Voicemail Pro Not Operational (and you are running MS DNS) 6

[waldrondigital]

Got a call from one of my offices today. After running VM Pro on their Windows domain controller fine for 6 months, VM Pro decided to stop communicating with the IPO. It looked like everything was fine, but obviously there was no communication between the IPO and VMPRO. This is because MS DNS decided to eat the ports needed by the VM PRO to communicate with the IPO (UDP 50791-50801)...

If you experience Voicemail Pro Not Operational, but it seems fine... and you get this:

In Monitor:

3233269mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: TimerExpired cause=CMTCNoAnswerTimeout
3233269mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: Retarget NOANSWER EXCEPTED=00000001 ValidTargets=1
3233269mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: Retarget on target_cfg_user=SMConference
3233269mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: ADD USER: SMConference depth=1 disallow_cw=0 dnd=0 real_call=1 group_call=0 type(CMNTypeUnknown) incl(0x1) excpt(0x1), allow_redir(1) remote=00000000
3233270mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: SELECT: TRY VOICEMAIL orig_hg() orig_user(8509)
3233270mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: ADD VM TARGET
3233270mS CMTARGET: Voicemail Pro not operational
3233270mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: ADD VM TARGET: FAILED availability=0
3233271mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: VM targeting failed. Remaining on final target SMConference
3233271mS CMTARGET: 5.20.1 27 Q931 Trunk:5 CHAN=1: GetNoAnswerTimer:22

Microsoft DNS will fight for ephemeral IP ports with DNS. One way to test this is to shutdown the MS DNS server, restart VM Pro and then restart MS DNS. If THEN your server is working you need to reserve the IP office ports so Microsoft DNS can't grab them:

Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters

On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Multi-string Value. There may be an entry already there, just modify it.

Right-click the new value, click Rename, type ReservedPorts, and then press ENTER.

Double-click the ReservedPorts value, type the range of ports that you want to reserve, and then click OK.

Add 50790-50801

Click OK.

Quit Registry Editor.

Restart your voicemail pro system (full reboot)... now your MS DNS will not try to grab ports that VM PRO needs to operate.

Seen this issue before with other stuff, but never VM PRO.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

whaooo...

I made it on the front page of the MVP list


MVPs
PHV
lbass
amriddle01
SkipVought
dhookom
tsuji
vacunita
hairlessupportmonkey
r937
jpadie

 

[amriddle01]

You were on there last week too, when I was top dude

ACSS (SME)
APSS (SME)

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[amriddle01]

While still banned oddly enough

ACSS (SME)
APSS (SME)

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

i know!

 

[latitude12]

I gave the OP a star for this. Windows is a multi-tasking OS, to suggest that you shouldn't run multiple apps on one box seems to defeat the purpose somewhat (although I would draw the line at using a DC for Avaya software).

 

[tlpeter]

I was talking about all kind of apps and then i means dozens of apps.
A domain controller should be left alone.
It is too critical if that stops working well.
I agree that a server should be able to handle multiple apps but there is always a limit and you should know which work with each other.


Homo sapiens non urinat in ventum

honey, i fried the IP Office !!!

Sarcasm, it's only one of the services I offer.

 

[waldrondigital]

I will preface this with: I'm an IT engineer and architect first and a phone guy second (or forth). I've worked with Microsoft architecture way back to NT 3.5 and Windows 3.1... so while you may really know IPO (which all of you in here do), my core expertise is Windows networking. I also do some Linux, Mac and lots of VMware.

---

Re: Windows Domain Controllers

Even Microsoft says you shouldn't run Exchange on a DC, yet they make SBS where the Exchange server RUNS on a DC. The fix above actually came from a fix that I found for Blackberry BES Express (it too will fight for ports with MS DNS).. Not all small businesses want to have a rack full of servers (as well as the power, cooling and space requirements) just to run a mail server... taken to it's furthest extrapolation based on your responses: to be FULLY compliant, to run an Exchange server with BES, a company would need:

Option 1:
Server 1: DC
Server 2: Exchange
Server 3: Blackberry BES
Windows server licenses x 3
3 separate machines
1 large UPS to handle all this

Option 2:
One very powerful/large server
VMware with 3 virtual machines
Windows server licenses x 3
large UPS

Forget for a minute this is a domain controller. Let's pretend that I JUST had Microsoft DNS server running... I would have the exact same issue. So this whole "DC" conversation has really NOTHING to do with the actual problem. If my fix addressed just DNS and I had not referenced a domain controller, would you tell me that I should not run ANYTHING on the system with VM Pro?

