Specifications

Planning and System Design
3 – 2 ShoreTel, Inc.
Determine System Topology
The ShoreTel 6.1 system has a unique distributed call control software architecture that
enables you to deploy ShoreGear voice switches and IP phones anywhere across your
IP network. Even though multiple sites are supported, the ShoreTel 6.1 system is a
single system with an extensive set of integrated applications and a single management
image. The ShoreTel 6.1 system offers unmatched simplicity through this single image
system, and delivers high availability, with no single point of failure, through the
distributed architecture.
The first step in designing your voice network is to determine your overall network
topology, which should provide the following information:
• Sites and users. Number of sites and number of users at each site.
• Headquarters and distributed ShoreWare servers. Number of servers required,
plus the name or IP address of all ShoreWare servers (main and distributed).
• ShoreGear-Teleworker sites. Number of teleworker installations and the type of
telephones supported.
• Telephone requirements. Number of telephones at each site (by type).
• Trunk requirements. Number of trunks required for optimal performance.
• ShoreGear voice switches. What models are needed and how many of each
model.
• WAN Connections. The number of WAN connections (per site) and complete
service-level information.
See Chapter 9, “Network Requirements and Preparation,” for detailed information on
planning your network for the ShoreTel 6.1 system.
Sites and Users
Your network topology diagram should provide an accurate inventory of the different
physical sites and the number of users at each site.
Headquarters and Distributed ShoreWare Servers
The Headquarters ShoreWare server hosts the voice applications platform and the
management web site, as well as the integrated voice applications. Typically, the
Headquarters ShoreWare server is located at the largest location, containing the
majority of users. Make special note of the main ShoreWare server on your topology
diagram.
On your topology diagram, provide the following information about Shoreware servers:
• Total number of servers (i.e. sum of servers at all sites)
• Number of servers at each site
• The name and IP address of every server
The ShoreTel 6.1 system also supports distributed voice application servers. Distributed
servers are valuable for three purposes:
• To reduce bandwidth, because local users’ calls to voice mail are answered by the
local voice mail application and do not go across the WAN
• To increase system scale by extending the unified messaging and desktop call
control services to additional users of the applications
• To increase reliability by providing local support for some services and
applications if a site loses connectivity with the Headquarters server.