seemingly random changes 2

[genesmitty]

This is very strange issue, so forgive me if i don't make much sense.


6 weeks ago, about 200+ extensions, with no discernable pattern, had their display name changed, all to the same name.
I worked through a fix, and built a script that changed all their names back (lots of fun) 2 weeks later, same problem, different name. I fixed it again. But did not compare the names to see if it was the same group (it was). 2 weeks later, and all the names have changed again, which I’ve fixed, but this time, all of those whose extension changed, are unable to call out locally. If they dial long distance, they go through fine, but local calls ring fast busy.


So... something, every 2 weeks, is causing 200+ extensions to change their display name, and something else, which affects their ability to call out.
We do have a property management system, and their software developers are looking into seeing if that is the cause, which it probably is. but what do i have to do to get these people able to call out local again.

 

[telecomPA]

wow, i've never heard of anything like this in 10 years. my first throught is that someone is hacking in to your system and trying to irritate you. on second thought, it could be a bug in your system or a program that is set to run in OTM or other every 14 days.
if you can't find something scheduled in the PBX or in OTM, i would open a ticket w/your vendor and have them engage Nortel as well.

very odd.........

 

[TAnselm]

We have switchview here that logs in and updates names every two weeks. Every now and then it does bomb out and after deleting all the names doesn't re-upload them. We have to force an upload.

In you case it could be something of that nature with the name database being wrong in switchview (or whatever)

First thing I would do is to go through you switch logs and see who was logging in to change them and trace it from there.

 

[johnpoole]

are you using a gui interface? it's either that OR someone has the modem number that does not like you.. 30 plus years and the only two times i've seen mass changes was otm and a recently fired tech..

it could be a patch issue but it seems like someone here would have at least read something on one this strange.. switch type and rls

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[MagnaRGP]

Is your PMS doing any audits every 14 days? That could cause something like what you describe if there is a bug in their system.

You could have them turn on auditing to see what is going on starting the 13th day from the last occurrence to the 15th day.

 

[genesmitty]

ok, heres some more info.. we are a hotel, running nortel meridian option 61c succession 4.5. We are running HMS400 as our voicemail system, which is where the link from the property management system comes in. looking through the logs on hms, the only instance of the name that everyones display name was changed to, was when that person checked into the hotel. I did a search through the entire machine for all files that contained the name in question, and the only ones that came up are the instance where the person whose name was used actually checked in.

i figured out what was changed in order to block local calls, so i reset all these lines to have the cls of ccsd instead of ccsa-csa and that fixed the problem. but in 2 weeks it will probably happen again. I am going to have the PMS vendor turn on logging and we are going to track it for a few weeks and see if anything comes across there.

Thanks for all your help, you've pushed me in the right direction.... and sorry for being long winded.

 

[hms400]

The issue for this is not the PMS or the PBX it is the HMS and a room change command coming from the PMS. The HMS needs to have the latest PEP downloaded and installed from the PEP library to correct this issue. What is happening the is the PMSI module receives the room move command coming from the PMS system. The HMS checks the command to determine the begining of the first extension. Unfortunately it strips of the last 2 to 3 digits of the first extension causing it to change names on all sets between the begining and ending extension.
Example
IS CM AL 7474 62078< is '
a typical room move command.
When the HMS receives this command by default the start position and end position of the extension is 7 and 5
So in this case it would only pick up the 7 as the extension.
When it checks in the new room it will change the name on all sets between 7 and 62078.
With the latest PEP downloaded and installed the HMS no longer cares the start or stop position of the extension only the check in out commands going through with the IS CM AL room move command.

The latest PEP for the HMS400 on the pep library is G055

 

[genesmitty]

Problem has been solved. our vendor was able to apply the latest pep, which fixed us up.
thank you all

 

[tnphoneman]

Thank you for posting the fix.

 

[norstarboy125]

sounds like you called that one HMS400...