While I fully understand it is a recommended practice to have VM Pro completely isolated from other services, systems... I'm completely comfortable with my VM Pro running on a remote DC (the only server in this office). There's not a whole lot going on with that system (DC, file sharing, small CRM db). For the record, I actually moved this system originally from a dedicated box to where it is now, "the dreaded DC".

Besides the 30 minutes the system was down while I implemented this fix, I suspect that my configuration will continue working well now and into the future.

Honestly I was just trying to help someone out there who may have the same issue with MS DNS and VM Pro... amriddle and tlpeter have been VERY helpful in the past and I was really trying to just give a little back. So much for that - I will think twice next time!

YMMV

 

[tlpeter]

It was not an attack at all
I really do like it when someone gives a solution to these kind of problems.

The discussion just moved a bit to the DC.

Homo sapiens non urinat in ventum

honey, i fried the IP Office !!!

Sarcasm, it's only one of the services I offer.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I appreciated the post. I suggest you write it up as an FAQ so I can find it when some of my sites go tits up for this reason ;-)

 

[latitude12]

@waldrondigital - don't take it personally, there are at least two of us here who appreciate the post. It is good to hear from someone who doesn't follow the 'Avaya rules' re Windows machines (i.e. no multiple apps, no firewall/AV, no Windows updates).

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Avaya rules were written by Hitler himself.

 

[waldrondigital]

@hsm
I guess that would make CarGoSki Minister of Propaganda. He added nothing to this conversation except lame ideas and stupid attacks ("read the manual!?"). Maybe I should start a thread: "$200 Voicemail Pro system, good idea?"

I dare not write a FAQ, as this is NOT AVAYA CERTIFIED! Maybe the Avaya unsupported-configuration Gustapo will come and tear out my toenails.

You know you are supposed to run VM Pro on a separate system in a separate room, possibly in a separate dimension. My next VM pro install I will shoot up on a rocket to rotate above the earth enclosed in a satellite. This way there will never be any "conflicts" and it will be 100% STAND-ALONE!

Cheers!

 

[intrigrant]

Gents, face it : the future of server parks is virtualization.
So one bog powerfull server with multiple virtual servers is quite common nowadays and i like it.
It is good for the environment, good for maintenance and flexible.
If you have such a server then just add a small virtual server for VM Pro, nothing wrong with that.
Running VM pro on a domain controller isn't really a bad idea, just the way MS Domain controllers work have some bad ideas.
I think the initial post is VERY helpfull for now and in the future, bookmark it, you may need it someday. BTW, i gave the first star recognizing good info.

 

[Archangel58]

waldrondigital, there are many of us on this site who are "forced" at times to go the unconventional route by our clients and who appreciate the advice from the pioneers who went before us into the unknown.

Thanks for the freely offered info.

 

[waldrondigital]

@intrigrant - yes!

You really want separation of church and state, take a big server and baremetal virtualize it using VMware. All for the cost of a Windows (pick a flavor for VM Pro) license. You could build a VMWare VM, convert to an appliance and dupe it out.

You get server-grade redundancy
You only need one 24/7 warranty
You need less power
You need less space
Less equipment means less to break

Then load on your VMPro VM and your DC VM.. voila!

I opted for this fashion at our other location, where I have spare ESXi systems laying around. I works GREAT!

I think this is better than a crappy PC with no redundancy running your voicemail, Avaya services. Even though it is a single point of failure. HOWEVER - It's not complicated to backup a VM and simply activate it elsewhere should your "big" server break or should you need to do maintenance.

Best of all - it's free (ESXi)!

 

[CarGoSki]

I suppose that if I am the minister of propaganda then you are the prince of over exaggeration. I never said "read the manual" and I said that a box for vmpro can be obtained for as low as 200$. Not that all computers are equal and can be purchased for 200 dollars. Especially yours with the raid drives and duplicate power supplies. But of course you know all of this and still think I said something different.

Seriously. Its your customer not mine so the only important advice for them is yours. And the info you provided is good stuff so walk away happy.


Use system monitor unless of course you are a Tard then it IS the fault of the pbx.

 

[CarGoSki]

P.S. I encourage you to write and post a faq with this information.

Use system monitor unless of course you are a Tard then it IS the fault of the pbx.

 

[tlpeter]

From Q3 6.0 a running back up vmpro server is supported.
Every change you make will be synced to the standby server.

With virtual servers there is no need to run vmpro on a DC.
I think virtual servers are great by the way.



Homo sapiens non urinat in ventum

honey, i fried the IP Office !!!

Sarcasm, it's only one of the services I offer.

 

[waldrondigital]

I posted a FAQ like you suggested.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

you looked at Xen Server from citrix?