Introduction to Unified Messaging:

The Unified Messaging feature of Cisco Unity Connection provides a single storage for different types of messages, such as voicemails and emails that are accessible from a variety of devices. For example, a user can access a voicemail either from the email inbox using computer speakers or directly from the phone interface.

Configuring Unified Messaging:

Cisco Unity Connection can be integrated with Microsoft Exchange 2016, 2013, 2010, Office 365, and Cisco Unified Meeting Place to deploy the unified messaging feature.

Prerequisites for Configuring Unified Messaging:

Following prerequisites should be met before configuring unified messaging with any supported mail servers:

• Ensure that you have sufficient licenses for the voicemail users:
  • Navigate to Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand System Settings and select Licenses.
  • On the Licenses page, in the License Usage section, check Total number of Voicemail Users.

• If Unity Connection is integrated with an LDAP directory: Navigate to Cisco Unity Connection Administration and verify the following:
  • Expand System Settings and select LDAP Directory Configuration. Select the applicable LDAP directory configuration. On the LDAP Directory Configuration page, make sure the Mail ID field in Cisco Unified Communications Manager User Fields is synchronized with the mail in LDAP Attribute.

This causes values in the LDAP mail field to appear in the Corporate Email Address field of the LDAP imported user.

• Expand Users and select Users. Select the applicable user. On the Edit User Basics page, enter the Corporate Email Address.  If user is imported from LDAP, then this field will be auto filled.

• Select Edit on the user page and then select Unified Messaging Account. On the Unified Messaging Account page of the user, make sure value in the Corporate Email Address field is specified and selected.

• Select Edit on the user page and then select Unified Messaging Account. On the Unified Messaging Account page of the user, make sure value in the Corporate Email Address field is specified and selected.

Tasks for Configuring Unified Messaging:

Configuring Unified Messaging in Active Directory:

Unity Connection accesses Exchange or Office 365 mailboxes using an Active Directory account called the unified messaging services account. After you create the account, you grant it the rights necessary for Unity Connection to perform operations on behalf of the user.

Note the following points while configuring Unified Messaging in active directory:

• Give the account a name that identifies it as the unified messaging services account for Unity Connection.
• Do not create a mailbox for the domain user account. If you create a mailbox for the account, unified messaging does not function properly.
• Do not add the account to any administrator group.
• Do not disable the account or Unity Connection cannot use it to access Exchange or Office 365 mailboxes.
• Specify a password that satisfies the password-security requirements of your company.
• When you are configuring unified messaging for a cluster, Unity Connection automatically uses the same unified messaging services account for both Unity Connection servers.
• When you are configuring unified messaging for intersite networking or for intrasite networking, you can use the same unified messaging services account for more than one Unity Connection servers. However, this is not a requirement and does not affect functionality or performance.

Assigning Application Impersonation Role for Office 365:

1. To configure impersonation in Office 365, you must run a Windows PowerShell script.
2. You must have the permission to run the New-ManagementRoleAssignment cmdlet. By default, the administrators have this permission.

Use “New-ManagementRoleAssignment” Exchange Management Shell cmdlet to grant the service account permission to impersonate all the users in the organization.

new-ManagementRoleAssignment -<Name>:RoleName -<Role>:ApplicationImpersonation -<User>:Account

• If you created more than one unified messaging services account, repeat Step 2 for the remaining accounts. Specify a different value for RoleName for each unified messaging services account.

 

Creating Unified Messaging Services in Unity Connection:

If you are configuring Unity Connection to communicate with individual mail servers, you need to configure unified messaging services for each mail server.

• In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Unified Messaging and select Unified Messaging Services.
• On the Search Unified Messaging Services page, select Add New to create a new unified messaging service. You may also select an already created unified messaging services and modify its settings. The New Unified Messaging Services page or Edit Unified Messaging services page appears.

• Enter the values of the required fields to configure unified messaging services and select Save & Test.
  • Type: Office 365Display Name: One BoxWeb Based Authentication Mode: BasicActive Directory DNS Domain Name: 52.96.43.162 (Office 365) (this can be different for you as Office 365 has many external IP address)Account Used to Access Exchange: Enter Username and password created for UM service account.Service Capabilities: Tick on required fields as required.
  • Click Save and then do a test to confirm configuration.

Unified Messaging Account for Users:

Settings Configured on Unity Connection Users:

• In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Class of Service and select Class of Service. On the Search Class of Service page, select the class of service assigned to users in which you want to configure unified messaging.
• On the Edit Class of Service page, in the Licensed Features section, check the Allow Users to Access Voicemail Using an IMAP Client and/ or Single Inbox check box.
• If you want to permanently delete the messages from Web Inbox, check the Delete Messages Without Saving to Deleted Items Folder check box in the Message Options section.
• Select Save.

Creating Unified Messaging Accounts for Users:

• In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Users and select Users. On the Search Users page, select Add New to create a new user or select an applicable user for which you want to create a unified messaging account.
• Configure unified messaging account after selecting user to be modified.
  • In the Edit menu, select Unified Messaging Accounts.
  • On the Unified Messaging Accounts page, select Add New.
  • On the New Unified Messaging Accounts page, enter the values of the required fields and select Save.

• To check the configuration for the user, select Test. The Task Execution Results window appears with the test results.

• If any part of the test fails, verify the configuration for the mail server, Active Directory, Unity Connection, and the Unity Connection user.

More onto how to troubleshoot Unified Messaging to follow!!! Please drop a note or comment if you want to hear about it or for any specific issue that you are facing!!!