Cisco Unity Connection

Basic Concepts and Operations guide

Prepared By: Vinoth Balaji, GDC-Bangalore

© Copyright Dimension Data 31 January 2019 1

Voice mail solutions

• Callers have the ability to leave messages to someone who is unavailable to take the
call.

• On contact center environment VM systems helps the customer to drop their

message to Agents when the agents are busy or during out of office hours

• It also have the call routing capability with the help of Call handlers/Auto
attendant

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Cisco VM solutions

Cisco offers 3 type of Voicemail solutions

 Cisco Unity Express (CUE)

• Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR) platform.
• Designed for the small and medium-sized office environment

Cisco Unity
• This product is no longer being sold and supported.

Cisco Unity connection

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Cisco Unity Connection

 It runs on the same Linux-based Cisco Unified Communications Operating

System that is used by Cisco Unified Communications Manager.
 It is virtualized, and can be run on specification-based hardware.
 Fast, Flexible User Access to Messages: User can access the voice messages
via IP phone/ Browser/IM client /Email.
 250 ports/Session per server
 20000 Voicemail box per server

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CUC Deployment models

Single-Site Deployment

• A standalone server supports as many as 20,000 voice-mail users.

• Easy deployment and only G711 codec; transcoders and traffic pattern evaluation are not necessary.

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CUC Deployment models

Centralized Multisite Deployment

• For high availability, use a Cisco Unity Connection cluster with two Cisco Unity Connection servers in
active-active mode
• Calls to CUC by branch phones use G729.
• Cisco SRSV offers voice messaging to branch IP phones during WAN failure
• Calls over WAN requires CAC and Transcoders
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CUC Deployment models

Distributed Deployment

• Each site has its own call-processing and voice-messaging system.

• Messages are sent to remote users via G729 over the WAN.
• During a WAN failure, calls are rerouted automatically over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and
voice messages are left via PSTN

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CUC & CUCM Integration

 Cisco Unified Communications Manager can be integrated with CUC via SCCP or SIP

SCCP
SIP

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP

SCCP configuration on CUCM end

 CUCM and CUC will be communicated via AXL service.

 Hence AXL web service should be active on both CUCM and CUC.
 Hence we need to create a Application user which have the AXL-API access role.
 Add the Cisco Unity Connection server as application server in CUCM via System > Application
Server.
 Add AXL server & user details in CUC

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM-VM port Wizard configuration

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- VM port Wizard
 In Cisco Unified CM
Administration, select
Advanced Features > Voice
Mail > Cisco Voice Mail Port
Wizard.
 select Create a New Cisco
Voice Mail Server and Add
Ports to It, then select Next.
 Enter the Server name. The
voice mail server name must
match the Device Name Prefix
field in Cisco Unity Connection
on the Port Group Basics page
 On the Cisco Voice Mail Ports
page, select the number of voice
mail ports that you want to add

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- VM port Wizard
 On the Cisco Voice Mail Device
Information page, enter the
voice mail device settings.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP

Configuring CUCM- VM port Wizard

 On the Cisco Voice Mail

Directory Numbers page,
enter the following voice mail
directory number settings.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP

Configuring CUCM- VM port Wizard

 Add the Directory Numbers to Line

Group

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- Hunt list
 Add the Line Group to a Hunt
List

 In Cisco Unified CM Administration,

select Call Routing > Route/Hunt
> Hunt List.

 On the Find and List Hunt Lists

page, select Add New.

 Enter the settings for the hunt list

 Under Hunt List Member

Information, select Add Line
Group.

 Save and Reset

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- Hunt Pilot
 Add the Hunt List to a Hunt
Pilot Number

 In Cisco Unified CM
Administration, select Call
Routing > Route/Hunt > Hunt
Pilot.

 On the Find and List Hunt Pilots

page, select Add New.

 Enter the settings for the hunt

pilot.

 Enter the hunt pilot number for

the voice mail ports.

 Associate the Hunt list and save.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- MWI

 Specify MWI Directory Numbers

 In Cisco Unified CM Administration,

select Advanced Features > Voice
Mail > Message Waiting.

 Select Add New and enter the

settings for turning MWIs on. Then
save the configuration.

 As same as configure MWI DN for

turning MWIs off

 The CSS assigned to the VM ports

should have the accessibility to this
partition to turn the MWI on/off as
needed.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- VM Pilot & Profile
 Add a Voice Mail Pilot Number for
the Voice Mail Ports

The extension that you dial to listen to

your voice messages. This number
must be the same as the hunt pilot
number

 In Cisco Unified CM Administration,

select Advanced Features > Voice
Mail > Voice Mail Pilot.

