Upgrading avaya ip phone system from r9.1 to r11

[Akoito2021]

Hi, please if you can help me, im kinda new in this system upgrade, we are currently using ver 9.1 but unfortunately we are not allowed to add more extension because avaya stop offering new licenses. Told is need to upgrade first. If we are going to upgrade meaning all are existing avaya extension phones need to be change also? And for the server upgrade the system or even the hardware? Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[techAR]

Hi there, I think you will have to go ADI to PLDS Lic, swap on the SD card if it's a V1 chassis, proceed with license and software upgrades

 

[Akoito2021]

Thank you for the response. Meaning are old ip phones avaya model 9608 will still work after upgrading the software and licenses. The only updates we are going to do is the server? does anyone know how much will that cost? thank you again for your help in advance. Really Appreciate it.

 

[techAR]

Yes, your phones will be supported on the newer version, cheers

 

[ipohead]

Here's the compatibilty list so phones are OK.

I recall that if you can add a V1 (not V2) VCM you will get 12 IP phone licences. These are no longer made but widely available. But there's no other way to get any licences for R9.1 now

 

[Akoito2021]

Thank you for the advice and the compatibility list. It helps a lot. Is there any pros and cons? Currently we have ip office 500 v2, with vcm 32 v2 700504031. Thank you again. And by the looks of it we need to upgrade the software systems only and add license.

 

[1ntegrationman]

I would say a pro of upgrading is that you get the latest features available to you by upgrading, and adding additional software becomes a pretty simple process. And you will have Avaya's support on the system.

Cons are that you are forced into purchasing IPOSS... Avaya's support program which is pretty inexpensive and has a lot of upside. But you are required to purchase if you upgrade.

If you have little or no interest in the newer features, and your IP500v2 has space or can be reconfigured to accommodate another VCM32v1, that module (as mentioned above) entitles you to 12 IP Endpoint Licenses. And / or you can swap out your VCM32v2 for a VCM32v1 and get the same results. And if you have space and or the ability to reconfigure to make space you can have up to (2) VCM32v1's which entitles you to (24) IP Endpoint licenses in version 9.1. Once you upgrade above 9.1, the entitled IP Endpoint license benefit is eliminated.

 

[ipohead]

There's a quick summary of the new features in each release here which may or may not matter to you.

One con is that some older kit may no longer be supported but it seems your phones are OK.

 

[ipohead]

1ntegrationman VCM32v1s still give the 'free' endpoint licences in R11.0 but the ones here were migrated to PLDS before the upgrade.