best way to upgrade+expand my 2400ICS

[phadobas]

Here is the dilemma I'm faced with:
I have a 7PIM 2400ICS from 1999, which has about 150 ports left unused. In the next year or so, my company will add 2 more buildings near the main one, fiber connecting these buildings together. I already have several other buildings fiber-connected to the maine one, and so running about 1000 phones via fiber muxes and E1-DRU-s.

At this point it's obvious that I have to upgrade, since my vendor can't expand an old system that's not supported by NEC any more.

The main question at this point is this:
These 2 new buildings (which will add a good 1000 phones to the system); should I use DRU-s and Dterm series E phones (to which our employees are used to), or should I use IP connections to these buildings and buy a whole bunch of IP phones?

I understand the Dterm Series E requires only 2 wires, and the IP phone will need cat5e 4 wires, or 6 if I do POE.

You should also know that both these buildings will need a large number of analog stations (say a total of about 400 out of the 1000).

So those of you IPX users+maintainers:
DRU or IP???

Main factors to look at:
Price
SECURITY (very important)
maintenance

 

[3racefan3]

That would be a lot of DRU's to handle a 1000 phones plus what would you do about analog exts? I understand that price is a factor but the best way to do this is to put a 2400 in each building and link with either with IP CCIS or Fusion, both would require an upgrade of your current ICS to an IPX ( new CPU's and time division cards). Fusion will allow you to program all of the systems from the main site and it will broadcast the programming to all sites, giving you one database to manage. If your interested in a pure IP envrionment in the new buildings this can be accomplished with the SV7000.

 

[phadobas]

1000 phones is 33 DRU-s (let's say 36 to have room for immediate expansion). Right now I have about 35 DRU-s already, and actually, they are very convenient to work with. Adding another 36 would require me to upgrade the system, add 3 more PIMs.

Now, I don't HAVE to deal with DRU-s, but if that comes to be the cheapest and easiest to manage, the most secure, etc. I'll go that route.

Basically, I'm in the position where I have to present to management the possible routes, provide the PRO-s and CONTRA-s, and have to suggest what I want to do and WHY. So I have to know (for myself and for management) why is IP better (if it is) compared to DRU-s. Or why is the SV7000 better. Like what benefits a phone user will have if he has an IP phone sitting on the desk instead of a Dterm series E.

So I need some more data from experineced users, maintainers for PRO-s and CONTRA-s.

 

[mextera]

I take it that the fiber will be in place if you use for IP phones or for DRU's so thats a wash.
The IP Phones require a POE or local Power, Ether switch ports and RJ45's. Now you get Latest in Technology, The Local PC's can connect to the back of the IP phone for Lan connection. Less Card Hardware more SW requirements. Still need analog dialtone.

DRU's Lots of HW footprint. But you seem to familiar with it. Series E phones are something the customer is familiar with.

In the end its you and your management that will make the decision. But it seems to me you are comfortable with DRU's and there is alot to be said with comfort and reliability.

Mextera

 

[smoom]

Why are you only running fiber between the buildings? The greatest cost is always the labor and not the cable when running outside plant. You could easily upgrade your current 2400 all the way to the latest platform (IPX) and do a combination of IP Dterms (Yes you can still get Series E Dterm IP Phones, so they would look the same to the new users.) You could use IP Adapters on your current Series E Phones to free up shelf space in the 2400 leaving you room to add more single cards for your new 400 single lines you need to add. The IP phones and IP adapters plug into your computer network so it is not a difference between 1 pair for a current phone and 4 pairs for an IP phone. You would just unplug the wire to your computer plug it in to new phone then plug a wire into the phone and connect it to your computer. You mentioned an SV7000 but you have already got an investment in the 2400 and it is in no way at the end of its life, so why replace it?

 

[mextera]

Smoon brings great wisdom on his post good sugestions. Although the number of IP adaptors may be hard to find. Does NEC still sell these.

Mextera

 

[phadobas]

Smoon,
When you ask why am I running only fiber between the buildings, I'm not sure what else am I supposed to run that's relevant to the question. Yes, there will be some copper (maybe 25-50 pairs), but not planning on using that for T1, or E1 or anything.

Did you have some other ideas about fiber and/or copper?

 

[smoom]

Depending on what kind of infrastructure you have connecting the building you could install a large count cable 1200 pairs or so and use that as your tie, eliminating the need for the DRU's totally. I have never been a big fan of DRU's for short runs, or areas where you need large phone counts. The largest expense would most likely be the lightning protection for a large cable count. What kind of distance are you looking at between the 2 buildings

NEC still has the Series E IP adapters listed, but who knows for how long.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Don't forget you will still need copper links for your fax machines and probably for modems too. Basically for any analogue service you want to provide in the new buildings if you opt for pure IP.

 

[phadobas]

Smoon,
I estimate the distance from the switch to the farthest phone in the other building to be somewhere around 1000 feet. I forgot if that's within range for a Dterm...

I'm not planning on investing in Dterm IP adapters. If I go IP, I'll reuse the existing Dterms with my existing line cards.

OzzieGeroge,

Yes I thought about the analog lines, and my vendor says there is some sort of a Gateway device that will plug into the LAN and give me some 8 analog ports. And he suggested I buy some of those if I decide to go IP.