 Select Add New and enter the

settings

 Set Up the Voice Mail Profile

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUC- Phone System
 In Cisco Unity Connection
Administration, expand Telephony
Integrations, then select Phone
System.

 To use this phone system as the

default for TRaP connections check
the Default TRAP Switch check
box.

 Select Save.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUC:Phone System-Add AXL Servers
 On the Phone System Basics page,
in the Edit menu, select Cisco
Unified Communications Manager
AXL Servers.

 On the Edit AXL Servers page,

under AXL Servers, select Add New.

 Enter the settings for the AXL server

and select Save.

 Under AXL Server Settings Enter

the username & Password. This user
must match the user name of a
Cisco Unified CM application user
who is assigned to the “Standard
AXL API Access” role

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUC- Port group
 On the Phone System Basics page, in
the Related Links drop-down box,
select Add Port Group and select Go.

 On the New Port Group page, enter

the settings and select Save.

 Enter the prefix that Cisco Unified CM

adds to the device name for voice ports.
This prefix must match the prefix used
by Cisco Unified CM.

 Enter the IP address (or host name) of

the primary Cisco Unified CM server.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUC- Ports
 On the Port Group Basics page,
in the Related Links drop-down
box, select Add Ports and select
Go.

 On the New Port page, enter the

following settings and select Save.

 By default, the display names for

the voice messaging ports are
composed of the port group display
name followed by incrementing
numbers.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- Enabling VM on line
 Associate the VM profile on the
Line Settings.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SCCP
Configuring CUCM- Enabling VM forwarding conditions for User
 Enable Forward to voicemail on
the Line settings

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP

Call flow to CUC through SIP

1. Messages Button mapped with the VM profile

2. When the user hits the messages button, the call hits the VM pilot number
mapped in the VM profile.

3. Route pattern selected configured with the same Pilot Number

4. Call hits the CUC via the SIP trunk configured in the Route pattern

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM-SIP Trunk security Profile

 In Cisco Unified CM Administration, on

the System menu, click Security
Profile > SIP Trunk Security Profile.

 On the Find and List SIP Trunk Security

Profiles page, click Add New.

 On the SIP Trunk Security Profile

Configuration page, under SIP Trunk
Security Profile Information, enter the
Settings as shown in the Picture

 Enable check boxes to accept

requests/Messages via the SIP Trunk.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM-SIP Trunk

 On the Device menu, click Trunk

 On the Find and List Trunks page, click Add
New.
 On the Trunk Configuration page, in the
Trunk Type field, click SIP Trunk.
 In the Device Protocol field, click SIP and
click Next.
 Under Device Information, enter the settings.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM-SIP Trunk

 Enter the IP address of the Cisco Unity Connection

SIP port to which Cisco Unified CM will connect.

 Destination Port would be the default port No:5060

 Associate the SIP Trunk Security Profile & SIP

Profile

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM- Route Pattern

 On the Call Routing menu, click Route/Hunt >

Route Pattern.
 Click Add New.
 On the Route Pattern Configuration page, enter
the settings.
 Route pattern should be the voice mail pilot
number for Cisco Unity Connection.
 Map the corresponding Route List under
Gateway/Route List
 Click Save.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM- VM Pilot

 On the Voice Mail menu, click Voice Mail

Pilot.
 On the Find and List Voice Mail Pilots page,
click Add New.
 On the Voice Mail Pilot Configuration page,
enter the voice mail pilot number settings.

 The voice mail pilot number is that the users

will dial to listen to their voice messages.
This number must match the route pattern.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUCM-VM profile

 On the Voice Mail menu, click Voice

Mail Profile.

 On the Find and List Voice Mail Profiles

page, click Add New.

 On the Voice Mail Profile Configuration

page, enter the voice mail profile
settings.

 Map the Voice Mail Pilot that has been

configured earlier.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUC-Phone System

 In Cisco Unity Connection

Administration, expand Telephony
Integrations, then click Phone
System

 On the Phone System Basics page,

in the Phone System Name field,
enter the name that you want for the
phone system.

 Click Save.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUC-Port Group

 On the Phone System Basics page, in the

Related Links drop-down box, click Add
Port Group and click Go.

 On the New Port Group page, enter the

applicable settings and click Save.

 Enter the IP address (or host name) of the

primary Cisco Unified CM server that you
are integrating with Cisco Unity Connection.

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CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUC-Port Group

 On the Port Group Basics

page, in the Related Links
drop-down box, click Add
Ports and click Go.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUC-Ports

 On the New Port page, enter the

Required settings and click
Save.
 Enter the number of voice
messaging ports that you want
to create in this port group.
 Select the name of the phone
system, Port Group &Server
Name.

