Unified Messaging Troubleshooting

Presented below is the recommended approach for assisting users and technicians when the following problem is reported with their MERLIN Messaging 3.0 or PARTNER Messaging 6.0 system.



ôWe Installed the UMA (Unified Messaging Application) and messages are not being unified or synchronized!ö



The trouble shooting strategy is to check the status and operation of UMA. This can be most easily done by directing the tech/user to find the UMA log file on the PC where UMA is running and review the entries in a copy of that file. If the file is not present, then the UMA and/or the UMA user account were incorrectly installed. If the file is present, then its content will indicate what the UMA is doing.



Presented below is the general trouble shooting procedure (Section A). The steps for verifying UMA installation and mailbox unification for SMTP or Exchange servers are presented in Sections B and C, respectively. In most cases, if the tech/user does not have administrator access to the domain controller and the PC(s) running UMA and the Exchange server (if synchronizing), they will have to consult with the userÆs network or Exchange administrator.

A. TROUBLE SHOOTING PROCEDURE



1. Have tech/user access the umslog.csv file on the PC and directory where UMA is installed (note: default location is - c:\program files\unified messaging).



Recommendation: Be sure to have tech make a copy of the umslog.csv file and open only the copy, otherwise, logging by UMA will stop and valuable trouble shooting info could be lost!



2. If umslog.csv does NOT exist û then it is likely that the UMA service is not running or the UMA installation was unsuccessful.



Check to see if UMA service is running (see step B 2 û action a, below),



If the UMA service is running, then check the UMA installation, specifically, verify that the UMA user account is set as a domain user and that the account has local administrator privileges on the PC where UMA running. See the verification procedures below, depending on whether the user is unifying with an SMTP server (Section B) or Exchange Server (Section C).



3. If umslog.csv does exist û then have the tech/user open the copy of umslog.csv and check the date and time of the most recent entries in the file.



If date and time are aged (e.g., days, hours or many minutes old) have the tech leave a voice mail message for a unified voice mailbox and wait a few minutes to allow UMA to send the message. Have the tech/user again make a copy of umslog.csv and check for recent entries in the file copy for any activity involving that mailbox. If no new entries are present in the umslog.csv, then the UMA service may not running.



Check if UMA service is running (see step B 2 ûaction a., below)



4. If umslog.csv entries are current û then check for the presence of ôerrorsö or indicators that ômailboxes canÆt be accessedö or ômessages not foundö. This signifies that synchronization is being attempted with MS Exchange. For SMTP unification û look for an indication that message(s) were sent. If the message(s) were successfully sent, then you should check to see if the server and/or email name for the unified mailboxes (see step B 2 û action 5 & 6) were correctly entered. If synchronizing with Exchange and errors, or descriptors relating to mailboxes or messages are present; then this is indicative that:



THE EMAIL ACCOUNT MAY NOT BE ON THAT EXCHANGE SERVER and/or

EMAIL MESSAGES ARE NOT BEING STORED ON THAT EXCHANGE SERVER (e.g., they are being maintained on the userÆs PC).



Have the tech or user consult with their Exchange Administrator to check the Exchange configuration being used.



THE EXCHANGE SERVER THAT UMA IS COMMUNICATING WITH MUST CONTAIN THE USERÆS EMAIL ACCOUNT. THE USERÆS EMAIL MESSAGES MUST ALSO BE STORED ON THAT SERVER FOR SYNCHRONIZATION TO OCCUR.



If there are other types of errors not related to finding mailboxes or messages present, have the tech/user send you a copy of the umslog.csv and escalate the case with a copy of the log to Tier 4 (Bill Zide û 732 852-1947).



B. VERIFYING SMTP BASED UNIFICATION



1. Confirm Messaging System is Accessible via the LAN



a. Action: Have tech/user ôpingö the Messaging SystemÆs fixed IP address

Response: Positive reply

Conclusion: There is a device on network using the assigned IP address. If no response, check fixed IP address assignment in the Messaging system and confirm correct entry.



b. Action: Have tech/user login to the Messaging system using the System Administration Tool (GUI)

Response: Able to communicate with messaging system

Conclusion: Systems are communicating via LAN. If not, have tech/user check entry of correct IP address for messaging system.



2. Confirm UMA has been successfully installed



a. Action: Check that UMA Service is running

How: (depends on Operating System) Open Service Control Manager (SCM) and look for Unified Messaging Application and Unified Messaging Application SMTP entries

Conclusion: If present they should have a status of started. If not present, then UMA installation is incorrect (uninstall and reinstall). If present but status is stopped or disabled û attempt to restart the service (see page 25 û UMA Installation & Configuration Guide û email attachment 3). If does not restart, then UMA user account may not have correct local admin privileges.



b. Action: Check UMA User Account has local Administration Privileges on PC running UMA

How: (depends on operating system) û See Step 2 in the Installation & Configuration Guide for Assigning Local Administrator Privileges to the Unified Messaging Application Account û email attachment 3.

