Fax-Integration - one part of the Invoca Linux Communication Server

A short description

The faxservice of the Invoca Linux Communication Server integrates the faxcommunication completely into the email system.

Incoming Fax: FAX ==> EMAIL

Incoming fax are converted to email-messages and moved to a specified folder of the emailserver.

When using shared folders (as you can see in the following example) it is possible that incoming fax can be viewed by several users. The fax can be forwarded, removed or moved into another folder like any other email message.

It is also possible to let a fax be moved automatically to a specified folder, depending on the sender of the fax (defined by filter rules).

As you can see at 'Attachments' (on the right side), the fax-email-message consists of three parts:

  1. 'fax00510.p01.png' -> The 'png'-graphic, which shows the content of the fax directly. 'p01' means page one.
  2. 'fax00510.pdf' -> The page[s] of the recieved fax are attached as Adobe PDF, too. This is especially convenient to print out (which is often no more necessary).
  3. 'Part 1.4' -> A short text as confirmation of the receipt. It contains - among other things - the following:
    • Sender (identification)
    • Number and format of pages
    • Resolution (normal/fine)
    • Date and transmission time

Outgoing Fax: Printing to a fax-port ==> Fax-Job

Instead of printing documents and sending them via a conventional fax machine, it is possible to print to a fax-port. Text and Pictures are transmitted as postscript-data to the fax-server which sends them via faxmodem to the destination fax machine.

An email message sent by the fax server reports the sending status.

Advantages

Past experience has shown that the use of the integrated faxservice brings several advantages as follows:
  • Forwarding: The possibility to automatically or manually forward fax-documents as email messages.
  • Storage: The ability to store messages like any other email messag and together with other email messages.
  • Re-finding: The ability to find messages by different criterias: folder, date/period, fax-sender.
  • Paperless: The electronic handling of messages is simpler, faster and better for the environment
  • Flexibility: This kind of integration allows to have access to email as well as fax messages by every email client or even by web (webmail).

Technique

The fax integration is based on HylaFAX (see http://www.hylafax.org).