Networking in Cisco Unity Guide (With Microsoft Exchange), Release 4.0(4)
Glossary

Table Of Contents


Glossary


A

 
Active Directory
The Microsoft Windows 2000 directory service that stores information about objects on the network. Active Directory consists of a forest, domains, organizational units, containers, and objects. Different classes of objects can be represented in Active Directory including users, contacts, groups, computers and printers. The Active Directory schema can be extended to add attributes to existing object classes and to create new object classes.
administrative calls
Calls made by a node in an Octel analog network to populate its NameNet directory with the name, voice name, and extension of a subscriber on another node. Because the Cisco Unity Bridge can represent one or more nodes in the network, it places administrative calls to populate its NameNet directory. You can configure a schedule per Octel node on the Bridge server to control when it makes administrative calls to the node.
AMIS
Audio Messaging Interchange Specification. An industry-standard protocol supported by Cisco Unity that provides an analog mechanism for transferring voice messages between different voice messaging systems.
AMIS Networking
A Cisco Unity networking option. Allows messaging between Cisco Unity and other voice messaging systems that support the Audio Messaging Interchange Specification analog (AMIS-a) protocol. Cisco Unity and the other voice messaging systems maintain separate voice mail directories with no directory synchronization.
AMIS subscriber
A representation in Cisco Unity of subscribers on an AMIS-compliant, remote messaging system. AMIS subscribers are created in Cisco Unity to enable Cisco Unity subscribers to find them in the directory and to send messages to them as they would to any other subscriber. AMIS subscribers are associated with a delivery location and are stored as contacts in Active Directory or as custom recipients in the Exchange 5.5 directory. Mailbox greetings and voice names can be individually recorded for each subscriber. Messages sent to an AMIS subscriber are sent via a Cisco Unity server that is designated as the AMIS bridgehead server to the applicable mailbox on the remote messaging system. AMIS subscribers do not have messages stored locally. Their messages are stored on the remote messaging system.

B

 
blind addressing
One of the methods that Cisco Unity provides for addressing messages to remote messaging system users. Blind addressing allows addressing of messages without having the recipient mailbox number, text name, or recorded name in the directory.
Bridge Networking
A Cisco Unity networking option. Allows messaging between Cisco Unity and Octel systems on an Octel analog network by using the Cisco Unity Bridge. The Bridge, which acts as a networking gateway, must be installed on a separate and dedicated platform. Messaging between Cisco Unity and the Bridge is done by using SMTP over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. Messaging between the Octel servers and the Bridge is done by using the Octel analog networking protocol. Cisco Unity and the Octel systems maintain separate voice mail directories. However, the Bridge supports Avaya Octel NameNet, which is an Octel Networking feature that allows for the propagation of text and voice names among nodes on the analog Octel network. NameNet allows subscribers to address messages to people at other nodes by spelling the recipient name, and to get voice name confirmation when addressing a message to someone on another node.
Bridge subscriber
A representation in Cisco Unity of subscribers on an Avaya Octel messaging system. Bridge subscribers are created in Cisco Unity to enable Cisco Unity subscribers to find them in the directory and send messages as they would to any other subscriber. Bridge subscribers are associated with a delivery location and are stored as contacts in Active Directory. Mailbox greetings and voice names can be individually recorded for each Bridge subscriber. Messages sent to a Bridge subscriber are sent through the Cisco Unity Bridge server to the applicable mailbox on the Octel system. Bridge subscribers do not have messages stored locally. Their messages are stored on the Octel messaging system.
Bridge subscribers are automatically created when the Bridge creates usage-based directory entries for Octel users (in support of NameNet). You can also create Bridge subscribers manually in Cisco Unity or create permanent directory entries on the Bridge server, which results in the automatic creation of Bridge subscribers. Bridge subscribers that are automatically created are referred to "auto-created Bridge subscribers."
bridgehead server
A Cisco Unity networking term. In installations with multiple Cisco Unity servers networked together, only one Cisco Unity server in the network needs to be configured for SMTP, AMIS, Bridge, or VPIM networking— the server acts as the "bridgehead" server for the other Cisco Unity servers in the network.

C

 
contact
An Active Directory object that represents a user who does not have a Windows logon account or an Exchange mailbox. A contact is equivalent to a custom recipient in Exchange 5.5.

