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Cisco Unity

Cisco Unity Supported Third-party Fax Integrations

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Document ID: 4628

Updated: Apr 18, 2007

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Introduction

Cisco Unity is designed to leverage the features of Microsoft Exchange server and third-party enterprise fax messaging solutions to create a powerful universal inbox, which provides single-point access to voicemail, email, and faxmail. Subscribers are able to receive notification when a new fax arrives and request delivery of fax and email messages to a fax machine.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on the software and hardware versions below.

  • Cisco Unity 2.4.6.(x), 3.0.(x), 3.1.(x) and 4.0.(x)

  • Cisco Unity 4.0.(x) with VPIM

The information presented in this document was created from devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If you are working in a live network, ensure that you understand the potential impact of any command before using it.

Conventions

For more information on document conventions, refer to the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.

Fax Server Support Integration

Fax Server Support for Cisco Unity 2.4.6.(x), 3.0.(x), 3.1.(x) and 4.0.(x)

The following third-party fax servers installed with an Exchange gateway have been qualified for support* for use with Cisco Unity 2.4.6.(x), 3.0.(x), 3.1.(x) and 4.0.(x):

Fax Server Support for Cisco Unity 4.0.(x) with VPIM

The following fax servers installed with an Exchange gateway and using the TIFF-F file format with images encoded so that there is only one image strip per facsimile page are supported for use with Cisco Unity 4.0.(x) with VPIM:

Qualifications for Support

In order to qualify for support*, the fax server must provide three key features:

  1. There must be an Exchange gateway or connector component that facilitates communication between the fax server and Microsoft Exchange.

  2. The fax messages must arrive in the subscriber's inbox with a distinct message class, such as IPM.Note.Fax.

  3. Clients must be able to send outbound fax messages using this addressing format: [FAX:name@number].

    Note: Installing fax software on the Cisco Unity server is not supported.

Significance of Support Features for Unity

Cisco Unity doesn't interact directly with the fax server; Unity interacts with Exchange. Therefore, the fax server must also interact with Exchange by using an Exchange gateway/connector component. This is the component that directs inbound fax messages to the subscriber's inbox and directs outbound faxmail to the fax server.

When the fax gateway delivers a new fax message to a subscriber, it must arrive in the Exchange inbox with a message class that can be distinguished from a generic email message. This allows Cisco Unity to identify the message as a fax and act accordingly.

Unity's ability to deliver email and faxmail to a fax machine is dependent on the fax gateway's ability to recognize outbound messages with the [FAX:name@number] format. Cisco Unity sends the message in this format, at which point the fax server should route it to a fax port for delivery to a fax machine.

*Cisco does not provide direct support for third party products. Support in this context refers to Unity's faxmail features only.

Related Information

Updated: Apr 18, 2007
Document ID: 4628