A method for systematic collection and analysis of forensic data in a unified communications system deployed in a cloud environment. Three primary forensic components, namely, evidence collectors, a forensic controller and self-forensic investigators, are utilized in the method to interface with the components of the cloud environment and of the unified communications network. The method invokes a cloud evidence collection process which collects footprint data structures continuously at runtime to enable effective real-time collection of cloud forensic evidence and a cloud evidence analyzing process which generates evidence data that can be consumed by standard forensics tools.