[jrezab]

I have a customer that is purchasing 2 Unity servers (one for each location). Is the Unity Networking via SMTP or Bridging available on the Voice Mail Only solution or do they need to purchase Unified Messaging? Please advise

[kechambe]

Will there be IP connectivity between these two systems? If so you should go with native Digital Networking. They will both need to be DC/GCs in the same Active Directory forest but that is no big deal. You really get the best features from Digital Networking and it is free, easy to setup and easy manage.

Otherwise you will want to use SMTP or VPIM networking. In 4.0(4) VPIM will have directory synchronization, which will make it more manageable than it is today.

Hope this helps...

Keith

[baldwinj]

VPIM will be the recommended solution for connectivity between 2 separate Unity networks with v4.0(4).

VPIM does have some administrative advantages over SMTP networking, however the 4.0(4) release of Unity will _not_ include VPIM directory synchronization. This feature is on the Unity roadmap, but not yet committed for any specific project.

Digital, SMTP, and VPIM networking are all available in Voice Mail only configurations with Exchange. Though VPIM networking does require Exchange 2000.

[jrezab]

Thanks for the information. There will be IP connectivity between the two sites. We 2 items to look at. 1) is the networking feature only in VoiceMail Only or is Unified Messaging required from a licensing point of view. 2) We were looking for minimal duplication of user-id entry into the systems. Looks like 4.04 will have an sql sync process to replicate information/configuration between Unity servers. Any idea when 4.04 will be available?

[jrezab]

Never mind, I have answered my own question:

Note that Cisco Unity servers licensed for unified messaging (UM) and Cisco Unity servers licensed for

voice mail only (VM) can use Digital Networking to exchange messages, as long as the above

requirements are met. There are no licensing issues with VM and UM Cisco Unity servers existing in

the same Exchange organization or Active Directory forest as long as the VM only subscriber only

access voice and fax messages over the phone interface or with the separately licensed Cisco Personal

Communications Assistant (PCA).