Basic mode to Essential Edition Upgrade Licensing Question

[trinetintl]

I hope to tap into the hands-on experience of somebody that may have tried this in the past. I have a new customer with an existing IPO 500V2 in muppet mode. I personally do not have a lot of experience with basic systems but what I do know is that a basic system is an unlicensed system and anybody, including a 10-year-old, can sell it. I also know that a controller box release is locked in after making the first call, I assume its the same when the system is in muppet mode. What I wanted to ask the forum is if I drop a full R11 essential edition license on a controller box setup in basic mode that could be potentially on R9 or R10 at best and then upgrade the firmware to R11 will it work or do I need an upgrade license or maybe even a new controller box and SD card to be on the safe side? If I need an upgrade license, how do I get one? When I go through the process in A1S I get "No licenses found for feature key", which is actually the correct answer.

RE

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APSS, AIPS

 

[Nortel4Ever]

If the IPO is at R9 or below you will need to use a R11 Manager (the level you want to go to) to generate an Migration XML file (Tools - License Migration). This file is supplied to Avaya and they will generate a LAC (license activation code) for you which you will then use to go the the PLDS website, enter the LAC, enter the Dongle ID, and PLDS will spit out a R11 Essentials License. Upgrade this IPO to R11, input the license and you are good to go.

 

[trinetintl]

@Nortel4Ever, essentially, you are confirming my original questions, what you are telling me is that if I order an R11 Essential License and drop it in the system after upgrading the firmware to R11 it will work, correct? Again, I apologize for the stupid question(s), in my many years of selling and installing Avaya IPO, the only basic systems I have seen and worked on were sold by somebody else and this is the first time I am having to switch one to Essential Edition. This is why I am still a bit confused, why jump through all the hoops of having to drive all the way over to the site to pull an XML file when in the end I will end up with the same R11 Essential Edition License? What is the difference between the R11 Essential license I will get by following your process vs the one I will get through my disti?

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS, AIPS

 

[bluemr2]

I believe you're going to need more than just the essential edition license. You will need an upgrade license as well. If you follow Nortels instructions, it will include the upgrade license with it.

 

[trinetintl]

@bluemr2, I agree with both of you but now I am just curious, and again, we do not sell or service enough IP Offices to come across situations like this where I have the opportunity to experiment. In my mind, the reason I have to go through the upgrade process is that I want to carry over existing licenses, maybe an expensive VM Pro or a bunch of IP Endpoint licenses but if I do not have any other license but the Essential Edition, why can't I just purchase an Essential Edition license and use it? For example; let's say I have an existing IP Office R9.0 with digital extensions, the only license in the system is the Essential Edition R9. I can get a quote for an upgrade license very easily, as have done in the past, but what happens if I just straight-up purchase an Essential Edition R11 license and I upgrade the firmware to R11, will it work? I have seen posts where people suggest something down those lines in certain scenarios. In the end, the Essential edition upgrade and the Essential Edition license cost the same, and I feel they are the same, except for the name, or am I wrong?

RE

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APSS, AIPS

 

[bluemr2]

The 500 V2 chassis gets locked to the release it was when the first call on the system was made. In your example R9. It will not run any software higher than that without an upgrade license.

 

[trinetintl]

@bluemr2, I know and I understand what you are saying but sometimes what the documentation and the process shows is very different from reality. Technically you are correct but unless you have actually done it and you saw it fail you really do not know. For example, I have a system running R11 with J100, 5600, and 5400 series phones. I upgraded the system from R3.2 to R11. If you read the R11 technical bulletin and if you go to the knowledge base it clearly says that the 5600 and 5400 series phones are no longer supported and they should not work but they do work and work quite well. I would like to add that I experimented extensively with an IP Office R11 and I personally witness the phones working before committing to quoting and performing the upgrade. I also had a bunch of 400 IPOs R5.0 running SIP trunks from Spectrum, without any issues, I remember I posted a question related to those systems, and some in this forum and even Spectrum's tech support were shocked to know that I got it to work.

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS, AIPS

 

[RocketJTech]

Not working" and "not supported" are two completely different things. "Not supported" simply means that, as far as Avaya is concerned, you are on your own, and it may or may not work.

Please remember... If it's not the way that YOU would do it, that does not necessarily mean it's wrong. EVERYONE knows SOMETHING that you do not.

 

[trinetintl]

@RocketJTech, exactly, that's exactly what I am trying to say..." it may or may not work" but unless and until you try it or somebody else has tried you do not know. This is why I value experience way more than a certificate, this forum is the perfect example, it contains the experience of a group of very talented people.

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS, AIPS