A system, comprising: a database providing means to store configuration information for the system; an administrator module providing means to maintain the configuration information; and a federation server providing means to connect to a first unified communications system of a first domain type and a second unified communications system of a second domain type, the federation server comprising, a first translator providing means to translate a first formatted message received from a first gateway of the first unified communications system into a common language formatted message, a second translator providing means to translate the common language formatted message into a second formatted message, and a routing engine providing means to route the second formatted message to a second gateway of the second unified communications system, wherein the federation server provides means to allow the first unified communications system that runs a first type of unified communications application to appear as running a second type of unified communications application that federates with the second unified communications system by providing means to publish a first service record for the first type of unified communications application and a second service record for the second type of unified communications application which enables the first unified communications system to appear to the second unified communications system as if the first unified communications system is of the same domain type as the second unified communications system, wherein the second unified communications system runs the second type of unified communications application. a database providing means to store configuration information for the system; an administrator module providing means to maintain the configuration information; and a federation server providing means to connect to a first unified communications system of a first domain type and a second unified communications system of a second domain type, the federation server comprising, a first translator providing means to translate a first formatted message received from a first gateway of the first unified communications system into a common language formatted message, gateway of the first unified communications system into a common language formatted message, a second translator providing means to translate the common language formatted message into a second formatted message, and second formatted message, and a routing engine providing means to route the second formatted message to a second gateway of the second unified communications system, wherein the federation server provides means to allow the first unified communications system that runs a first type of unified communications application to appear as running a second type of unified communications application that federates with the second unified communications system by providing means to publish gateway of the second unified communications system, wherein the federation server provides means to allow the first unified communications system that runs a first type of unified communications application to appear as running a second type of unified communications application that federates with the second unified communications system by providing means to publish a first service record for the first type of unified communications application and a second service record for the second type of unified communications application which enables the first unified communications system to appear to the second unified communications system as if the first unified communications system is of the same domain type as the second unified communications system, wherein the second unified communications system runs the second type of unified communications application.