1. Broadcast to a Partition created by addPartition
In order to send broadcast messages to users in partitions added by the addPartition command or XML provisioning, you must follow these procedures for setup and for sending the broadcast.

• Log on to the Unified Messaging server as dtuser (for an SSI cluster always log onto the SSI server).
• Check the spool directory exists:ls –al $CUR_DIR/ca/spool
• If it does not, create it and set read, write, and execute permissions for dtuser:mkdir $CUR_DIR/ca/spool
• chmod 755 $CUR_DIR/ca/spool
  ($CUR_DIR/ca/spool is /home/dirTalk/current_dir/ca/spool. This is the default directory path, it can be changed to any directory by simply setting the IMC_MessageCenter.ini file SpoolDirsetting under the [XXX_Broadcast] section and restarting the IMC_Broadcast custom server.)
• Set the administrators email address who will administer the broadcast functionality.
  • cd $CUR_DIR/ca/ini

1. Edit IMC_MessageCenter.ini
   1. Look for the section [XXX_Broadcast] and the setting BroadcastAuthEmail =
   2. Type your email address here and save the file, for example:
      BroadcastAuthEmail = administrator@yourcompany.com
2. Also, place a template file called DISTAUTH in the $CUR_DIR/ca/template directory. A sample file is available under $CUR_DIR/ca/IMC_Broadcast_dir. Check whether you need to edit this file for your installation if the text needs altering to the customer’s specification.

Next, you need to authorize the users you want to allow for broadcast. You can authorize users for a specific partition, or for all partitions:

 

1.1 Authorization of Users for Partition Broadcast 

• As dtuser, execute the following commands:
  cd /home/dirTalk/current_dir/ca/partition
  cat partition.info
  
  Note: The partition.info file gets created and/or updated only when we use the command addPartition or XMLProvisioning to create a partition.
  
  For example this may contain:
  User:0001
  PartitionB:0002
  Faculty:0003
  Departments:0004
  Executive:0005
  Reachme:0006
  Sysadmin:0007
  
  This means that the partition called Faculty in this example is partition number 0003.
• Make a note of the number in this file assigned to each of your partitions.
  
  
• Next, change directory to the config directory and edit the authorized users file, which by default, is $CUR_DIR/ca/config/AuthUsersFile
  (This can be changed to any path by setting the IMC_MessageCenter.ini file AuthUsersFile setting under the [XXX_Broadcast] section and restarting the IMC_Broadcast custom server.)
  
  cd $CUR_DIR/ca/config
  vi AuthUsersFile # (or use your preferred editor instead of vi)
  
  
• You need to add lines in this file that correspond to each of your partition numbers that you noted above from your partition.info file.
  
  Each partition in this file will start with a "P" and then have the number associated with that partition (a line starting with a D instead is for a system distribution list.) This partition number is followed by a colon (":") followed by the mailbox number you want to give authorization to for sending broadcasts to that partition. For example, in the following example mailbox, 3429 can send to partitions 1 and 2, and 3390 can send to any of the partitions:
  P0001:3390 3429
  P0002:3390 3429 2838
  P0003:3390 2734
  P0004:3390
  P0005:3390 2838
  P0006:3390
  P0007:3390
  
  Note that you need to use a space between each mailbox number you want to authorize for the same partition.(Simply delete a mailbox number from this file to deny it the ability to send a broadcast.)
  
  In this example here is the relationship of the partition numbers to partitions:

Partition Name	partition.info number	AuthUsersFile partition name/number	Mailboxes authorized
User (no partition)	0001	P0001	3390, 3429
PartitionA	0002	P0002	3390, 3429, 2838
Faculty	0003	P0003	3390, 2734
Departments	0004	P0004	3390
Executive	0005	P0005	3390, 2838
Reachme	0006	P0006	3390
Sysadmin	0007	P0007	3390

            Table 1. Example relationship of partition numbers to partitions.

• Ensure you save any modifications to the files you have edited before you exit the editor.

1.2 Setting up a global exclude list for broadcasts

By default, there is a file which automatically excludes some mailboxes with path name
$CUR_DIR/ca/config/IMC_NoBroadcast.file
(This can be changed to any path by setting the IMC_MessageCenter.ini file LocalExcludeFile setting under the [XXX_Broadcast] section and restarting the IMC_Broadcast custom server.)

