OpenStage HFA V3 R0.23.2 access (and a DLS question)

[donb01]

Sorry to beg like everyone else, but I do have access to the Unify portal but am not allowed to download system software/firmware because I am identified as "CUST" status so they won't let me at the software. I can download clients and DERT and things like that, and I have the software release notes, but I guess if you're going to post the image you should include those for everyone else's benefit.

Also, how many of you folks out there use the DLS server? Mine has been working fine for over a year, but the last couple months or so I have been having problems getting it to autodeploy. I create the new phone with @MAC, put in all the relevant initial data, assign the profile, assign the station number in the gateway area, etc, like I have done 100 times. The phone boots up and Sees the DLS server, but sits on enter terminal number and does not go past. If I enter the terminal number on the phone and save it a new record is created for that phone in the DLS - same MAC address and everything, even though there is already a record for that phone with the @ and etc specified. When it creates the new record it of course does not have the profile and gateway settings so the phone will sit there in telephony down mode. In oder to get it going I have to remote into my office, delete the original record I initially set up and modify the one the phone created before the phone will go on line. I don't know all the intricacies of the DLS server, but I have been using it for about 16 months and have never had any problems.

Only things changed recently are that the vendor tech performed a software upgrade (but this started a while before that), and when he did that upgrade he renamed all of the phone profiles to correct a mistake he made when he first built the system, which introduces a whole new set of problems for later on down the road, but neither of those issues have anything to do with the autodeployment process (the profile name issue only affects existing phones and not new ones).

I am wondering if my fellow IT buddies may have changed any of the settings we put into the network switches for VOIP, or if any other network issue could be causing this??

THANKS!

 

[sbcsu]

If the software on the phone is too early it will not be recognized by the DLS
Let me know what software(s) you need and I will send them on as required

 

[donb01]

I have versions all the way back to I think V2 R1.5.0, which is the first upgrade we did (from the R0.95.0 or whatever it is that came on the phones when we bought them). I have an older version of V3, and then I have V3 R0.18.0 which is known to brick phones (I finally downloaded DERT to recover those), and now I have V3 R0.23.0 which has a few different issues. V3 R0.23.2 just came out within the past week or so.

I don't have any problems doing the flash with the DLS. The problem I have with the DLS is that it doesn't push the profiles out to the phones when they first connect. When we first set it up we scanned in 1100 phones, and every phone when we connected it just downloaded all it's stuff and went online. Now they don't take the download anymore. I looked at the record for the phones and both of the auto-config checkboxes are enabled, and it shows the wrench next to the MAC address indicating it is ready for auto-config, but it just doesn't do it. When the phone gets to the point where it stops and asks for the terminal number it used to sit there about 30 seconds while the MAC address registered to the DLS server and took the download, and then it moved past there and went online. Now it just sits at the "Enter terminal number" prompt forever. If I get the phone into the menu mode and look it has a valid DHCP address and the IP address of the DLS server is populated. Even if I do a factory wipe on the phones they won't download their profile stuff... I messaged the tech and he asked a couple of valid questions about whether there was a duplicate MAC already in the system, etc, which is not the case, and then it went back to silence....

I have the DLS course set up and Paid for, but I have 2 more AVST Admin classes I have to complete by 8/12 so I don't lose them first. Then I will be in Irving from 9/14 through 10/2, which is 2 out of the 3 classes I need to take yet.

 

[Iamnothere]

Has the DLS Server been victimized by any Power hits or sudden outages? Perhaps the database is corrupted. What type of DLS deployment is it: Windows-based Single-Node?
If so, the database is SQL-based. You could try a Restore if you have a recent backup, but no guarantees!
I'm curious - which DLS course are you going to take?

Good Luck!

 

[donb01]

DLS V7 running on Windows Server 2008 R2 with just one instance is the best I can tell you. I believe it's a VM and not a physical box, but I would have to look to not lie to you. Not sure about a sudden hit, but I know there have been some assorted VM issues over the past several months, and I'm about 85% sure that it's a VM. I normally access it thru a browser. I am also running the CLA and an FTP/SFTP server on the same "box". Database is maybe 1200 devices, 30-odd profiles between the 40's and 60's.

Is there a database rebuild command on there? If not I can have the SQL guy look at it - I'm pretty sure he has reindexed other stuff before. I am 95% sure WE did not set it up on the regular SQL server, so I would go so far as to say it is running on whatever "SQL-Lite" would otherwise get installed with the package. Now that I think of it, I wonder when the last time was I did a restart on it. Maybe that will be tomorrow's project. I have to look in my notes to see if I have a proper shutdown/restart procedure for that. The VMs are backed up every night, but to restore a backup from before the problem would lose me a lot of data, plus it would also revert the upgrade I had done in late May or early June to the latest release before it went off warranty. I am pretty sure this problem existed prior to May because it has been annoying me for some time.

