Page 1 of 26 Application Note for Open Text Fax Server (RightFax v9.4) and 3COM VCX platform Issue: 1.0 Date: January 28, 2009 Authors: Abstract: Michael Hamlin (Open Text) and Ciaran O Shaughnessy (3Com) This application note describes how the Open Text Fax Server (RightFax v9.4) can be successfully deployed in conjunction with the 3COM VCX platform for sending and receiving faxes over T.38 FoIP.
Page 2 of 26 Table of Contents Revision History... 3 References... 3 Objective... 4 Open Text Corporation and Product Details... 4 Open Text Overview... 5 Open Text Fax Server (RightFax)... 5 Configuration Technical Details... 5 How it Works... 6 Hardware Revisions... 6 Software Revisions... 6 Installation Overview... 7 Network Topology... 7 Testing Observations... 7 Configuration Details... 8 Open Text Fax Server settings for FoIP with SIP... 8 VCX Connect configuration... 12 Verification Tests... 25 Product Support... 25 3COM product support:... 25 Open Text Fax Server Product Support... 26 Conclusion... 26
Page 3 of 26 Revision History Revision Date Author Reason for change 1.0 1/24/2009 Michael Hamlin Initial version References Date Document Name Revision Company 10/29/2008 Captaris RightFax v9.4 Installation Guide (http://www.captaris.com/support/documentation/rightf ax/9_4/installationguide.pdf) 10/29/2008 Captaris RightFax v9.4 Administrator s Guide (http://www.captaris.com/support/documentation/rightf ax/9_4/administratorsguide.pdf) 1.0 Open Text 1.0 Open Text
Page 4 of 26 Objective This Application Note will provide steps required to successfully implement Open Text Fax Server (RightFax v9.4) in a T.38 Fax-over-IP environment, including automatic inbound fax routing based on the dialed fax number. Automatic failover to a second VCX platform for business continuity is explained as well. Open Text Corporation and Product Details Open Text Fax Server (RightFax) is the proven market leader in fax server, document delivery and fax software. It delivers the most reliable and robust fax software solutions to integrate and automate the flow of a full range of fax, paper and electronic documents and data, enabling enterprises to achieve significant cost reductions. By using Open Text Fax Server, companies can securely and efficiently deliver business information from virtually any application via fax, email, print devices or over the Internet. Technical Summary http://www.captaris.com/rightfax/index.html Datasheet http://www.captaris.com/cms_resources/pdf/rightfax/rf_product_overview_na_1208.pdf Features, Functions, and Benefits http://www.captaris.com/rightfax/advantages.html
Page 5 of 26 Open Text Overview Open Text is the world's largest independent provider of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software. The company's solutions manage information for all types of business, compliance and industry requirements in the world's largest companies, government agencies and professional service firms. Open Text supports approximately 46,000 customers and millions of users in 114 countries and 12 languages. Open Text Fax Server (RightFax) Key Capabilities Distribution Send documents from virtually any application with several delivery options: fax, email, certified email, encrypted PDF, SMS, or to a print device. Receive faxes on the desktop, inside your email, or delivered to other applications. Choose between Fax-over-IP, PSTN, or mixed mode. Enterprise-level management tools Tracks, reports, and provides notifications and electronic audit trail of document distribution status. Secure, encrypted delivery options. Also saves a copy of every document sent or received. Integration The leader with integrations to MFPs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange Server, IBM Lotus Notes, ERP systems such as SAP and Oracle, ECM systems and other enterprise applications. Configuration Technical Details The Open Text Fax Server communicates with the 3Com VCX platform over a SIP trunk (Trusted Endpoint) for call control functions. Once the call is set up, the fax payload is transmitted via the T.38 protocol (over IP) between the fax server and 3Com media gateway. The media gateway is responsible for connecting the call to the PSTN and completing the path to a remote fax machine outside the fax server s local network. This creates an end-to-end connection from the Open Text Fax Server, across the IP network, and through the telephone network to a remote fax machine. On the test network, two environments were configured so that one fax server was communicating with VCX Connect 8.0.4e and another fax server was communicating with VCX Enterprise 7.1.21c and 3Com gateway (see Network Topology diagram below).
