Voicemail Pro and centralized voicemail

[GOBrien-IWS]

We ran into an issue yesterday where there was a complete power outage at our main location

We have 6 IPOs all v11, SCN with Voicemail Pro. Out main location has VM Pro chosen as the voicemail type, and centralized voicemail as the type for all other locations, pointing at the main.

when the power went out at the main location, all the SCN'd IPOs could not talk to the main one, therefore no calls got answered. Is there any way for the other IPO's to continue to talk to VMPro in this situation?

 

[snowman50]

Well now if you have a complete power outage at the main site how do you expect the voicemail pro to work.

If the ipo is down and the Vmpro is on the same power supply surely it’s down also.

Put the Ipo and vmpro on a UPS battery standby power to keep it working and the voicemail will work.

But without power it won’t.

What about the computers were they out as well or did they have a UPS backup power supply.

If all calls are coming in on the main site they won’t get to the vmpro either if the ipo is down

 

[GOBrien-IWS]

Sorry for got to mention that the VM pro system is in a data center and was alive the entire time.

The IPO does sit on a UPS, but that eventually dies.

Each IPO site has SIP trunks which I can forward to any other location. Those inbound call routes are looking for a VM Pro module.

 

[budbyrd]

Always make sure to have a fallback in you ICRs. It is a good idea for a situation like this. It insures the calls go some where when there is a VM Pro failure.

Dermis and feline can be divorced by manifold methods.*
*(Disclaimer for all advise given)--'Version Dependent'

 

[Ekster]

"Sorry for got to mention that the VM pro system is in a data centre and was alive the entire time."

The remote systems connect to the VM Pro over the SCN lines. If the Main IP Office is down so will the SCN lines = no Voicemail

Always make sure you have the fallback extension set in the I/C Call routes in case VM Pro is down

You might want to look at setting up a Backup VM server too

 

[GOBrien-IWS]

I'm thinking the quick solution is to throw an IPO in the data center and create an SCN line to it - set that as the main system with the connection to the VMPro. That IPO wouldn't have any extensions or users - simply the connection to VMPro.

Does anyone see a reason why this wouldn't work?

 

[budbyrd]

You would need to move the license to the data center IPO. But that would work. It would also maintain the SCN during a power outage.

Dermis and feline can be divorced by manifold methods.*
*(Disclaimer for all advise given)--'Version Dependent'

 

[Ekster]

Use Distributed Voicemail servers:

https://ipofficekb.avaya.com/busine...oicemailpro/distributed_voicemail_servers.htm

And change your SCN to "Mesh"

 

[sizbut]

If the voicemail server is still live and reachable, another IP Office can take control of it. Unfortunately needs that other system to also be licensed for VMPro.

https://ipofficekb.avaya.com/businesspartner/ipoffice/mergedProjects/voicemailpro/fallback_mode.htm

Stuck in a never ending cycle of file copying.

 

[GOBrien-IWS]

@budbyrd - I'm thinking of a whole new unit with just the preferred edition lic. I wouldn't need any voice networking licenses because no outbound calls are being made - did I get that right?

@Ekster - I though about that as well. I this case I would basically have to duplicate all the modules if I want to use distributed vm right?

@sizbut - I thought about doing that (All systems have preferred edition) but I was afraid it would somehow screw up the config. So it's as simple as setting one of the systems that's still alive to Voicemail Pro as the type, then putting in the IP address - then on all the SCN's choose the SCN line that points to the new voicemail pro IPO?

 

[sizbut]

Meanwhile, there is a little behaviour where if you route calls to a module, if the system can't get an answer from voicemail it will look for a hunt group called by the same name as the module [Folks, correct me if needed as I don't think its officially documented so working from dodgy memory]. Might be useful to provide a local fallback to a receptionist or similar.

Stuck in a never ending cycle of file copying.

 

[GOBrien-IWS]

@sizbit - yes I think that works, where if you have a huntgroup by the same name, it will ring that group. There's also fallback extensions.

There's also SCN resiliency, which I'm starting to research. Theoretically I could have another SCN'd IPO backup my voicemail....

Now here's the next problem from yesterday (which I'll raise in another topic) Almost all the call center agents use Equinox / Workplace - How do you get them to talk to another IPO without setting up all new extensions, etc... Maybe if the system considers those extensions as IP phones, the resiliency will work on them too. Next question is the licensing for it.... smh.