Re: Untiy Failover

dnmann · ‎05-02-2002

According to the Failover Requirments on CCO, Exchnage has to be off box. However, our sales people are trying to get it done with just two identical Unity severs both with Exchnage on them. Reason being the current single Unity server is voicemail only config with AD, Exchange, and Unity all one the box. There is not Windows network in place and they are trying to avoid setting up another box with Exchnage and setting up an entire AD domain. Can you please let me know if Exchnage off box is a requirement to be supported, and what exactly will we be loosing out on by running two identical Unity servers with Exchnage on them, if that is even possible. Also, does the failover Unity server have to be ordered specifically as failover, I think what they ordered was just a regular Unity VM license. Thanks

Anil Verma · ‎05-02-2002

The reason to have exchange off box is so that if the primary Unity goes down, then the secondary can still offer all the mails from the mailbox of the subscriber. The main purpose of the failover system is to be able to provide as seemless an experience as possible when the primary Unity goes down. So if exchange is off-box, then both the primary and secondary can get to the mailbox of the subscriber.

I am not clear on the ordering information. I believe there is a special order for failover. Not sure how the cost thing works out. Your Cisco sales contacts are the best folks to explain the ordering stuff to you.

Anil Verma
Cisco Systems
anilve@cisco.com

Report Inappropriate Content · ‎05-02-2002

I understand, and I'm on board with all of that. But, I need to find out if it is possible to set up failover at all with Exchange on the box, or if having it off the box is an absolute neccesity.

Anil Verma · ‎05-03-2002

There is no technical limits specifying that you cannot configure failover with exchange on the box. But remember that this means that when the machine goes down, you really do not have failover.
Also you mentioned that both the Unity systems will be identical, and not have any network connection between them. This is definetely not supported by failover. The systems need to be able to see each other and be on the same network segment as Unity servers need to be able to see each other all the time. Also there is data replication going on between the servers.
Beware that if there are failover issues with your configuration, Cisco TAC might ask you to take Exchange off the Unity server as we have not extensively tested your configuration in our labs.

Anil Verma
Cisco Systems
anilve@cisco.com

dnmann · ‎05-03-2002

Thanks,

That should satisy the sales people and convince them to do it the right way.