[Asterisk-Users] Voicemail and MS Exchange Synchronization

[Race Vanderdecken]

Good things are happening.

Another aside from having done this before:

	If configuration requires the "user" to do anything or the user
to load a piece of software it won't work.

	Everything must be configured from an admin consol or it won't
work. You will go crazy trying to keep all the laptops and desktops up
to date with DLLs. Keep everything on the back end. All the user needs
to do is ask for it.
	
	There should be an asterisk voicemail.conf that turns it on for
all, or for each individual mailbox.

	
Also, sound files. 

	1. Come up with a sound file format that your users can us on
their PC's without having to load more stuff.

	2. Conversion of sound files is about 2:1. That is it takes the
CPU about 2 seconds to convert 1 second of sound in batch processing.
Sure it might seem like it could be done faster but moving, converting,
dispatching of files takes time and energy.

	3. Noise!
		It was hilarious the first time we let a large room full
of users get their voicemail in their emails.

		We had tested it using "Executives" in private offices.
Once they liked it the Cubarium was given permission to use voicemail
playback in their emails.
	
		Everyone was given a pair of speakers (they were not
allowed to have headphones or CD-ROM drives as that might cause them to
listen to music when they were suppose to be working) for their desk.
Then a week later we turned on the voicemail in email for them

		Imagine 150 cubes all listening to their voicemails on
their desktop speakers. Absolute Pandemonium ensued.

		The best part was the voicemails left by spouses telling
them to get home from work or else. Then there were the inter-office
love affair voicemails broadcast at high volume.

		The "Executives" removed the speakers and issued
headphones the next week.

	My point is that you have to realize the human factors and costs
in doing this.

	Race "the tyrant" Vanderdecken