Migration from Opt 81 to ?? Questions 1

[bad69cat]

Well, I know this idea has been kicked around by may of you guys and some have likely made the leap from Nortel to some other platform. My boss dropped the dime on me last week that we will be looking to set funding up for a 2017 VOIP (or other system)migration. Currently we have about 600 sets off an Opt 81 and 200 sets at a remote site off an Opt 11. Given that our network performance has been what I would consider problematic (meaning more than 3 fails in 3 years compared to 0 PBX outages - just some bad cards/powersupplies). So, what do you guys think is the best overall fit for a company that still rely's on Fax machines and dial up access for equipment changes/data? I for one have been frustrated with getting a fax consistanly to an IP network. Can you really shed the TDM side of the house entirely? Our wiring infrustructure will have to have some serious upgrades for sure. My PBX room is stuffd to the gills!! I really couldn't support any more equipment in there. SO, what is the best way to slowly grow/migrate off the old and into the new? I'm pretty sure that we will be looking heavy at CISCO VOIP since our network team is completely in bed with them.......I think it's way over priced IMHO. I took a quick peak at Shoretel just to see that they have a way for us to keep existing digital Nortel sets up and running which is attractive. Keep in mind I'm a one guy shop once the vendors leave and I'm here holding the bag!

Ideas - Thoughts? What worked for you.....

 

[KCFLHRC]

Lots of options out there that's for sure. I don't think Shoretel supports any kind of Nortel phones. You may be thinking of

http://www.emetrotel.com/

We are a Large Telco and will currently support Nortel through 2018. After that all bets are off. We also sell Shoretel, Avaya and have our own Hosted Solution. The Hosted stuff seems to be the new cool thing people are doing. Personally, I would want a product sitting on my site that I could put my hands on if there is an issue. Shoretel now offers a Hosted Solution also as I'm sure others do. Cisco is good but pricey as you said. Avaya runs some pretty good trade in offers now and then. I would keep my eyes and ears open for those kind of offers. It can save you a bunch.

 

[bad69cat]

Thanks! I doubt that hosting will ever be considered - it's a nuclear plant, and we are damn near gluing pencils to desks for security's sake!! ;>P I think the fact that Avaya is not supporting beyond 2018 is kind of driving this too. It's not like there won't be a glut of Opt 81 parts for the next 20 years with everybody jumping ship!! ;>P I could buy another few systems for spare parts on the cheap!! lol I did see Shortel offer up a few switch to us offers that looked attractive too. I'll have to have a plan together before the end of this year most likely. Whether they choose to fund it will be another story......

 

[KCFLHRC]

Nuclear plant huh, we have one of those right down the road from me in Burlington Kansas, Wolf Creek. I think they also have a Nortel Switch. Sad to see the Legacy Nortel stuff go away but I guess it's time. I have been a Nortel guy for 23 years and have absolutely loved the product up until a few years ago. When they started with the Linux based Signal Servers and UCM it has been an absolute night mare. All the good Nortel engineers have moved on to something else. I had an open case with them on a 7.5 upgrade for over 6 months before they fixed the issue.It's kind of a convoluted mess right now with Avaya trying to merge the Blue and Red together. Being a tech for 35 years I have always embraced the change. But after seeing a Demo of the Shoretel stuff and it's interface I'm ready to move on. Never thought I would say that about Nortel but I'm really over it. Good luck to you, not an easy choice but there are some great products out there.

 

[hawks]

Subsequent lifecycle milestone dates are still to be determined for R7.6. It is 7.5 that ends Sept 2018 not 7.6.

another way you could go is look at the Avaya Aurora which lets you continue to use your 81 and move to VoIP as you want.

Personally I'm pushing to stay with the CS1000 as long as I can...

 

[KCFLHRC]

I have a customer that has gone down the road with the Aura Platform and their CS1k. It's kind of a joke. They purchased Aura Messaging and the Aura Experience Portal. 2 new servers to do what the single Call Pilot Server did. Along with that they had to buy System and Session Manager, a requirement by Avaya to do the SIP integration with Aura Messaging and Experience Portal. So really 4 new servers to do what the Call Pilot was doing by itself. The Aura Contact Center is basically the same old Contact Center re badged. I just think Avaya is piecing this stuff together as they go with no real plan. With Server 2003 going end of Microsoft Support in July 2015 this will force some people to make a move if security is a concern.

 

[bad69cat]

Yeah, I built Nortel switches and cell sites for the last 18 years, and then moved into the PBX world in a kind of backwards move.....surprised how different they are from the DMS. But - all good things must come to an end when bad management and profits go out the window. I don't know enough about any other brands except CISCO to make an educated decision, so I hope soem of you guys have some insight. One thought is to have a small TDM switch and pair it with soem type of UC platform..? That may be the best of both worlds...