Page 6 of 26 How it Works Inbound faxing - DID routing with Open Text Fax Server was tested by designating a block of DID numbers (our testing used (xxx)xxx-4700 to 4799) and creating a route to the fax server as the endpoint. In this configuration, when the call is set up between the VCX and fax server, the last four digits of the dialed DID number are passed and the fax server uses those digits for automatic inbound routing of the received fax to a specific mailbox. The fax itself is transmitted between the media gateway and fax server using the T.38 fax relay protocol. Outbound faxing Sending a fax from the fax server is done by appending the IP address of the VCX to the dialed fax number (e.g., @ip.address) so the SIP session is established between the fax server and VCX from the start. Once this occurs, the VCX will establish a SIP session with the media gateway in order to set up the T.38 call between the fax server and media gateway. Hardware Revisions 3COM VCX Enterprise X Series 3COM VCX Connect 100 and 200 3COM VCX System i I Series 3COM V7122 digital Media gateway (T1/PRI) 3COM V7111x-07 2 channel FXS analog media gateway Software Revisions 3COM VCX 7.1.21c, 7.2.5, and 8.0.4e 3COM V7122 digital Media gateway (T1/PRI) 4.80A.032 3COM V7111x-07 2 channel FXS analog media gateway 4.80A.043.005 Open Text Fax Server (RightFax v9.4) Enterprise Server with Service Release 1 Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Four SR140 fax channels Dialogic SDK v5.2.2 o Boston Bfv API v5.4.01 (Build 0), compiled with v5.4.1 (Build 0) o Boston Driver v5.4.0 (Build 12) o Boston SDK v5.2.03 (Build 0), compiled with v5.2.03 (Build 0)
Page 7 of 26 Installation Overview On the test network, two environments were configured so that one fax server was communicating with VCX Connect 8.0 and another fax server was communicating with VCX Enterprise 7.1 and 3Com PRI gateway (see Network Topology diagram below). Also, faxing was completed between fax servers, across the IP network and PSTN as well as between fax server and standalone fax machine at FXS extension (xxx) xxx-4931. Network Topology
Testing Observations Page 8 of 26 SIP is the only call control protocol supported for T.38 FoIP with 3Com, though the SR140 configuration offers H.323 as a selectable option. In the test environment shown above, 98% of all faxes completed successfully. The method of VCX failover provided by the Open Text Fax Server requires that the administrator reset the primary dialing rule once the primary VCX is brought back online. Configuration Details Open Text Fax Server settings for FoIP with SIP 1) Configure the RightFax DocTransport Module for SR140 with SIP a) Add the SR140 transport to the DocTransport Module
Page 9 of 26 b) Configure Brooktrout, selecting the SIP protocol, and specifying the local IP address of the fax server in the sip_contact field
Page 10 of 26 c) Select the T.38 Parameters tab and set the Media Renegotiate Delay Outbound, msec to -1. d) Save and apply these settings.
Page 11 of 26 2) In Enterprise Fax Manager, create a dialing rule to append the IP address of the VCX to the end of the dial string. 3) In Enterprise Fax Manager, create a RightFax account for automatically routing received faxes. For this test, the account was given an ID of USER4790 with a route code of 4790. These are the last four digits of a DID number within the range (xxx) xxx-4700 to 4799. 4) An additional test was done to demonstrate the fax server s ability to automatically communicate with a secondary VCX when the primary VCX is removed from the network. In order to accomplish this, a second dialing rule needs to be created in
Page 12 of 26 Enterprise Fax Manager to append the IP address of the secondary VCX. The first dialing rule, which appends the IP address of the primary VCX, should be given additional weight through the dialing rule configuration so that it is selected over the secondary during normal operation. It s also necessary to add a REG_DWORD registry value called DisableDialingRuleOnTimeout to the fax server at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RightFax\DocTransport\Brooktrout and set the value to 1. a) In this configuration, when the primary VCX is removed from the network (unreachable), the fax server s next attempt to send a fax will fail, be rescheduled, and the primary dialing rule will be automatically taken offline. b) From that point on, the secondary dialing rule will take effect, appending the IP address of the secondary VCX to all outbound fax numbers. Note: Once a Right Fax dial rule has been taken Offline it will not automatically become Online again. The dial rule must be manually put back Online by the system administrator. VCX Connect configuration Outlined below are the steps to configure under version 8.x. While most steps are identical to those used to configure previous VCX versions, there are some differences. For example in versions prior to 8.x, trusted endpoints must first be added to the system using the remotecli VCX utility from the Linux command line via a SSH connection to the VCX. If you are unfamiliar with its use, please refer to relevant VCX documentation and/or contact a 3Com representative to assist with the use of the utility.
