Question from a complete newbie

[dottest37]

Hi guys
I accidentally ended in charge of making backups for a mitel PBX.
I dot remotely, using a software called "Session Manager",, but the truth is, I dont know even the model number of the PBX im using.
(The actual device is remote, and I access the PC with the software via Remote Desktop.
The owner of the business used to have a guy that knows about it, but he left, so I ended up trying to take over.

I was reading around, and trying to leanr more about it, specially because I want to check the possibility of making those backups via FTP or some other way (so I can automate them).
So far I do via Remote Desktop, but it is error prone and I have to enter the machine with the Session Manager.

How can I check on the session manager what device Im connecting to, and any other useful information?

Thanks!

[DND ON]

This has disaster written all over it. Contact your vendor and arrange for proper training before you do damage.

There is nothing intuitive about this system and there is no undo button.

[Tech Electronics]

dottest37,

If you are using software called Session Manager then you are working on an Inter-Tel Axxess phone system. There is a field that is labeled System Version that will tell you what version of software the system is running.

There is not an automated Backup procedure built into that software and FTP was not an option. The last time that software was updated was sometime in 2008 I believe and the system is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

It looks as though you will have to log into the system and perform backups manually, but I do agree with DND ON that you should get some training from your vendor prior to just "figuring it out".

Thanks,

TE

[dottest37]

Hi guys
It is just a phone system for a business that has 6 people, and they all use cellphone is their primary way of communication.
I dont think they are really "that" concerned about losing things with this PBX, besides, the owner knows how to do most of the stuff I think.
In my opinion, they just want to delay to go with a new system until this one breaks, so as long as it works....

The only thing I was required was to make a backup of the database using the GUI, and I do weekly, but Im trying to see if I can have some sort of automation.
(I use the Session Manager, go to the menu Options and use "save database", which I believe save the config that resides on the hardware, into files on the PC)
See attached pic.

You can write scripts with a software called AutoIT that basically "press" the buttons and pick the options for you, programmatically, but it doesnt work unless you are logged in on the PC and thats basically what Im trying to avoid.

I cant find that option on the GUI to see the version, as Tech Electronics suggested.
There is an option for IP address, and I saw an IP configured for the same LAN they used at the office, but it doesnt "ping" so I would assume the wire is unplugged (I was going to ask the customer today, since they are 2k miles from here and on a different timezone)
Because I saw the IP address there, I though you could connect to that system via SSH, Telnet, FTP, etc who knows, and perhaps handle the backups via command line, and that wont need the GUI.

Any thoughts? thanks a lot.

[DND ON]

There is no process other than the one previously described.

Why weekly backups? If no one is making database changes, all the files will be identical.

[Tech Electronics]

dottest37,

I believe that we understand what you are trying to do, but you have to realize that the equipment you are working on isn't designed with that function in mind; that phone system was designed and installed in the 1980-1990's and early 2000's. There is not a way to perform backups without logging in with the software and performing it the way that you already know how; there isn't a command line interface for the CPU 128 that you would need to access or even look at. This system is a beast and will work for a long time as long as it isn't messed with a lot.

I am also very familiar with how AutoIT and other automated programs work and yes you can make that happen automatically by setting up a scheduled time to perform the backup; think Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) for making time based AutoIT programs. Basically you would use the built-in Windows scheduler to start the AutoIT program that would open Session Manager and then perform all of the actions that you want; pretty easy although not supported by this forum or any Mitel/Inter-Tel Vendor.

As for the version of software it is 7.0.xxx as you can see on your picture.

Thanks,

Te

[dottest37]

dottest37,

I believe that we understand what you are trying to do, but you have to realize that the equipment you are working on isn't designed with that function in mind; that phone system was designed and installed in the 1980-1990's and early 2000's. There is not a way to perform backups without logging in with the software and performing it the way that you already know how; there isn't a command line interface for the CPU 128 that you would need to access or even look at. This system is a beast and will work for a long time as long as it isn't messed with a lot.

