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Faxination is a true integrated messaging system for Microsoft Exchange. It allows
users to send and receive fax messages, from their desktop, using the familiar
Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Mail interface. Faxination lets the user install and
configure the Standard and Corporate versions of Faxination for Microsoft Exchange, associated fax
products and their device drivers. The system is to be installed on Microsoft Windows NT server
running Microsoft Exchange Version 4.0 or later or Microsoft Mail Version 3.x. From large
companies to small departments, Faxination offers a fit-to-size solution for all your
corporate fax needs.
The Faxination Server
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange supports every size network, from a small
workgroup with a single telephone line, to an enterprise backbone comprising
thousands of users, with a virtually unlimited number of lines.
The Faxination architecture is based on a three layer structure:
- Host Layer - The interface to the messaging system. All system specific
characteristics are implemented in this layer and isolated from the kernel.
- Kernel Layer - The core functions: message conversion (mail to fax), address
resolution, for example, proxy addressing, security, auditing and scheduling.
- Device Layer - The interface to the actual hardware devices. Sends and receives
messages between the hardware and the kernel.
The interface between the layers is based on RPC (Remote Procedure Calls), a
communication mechanism which is also available in Microsoft Windows NT. It is
automatically integrated in the protocol that you are using, for example, TCP/IP,
and allows implementation of the different layers on different systems.
Inbound addressing features, for example, DID, DTMF, ISDN DID and CCITT T.30,
are supported on selected devices. These standards provide the functionality for
mapping telephone/telefax extension numbers to Microsoft Exchange mailbox id’s,
therefore enabling faxes to be automatically routed to the addressee’s mailbox
without intervention by the Gateway operator.
The Gateway Process
The Gateway periodically checks the assigned mail store for incoming messages.
If a message is waiting, the Gateway will remove it from the mail store, convert it to
a graphic format and generate the assigned fax coversheet. The fax is now ready
to be sent.
The Gateway attempts to send the faxes according to its internal schedule. If the
fax number is busy, it will automatically retry a set number of times. When the final
status (sent/not sent) has been determined, the Gateway will return a notification
message to the sender. When a fax transmission is successful, the user will
receive a notification stating, for example. Transmission to "fax number" at "time of transmission"
- successful. For an unsuccessful transmission, the user could
receive a notification message containing an explanation such as, Transmission to
"fax number" at "Transmission Time" - Number does not Exist, or Transmission
to "fax number" at "Transmission Time" - Unsuccessful after "n attempts". The
Send Again option of the Non-Delivery notification allows the user to re-submit the
fax message for another delivery attempt.
The type and level of information, and the language, of the notification messages
can be tailored to the requirements of your organization or specific departments.
All gateway activity is logged and can be retrieved using the Faxination for
Microsoft Exchange - Fax History Log.
The Gateway periodically checks the message store for outbound messages.
These messages are converted to the TIFF graphical fax format and sent to the
assigned fax number. The specified, or assigned, coversheet of the user will
automatically be attached to the fax message.
The user will receive a mail notification from the Faxination Server containing
information about the success or failure of their fax message. A feature of
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange is that you, the System Administrator, can
determine the type and level of information, and the language that will be used in
the mail notifications.
Incoming faxes in the Gateway are automatically converted into a Microsoft
Exchange message with the fax as a graphic attachment. The Wang Image Viewer
for Windows NT and Windows 95, or Faxination Fenviewer will automatically
display the fax when the message is opened.
Sending a Fax Message
Sending a fax message is the same as sending any other message within
Microsoft Exchange. The message can actually be sent to a fax recipient, and
Microsoft Exchange recipients simultaneously. The fax message is composed in
the exchange client and addressed to a FAX-type. ASCII, DCX, and most OFFICE
97 files can also be attached to the fax message.
Addresses can be selected from a global Microsoft Exchange address book, a
personal Microsoft Exchange address book, or they can be created individually.
When the message has been created, it is ‘sent’ to the local post office from where,
Microsoft Exchange handles the delivery of all fax messages to the Gateway
server.
The Routing Workstation
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange fully supports DID, DTMF, ISDN DID, and
CCITT T.30. These features, however, may not be available from your local
Telecom Service Provider, or they may not be supported by your installed faxboard
or internal P(A)BX. In this case, inbound faxes without sub-addressing, or routing
information, will be sent to a routing workstation where the workstation operator
can quickly view the cover page of the incoming fax and then forward the fax, by
e-mail to the recipient.
A routing workstation can be assigned to each fax line connected to the Gateway.