Page 13 of 26 1. Web to IP address of VCX and select Central Management Console 2. Login with used admin and relevant password
3. Select the site name you wish to configure i.e. VCX Connect Site Page 14 of 26 4. From left pane of web page select Directory/Route Plans
Page 15 of 26 5. From Route Plans main menu we start from far right and work our way left when creating a new Trusted endpoint i.e. RightFax and Outbound Fax which ultimately get associated with a Route Plan 6. Under the Trusted End Points tab select Add Trusted End Point to create a new IP address entry. If the endpoint already exists this step can be skipped. For example we already have an endpoint IP address created for the PRI Gateway we will be using for Outbound faxes from RightFax to PSTN
Page 16 of 26 7. Enter the IP address and network mask associated with the device to be used. Note: The network mask is a host mask of all 255 s and not a subnet mask. 8. Next select the End Points tab and the Add End Point button to give the endpoint a name and associated parameters.
Page 17 of 26 9. Enter the specific endpoint parameters here i.e. SIP port number 5060, VCX site ID etc. Once all the parameters have been entered select the Save button to save the entry and return to the previous menu.
Page 18 of 26 10. Next select the Routes tab and the Add Route button to create a route entry. Route entries may contain one or more Trusted End Points 11. Give the Route an name i.e. Outbound Fax and select the Save button
Page 19 of 26 12. On the right side of the newly created route select the End Points to add 1 or more endpoints to associate with this route
Page 20 of 26 13. Select the Assign End Points button
Page 21 of 26 14. This displays the list of Unassigned endpoints already created earlier. Put a check mark next to all the endpoint IP addresses to associate with this route. By associating multiple entries to a specific route. Redundancy, load sharing, increase capacity etc can be achieved. Contact local 3Com representative for more details
Page 22 of 26 15. Next select the Patterns tab. Most common patterns are already defined on the VCX i.e. 9* for outside line etc. This step may be skipped if an existing pattern exists that can be used. In the example below the 478* To Rightfax_2 pattern was created specifically to match calls received for Fax DID numbers. 16. Select the Add Pattern button to create the new pattern 478*. Enter the parameters as shown and select Save button
Page 23 of 26 17. Finally select the Router Plans tab.
Page 24 of 26 18. Select the Add Route Plan button from the main page. This is where we tie all the previous steps together to correctly route/pass calls to the appropriate destination device based on digits received by this VCX from Phones, PSTN Gateways, Other VCX VoIP PBX and Applications i.e. Right Fax. For these purposes a route plan To RightFax 2 was created to associate the pattern 478* To Right Fax 2 to the route To RightFax 2 in which there is an endpoint RightFax2 with a single trusted endpoint with an IP address of 158.101.74.2
Page 25 of 26 Verification Tests 1. Install and configure Open Text Fax Server (RightFax v9.4) Service Release 1 with SR140 on a Windows Server 2003 machine. 2. Send five ten-page faxes from the FaxUtil client to a standalone fax machine or another RightFax server. 3. Receive and automatically route five ten-page faxes from a standalone fax machine or another RightFax server, based on DID. 4. Observe FoIP fail-over via dialing rules for multi-vcx environments. Product Support Product support can be obtained from the respective product suppliers. 3COM product support: Main 3COM Support link: http://www.3com.com/products/en_us/support/index.html Asia Pacific Telephone: +65 6543 6645 Fax: +65 6543 6518 E-mail: ap_service@3com.com Europe, Middle East and Africa Telephone: +44 (0)1442 435529 (Option 4) Fax : +44 (0)1442 435811 E-mail: focalpoint_services@3com.com North America and Latin America Telephone: 866-326-6222 (Option 3) Fax : 408-326-7140 E-mail: ecso_contracts@3com.com
Page 26 of 26 Open Text Fax Server Product Support Open Text Technical Support: o United States, Canada and Latin America Support Tel: +1 520.320.7070 o Asia Pacific (APAC) Support Tel: +61 2 93151222 o Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Support Tel: + 31 3 47324202 Conclusion The Open Text Fax Server (RightFax) can easily be added to the 3COM VCX 7000 environment to provide an efficient, reliable and secure way for organizations to send and receive documents from virtually any application. The three main uses for Open Text Fax Server are network faxing, document process automation from business applications such as ERP, and faxing from Multi-Function Printers.