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Networking Guide for Cisco Unity Release 5.x (With Microsoft Exchange)
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Chapter 2 Digital Networking
Digital Networking Concepts and Definitions
• Distribution Lists, page 2-22
• System Broadcast Messages, page 2-23
Locations and Digital Networking
Central to how Digital Networking works is a Cisco Unity object called a location. Each Cisco Unity
server is associated with one location, referred to as the default or primary location, which is created
during installation and which cannot be deleted. With the exception of public distribution lists, all
subscribers and other Cisco Unity objects (such as call handlers) that are created on your Cisco Unity
server are associated with the primary location.
Each primary location contains the addressing information that Cisco Unity needs to route messages
between Cisco Unity servers. Because Cisco Unity stores location and subscriber addressing
information in the directory, the addressing information replicates to other Cisco Unity servers on the
network.
The primary location also contains a Dial ID, which Cisco Unity uses as an identifier for the location.
Carefully plan the numbers that you choose as Dial IDs for the primary location (and for any delivery
locations that you create). Without careful planning, it is possible to inadvertently assign Dial IDs that
will cause problems in locating message recipients at another location. See the “Assigning Dial IDs”
section on page 9-2 and the “Location Addressing Options” section on page 9-8 for more information.
Dialing Domains
A dialing domain is a collection of Cisco Unity servers that access the same directory and that are
integrated with the same phone system or phone system network. (This includes Cisco Unity servers that
are configured for dual integrations.) A dialing domain is a grouping scheme that allows Cisco Unity to
handle call transfers from one Cisco Unity server to another. Within the dialing domain, subscriber
extensions in Cisco Unity must be unique just as the phone extensions in the phone system must be
unique. (Typically, a subscriber extension and phone extension are the same number.) With a networked
phone system, subscribers dial a phone extension without having to dial a trunk access code or prefix
when calling someone who is at another location on the phone network. In the same way, when grouped
in a dialing domain, subscribers who are associated with one Cisco Unity server enter a subscriber
extension when sending messages to subscribers who are associated with another Cisco Unity server.
To be in a dialing domain, all of the Cisco Unity servers must access the same directory; a dialing domain
cannot span directories. Dialing domains are not related to Exchange routing groups or Active Directory
sites.
To group the Cisco Unity servers in a dialing domain, you enter information on the primary location page
of each Cisco Unity server, as described in the “Customizing the Primary Location” section on page 2-6.
The following sections describe the functionality that can be provided when the Cisco Unity servers are
in the same dialing domain:
• Release to Switch Transfers from the Automated Attendant or a Directory Handler to Subscribers
on Other Cisco Unity Servers, page 2-16
• Identified Subscriber Messaging with Networked Cisco Unity Subscribers, page 2-16
• Addressing Search Scopes, page 2-17
• Addressing Options for Subscribers in a Dialing Domain, page 2-17
• Dialing Domains Shield Against Overlapping Numbering Plans, page 2-17