Merlin Messaging Question

[gregarican]

Our company's Smooth Operator 3.0 (BKA Octel 50) box finally died after 12 years of useful service. Now I am looking at replacing this with a Merlin Messaging module. Here's my one question.

Does Merlin Messaging support global message distribution lists? I see in the user manual that personal mailbox lists are available --- up to 10 lists per user, with up to 50 mailboxes per list. Our users are *extremely* used to using the global distribution lists that are administrator-defined with a default list that includes all mailboxes.

Just wondering if Merlin Messaging had an equivalent...

 

[GSmitherman]

Merlin Messaging Release 2 and later allow 10 lists with up to 50 members in a list.

 

[gregarican]

I saw that now that I downloaded the Admin Manual. Before I was just looking at the User Manual. Good deal!

 

[TouchToneTommy]

If you've been using the other VM for 12 years, unless you have been keeping the processor upgraded to more current releases, check that your processor will support the Merlin Messaging.

 

[gregarican]

I have a CKE4 Merlin Legend r7.0 system. Is this up to snuff?

If so I am assuming that the swap will be straightforward on the Merlin provisioning end. I know I will have to program in all of the extensions in the Messaging module and recreate/rerecord all of the Auto Attendant stuff we had in the Messaging module.

Assuming that since on the Merlin end since I already have the extensions assigned to Group Coverage I will renumber the coverage extension from the phanton extension covered by the external Octel ports to the internal Merlin Messaging extension that will be the new receiver. Is this internal Merlin Messaging extension automatically assigned when the card is loaded for the first time? If so I just perform the renumber operation on this extension so that it matches our existing coverage receiver, correct?

In the Admin Manual I saw a CAS Operator extension listed. The default was listed as 7-something. Since our main calls filter into a physical operator (after hours to Auto Attendant) I am assuming that I will modify the CAS Operator to reflect our physical operator's extension.

Are these assumptions correct?

 

[gregarican]

Sorry about the brainfart about the phantom extension. I meant that we have a current Group Calling Number for voice mail consisting of the Octel VM ports. Telephone extensions are covered by this number. I am assuming that I would just remove the Octel VM ports from this group and add the ports that are part of the Merlin Messaging module. Correct?

 

[jlshelton]

Merlin Messaging 3.0 does support Legend R7.0. Depending on your physical carrier (Legend plastic carrier or Magix metal carrier) you may need to put the Messaging module into a plastic cover or not.

System Manager's quick reference guide is here:

http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/mmsg3/323202_5.pdf

 

[gregarican]

Good deal. I was checking out a Merlin Messaging 2.5 module so I guess the CKE4 processor shouldn't be an issue then. I will order an empty clamshell to go with the module so I can pop it in the Legend.

Our users were used to the Octel 50 rich feature set so I hope they won't be disappointed. They heavily rely on group distribution messages, and the Octel had the ability to nest lists within other lists, leading to wide reaching messaging beyond a fixed number of mailboxes.

From what I've read the Merlin Messaging system defined lists can only include actual mailboxes, meaning that a limit of 50 boxes is truly the limit. You can't nest a list within another list from what I see. If that's the main thing they'll be giving up we won't be too bad off I suppose