IP Trunk/Cluster setup guidance

[RDECIT]

My current project is proving 'challanging' as you can see from the number of posts in the last couple of days. Hopefully this wil be it. They have a 3300 MCD on two sites linked with a fat pipe that routes between sites. The Mitels are on for exmaple 1.1.19.20 for site one and 1.2.19.20 on site two. Both sites can ping each others Mitels, so routing should be fine.

So what we want to achieve is both sites to use the same DN scope at both sites (with no duplication) then calls to a directory number that exists on the other sites 3300 be routed over an IP trunk. I've been told this is possible using the MCD to sync together so it knows where the other DN's live. Can anyone direct me to programming this on MCD, I'm happy with IP trunks, but I'm not sure if I have to cluster the boxes or not. I've only ever done this in a Mitel lab so I'm a little rusty.

 

[IrwinMFletcher]

There are probably a dozen ways to do this, but the simplest to me would be to create extensions 1xxx on one system, and 2xxx on the other, then use the leading digits to route them over the IP trunks.

 

[RDECIT]

We can't do that because of existing DDI's. It's complicated because the majority of users that were at site A with their DDI have moved to site B and want to keep their DDI. Some will at some point need to move back to Site A. So both sites need to have their numbers from the same pool. In this case 2xxx.

 

[james1982]

I believe as Rob said the new MCD4 software can update the remote directories automatically - similar to how OPSMAN/ENTMAN works. Although I must admit I havent yet done this.
You could import all entries into remote directories but clearly if there is a way to do this automatically with MCD4 software thats the way to go.

 

[RDECIT]

We've got OPS/ENT Man licenses ready should we need them. But various people have told me that MCD can do it without them.

 

[kwbMitel]

The MCD4 Remote Directory Sync and OPSMan are mutually exclusive.

You can't use both.

As you already have OPS, go with that.

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Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[Mitel100]

Yes, if you only have two controllers running MCD 4 then I would recommend the RDN setup.

If you are not comfortable with this then you could try programming the ARS for 1-8 with however many digits to follow to route over the IP trunks. So when a call comes in the system looks at what it has programmed and if it does not match then will route the calls to the other 3300 via ARS.



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[MitelInMyBlood]

I'll have to vote with kwbmitel on this point. If you have OpsMan, use it. If you don't have it then yes, the MCD can manage the remote directories for you. However, after going through the MCD4 training course it seems I recall even Mitel somewhere in the course docs suggested or at least alluded to staying with OPS if you already had it. As stated above, the 2 are mutually exclusive, you may use one or the other but not both and once you've used the RDN method I don't think you can go back to using OPS without incurring some unpleasantness that you otherwise could have avoided by staying with OPS.

RDN is great for new system deployment where the customer (or shop) isn't already using OPS.


Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[CharlesBr]

I find it pretty simple to use MCD 4.0's synch, just do a fresh install, and specify you won't use ops, then


)Voice Network Configuration, Network Element Assignment
)Change Name, give PBX number (1, 2, etc)
)add the entry for the remote system
)Cluster Element Assignment
)choose a name you'll keep in both systems
)Cluster element ID Digits: x999 (x is arbitrary, leading digit of your extensions for example)
)Feature DN: X998
)do the same in second system but with Y999 and Y998
)Program the ARS
)add a route using the IP trunk to the remote system, and a dialed digit that corresponds to the feature DN of the remote (X999) + 4 digits using the ip route
)Voice Network Configuration, Network Element Assignment
)clic on the remote PBX, start sharing
)Sync
)Verify that the extensions you create in one PBX show up in the remote directory of the other, and vice versa.

 

[kwbMitel]

Would everyone please pay attention to the fact that this Poster already has Eman/OPS? Converting the DB for Remote Directory Sync will make OPS Useless. OPS is VASTLY superior for moves adds and changes and should not be dismissed lightly.

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[RDECIT]

We used the MCD sync and have it working fine. The problem we have is that when we insert a secondary element for the users or groups, it consumes a license on the target. It does everything we need and inserts a RDN, but take a license.

We have removed the secondary element from the users/groups and the RDN's remain and the licenses are now free.

Can we add RDN's without consuming licenses, and the ones we have already done, will they stay in place indefinatley or will the eventually be sync'd off the system.

 

[slapin]

Just $0.02.
If you are in US and specificaly in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, then you have to be very carefull with portable IP phones. If someone is moving IP phone from site A to site B and makes emergency call (911) and it is being routed to wrong 911 PSAP (Public Safety Answering point) because the phone will use external trunks from its home controller and someone will die because of it, then you are in deep sh..t. Specificaly telecom administrator or VAR who serves the system.

I don't see any easy way to resolve it. If both sites are served by the same PSAP, then there will be no problem, you just need to configure emergency calling location database properly (Not as easy as it appeares). If your sites far enough and served by different PSAP, then I really don't know how to solve it with MITEL solution only. All phone moves have to be traced and moved to appropriate home element manually.

 

[Mitelpassion]

I can't comment on the 911/emergency scenario as we don't have it here but I can echo - IF YOU HAVE OPS USE IT.

The scenario you described where users at site A need to reside at site B and need to keep there number is easily achieved by OPS clustering.

Are you familiar with Ent/OPS manager?

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

slapin is correct (I'm in Texas and can attest to the 911 requirements. While Texas has no requirement to send the PSALI with the call, if you send out a call to the 911 PSAP it damn well better be to the right one.

Curious if something like the new Survivable Branch Office package would handle this?


Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[Mitelmatt]

Rob

Resiliency has always used a licence on the secondary controller. But it should only be a device licence not a device AND user. Just check that.

New licening coming out in a later release will stop this i'm lead to believe

 

[slapin]

Right... It will use IP Phone License on both controllers...

 

[kwbMitel]

Slapin, I disagree.

Resiliency uses:

- User License on Primary
- Device License on Primary
- Device license on Secondary



*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[Mitelmatt]

KWB

Correct, sorry that's what i was alooding too in my post, just realised it wasn;t very clear!!

1 each for the day!! :)

 

[slapin]

Sorry, It was a sarcastic comment regarding new licensing model. I'm observing a steady increasing of licensing cost. I understand that it has to cover cost of new features included in standard package, but from users point of view it is just more money for the same stuff. So far Mitel is not getting cheaper per port as compared to IP networking technologies including Internet access. Sure it is completely different fields, but users don't care. They expect electronics and overall technology to become cheaper per user. So new licensing model can make separate User and Device licenses obsolete and introduce a single IP Phone license and start consuming one on each clustered node... You never know how creative can be marketing people in order to shake more coins from customers.