The DLS course I have access to is probably low budget (I think it's called 3K4KDLS, but my bookmarks to my profile are at work - around $400) - it is web-based and was part of the 2013/2014 NA 4K technician curriculum. I know there is a separate stand alone DLS course that is a week or so long and runs about $1500, but I'm not getting that one. I also know the 2015 revision of the coursework has some DLS content built into the Advanced Class. I'll pretty much take whatever I can get. I got a DLS crash course from the installer but he only really went over the basics for me to push out phones and a few other things like deploying firmware, logos, screensavers and the like. I know that thing can move mountains if I learn some of the more advanced features. I have a basic understanding of profiles and templates. The biggest other thing I want to learn there is the Canonical Dialing stuff in Chapter 7 (I have the whole 1500 page manual). I am hoping that's not for SIP only. My hope is to create some custom dialing rules I can dump on my 60's to allow my administrative people the ability to download their contact lists into the phone and actually be able to DIAL those numbers without me having to write some kind of strange conversion script to take their outlook phone books and append the 9 and 1 to all the 10-digit numbers, and the 9 to all the 7-digit numbers....

Anyway... rambling, sorry...

 

[Iamnothere]

The problem could also be the DHCP server. If someone has made any modifications or deletions of some of the vendor-specific settings, it may not be able to support Plug & Play. I suggest that you have a BlackBox tech with DLS experience have a look. Backup/Restore on DLS is not a quick remedy. The database is restored to a previous snapshot (your Backup file), but afterwards the database entries are virtual (the data resides only in the DLS server - no devices have "registered" with DLS). A scan must be performed to synchronize the new DLS database with the IP Devices in your network.

Good luck with the DLS course.

Good Luck!

 

[donb01]

Hey - I'm sure you won't be back on until tonight or so, but a light bulb just flashed on while I was writing a work request for IT to look at those Option 43 settings....

When we set all this up last May our Siemens phones came in with some version of firmware that ended in R0.95.0 I believe. When we went live we pushed out V2 R1.5.0 I believe. We gunned in all those phones and everything deployed just fine.

Since then, i have flashed many of the phones (except the 2 pallets I have left over from the install, and the ones at the main hospital) with *UNIFY* firmware - right now the vast majority of those flashed are on HFA V3 R0.18.0. The ones I am touching now for any reason are being flashed to V3 R0.23.0 (because V3 R0.18.0 is bricking phones with a boot loop).

So my lightbulb is wanting me to ask if the Option 43 settings have been rebranded for UNIFY and we are still running on the old Siemens brand settings???

I am going to pose that question to Black Box as well to see if I can get a fast answer, but sometimes it takes a while.

 

[Iamnothere]

No, the "Siemens" vendor name will not change to "Unify".
In DLS V7, there is no official support for the V2 IP Device software (typically old optiPoint 420 devices).

Side note: Are you sure that you need to attend the "Basic" course? The Basic course is pretty much an Admin class. You seemingly have that part down for a HP4K.
Most techs who already know the HP4K attend the OS4V7V6UCS course to learn the new concepts and the new maintenance procedures. But obviously you know what you need and what you don't need.
Good luck with the training. I have heard that the new 4K lab in Irving is awesome. No more sitting in a classroom - everything happens in the lab.




Good Luck!

 

[donb01]

Maybe the version is V3 R1.5.0 - I know the "R" part is right.

Unfortunately Unify dictates the training path to get certified, and I'm under the impression I need to take those courses. The new course outline for this year encompasses the OS4V7V6UCS class and one other one. Had I gone last year I would have had to take the Basic class, the Advanced class AND that class. This year I had to take the Assistant class, which I had an attitude about because I've been doing it for 5 years, but that was a really good class and I learned quite a few easier ways to do some of the things i have been doing. The instructor also learned a few things from us. I expect the Basic Class will probably be a rehash of the assistant stuff and then probably more Comwin stuff, then there is this "Systematic Troubleshooting" class we have to take, and then the Advance one that probably has all the scary stuff in it. If I pass all that them I'm supposedly certified for the OS4000 Service Curriculum for North America. The whole intent was to take all the training and become certified as a self maintainer, but after everything was said and done they dropped the bomb on me that in order to do that we had to have 2 people trained and we didn't budget for that.

I guess I'll find out when I get there if you really can teach an old dog new tricks!