Conclusion: If permissions are correct, UMA is able to write to the cmslog.csv file and make registry updates. If no permissions set, tech/user should remove UMA application and follow the installation instructions, i.e., first creating UMA user account with admin privileges.



c. Action: Check that UMA & System Administration Tool (GUI) can communicate

How: Button for ôUnified Messagingö appears on GUI main Menu

Conclusion: GUI communicating with UMA, if button present. If button not present, then incorrect or no IP address for UMA was entered in the messaging system. Enter the correct UMA IP Address using the GUI or serial interface to the messaging system. Note: This is the IP address of the PC running the UMA.



d. Action: Check that unified Email is being sent

How: Access copy of umslog.csv - verify there are no errors and entries show that email is being sent.

Conclusion: Email is being forwarded by UMA. If no entries that email is being sent are present, then check that the voice mailbox has been marked for unification in GUI. If email is being forwarded, then the SMTP server name or the email account name may be incorrect.



e. Action: Check that SMTP Mail Server Name is correct

How: Access the GUI server definition window and confirm correct server name has been entered.

Conclusion: If name is correct, Unified Messages are being sent to correct server. If name is incorrect, use GUI to delete and add correct server name.



f. Action: Check that the email account name for the unified mailbox is correct.

How: Access the e-mail account designated to receive undelivered SMTP forwarded e-mail messages

Conclusion: If returned email messages present, then SMTP server could not find that server or user û check that correct server name and/or email address is entered in GUI for that unified voice mail box.



C. VERIFYING EXCHANGE BASED UNIFICATION (SYNCHRONIZATION)



1. Confirm Messaging System is Accessible via the LAN



See B û 1, above.



2. Confirm UMA has been successfully installed

a. Action: Check that the UMA Service is running



See B û 2 û a, above.



b. Action: Check that the UMA account name exists on the Domain Controller

How: (depends on the operating system) See Step 1 in the UMA Installation & Configuration Guide (email attachment 3) for creating the UMA account on the Domain controller.

Conclusion: If the UMA account is listed in the group and the appropriate permissions are checked, then UMA can communicate with the Exchange Server. If the UMA account name is not present or the permissions incorrect, set the permissions per the installation guide (email attachment 3), uninstall and reinstall the UMA, but only after performing the next action.



c. Action. Confirm the UMA User Account has local Administration Privileges on PC/Server running UMA

How: (depends on operating system) û See Step 2 for Assigning Local Administrator Privileges to the Unified Messaging Application Account in the Installation & Configuration Guide (email attachment 3).

Conclusion: If permissions are correct, UMA is able to write to Log and make registry updates. If no permissions set, tech/user should remove UMA application and follow the installation instructions, i.e., first creating UMA user account with admin privileges.



d. Action: Confirm UMA Account has Exchange Access Privileges

How: (depends on operating system) See Step 3 in the Installation & Configuration Guide for Exchange 2000 or Exchange 5.5 Server. If multiple Exchange servers are involved, you will need to confirm the account privileges on each Exchange server.

Conclusion: If the account is present and the permissions are correct, UMA is able to update the unified messages in the user email accounts on that exchange server. If the account is not present or the permissions not set, set the permissions per the installation guide, uninstall and reinstall the UMA.



e. Action: Check that the Exchange server name correctly appears in UMA.

How: Access the GUI server definition window and confirm correct server name has been entered.

Conclusion: If correct Exchange server name appears or can be selected from the list, then UMA has exchange access permissions. If the Exchange server name does not appear or is incorrect, it must be added or corrected using the GUI.



f. Action: Check that voice mailboxes have been marked for unification

How: Access the GUI and confirm that the mailboxes to be unified have the unification boxes checked.

Conclusion: If the mailboxes are marked for unification, then UMA will attempt to synchronize with the email box on the Exchange Server. If the mailboxes are not marked for unification, UMA will not synchronize the mailbox.



g. Action: Check that correct Email Account name is being used, the Email account resides on the target Exchange server and that email messages for that account are stored on the Exchange Server.

How: Access the GUI and confirm that the Email account name has been entered correctly for voice mailbox being unified. Consult with Exchange Administrator to confirm the actual Exchange server where email account exists and that email messages are being stored on that exchange server.

Conclusion: If the Email account is correct, UMA is attempting to synchronize with the email and voice mail accounts. If not, correct the email account name entry. If the Exchange server that UMA is synchronizing with does not contain the email account or email messages are not stored on that server, synchronization will fail.