 

[bad69cat]

I agree hawks - they didn't want to spend the money to go to 5.0 when I first came on board under 3 years ago. I think we are going to apply those "savings" to the upgrade. I looked at he Aurora platform and it does sound less painful than a forklift upgrade.....looks like they have a VMware option now too. Don't know much else on Avaya though

 

[hawks]

Yea I havn't worked with the Aurora platform yet just been to some of the sales/marketing meetings on it. Thanks KCFLHRC for more info on it don't really sound like I want to go that rout. Like i said I'm staying with trying to go with the 7.6 until I'm forced to move on...

bad69cat I feel for you I'm putting in for my upgrade quote later this year to put in next years budget.

 

[bad69cat]

At least I don't have to support any call centers!! Just basic phones and voicemail - One of the reasons I took thig gig! ;>P

 

[belevedere]

Have you considered the NEC Univerge 3C? It is a direct competitor to Cisco, but at 1/3 the price. It uses standard SIP phones, and redundancy is the cost of another server, no additional licensing. Analog gateways are used for fax and standard analog devices.

 

[bad69cat]

Certainly would consider it. Is this something you have deployed through a Nortel migration? What was the methodology for deployment if so?

 

[KCFLHRC]

I think the NEC upgrade would be of the forklift variety. Meaning you put the 81 on a forklift and dump it in the trash.

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

Ok, I am the UCx guy so I am going to be pro E-MetroTel here for a few words if you can bear with me.

Five reasons you should consider the E-Metrotel upgrade to your system instead of going to Shoretel or Cisco:

1.) Being able to reuse your Nortel phones. We all know we love our Nortel phones....everything from the ring tones, to the goodbye RLS button to the call buzz, we loved the solid technology of these telephone sets. These sets are still widely available through many sources and are some of the most durable phones ever manufactured. On the UCx, you can use everything from a Nortel Taurus, Aries, Delta, M7000 and T7000 Norstar, to Unistim Nortel IP sets to 3rd party SIP phones, including Cisco SCCP and SIP phones.

2.) Cost savings. You will not have to rewire, retrain or create a huge mess to re install a whole new system. You will just install a new UCx server that acts at the signaling server to the Option 81 cabinets at the phone system room.

3.) Voicemail Meridian Mail/Call Pilot prompts have been maintained on the UCx. Joan Kenley, the Meridian Mary lady has recorded all of the voice prompts for the UCx system.

4.) Reliability. I have a UCx system here in my home lab and I am operating Nortel 1100/1200/2000 IP sets, alongside Norstar M/T sets alongside M2000/M3900 sets all on one platform. The system has NEVER (knock on wood) gone down on me in 2 years....it works like a workhorse system. It has been developed by the former Meridian One and BCM Nortel engineers and it is a solid robust platform.

5.) Nortel Features that we are all familiar with remain. Phones act and operate the same exact way they did on the Nortel platform. Please see my videos on the signature below to see just how the phones work. I do not work for E-MetroTel but I support their cause of the continuation of the Evergreen commitment.

As far as I am concerned: "Nortel is alive well and with E-MetroTel!"



"Keep the Peace, Use RLS"

http://www.joetheucxguy.com

 

[bad69cat]

excellent points! I will certainly look into that. That must be the one I was thinking of originally. I knew there was soemthig that allowed a slower migration out there. The forklift option is not going to work for sure. I had no idea it was the Nortel guys in disguise! Thanks for the input!!

 

[hawks]

Joe, I didn't think you could use E-Metrotel and IPE shelves yet. I thought you could only use the MGC with the 11 Cabinet or Chassis.

 

[KCFLHRC]

The IPE shelves have a new IP controller instead of the old CONT-2 or CONT-4 card that acts very similar to an MGC card. That is probably how E-Metrotel is supporting it.

 

[hawks]

I know they were looking into it but the last update I got was they were not there yet. thanks I'll revisit them and see.

 

[KCFLHRC]

Here is the info on that new IP Controller Card

The NTDW20 Media Gateway Extended Peripheral Equipment Controller (MG XPEC) is a dual
card assembly based on Media Gateway Controller (MGC) hardware. It provides control over
line cards in an IPE shelf. The MG XPEC consists of a mother board (MB) and a daughter
board (DB), which operate independently of one another. Each board provides the same
hardware functionality as that of an MGC.

 

[bhassell2000]

Those sound like the controllers in the CS2100 I worked on a little that had IPE shelves

Thanks,

Buddy

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http://www.linkedin.com/in/buddyhassell