BCM50 Swap 1

[macdouglas]

For the second time, I've done what Nortel 2nd level TS told me I couldn't: I backed up one bcm50, and restored it to another unit. I couldn't believe they said that this isn't supported, is not recommended, and probably won't work, but they did.

if you have a customer's 50 to replace and don't want to reprogram from scratch, here's how:

1)Backup app and config from old unit
2)write down system ID (not the MAC from the back of the unit, sometimes this is different)
3)note what patches have been installed
4)if the Core patch, cumulative patch, and Software Management patches have been installed, you will need to install them on the new unit BEFORE it will accept the backups
5) you must initialize the new unit, then load patches, then restore backups taken from the old unit, then regenerate the Keycodes from the KRS on nortel's site,
6) after keycodes are installed, reboot (don't ask me why but it seems to be necessary)
7) the Systems should be Identical at this point except for a) System ID b) system version (if it was different)
8) reload any patches that you haven't already installed, they don't carry over on the backup

again, if this is something that everybody already knows, forgive me. but I've had 2 seperate techs (level 2) at nortel tell me they'd never heard of anyone pulling it off and they didn't think it could be done.

good luck!

 

[macdouglas]

Sorry, meant to put it in TIPS

 

[biv343]

Theres lots of things that you can do that they'll say won't work. Take BCM release 2.5 - level 2 will say no parts except the hard drive are field replaceable. I called in once a couple years ago, and the problem ended up being one memory DIMM going bad. The tech said I'd have to replace the entire system as there aren't any field replaceable units in a release 2.5 BCM. I laughed, went to the local ma and pa computer shop, bought a 128MB DIMM, and had the system back up and running in under an hour.

Yours is a perfect example of "give it a shot". Worst case for you if it didn't work would be a level 2 reset and manually reprogramming, which shouldn't take long on a 50 anyways. As long as you don't restore licensing, and the system is on the same release of software, you're fine.