The Avaya IP Office platform is the ultimate in converged voice and data technology. IP Office brings a combination of voice and data applications formerly reserved for only the largest corporations. Cutting edge customer service with easy to use tools is now available to the smallest of businesses.
Centralized Voicemail Pro
The Voicemail Pro server on a central IP Office system can be used to provide voicemail services for another remote IP Office system. This is called Centralized Voicemail Pro.
Centralized Voicemail Pro requires the IP Office systems to be linked by an IP Office Small Community Network (SCN). Details of creating the necessary VoIP lines and SCN are not covered here.
Planning Requirements
The following factors must be remembered during planning of the centralized Voicemail Pro system:
The Voicemail Server PC is attached to the central system.
A Feature key and Voicemail Pro license key are required for the central system hosting the Voicemail Pro.
Small Community Networking is required between the central system and remote systems. This document assumes that this has already been setup and tested.
On networked IP Office systems it is possible for centralized voicemail to appear operational without Small Community Networking. However this operation tends to be unpredictable and so we only support centralized Voicemail Pro when using Small Community Networking.
VCM modules or VoIP channels are required in the remote and central systems.
The extension and group numbering on all systems must be unique.
he extension and group names on all systems must be unique.
We also recommend that all names and numbers (groups, line, services, etc) on the separate IP Office systems are kept as unique as possible. This will reduce potential maintenance confusion.
Restrictions
The number of simultaneous voicemail users is restricted by the Voicemail Pro license on the central system, up to the maximum number of data channels for voicemail supported by the central system’s control unit.
For extensions on the remote system, access is also restricted by the number of available VoIP and VCM channels on that system.
Though technically possible, centralized voicemail is not recommended or supported for Voicemail Lite or Integrated Voicemail.
Supported Remote IP Office Voicemail Features:
Not all Voicemail Pro features are available on the remote IP Office systems, for example hunt group queuing messages are not supported. Currently, the only features supported for remote sites are:
Automated Attendant.
Call Answer (Voice Messaging, ie. basic mailbox operation).
Call Recording.
Dial by Name Directory.
Licensing
The most commonly seen problem in Centralized Voicemail Pro is misunderstanding of the licensing requirements.
The voicemail licenses are entered on the central IP Office and validated against its Feature Key.
The remote IP Office systems do not need any voicemail licenses.
By default each IP Office uses a broadcast address to locate a Feature Key Server PC and validate its licenses.
Once a Feature Key Server has validated licenses with one IP Office it will not do validation for another IP Office unless rebooted.
Given the above, we strongly recommend that in any multiple IP Office network, the License Server IP Address (System form | System tab) on each IP Office is set to the specific address of its Feature Key server or balnk if using a serial port Feature Key. If a remote IP Office does not have a Feature Key Server (because it isn’t using any licenses) enter 0.0.0.0.
It is important to note also that the Voicemail Pro server will operate for 2 hours without license validation. This can cause Voicemail Pro and centralized Voicemail Pro to appear operational following installation and to then stop.
Additional Notes
By default each IP Office is set to use a broadcast IP address to locate a voicemail server. Due to this is can appear that centralized voicemail is operating before the remote system is set to the Voicemail Type of Line.
Leaving the system’s in this arrangement rather than setting the remote system’s Voicemail Type toLine can cause problems and is not supported.
