CallManager Disaster Recovery Options

[BILL BARTLETT]

I am looking for DR options for Callmanager 6.01 and Unity 5.01. I understand that with Callmanager can (should) implement a publisher/subscriber implementation and that is in the works. However, I want to avoid a complete re-install then config restore in the event of drive failure. Can I ghost the drives or virtualize the environment? What does TAC support? For Unity Does anyone have backup software and options they recommend?

[Jaime Valencia · Accepted solution]

the official support is DRS for CUCM, DIRT for unity

HTH

java

if this helps, please rate

[BILL BARTLETT]

Can you tell me if Dirt supports Exchange 2007. I am under the impression that it only works with Exchange 2003

[Ayodeji Okanlawon]

For DR, the key component is your publisher. What you can do is to have another publisher with the same hostname and IP address of the active publsiher. You wil then ensure that this Pub is restored from time to time with the Backup copies taken from the existing publisher. One key thing to note here is that this cold standby publisher MUST not be plugged into your existing network where the active pub runs.

This way is for any reason your active Pub dies, you can just plugin the standby publisher. With this, you must ensure that the standby Pub is updated with the backups taken form the active publisher regularly.

HTH

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Bill,

Here is the latest update that I have seen regarding DIRT with Exchage 2007, from Unity Design master Jeff Lindborg;

** Updated the online help for the DiRT utility on the Unity 4.x/5.x7.x tools page:

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/App_DisasterRecoveryTools.htm

- Guest Flying Monkey member Lee was nice enough to work through the details of how to do a DiRT restore to an Exchange 2007 based Unity install. Please note that this is not TAC or BU supported yet (QA has yet to qualify the procedure), however the question has come up so many times, providing a "beta" set of instructions seemed like a good idea. Only the on line version of the help is updated, the help bundled with the installs of DiRT has not been changed at this point. Once the procedure is fully tested and qualified, the tool installs will be rolled to include the details.

http://forum.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=netprof&forum=Unified%20Communications%20and%20Video&topic=Unified%20Communications%20Applications&CommCmd=MB%3Fcmd%3Dpass_through%26location%3Doutline%40%5E1%40%40.2cc27415

Here is some other related info;

Support Policy for Backup Software

Cisco support policy is that customers can deploy third-party software for backup on the Cisco Unity server. However, Cisco expects that customers (or their systems integration partners) will have tested the interoperability of such products with Cisco Unity before the products are deployed, to mitigate the risk of problems being discovered within the production environment between Cisco Unity and the third-party products loaded on the Cisco Unity server.

If a customer calls Cisco TAC with a problem, a Cisco TAC engineer may require that such third-party software be turned off or even removed from the Cisco Unity server during the course of troubleshooting. If it is determined that the interoperability between the third-party software and Cisco Unity was the root cause of the problem, then the third-party software will be required to be disabled or removed from the Cisco Unity server until such time that the interoperability issue is addressed, so that the customer can continue to have a functional Cisco Unity system.

Considerations for Choosing Backup Software

There are many backup software packages-which are sometimes referred to as data protection software packages-available for backing up all of the data on the Cisco Unity server, including SQL Server/MSDE, and Exchange databases and transaction logs. You can also configure backup software packages to back up software that is installed on the server.

We recommend that you use a backup software package to back up a Cisco Unity server rather than using the Cisco Unity Disaster Recovery tools (DiRT) for the following reasons:

•DiRT is intended as a tool to be used only for upgrading Cisco Unity software and for migrating to another directory or configuration. Backup software is designed for use in a comprehensive backup strategy.

•DiRT requires that the Cisco Unity software be stopped in order to back up all Cisco Unity data reliably. Backup software can back up the Cisco Unity server while Cisco Unity continues to run.

•DiRT backs up only Cisco Unity data and, optionally, Exchange messages. (Refer to DiRT Help for limitations about backing up Exchange messages.) Backup software does not have this limitation.

•DiRT cannot back up software installed on the Cisco Unity server, so restoring the server from a DiRT backup may require additional time. Backup software can back up both software and data.

•DiRT is not supported for backing up the Cisco Unity Bridge. Backup software is supported for backing up the Cisco Unity Bridge.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity/5x/maintenance/guide/ex/5xcumge045.html#wp1073824

Hope this helps!

Rob