Unity Design Scenario

[mwadam]

Jeff,

Hate to bother you with this, but I cannot seem to find the answer I am looking for in the design guide.

I have a customer with two separate physical locations connected via 100Mbps fiber. There is an Exchange 2003 server at each of the locations. Both Exchange servers are member servers in the same AD Domain, and both are in the same Exchange Admin Group. They are not clustered, nor is there a front end/back end in use. Sales has sold them a Unity UM server for each location and we intend on using Digital Network and license pooling between the two Unity servers. What I cannot seem to confirm is that when I build the two Unity servers, and have to select the Partner Server, am I to point both of the Unity servers to one of the Exchange servers or will each Unity server point to the local Exchange server as it's Partner Server?

Thanks for your guidance, and if you can point me to a reference that may speak to this type of configuration I would appreciate it. I have the Design and Solutions Guide, but it kind of dances around this specific configuration. From what I can gather from this guide, both Unity servers should point to one Partner Server, but it is not clear.

Thanks!!!

Adam

[lindborg]

Multiple Unity servers can point to one Exchange server no problem - I have several that point to one for my testing setups. Can't say if this is specifically spelled out in a guide I can point you at right off hand, though...

[mwadam]

Jeff,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Multiple Unity servers can point to one Exchanger server. But in my scenario each of the two Unity servers running Digital Networking would be pointing to it's own Exchange server.

Is this possible?

Thanks!!!

Adam

[Tommer Catlin]

Think you missed one piece somewhere. How is the Unity hooked into the phone system?

Site A:

Exchange 2003 Server, Unity Server, Phone system?

Site B:

Exchange 2003 Server, Unity Server, Phone system?

Site A <-----> Site B Fiber connection for data

Site A <-----> Site B PTP connection for PBX's?

You want Unity/Exchange next to each other. You can have multiple sites with multiple Unity Servers, they can route messages to each other. (just as Exchange does)

For you to do the licensing pool, this will work. Unity simply keeps adding the number subscribers as you add Unity servers to same Exchange Org. You have to enable site ID's so they are unique. The digital network aspect, meaning if you use Dialogic cards, cannot be pooled. These are only per server for xx ports. If you were using IP ports, it's the same scenario.. ports are ports... and they need licenses. Subscribers however, can be pooled.

I believe this model could be considered a Primary/failover model. Or it they could just be seperate sites.

But if the model I think you want is to have "Multiply Unity Servers Servicing Mulitple Exchange 2003 Routing Groups"

Simply make sure your routing groups are set up in Exchange correctly between Site A and Site B. Install Unity at Site A, and point to Site A Exchange Server.

Do the same for Site B, install Unity and point to Site B for Exchange. You should be set to go. Unity will take the message and dump it to its local Exchange server or partner. The Unity boxes will "see" each other for licensing pooling, directory sharing, etc. How you are making your PBX's work is another story.

Since you have the book, check out page 356. The only difference is that they have CallManager as their central IPpbx.

hope this rambling helps.

[mwadam]

Thanks, I appreciate the ramblings....

CallManager is the phone system in this scenario. CCM is located at SiteA along with a Unity server and an Exchange 2003 server. They are connected to SiteB via 100Mbps fiber. SiteB has Unity and Exchange 2003. Both Exchange servers are in the same site and the same org.

I understand the Digital Networking piece, just didn't know for sure if Unity at SiteB would point to it's Exchange server as it's partner server or if it would have to point SiteA's Exchange server as it's partner server.

I will look at page 356 as you suggest. Maybe I overlooked this configuration example.

Thanks!!!

Adam

[Hin Lee]

Each Unity server point can be pointed to their respective local Exchange server for Partner Server. I don't think both exchange servers have to be in the ORG but I am not sure; in my opinion keep it simple and put them in the same ORG.

As everything is in the same Active Directory, you will be able to use digital networking.

look at this section of the guide:

Requirements for Setting Up Digital Networking

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps2237/products_feature_guide_chapter09186a008022cd84.html#wp1177819

[kechambe]

I think this thread is over analyzing the question...

Each Unity server should use the Exchange server in the same physical location as its partner server.

While technically it could point to the one across the 100mbps fiber, it wouldn't be the best possible design. Depending on link traffic and characteristics might not be a supported design either.

Thanks,

Keith

[mwadam]

Keith,

This is pretty much what I was looking to confirm. Each Unity server using it's own local Exchange server was the big question.

Thanks!!!

Adam