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 CUC & CUCM Integration via SIP
Configuring CUC-AXL Servers

 AXL servers are needed when Cisco

Unity Connection must have access
to the Cisco Unified CM database for
importing Cisco Unified CM users
and for changing certain phone
settings for users.
 On the Phone System Basics page,
on the Edit menu, click Cisco
Unified Communications Manager
AXL Servers
 On the Edit AXL Servers page, under
AXL Servers, click Add New
 Enter the settings for the AXL server
and click Save

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 CUC Administration

Call Management-Routing rules

TYPES OF CALLS:

1. Direct calls.

 when message button pressed from the phone

 When someone called the VM pilot number from the PSTN phone

Default Direct routing rule for Direct calls

Attempt Sign-In: Calls from users (identified users) are routed to the user login conversation.

Opening Greeting: Calls from unidentified callers (users without a mailbox and thus without a configured
extension) are routed to the opening greeting.

 Internal and external directed calls use the calling number for identification

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 CUC Administration

Call Management-Routing rules

2. Forwarded calls

 When an internal or external caller dials to a directory number and the call has been forwarded to Unity as per
conditional forward.

Default Forwarded routing rule for Forwarded calls

Attempt Forward: All calls that are forwarded from a Cisco Unity Connection user with a mailbox are routed to the
user greeting. The caller can leave a message.

Opening Greeting: Calls that are forwarded from an extension that is not associated with a user account are
routed to the opening greeting.

Forwarded calls use the forwarded number for identification.

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 CUC Administration

Call Management- Call Flow for Direct calls

1. Call Hits the VM pilot Number on

pressing the message button or by
dialing the pilot number directly.
2. Call received by a Voice Mail Port
and Call routed by CUC as per the
Default Call routing rules applied.
3. If voicemail retrieved by a caller
and there is no unread VMs, VM
ports send the MWI OFF
notification to CUCM.
4. CUCM turns OFF the MWI on IP
phone.

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 CUC Administration

Call Management- Call Flow for forwarded calls

1. Incoming Call hits a IP Phone.

2. Call forwarded to Voice mail On
No Answer/Busy.
3. Call Hits the VM pilot Number.
4. Call received by a Voice Mail Port
and handled by CUC.
5. Call routed by CUC as per the
Default Call routing rules applied.
6. If voicemail left by a caller, VM
ports send the MWI ON
notification to CUCM.
7. CUCM turns ON the MWI on IP
phone.

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 CUC Administration
Call Routing: Direct & Forward Routing Rules
 Direct rules handle calls from users
and unidentified callers that are dialed
directly to Unity Connection

 Forwarded rules handle calls that are

forwarded to Unity Connection from
either a user extension or from an
extension that is not associated with a
user account

 Attempt Sign-In -Calls from users are

routed to the user sign-in conversation
 Opening Greeting -Calls from
unidentified callers are routed to the
Opening Greeting.
 Attempt Forward -All calls forwarded
from a user extension are routed to the
user greeting.

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 CUC Administration

Call Routing: Direct & Forward Routing Rules

 To add a routing rule, select Add New.
 On New Routing Rule page, enter the
applicable settings and select Save.
 Add the routing rule condition,
 Edit the routing rule condition settings
and select Save.

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 CUC Administration
Call Routing: Direct Routing Rules
1 2

Ex: The calls from the extn:2002 will be routed to the System Directory handler

 Directory handlers provide directory assistance that callers can use to reach Cisco Unity Connection users with mailboxes

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 CUC Administration
Call Routing: Forward Routing Rules
1 2

Ex: The calls forwarded from the extn:2002 will be routed to the selected System Call handler

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CUC Administration

Call Handlers

 System call handler

System call handlers are used for greetings and can offer the caller different call action as per digit
selection or time of the day.

 Directory call handler

Allow callers to search for users in Cisco Unity Connection . A directory handler allows a caller to dial by
extension or by name

 Interview call handler

An interview handler asks a caller questions and records the answers.

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CUC Administration

System Call handlers

 Call Handler serves many purposes like answer the call, greet the caller, provide them information with
options, routes the call, take messages and much more.
 Call comes on the gateway ==> Call routed to CUCM ==> Call routed to CUC ==> Checks the schedule of the
call handler(holiday/working/out of business hours) ==> Take necessary actions accordingly.

 Unity Connection comes with the following predefined call handlers.