This routing workstation can be a member of a ‘downstream’ PostOffice.
Using the application printer queue for sending fax messages
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange provides an add-on feature for Corporate
Editions: Application Printer Queue Support.
Application Printer Queue Support enables users to send faxes from any
application, by simply ‘printing’ the fax to a network printer queue which is serviced
by the Faxination Gateway. Notifications of messages sent via this medium are
received directly in the inbox of the user. Fax coversheets can be assigned to each
printer queue that is connected to the Gateway.
Scheduling and Bundled Transmission
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange provides features for scheduling and bundling
transmissions of faxes. Faxes with, for example, a low priority, can be scheduled to
be sent by the gateway at a time, generally after office hours or weekends, when
the Telecom rates are low. The transmission time is based on the dialling prefix
(often containing the country code) of the fax number and the priority of the
message.
The bundled transmission option enables faxes to frequently used destinations to
be queued, depending on a given time frame, and sent as one transmission.
Least Cost Routing
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange users with a multi-server configuration in a
multi-national environment can use least cost routing for generating and
transmitting faxes. For example, if the Faxination Server A is located in the UK and
the Faxination Server B is located in the USA, the systems can be configured so
that faxes can be sent as individual or bundled messages in Microsoft Exchange
and forwarded from the most suitable server. Using the Microsoft Exchange server
is far more cost effective than dedicated telephone lines. The result would be, for
example, that Server B (USA) can be used as the Gateway for all fax transmissions
from Europe to North, Central and South America, whereas Server A (UK) could be
used as the Gateway for all fax transmissions from the Americas continent to the
European continent. This method allows full utilization of lower continental
telephone charges as opposed to inter-continental call tariffs.
Receiving Faxes
The Faxination for Microsoft Exchange server automatically converts incoming
faxes to Microsoft Exchange messages with the fax as a graphic attachment. The
format of the attachment, for example, TIFF-image or DCX, can be determined in
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange.
If DID, DTMF, ISDN DID or CCITT T.30 addressing is available, the Gateway can
translate the extension numbers to a full Microsoft Exchange address and
automatically route the fax directly to the user’s inbox. See the Faxination for
Microsoft Exchange - System Administration for a full description for mapping
extension number to mailbox addresses.
When inbound messages have been converted and addressed, they will be sent to
the addressee via Microsoft Exchange. Messages that do not contain inbound
addressing information are delivered to the Routing Workstation where a
designated user can read and route the message based on information in the
coversheet. The addressee will receive the fax in their Microsoft Exchange inbox in
the same way that they receive any other e-mail message. The fax is an
attachment to the Microsoft Exchange message. Opening the message will
automatically open the Wang Viewer for Windows NT or Windows 95.
Cost Management
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange - Corporate Editions are also provided with the
Faxination Cost Manager and a licensed Crystal Reports Report Generator. These
products combine to provide a powerful and flexible tool for financial administration
and reducing telecommunication costs.
The Faxination Cost Manager enables you to create and edit tables which are used
for calculations by both the Cost Manager and Crystal Reports. The totals are then
incorporated in reports that can be customized to the company’s requirements.
Generated reports can be used for calculating costs per, for example, fax/user and
fax/department. These reports can incorporate:
- Fields Various fields including, user name
telephone, country, call duration, and
department.
- Records Select and/or sort records from the log
database on a Per User, destination or
department basis, or per time period, such as
week or month.
- Totals Calculate totals per charge code, user,
department ......
Faxination Add-Ons
In keeping with Fenestrae’s philosophy for True Integrated Messaging (TIM),
several add-on products are available for Faxination for Microsoft Exchange
Version 3.0. These add-on products include:
- Telex Connector The Faxination Telex Connector enables
users to compose and send telexes from
within the Faxination for Microsoft Exchange
environment. Telex is the only legally
recognized form of electronic communication
and is still, therefore, an essential medium for
many companies.
- SMS Connector The Faxination SMS Connector enables
users to send Short Message Service (SMS)
messages to, for example, mobile messaging
systems.
- Sitatex Connector The Faxination Sitatex Connector enables
users, generally within the Airline industry, to
communicate using Sitatex.
Faxination for Microsoft Exchange add-ons are, like Faxination for Microsoft
Exchange, easy to implement and easy to use. Because of this strategy, no
additional training is required and the learning curve for the individual user is very
short, making Faxination for Microsoft Exchange a very efficient and cost-effective
telecommunications medium.
Main visual forms of the system:
User interface
Integration with MS Exchange Server
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