AN ENHANCED MESSAGE NETWORKING TOPOLOGY - MULTIMEDIA MESSAGING WITH THE INTUITY(TM) INTERCHANGE SERVER

This paper describes the features and benefits of message networking a nd the Intuity(TM) Interchange, a new, intelligent, multiprotocol and multivendor networking server used in multimedia (voice, fax, e-mail, and/or binary) messaging networks. The Interchange integrates Lucent T echnologies' multimedia messaging servers-for example, Intuity/DEFINIT Y(R)/R1 AUDIX(R) and Overture Aria/Serenade-as well as non-Lucent mess aging systems, into one seamless and expandable messaging network. In addition to supporting Lucent's digital and analog protocols, the Inte rchange also supports or will support open standard interfaces, such a s Audio Message Interface Specification (AMIS) analog, Voice Profile f or Internet Mail (VPIM), and Simple Message Transfer Protocol/Multipur pose Internet Mail Extensions (SMTP/MIME), for communication with othe r vendors' voice-mail systems (for example, Northern Telecom's Meridia n Mail) and e-mail systems (for example, Microsoft Exchange*). Becaus e the interchange is built on an open platform, additional add-on appl ications are being rapidly developed to co-reside on the hub server. O ne such application is Enterprise Lists, which allows large enterprise -wide broadcast lists to be defined statically or dynamically. Anyone in the entire network having permission can reach these lists. Applica tion directions include such features as the lightweight directory acc ess protocol (LDAP) which allows for intelligent enterprise network di rectory access and builds on the existing centralized directory synchr onization already available in the Interchange.