2 Unity Cluster 1 Exchange 2

[Wavesg]

Here is my Scenario:

I have site A with a callmanager cluster 4.1.3 and Unity 4.2.1 currently up and running.
Now I have site B with a callmanager Cluster also running 4.1.3. I want to install a Unity 5.0 to connect to the same Exchange cluster as the active site in this case site A.

1.Can I have both Unity connect to the same exchange cluster.
2.Can I have the same accounts in both Unity dataBase.


Site B is our DR site, so I'm trying to keep have another Unity Box there with the user accounts so they can receive messages from that server in outlook. This is in case site A is completely down.

Any thoughts?

Stay cool; it’s not over yet!

 

[whykap]

You need Unity failover. Two servers, one primary one failover in case of DR. Otherwise you got two unity servers that have entirely different database and unaware of each other.

 

[Wavesg]

That's how I want to keep it. I just want to know if I can the Unity @ the DR site have the same database information as the active servers. Will I have any issue forwarding messages to exchange. I have a different callmanager cluster @ the DR.

Stay cool; it’s not over yet!

 

[pndscm]

What's your bandwidth between the sites?

 

[HmmG3]

While you can have multiple Unity setups running in the same domain, they do see each other. This means you can't have two sets of Unity servers share the same mailbox on a Message Store. Once you create an account on one Unity, the other will see it and not allow you to setup another voice mailbox with the same Exchange alias.

The failover server is a good idea, but Cisco recommends keeping them next to each other. They aren't like the CallManagers where two servers in a cluster can operate independently from each other during an outage. The Unity failover is meant to only process calls if the Primary is completely down. It basically covers you if you have a server outage/glitch, but not site outage. That's why we have our Unity servers next to our primary PSTN gateways and at least one CallManager server. If the site becomes isolated, our numbers still get processed by the CallManager and sent to voice mail if necessary. Dual access layer switches and dual NICs in the servers make for a good redundant system.

 

[whykap]

HmmG3 is correct. One thing however. You can have two failover unity servers at different sites. It requires 100meg connection between them and something like 80ms ping times between them (consistently).
Wavesg I am not sure what you are trying to achieve by having two independant unity servers have the same db and run simultanueously.
This design will not work as it is not supported or even a valid design.
That is why I suggested failover. Otherwise they need to be separate independand servers with their own AD accounts and databases.
You can network them together so they are able to talk to each other but the db still needs to be different. That means different AD accounts, server names, and users.

 

[Wavesg]

Thanks Guys

Stay cool; it’s not over yet!