• Navigate to the directory of the exclude file and edit it, for example using the default setting:
  cd $CUR_DIR/ca/config
  vi IMC_NoBroadcast.file
  
  The following special profile numbers should always be in this exclude list:
  0000000000
  111
  220
  221
  222
  223
  333333
  444444
  555551
  555552
  555555
  666666
  777777
  888888
  999801
  999802
  999803
  999804
  999805
  999806
  999807
  999808
  999809
  999810
  999997
  999998
  999999
• Add any other mailboxes that you do not want to receive broadcast messages to the file. Each mailbox must be on a new line.

 

1.3 Sending a broadcast message to a partition from the Telephone

1. Using the Telephone User Interface, log on to the mailbox you previously authorized (see 1.1).
2. Press 2 to send a message.
3. The subscriber type and settings of the system and mailbox can determine exactly what happens next. For example, you may have to choose to address by name or number, or send to a distribution list as opposed to a mailbox, and may have to record the message before entering the address. Essentially, however, when asked to enter the mailbox number enter 8888 followed by the full partition number (with leading zeros) from partition.info.
4. For example:
   • - Enter 88880001 and the pound or # key to send a broadcast to the non-partition users (P0001) or
   • - Enter 88880002 and the pound or # key to send a broadcast to PartitionA in our example (Table 1.) above (and so on...)
   • See the partition.info file (or for our example, Table.1 above) for details on how these numbers map to partition names.
   • Press 2 to confirm the send of the broadcast message.

1.4 Administrator authorization of the broadcast message

Within 5-10 minutes the administrator defined under BroadcastAuthEmail in step 1 should receive an email with details about the broadcast message that is awaiting his or her authorization.

For example:

There is a distribution message to be authorized. It can be found at /home/dirTalk/current_dir/ca/IMC_Broadcast_dir/spool/20461284581618.idx.pending It is from subscriber profile 3390 It is to be sent to 7 mailboxes It is to be delivered Immediately It was created Wed 15 Sep 2010 04:13 PM EDT

At this time the administrator needs to take action to finalize the sending of the broadcast:

1. Login as dtuser 
2. Type cd /home/dirTalk/current_dir/ca/spool
3. To see all the files, most recent last, type ls -altr
4. Look for files with a .pending file extension (as named in the email)

Use mv to rename the file to remove the .pending file extension to permit the broadcast to proceed. For example, type:
mv 20461284581618.idx.pending 20461284581618.idx

Be sure not to change the index number of the file, only remove the .pending extension. (Use any terminal cut and paste functions available to you to reduce the chance of error.)

It may take 5 to 10 minutes for the broadcasting process to start.

For large partitions, settings for the IMC_Broadcast custom server such as StaggerThreshold, StaggerDelay and StaggerNumberMailboxes will determine how long the broadcast takes to complete.

 

1.5 Broadcast to a System Distribution List from the Telephone

The process of sending a message to a System Distribution List is very similar to that used for sending a broadcast message to a partition.

To send a message to a System Distribution List, an authorized subscriber would log on to the Telephone User Interface and send a message to 9999XXXX, where XXXX is the number of the system distribution list front padded with zeros. For instance, if a subscriber wishes to send a message to system distribution list 10 they should enter 99990010 as the intended destination. The authorization process for System Distribution Lists is the same as that for Partition Broadcasts except a D is used in the place of a P in the AuthUsersFile.

The full process for sending to a System Distribution List from the Telephone is:

• Create a System Distribution list (for example with a list ID of 10). This can be created on the telephone or web interface by logging into profile 444444 or by using the IMC_Dlist custom server for example. If there is a problem logging into profile 444444 ensure it has a subscriber class set to IMC_Basic and not IMC_Null.
• Edit the AuthUsersFile file in the same way to that mentioned in 1.1 Authorization of Users for Partition Broadcast, but adding an entry starting with a D for a System Distribution List, for example:
  • D0010: 3390
• Check the AuthUsersFile setting in IMC_MessageCenter.ini file for the actual file name, if the fields are not present in INI file, then the system will use the default filename $CUR_DIR/ca/config/AuthUsersFile
  
  
• On the Telephone User Interface login as the authorized user (in our case 3390) and send the message to 9999xxxx (in our case 99990010). This follows a similar process as described for 1.3 Sending a broadcast message to a partition from the Telephone except a 9999 prefix is used instead of an 8888 prefix.

See 1.4 Administrator authorization of the broadcast message above for an example of the message to finally be delivered to the System Distribution List.