D

 
delivery location
A Cisco Unity object created on the local Cisco Unity server that corresponds to a remote voice messaging system. A delivery location contains the information that Cisco Unity needs for exchanging messages with the remote voice messaging system.
dialing domain
A dialing domain is a collection of Cisco Unity servers that access the same directory and that are integrated with the same phone system or phone system network. (Note this includes Cisco Unity servers configured for dual integrations.) A dialing domain is a grouping scheme that allows Cisco Unity to handle call transfers from one Cisco Unity server to another. Within the dialing domain, subscriber extensions in Cisco Unity must be unique just as the phone extensions in the phone system must be unique. (Typically, a subscriber extension and phone extension are the same number.) With a networked phone system, subscribers dial a phone extension without having to dial a trunk access code or prefix when calling someone who is at another location in the phone network. In the same way, when grouped in a dialing domain, subscribers associated with one Cisco Unity server enter a subscriber extension when sending messages to subscribers associated with another Cisco Unity server.
Digital Networking
A Cisco Unity networking option. Allows messaging among multiple Cisco Unity servers that access the same subscriber directory (that is, the Cisco Unity servers are in the same Active Directory forest or the same Microsoft Exchange 5.5 organization). The Exchange message transport agent (MTA) is the message transport mechanism between servers.
directory
The data store used by Cisco Unity, which contains information about subscribers, distribution lists, and locations. Cisco Unity stores data in either the Exchange 5.5 directory or Active Directory. During setup, you specify one Exchange server (the partner Exchange server) through which Cisco Unity communicates with other Exchange servers in the network. If the partner server is Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003, Cisco Unity uses Active Directory. If the partner server is Exchange 5.5, Cisco Unity uses the Exchange 5.5 directory. If your network consists of Exchange 5.5 and either Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 servers, the partner Exchange server must be Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003, which means that Cisco Unity stores data in Active Directory.
The architecture of Cisco Unity 3.0 and later is significantly different from earlier versions in that almost all of the information about subscriber accounts and other Cisco Unity objects is stored in a SQL database on the Cisco Unity server, rather than in the directory. However, a minimal amount of information about subscribers, distribution lists, and locations is also still stored in the directory, primarily to support Unified Messaging and networking.
directory messages
Messages that contain directory information (name, voice name, and extension) about a subscriber. In Bridge Networking, directory messages are sent between the Cisco Unity bridgehead server and the Bridge. Additionally, the Bridge participates in NameNet, and therefore it makes administrative calls to, and receives calls from, Octel nodes on the Octel analog network to share directory information.

E

 
extension address
Also referred to as a remote address. The destination address created by Cisco Unity when sending a message to a recipient on another voice messaging system or a remote Cisco Unity server. The extension address is in the format:
[<Type>:<DeliveryLocationDialID>_<RemoteMailboxNumber>]
where type can be AMIS, OMNI, VOICE, or VPIM. The Voice Connector parses the extension address to determine the routing path for the message.
external subscriber
A Cisco Unity term for AMIS, Bridge, VPIM, and Internet subscribers, who do not retrieve their voice messages on the local Exchange network.

H

 
home Cisco Unity server
When Cisco Unity servers are networked via Digital Networking, the home Cisco Unity server is the Cisco Unity server on which a subscriber account was created.

I

 
identified subscriber messaging (ISM)

ISM affects what subscribers hear when they call other subscribers from their primary or alternate extensions and are forwarded to the greetings of the subscribers they call. If they then leave a message, ISM affects what the called subscriber hears and can do when listening to the message. When ISM is enabled, Cisco Unity recognizes that the calling extension is associated with a subscriber and accordingly plays the internal greeting of the called subscriber. Additionally, when the called subscriber later listens to the message, Cisco Unity plays the recorded voice name of the subscriber who left the message and allows the called subscriber to record a reply.