I am also very familiar with how AutoIT and other automated programs work and yes you can make that happen automatically by setting up a scheduled time to perform the backup; think Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) for making time based AutoIT programs. Basically you would use the built-in Windows scheduler to start the AutoIT program that would open Session Manager and then perform all of the actions that you want; pretty easy although not supported by this forum or any Mitel/Inter-Tel Vendor.

As for the version of software it is 7.0.xxx as you can see on your picture.

Thanks,

Te

AutoIt is great, but an user needs to be logged on, it wont work if the user is disconnected, so it wont work for me, why? because... The software is installed on a Windows VM running on Amazon Web Services cloud, so it is basically headless (I tested that already, AutoIT wont load the GUI unless you are logged on).
The PBX has a serial port connected to a Serial over IP box, and that box is on the LAN at the office.
The whole office is connected to AWS via VPN and the Session Manager is on one of the server at AWS.
So PBX is on one city, Session Manager is on another city, and I am 2k miles away, and I was looking to do the backup in a more simplistic way.

Understood, it is not supposed to be used that way.
:-(
Why I take the backups weekly? because thats what the owner requested, and Im in charge of the whole cloud environment for them and no one else has access to that particular PC.
I really appreciate you guys taking the time for checking into this, but looks like Im stuck on a manual process, unfortunately that software doesnt have even a command line that could be invoked with a batch!, being old is not excuse, I have worked with hardware/software older than that and they had command line interface, plus the GUI.

[Tech Electronics]

dottest37,

Not having those features isn't an excuse it is a design decision as those systems did not sit on a data network for the most part; until later on. The introduction of the system to be able to sit on the network prompted them to eventually add those features in, but when the system was installed, at that version (7.0), that wasn't a concern or a need of the system designers.

As you stated yourself they are using an IP-to-Serial converter and the IP Address you are attaching to is the IP of the device not the phone system so I wouldn't expect any sort of web or ssh interface on that either. What you may be able to do is get them to put the software on a PC you control and then give you a public IP address that is pointed to the IP of the IP-to-Serial device and see if that fixes your problem.

It is unfortunate that you are required to take extreme measures, but sometimes you need to think outside of the box to solve the problem and even then the solution you already have may be the best and most secure one.

Good Luck,

TE

[dwayneg]

Mitel has an aggressive trade-in program that would let you keep all the existing phones and replace just the controller with MiVoice 250.  IP built-in, as are scheduled backups, cell phone twinning, hot desking, voice mail-to-email and dozens of other up-to date features.  And it's current production so parts and software updates are available.

[ralph]

For 6 phones it might be better to move to the cloud.

Ralph

[dottest37]

I think that in this case, the owner for sure will stay until the system stops working.

I just wanted to take backups from the system.

One question I still have, if you see the attached picture, there is an IP configured on the system, and that is not the IP that the System Manager connects to, because like I said, the SM connects via a serial port (that happens to be a Serial over IP, but obviously you wont be able to see the IP for it inside the Mitel box)

If you follow my attached image you will see that when I doubleclick "1" it takes me to "2" and on the right side on "3" I see a LAN IP (by the way, I control the Firewall at that office, and I dont see any rule for that IP). And as expressed before, that IP is not even pinging inside their LAN (I have not asked if the wire is plugged in, but I will do today or tomorrow)

I was wondering, what is that IP for? because thats where I came with the idea that perhaps that Mitel box has a CLI that works over IP.

[Tech Electronics]

dottest37,

That is an IPRC [IP Resource Card] you can't perform programming of the database through that card as it is only for networking multiple phone systems together or for IP Phones. There is a web interface for that card though which will allow you to program it for what type of resources you need from it.

Thanks,

TE

[dottest37]

dottest37,

That is an IPRC [IP Resource Card] you can't perform programming of the database through that card as it is only for networking multiple phone systems together or for IP Phones. There is a web interface for that card though which will allow you to program it for what type of resources you need from it.

Thanks,

TE

I see !!
Thanks for the answer.
Well, back to my manual backups.

Thanks to you all for helping me out.