 

1.6 Sending a broadcast message to a Partition or System Distribution List from the command line (IMC_BroadcastCLI)

The custom server IMC_BroadcastCLI allows an administrator to send a broadcast message recorded in a .wav file to either a Partition added by addPartition or a System Distribution List from the command line.

In the same way as for sending a broadcast message from the telephone, it requires there to be a sending mailbox and it creates a broadcast control file (ending .idx, see section 1.4) which will be used by the IMC_Broadcast custom server to send the broadcast. Authorization for the sending of messages to a distribution list or partition is by the same AuthUsersFile used by IMC_Broadcast (see 1.1 Authorization of Users for Partition Broadcast).

Syntax:

The syntax of the command line function is:

$CUR_DIR/ca/IMC_BroadcastCLI_dir/ IMC_BroadcastCLI
-f <wav filename>
-o <sending mailbox >
-d <destination partition / list>
[-u <n | u | e>]
[-t <timestamp>]

Example: IMC_BroadcastCLI -f broadcast_message.wav -o 247814 -d 99990055

Where:

-f <wav filename> = the full path and filename of the mono PCM, µ-law or A-law .wav file that will be imported as a voice message and sent as the message of the broadcast.

-o <sending mailbox> = the sending mailbox for the broadcast (as authorized in AuthUsersFile).

-d <destination partition / list> = the destination that the broadcast will be sent to. This can be either a system distribution list or a partition as addressed by 9999xxxx or 8888xxxx respectively, where xxxx is the id of the system distribution list or partition.

-u <n | u | e > = the urgency of the Broadcast. Where n=normal, u=urgent and e=emergency. This parameter is optional and the default is n (for normal).

 -t <timestamp> = the date/time that the message will be sent. The timestamp is in the format YYYYMMDDHHMMSS. This parameter is optional and the default is that the message will be sent immediately.

2. Broadcast to a partition created by Unified Messaging Interface tool (mcit) 

When you create a partition using the Unified Messaging Interface tool you are shown a broadcast mailbox number.

For example:

1. Select mcit >> Partition management >> Add Partition >> .
2. Give a partition name and any level1/level2 admin IDs and names.
3. When the partition is created, mcit will create a profile in the form of 666xxx (example 666003).
4. Move mailboxes to this partition using the Move a Mailbox to a Partition option.

To send a broadcast message to this partition simply log on on the Telephone User Interface as the 666xxx profile (666003 in our example) and send a message to the broadcast mailbox 777777.

Note: There is no need to refer to the configuration files partition.info or AuthUsersFile in this case. There is no further authorization process and IMC_Broadcast will send the message out immediately ignoring settings such as StaggerThreshold, StaggerDelay, and StaggerNumberMailboxes.

 

3. System Wide Broadcast

It is possible to send an urgent system-wide broadcast to all mailboxes on the system. Please note however that as this bypasses IMC_Broadcast settings such as such as StaggerThreshold, StaggerDelay and StaggerNumberMailboxes this can exert an excessive load on a large system so should be used with caution.

In this case:

1. Use the INI file ExcludeFile setting for a list of profile IDs to be excluded from the system-wide broadcast in a similar way mentioned to the LocalExcludeFile setting for partition broadcasts in section 1.2. By default this is the same file $CUR_DIR/ca/config/IMC_NoBroadcast.file
2. Alternatively, use the INI file IncludeFile setting for a list of profile IDs to be included in the system-wide broadcast.
3. Log into the Telephone User Interface as the broadcast message administrator profile (666666) and send a message to the broadcast mailbox 777777.

There is no further authorization process and IMC_Broadcast will start sending the message out immediately to all mailboxes ignoring settings such as StaggerThreshold, StaggerDelay, and StaggerNumberMailboxes.

 

4. Broadcasting to a user distribution list

If a subscriber wishes to send a message to a user distribution list then they should just enter the id of their distribution list with no prefixes. No special authorization is required for this. For example:

1.  Create a user distribution List ID (for example 15) for the mailbox (for example 247814). This can be done on the web interface or Telephone User Interface.
2. Login to the mailbox (in our example 247814) on the Telephone User Interface and send the message to 15. Depending on system settings it may be necessary to specifically identify this as a message to a distribution list (for example, where 15 or the general range of distribution list IDs could also be a mailbox number).

If the list is smaller than the DistListAuthThreshold setting then there is no further authorization process and IMC_Broadcast will start sending the message out immediately to the mailboxes in the list. If the list is very large it may be subject to settings such as StaggerThreshold, StaggerDelay, and StaggerNumberMailboxes.