IMS
Internet Mail Service. A Microsoft Windows service that is installed on Exchange 5.5 servers. IMS provides the ability to send mail to and receive mail from computers that support SMTP. The Voice Connector for Exchange 5.5 must be installed on servers running IMS.
Internet subscriber
Internet subscribers are Cisco Unity subscribers who do not have mailboxes on the local Exchange network. Instead, messages for Internet subscribers are sent to an e-mail address that you specify when you create the Internet subscriber account. Internet subscribers are created in Cisco Unity to enable Cisco Unity subscribers to find them in the directory and send messages as they would to any other subscriber. Internet subscribers are stored as contacts in Active Directory and as custom recipients in Exchange 5.5. Mailbox greetings and voice names can be individually recorded for each Internet subscriber. Messages sent to an Internet subscriber are sent via SMTP over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. If the remote message recipients do not use Cisco Unity, they receive voice messages as e-mails with attached WAV files. If they use Cisco Unity, and the Voice Connector has been installed, they receive voice messages. See also SMTP Networking.
IP
Internet Protocol. Network layer for the TCP/IP protocol suite. Internet Protocol (version 4) is a connection-less, best effort packet switching protocol.

L

 
location
A Cisco Unity object that contains the addressing information that Cisco Unity needs to exchange messages with other voice messaging systems (which may or may not be Cisco Unity systems). See also delivery location and primary location.

M

 
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. An industry-standard specification for formatting non-ASCII messages so that they can be sent over the Internet. Many e-mail clients now support MIME, which enables them to send and receive graphics, audio, and video files via the Internet mail system. In addition, MIME supports messages in character sets other than ASCII.
MTA
Message Transfer Agent. The program responsible for receiving incoming e-mails and delivering the messages to individual users. In Microsoft Exchange, the MTA transfers messages between servers by using the X.400 protocol.

N

 
NameNet
An Avaya Octel networking feature supported by Bridge Networking that allows for the propagation of text and voice names among nodes on the analog Octel network. NameNet allows subscribers to address messages to people at other nodes by spelling the recipient name, and to get voice name confirmation when addressing a message to someone on another node.
network address
An Avaya Octel networking term for the numeric address that an Octel subscriber enters as the message destination when addressing a message to an Octel subscriber on a network node. The network address consists of a node prefix that identifies the remote server to which the message is addressed, and additional digits that identify the recipient mailbox on the remote server.
networked subscriber
A subscriber who is associated with a Cisco Unity server that is Digitally Networked with the local Cisco Unity server.
networking
In Cisco Unity, "networking" is the general term for messaging between Cisco Unity servers, and between Cisco Unity and other voice messaging systems.The term networking has a broad definition and encompasses the following ideas:
Subscribers associated with one Cisco Unity server can use the phone to send voice messages to:
·Subscribers associated with another Cisco Unity server.
·Individuals with access to a computer connected to the Internet.
·Individuals who use a voice messaging system other than Cisco Unity.
Unidentified callers can find any subscriber in the directory and leave a voice message. Depending on the phone system and network configuration, unidentified callers who reach the Cisco Unity automated attendant or directory assistance can be transferred to any subscriber phone, even to the phone of a subscriber who is not associated with the local server.
Cisco Unity offers the following networking options: Digital Networking, SMTP Networking, AMIS Networking, Bridge Networking, and VPIM Networking.
node
In Octel analog networking, a node is a voice messaging server on the network that is identified by a serial number. A Cisco Unity Bridge server can be configured to represent one or more nodes in the Octel network.
In AMIS Networking, Cisco Unity and the other voice messaging systems that it communicates with are called nodes. Each node is assigned a unique ID, referred to as a Node ID.
numbering plan
In Cisco Unity, the method of assigning primary and alternate extension numbers. Typically, the Cisco Unity primary extension for a subscriber is the same as the subscriber extension on the phone system—the Cisco Unity numbering plan is usually the same as the phone system dial plan. In this way, when subscribers call Cisco Unity, log on as a subscriber, and send a message to a subscriber, the number that they enter when addressing the message is the same as when they call the subscriber directly.

P

 
pilot number
The phone number used to access a Cisco Unity server. For example, subscribers dial a pilot number when logging on to Cisco Unity. The phone system that Cisco Unity is integrated with dials a pilot number when transferring callers to a greeting. Other voice messaging systems dial a pilot number when sending messages to Cisco Unity via AMIS.
primary location
Each Cisco Unity server is associated with one location, referred to as the default or primary location, which is created during installation and which cannot be deleted. With the exception of public distribution lists, all subscribers and other Cisco Unity objects (such as call handlers) created on your Cisco Unity server are associated with the primary location.
Each primary location contains the addressing information that Cisco Unity needs to route messages between Cisco Unity servers. Because Cisco Unity stores location and subscriber addressing information in the directory, the addressing information replicates to other Cisco Unity servers on the network.

