Howto:Configure the innovaphone Voicemail
The innovaphone voicemail (VM) is implemented as a PBX object. An answering machine can be assigned to each PBX user. The VM is script-driven and controlled by means of DTMF touchtones. It features a built-in WebDAV client, enabling the VM to communicate to an external WebDAV server, which serves as the mass-storage for audio files, script files and user-directories. The VM script and pre-recorded audio files are subject to be provided by innovaphone. Message Waiting Indication (MWI) is supported.
Applies To
This information applies to
- innovaphone PBX, V6
More Information
System Requirements
A Voicemail License
WebDAV server, e.g.: Apache 2.x, IIS W2K, IIS W3K, or with V6 sr1 the compat flash drive (no external WebDAV server needed)
Innovaphone will provide you with an XML script, that represents the actual voicemail.
In addition you will get a set of files with *.g711a and *.g729 extensions.
These files contain the audio snippets and the menu prompts, that the voicemail requires.
Installation, WebDAV
A few preconditions are assumed as basis for the following few installation and configuration steps:
· The number of the VM object is 66.
· The number of a sample user test is 49.
· The IP address of the WebDAV server is 192.168.0.5.
· The root directory, that contains the VM script and the pre-recorded audio files is c:\Inetpub\webdav\vm which corresponds to the URL http://192.168.0.5/webdav/vm/.
· The file name of the voicemail XML script is vm.xml.
Creating the Voicemail Object
Proceed to Administration/PBX/Objects.
Select Voicemail from the drop-down list and click on new.
Enter Long Name, Name.
Enter 66 as Number.
Enter the Script URL as http://192.168.0.5/webdav/vm/vm.xml.
Distributing the Voicemail Script and Pre-Recorded Audio Files
Copy the VM script and the pre-recorded audio files into the directory c:\Inetpub\webdav\vm\.
Configuration
Please note, that a user's VM number is the number of the VM object, that you
assigned here, plus the user's number.
Example: If a user has the number 49 and the number of the VM object is 66, then the user's corresponding VM number will be 6649.
IP Phone Configuration
A user may wish to manually activate or deactivate a CFU diversion to his VM.
Browse to the IP phone of the user 49:test:
Proceed to Configuration/RegistrationX/Function Keys.
Select a free function key, choose Call Forwarding and click on new.
A new window will open.
Enter AM-on under Idle State/Text.
Enter AM-off under Active State [1]/Text.
Enter 6649 into Active State [1]/Text/Always/Number.
Click on OK.
An additional function key is required to present the MWI and to quick-dial the VM:
Proceed to Configuration/RegistrationX/Function Keys.
Select a free function key, choose Message Waiting and click on new.
A new window will open.
Enter AM under Idle State/Text.
Select the letter icon under Active State/Icon.
If you desire, then choose LED/blink.
Enter 6649 into Message Center Account/Number.
Click on OK.
Webserver Aspects
WebDAV in Common: As stated above, WebDAV is required for the VM to work.
What is WebDAV?
In its long form it reads "Web-based Distributed Authoring And Versioning" and is specified in RFC2518. Technically is WebDAV a set of protocol extensions to the HTTP protocol. These extensions allow for some file i/o operations,that aren't covered by HTTP:
Properties: That is, information retrieval about a certain file. E.g. the file creation time.
Renaming, moving, copying a file file.
Apache Webserver 2.x
The Apache supports WebDAV from on version 2.0 natively.
However, WebDAV must be enabled to be run.
Please find the respective documentation page at apache.org
under
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/mod_dav.html .
Test Environment: Our test environment was a RedHat Linux 8.x.
The configuration file for httpd resides under /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf .
The voicemail is located underneath /var/www/webdav/vm/.
Open httpd.conf with a text editor.
Ensure the modules required for WebDAV are being loaded
LoadModule dav_module modules/mod_dav.so LoadModule dav_fs_module modules/mod_dav_fs.so
Ensure, that WebDAV is enabled and that an alias is being created for webdav
Dav On Alias /webdav "/var/www/webdav"
In our test environment we didn't restrict access to the webdav directory
Options Indexes MultiViews Allow from all
An important aspect is the fact, that we had to apply chmod -R 766 to the /var/www/webdav directory. chmod -R 666 didn't suffice.
Without doing so, i.e. granting the read-/write-/execute-access, we received Forbidden responses when e.g. trying to read the filenames within a directory.
A potential delay source can be reverse DNS lookups.