 Opening Greeting :The Opening Greeting Call Routing rule transfers all incoming calls to the
Opening Greeting call handler.
 Operator :Calls are routed to this call handler when callers press “0” or do not press any key (the
default setting).
 Goodbye :Plays a short goodbye message and then hangs up if there is no caller input.
 By default, the call handlers allows callers to press * to reach the Sign-In conversation

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CUC Administration

System Call handlers-Parameters

 Active Schedule: Defines working hours and Holidays

 Transfer rules: define where to send call[Greeting or Extension]
 Greetings
Standard - Plays when call hits during the office hours
Closed ---Plays when call hits during the out of office hours
Holiday--- plays during the holiday which was created under Active schedule.
 After greeting action:
Can send calls to some other call handler
send call to VM box
send calls to other conversation
 Caller Input

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 CUC Administration
System Call Handler- Add new
1  In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Call
Management, then select System Call Handlers.

 On the Search Call Handlers page, select Add New

 On the New Call Handler page, enter basic settings, as

applicable

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 CUC Administration
System Call Handler- Add new

 Call handler is created with the Extn:55555

 Specify the active schedule
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 CUC Administration
System Call Handler- Transfer Rule

2  On the “Edit Call Handler Basics” page , go to

“Edit” and then select “Transfer Rules”

Transfer action:

 • Greeting—When this option is selected, the

call is transferred as follows:

 • Extension or URI—Enter an extension or

URI to which the call is forwarded.

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 CUC Administration
System Call Handler- Caller input

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 CUC Administration
System Call Handler- Add new
 Call will be redirected to 3018 on
pressing 1

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CUC Administration

Add User Accounts

The following methods Can be used to create users in Unity Connection

 Creating Users Manually

 Importing Users from Cisco Unified Communications Manager

 Importing Users from LDAP Directory

 Creating Users through Bulk Administration Tool (BAT):

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 CUC Administration
Add User Accounts
1
 On the Search Users page, select
Add New. The New User page
appears
 User Type list:
• User With Mailbox
2 • User Without Mailbox

 Based on Template:
• VoiceMailUserTemplate
• AdministratorTemplate

 SMTP Address field is optional

 Enter the Extension for the user and

Save. Then the Edit User Basics page
appears.

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 CUC Administration

Voicemail user template

 User Accounts are created based on a
User template

 Settings from the template are applied

to the accounts as the accounts are
created.

 It has Predefined templates and

additional templates can be created.
• VoiceMailUserTemplate
• AdministratorTemplate

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 CUC Administration

Voicemail user template- Edit

 To edit a user template, select the user
template that you want to edit. On the
Edit User Template

 Basics page, select the applicable

settings from the Edit menu.

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 CUC Administration

Voicemail user template-Password settings

 These password settings will be

applied to all the users associated
with the corresponding user
Template

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 CUC Administration

Authentication Rule:
 This rule applies to the voicemail PIN on
the Password Settings page of each user
account
 Check for Trivial Passwords: System
Verifies the Password or PIN meets
certain criteria when the passwords or
PINs are changed.

• The digits are not all the same (for example,

9999).
• The digits are not consecutive (for example,
1234 or 4321).
• The password or PIN is not the same as the
primary extension that is assigned to the user.

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CUC Administration

Import Users
 You can use the Import Users
functionality to import existing Cisco
Unified CM users in UnityConnection.

 A Cisco Unified CM or LDAP directory

server must be integrated with Unity
Connection before importing the
users.

 Select the type of user to import in

Find users Field

 Search users by Alias/First name/Last

Name/Extension. Then Hit Import
selected

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 CUC Administration
Add User Accounts-Edit options

 Change Password

 Assigning Roles

 Set Greetings

 Add Notification devices

 Add Alternate Extensions

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 CUC Administration
User Accounts-Roles
 Unity Connection offers levels of
privileges for administrator accounts, set
according to a list of predefined roles.
Roles specify which tasks administrators
can do.

 Audio Text Administrator

 Audit Administrator
 Greeting Administrator
 Help Desk Administrator
 Mailbox Access Delegate Account
 Remote Administrator
 System Administrator
 Technician
 User Administrator

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 CUC Administration

Voicemail Access Methods

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 CUC Administration
Voicemail Web access-Inbox
URL: https://x.x.x.x/inbox/

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 CUC Administration
Voicemail Web Access-PCA

URL: https://x.x.x.x/ciscopca/

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Cisco Unity Connection

Other FEATURES

 Speech connect
 The Speech Connect feature provides a speech-enabled enhancement to the automated attendant
functionality.
 Speech view
 The Speech View feature allows you to receive voice messages in your mailbox in the form of text

 Personal Web Administration

 Use of alternate extensions for accessing Hunt group voicemails.
 RTMT supported.

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© Copyright Dimension Data 31 January 2019 66