R

 
remote address

S

 
schema
Defines the structure of a database, including classes of data objects and the type of information that each data object can contain.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. An industry-standard Internet protocol providing e-mail services. It is a TCP/IP protocol that defines the message format and method for sending messages from one host to another. SMTP was originally designed only for ASCII text, but MIME and other encoding methods enable program and multimedia files to be attached to e-mail messages. Most e-mail systems that send mail over the Internet use SMTP to send messages from one server to another.
SMTP Networking
A Cisco Unity networking option. Allows messaging among Cisco Unity servers that access separate subscriber directories (that is, the Cisco Unity servers are in different Active Directory forests or different Exchange 5.5 organizations). Messages are exchanged by using SMTP over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. Subscriber accounts created for use with SMTP Networking are called Internet subscriber accounts.

T

 
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A communications protocol developed to network dissimilar systems. This is an Internet protocol that has become the global standard for communications. Whereas the IP protocol deals only with packets, TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of data and also guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they were sent. Every client and server in a TCP/IP network requires an IP address that is either permanently assigned or dynamically assigned at startup.
transport event sink
A transport event sink is code that is activated through a defined trigger, such as the receipt of a new message. When the Voice Connector is installed, it registers a transport event sink with the Windows 2000 SMTP server. Transport events occur when messages flow through the SMTP core transport system.
The transport event sink is registered by the Voice Connector and monitors all incoming messages. Messages that have the content type Multipart/Voice-Message and that are addressed to the SMTP domain defined during the Voice Connector installation are readdressed to the Voice Connector by the transport event sink. The transport event sink ensures that incoming VPIM messages are routed to the Voice Connector for processing.

U

 
UAmis mailbox
Outgoing AMIS messages are placed in a special Exchange mailbox that has the display name UAmis_<Server name>. The AMIS schedule and AMIS delivery options in the Cisco Unity Administrator allow you to control when outgoing AMIS messages will be sent.
UOmni mailbox
Administrative messages from the Bridge to create, modify, or delete Bridge subscribers are placed in a special Exchange mailbox that has the display name UOmni_<Servername>. The Bridge Connector (a Cisco Unity component that runs as a Windows 2000 service called CsBridgeConnector) monitors the UOmni mailbox. When it receives a message, it parses the data and sends a request to the Cisco Unity database component to make the necessary change (creation, modification, or deletion) to the Bridge subscriber account.

V

 
Voice Connector
Formerly known as "Internet Voice Connector," "IVC," or "Voice Gateway." The Cisco Unity Voice Connector for Exchange is a Cisco Unity networking component that enables messaging between Cisco Unity servers that access separate directories, and between Cisco Unity servers and other voice messaging systems. The Voice Connector registers with Exchange to handle certain message address types (AMIS, OMNI, VOICE, and VPIM). The Voice Connector takes different actions depending on the address type. For example, with the VPIM address type, the Voice Connector encodes the message according to the VPIM specification and adjusts the "To" and "From" addresses. There are separate Voice Connectors for Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2000. The Voice Connector for Exchange 2000 also works with Exchange 2003; there is not a separate Voice Connector for Exchange 2003.
VPIM
Voice Profile for Internet Messaging. An industry-standard Internet messaging protocol to allow disparate voice messaging systems to exchange voice messages over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. VPIM is based on the SMTP and MIME protocols.
VPIM Networking
A Cisco Unity networking option. Allows messaging between Cisco Unity and other voice messaging systems that support the Voice Profile for Internet Messaging (VPIM) version 2 protocol. Messages are exchanged by using SMTP over the Internet or any TCP/IP network. Cisco Unity and the other voice messaging systems maintain separate voice mail directories with no directory synchronization.
VPIM subscriber
VPIM subscribers are a representation in Cisco Unity of subscribers on a remote voice messaging system. VPIM subscribers are represented as contacts in Active Directory. Cisco Unity subscribers address messages to VPIM subscribers just like they do to regular subscribers, but the messages are sent via VPIM to the applicable mailbox on the remote voice messaging system. VPIM subscribers can be included in Cisco Unity public distribution lists, and outside callers can leave them messages (if they are listed in the Cisco Unity phone directory).