A webserver is trying to retrieve a DNS name for every source address it receives requests from.
The drawback is, that every HTTP request is being delayed by the amount of time it takes to complete the reverse DNS lookup.
Within httpd.conf we therefore wrote HostNameLookups Off, in order to avoid DNS requests for logging purposes.
Please note further that access restrictions with DNS names, instead of IP addresses, will bypass this setting, i.e. will make the "HostNameLookups Off" -setting ineffective.
Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), W2K
As a testbed an IIS 5.0 was utilized on a Windows 2000 server.
By default WebDAV is already enabled within IIS 5.0.
However, no data is published.
To publish data simply.
Create a new virtual directory webdav within the default website by means of the IIS Admin.
Allow read, write and browse operations being executed on that directory and underneath.
Use the Windows Explorer to modify the security settings of the directory (and underneath) and set it to full access for everyone (It is left up to the Windows experts how to restrict this further).
Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS6), W3K
In contrast to Windows 2000 Server, Windows 3000 Server does not come with WebDAV being already enabled.
In addition File extensions with *.g711a and *.g729 must be configured as a new Mime-Type.
You must enable WebDAV from within the IIS Admin first.
Files with the extension *.g711a and *.g729 will not be returned.
You must add *.g711a *.g729 as a Mime-Type, otherwise the audio files won't be accessible.
Pls. see:
MS KB article Q326965 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326965/en-us,respectively
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326965/de-de for how to do this.
Browse to http://192.168.0.5/webdav/vm/ and try to download a g711a-file and a g729-file from within your browser.
This step will ensure, that the Mime-Types were successfully added.
Note: After the new Mime-Types were added an IIS6 restart seemed to be a MUST.
innovaphone own WebDav Server (Compact flash card slot)
please see the related articels below
compact flash slot is supported from release V6 service release 1
Testing WebDAV Access
From within the Windows Explorer go to Tools/Map Network Drive.
Select Web folder or FTP site.
Enter the URL
http://192.168.0.5/webdav/ and proceed.
No authentication dialog shall be prompted.
Now you may test whether you can read files, write files, delete files, create directories.
User-Related Files And Directories
Our sample user has the number 49 and the name test. When this user calls his box
6649 for the first time, the VM will create a directory for him and underneath a pair of
additional directories. The new directories for the user test are:
…/webdav/vm/test/. New voicemails will be copied here.
…/webdav/vm/test/personal. The personal greeting message resides here.
…/webdav/vm/test/store. When a message is stored, it is copied into this location.
If the directory creation fails, the call to the VM will be forcedly disconnected.
PIN Administration
Initially, there is a default PIN active. When being asked for a PIN,
enter 8765. The PIN can be changed by means of menu option 4.
URL Query String Variables
URL Query String Variables are generally passed on to a script.
The following variables control the script's behaviour and may be applied within the configured script-URL alike:
http://192.168.0.5/webdav/vm/vm.xml?$_nopin=true
$_nopin true: Voicemail owner doesn't need to enter a PIN when calling from his extension. false (default): A PIN must be entered
$_pbxcoder Allows to restrain the offered coder list, when executing <pbx-prompt> for files with "*.$coder" extensions. The internal default is: $_pbxcoder=g729,g711a,g711u,g723
$_pbxfwd true: diversions will be executed on <pbx-fwd> false (default): diversions won't be executed on <pbx-fwd>
$_pbxmwidir Allows to configure a parent directory for all user sub-directories and for all MWI operations. As default there is no such directory active.
$_pbxremhold true (default): Rules whether caller will be sent a REMOTE-HOLD while executing <pbx-fwd>. false: No REMOTE-HOLD is sent
$_trace decimal number: Controls verbosity of tracing outputs. The following values can be added. 1: errors 2: interpreter 4: parsing 8: code 16: store operations 32: http operations (during <exec>)
Installation, CompactFlash Card
Instead of using a WebDAV server you may want to use the local CompactFlash card as mass storage device. This section outlines how this can be accomplished.
Installing the Voicemail on a CompactFlash Card
Please see the article Howto:Installing the voicemail on a compact flash card.
Advanced Configuration
Sending of additional MWIs
The article deals with the question how a single voicemail box can be shared among a few users.
Known Problems
The VM makes use of V6’s media negotiation capabilities. This is why V5 endpoints are not supported.
SIP endpoints are basically supported, however not in all aspects.
Related Articles
How To Send Additional MWIs within a PBX