Moving MICS with DNs that have been changed

[mxtek]

Hey everyone. Next week i will be moving a MICS with about 40 extensions from one part of the customer's building to another. Quite a bit of these extension numbers have been changed in the programming. I suspect this may cause some grief? If i punch all the cables down on the system as normal, then check the DN that comes up on the phone, and change it to what it was before will this work fine? For example, say there is a person by the name of John, his extension is currently 327, but he has been punched down directly where 224 is. When i move the system, can i punch John I/C 327 directly down on any port (say 227) then change his DN back to 327? Will all his info come back up correctly with regards to all his personal settings such as lines, features, etc? Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[senk1s]

Depending on the age of the system - all the programming might get lost
So back up the programming using RAD/ NRU, that way if it looses you can restore from the backup

that being said - if it is important get some professional help for this

 

[norstarboy125]

go into maintenance and under port/dn status check which port is assigned to which ext. make yourself a cc sheet like that. Norstar ports never change 101-132 are your first station ports on a MICS if your blocks are marked with exts. you should always mark your blocks with port numbers never exts.You shouldn't lose your programming unless you have some old software where the caps. need to be replaced or even the NVRAM but most cases this is a piece of cake.

 

[DigitalMind]

... I hate saying this since most people here frown upon it. But if SET RELOCATION is set to YES, then the programming of the phone will follow regardless of what port it has been punched down on. I have done this alot without problems. Problem is ONE DAY when the battery is dead in the system and it defaults, then ALL the extensions will be wrong. Also it sometimes bugs when you move multiple phones at once. (So you plug'em in one by one and let them boot before going to the next if you wanna be REALLY safe)

 

[DigitalMind]

If you change the extension number from one to another, he will not regain his button programming and such. Set relocation will ..

 

[mxtek]

I actually re-configured this system a couple weeks ago, but now they are moving it to a new room. I wouldn't want to loose the programming though. The system is only one year old so it shouldn't loose it. Correct? I highly doubt i will be punching the phones down on the system in the same ports that they are in now, well atleast not all. Since most of them have been changed in programming, i'm thinking all i would need to do is punch them down, then change them back to what they were before in programming. This should work right? Most of the phones in this custoer's instance seem to have their DNs changed in programming, i just want to be able to move the system, punch them down again on a fresh bix frame and then change the DNs to what they should be once again in programming which seems like the best way for me to do this so that i would not have to re-program everyones handset and its personal configuration. So in my scenario above, can someone confirm that this is possible? Once i change a phones DN, say 227, to 327 (where 327 is already programmed as Johns phone) , i know the system will make 227 be 327 but will it assign all the configurations such as the name John and all the other personal configurations? I assume that it will, but i just want to be 100 percent before i start. Thanks again.

 

[mxtek]

DigitalMind. So it is et relocation i should use then? My bad, i was thinking i was supposed to use "Change Dns". So basically i just need to go to the handset, in the scenario above as an example, go to 227, and do set relocation to 327 and it should work? thanks again

 

[gforce9]

I am one of those against set relocation. As a repairman (and I spent my share of time talking to Nortel 2nd level and Design), I have seen and had to rekey corrupted software from set relo. Use it if you want, but it is a gamble that may or may not be worth the trouble. I would make cut sheets as the programming is now and use jumpers to get phones where you want them.

 

[ccaug]

My experience in changing DN's is that once you have done this then the button programming and line assignment stay at the port.

Ex:
Swap ext 221 and 222
221 has line 241
222 has line 242

Once these are swapped this is what happens

221 has line 242
222 has line 241

This is just what I have found when I have done this in the past.

Easiest way is like what was mentioned before. Go to maintenance and create a cut sheet with who's ext is on what port and put them back on that port.

Cheers

 

[DigitalMind]

The Change DN feature ONLY changes the extention number and will not restore or change the name or the programming that is already there. Since your extentions are already mixed up, go into system programming and make sure the SET RELOCATION setting is already at YES, then technically as long as the jack is active on the system, and programming will follow the phone and NOT the port.

 

[mxtek]

But i want the lines and everything assigned to a particular handset t remain the same. Basically, i re-programed the entire system two weeks ago and i do not want to have to go through it again. I want to make this relocation of the MICS as hassle free and as clean as possible. I am open for suggestions.

 

[mxtek]

The MICS also has line and set expansion on it. Can someone give me the port numbering for this system? Will it be on the CD? If so, i have a few of them in the office somewhere i can browse through. Let me know. Thanks

 

[mxtek]

I should have explained it better. the system currently has a 6 port expansion card. I am not on site and i do not currently hve a Norstar setup to in my office to play with, can someoneget me the port numbering info? For example, Intercom 221 is port 101 etc.

 

[mxtek]

Ok i found the MICS documents online on nortel's website so i just reviewed it and got he port numbering info.

 

[mxtek]

Can someone explain in a little more detail how set-relocation works? I have never had to do it before, i just nromally re-program the handset if the I/C needs to be changed or do a set copy.

 

[DigitalMind]

SET RELOCATION means that the programming follows the PHONE and not the PORT that it's plugged in on.

Just put set relocation to YES before unplugging any phones, then label the phones (or have ppl move their own phones), move the system over, and xconnect all the jacks that need phones to any Norstar Port. Programming should follow.

Change dn DOES change the extention number, but not the programming of whatever phone ure doing it to.

 

[norstarboy125]

I would not recommand turning on set relocation for this one buddy it isn't 4 exts. it's 40. I have been Installing Nortel Equipment for 13 yrs. go with what I posted earlier
get yourself the ports for your exts. under maintenance make a nice cross connect sheet ext/port/station it's butter baby.....make sure set relocate is set to off before you move the system. DOUBLE CHECK B4 PWR DOWN!!!
I have had and heard some bad experiences with using that feature and most techs. on here would probably agree it can corrupt data, crazy things can happen trust me with set relocate set to Y if a person can't move a phone by moving a cc then they shouldn't be programming a CICS...

 

[MagnaRGP]

And, if your system is plugged into a UPS (like all good vendors and techs INSIST that their customers do), move the MICS and UPS together and the MICS stays powered up. VOILA! No loss of programming.

Then simply punch down the new wiring to the old port and yer done! If you followed norstarboy125's advice, you will have a DN/Port map to correct any errors in your new punches.

 

[DigitalMind]

I won't argue with these guys too much since they ALSO know what they're talking about and have their reasons. (Plus i've tried and tried in the past, we don't agree) I use set relocation all the time, small moves, big moves. Always works like a charm with the exception of maybe 2-3 phones that basically lost programming and had to manually change the DN's. The rare time the battery dies on someone, THEN I walk from phone to phone and write what DN it has, and what it SHOULD have, then do a massive changeDN session. Seems like the way of premapping all the ports and re-connecting all to the same one is the same amount of work you would need to do IF set relocation didn't work or when the programming is lost. Just a matter of doing it on purpose while moving, or waiting till it needs to be done. I have no problems reprogramming a 150 phone system in under an hour in case of emergency.

 

[DigitalMind]

... I guess I should add to all of this that my customer's systems DON'T have software that gets corrupted on them, and i've never had a customer that has a system with a good new battery lose their programming on me. (When I DO reprogram systems, it's flat out because their system is REALLY old and needed a new battery, or some power issues on the customers end. (I have been installing for over 10 years, and that's ALL I do, no cabling. Just installs and programming.)