Specifications

ShoreTel Server Overview
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ShoreTel 14 Maintenance Guide 34
Overview
The ShoreTel voice over IP telephony solution is a suite of software modules, applications, and
services running on a ShoreTel server. Every ShoreTel system includes a main server called the
Headquarters server. In a single-site system, the Headquarters server may be the only ShoreTel
server. More complex systems may include Distributed Voice Servers (DVS) to add reliability for
applications and switches on remote sites or to support distributed applications. The Headquarters
server remains the main server and must be available to interact with the DVS servers for full system
functionality.
Headquarters Server
The Headquarters server is the main ShoreTel server and hosts the voice applications platform and the
management web site, as well as the integrated voice applications. Typically, the Headquarters
ShoreTel server is located at the largest location, containing the majority of users.
The Headquarters server hosts a SoftSwitch that provides extensions for the Auto-Attendant,
Workgroups, and virtual users.
Distributed Voice Servers (DVS)
The ShoreTel system also supports remote distributed voice servers (DVSs). DVSs provide increased
system reliability by distributing key services and applications at remote sites. Each DVS includes an
instance of TMS that connects to and manages the local softswitch. The softswitch provides
extensions for use by the local Auto-Attendant, Workgroups, and virtual users.
Distributed voice servers can also be configured to support distributed voice applications such as voice
mail, workgroups, account codes, auto attendant and a distributed database. DVSs have TAPI access
to the local SoftSwitch. If a distributed database is optionally enabled on the DVS, the distributed TMS
maintains a copy of the configuration database that allows it to provide call control and voice mail
service during the outage. Each DVS manages its own softswitch, as well as ShoreTel voice switches
assigned to it.
Remote DVSs are valuable for the following purposes:
 They reduce bandwidth usage because local users’ calls to voice mail are answered by the local
voice mail application and do not pass across the WAN.
 They increase system scale by extending the unified messaging and desktop call control services
to additional users of the applications.
 They increase system scale and reliability by providing distributed switch management, call control
services, and unified messaging.
 They increase system reliability by locating workgroups on other servers and providing a location
for backup workgroups to reside if a workgroup’s primary server becomes unavailable.
 They enable integration of value added applications such as ECC, Recording Servers, and more.