MiVoice Business Express - New Installation

[Tech Electronics]

Guys,

I have been handed a new installation for the first ever MiVoice Business Express installation in our company. Are there any issues or installation "gotchas" that would be handy to know about prior to starting this?

I also have a vMBG for new SIP trunks that their current PRI will be ported over to; in case that makes a difference.

Thanks,

TE

[martyn]

Make sure you create all DNS records before running the initialisation wizard, as it will bomb out with a random error that doesn't indicate DNS issues.

[Tech Electronics]

Guys,

Does the MiVB-X have a built-in DHCP Server that can be used to hand out option 125 or is just like the virtual MiVoice Business. If it is then can I use the DHCP Server on the MSL to perform that function?

This is going on a Hyper-V server so hopefully their IT person knows how to setup the NICs correctly to get it on the Voice VLAN.

Thanks,

TE

[acejavelin]

Guys,

Does the MiVB-X have a built-in DHCP Server that can be used to hand out option 125 or is just like the virtual MiVoice Business. If it is then can I use the DHCP Server on the MSL to perform that function?

This is going on a Hyper-V server so hopefully their IT person knows how to setup the NICs correctly to get it on the Voice VLAN.

Thanks,

TE

No... Virtual MCD's don't have the capability of DHCP, and running from MSL is difficult in newer versions. You really need a separate DHCP server (usually a new scope in an existing one).

[martyn]

No... Virtual MCD's don't have the capability of DHCP, and running from MSL is difficult in newer versions. You really need a separate DHCP server (usually a new scope in an existing one).

What issues have you had with the MSL based DHCP? I use it all the time and it functions just fine as a DHCP server.

[acejavelin]

No... Virtual MCD's don't have the capability of DHCP, and running from MSL is difficult in newer versions. You really need a separate DHCP server (usually a new scope in an existing one).

What issues have you had with the MSL based DHCP? I use it all the time and it functions just fine as a DHCP server.

Haven't been able to get it to work at all since about MSL 9 or so... Haven't tried in a while, last time was about a year ago on a MiVBX install and could never get it to work right because it wouldn't let me configure everything in option 125, kept getting some kind of error, but I keep an old copy of MSL around just to fire it up for DHCP sometimes.

[martyn]

Haven't been able to get it to work at all since about MSL 9 or so... Haven't tried in a while, last time was about a year ago on a MiVBX install and could never get it to work right because it wouldn't let me configure everything in option 125, kept getting some kind of error, but I keep an old copy of MSL around just to fire it up for DHCP sometimes.

Have you got screenshots of the issues? I've never had a problem with 125, and in some ways the MSL DHCP is quicker and easier than the MiVB DHCP on a physical controller.

[acejavelin]

Haven't been able to get it to work at all since about MSL 9 or so... Haven't tried in a while, last time was about a year ago on a MiVBX install and could never get it to work right because it wouldn't let me configure everything in option 125, kept getting some kind of error, but I keep an old copy of MSL around just to fire it up for DHCP sometimes.

Have you got screenshots of the issues? I've never had a problem with 125, and in some ways the MSL DHCP is quicker and easier than the MiVB DHCP on a physical controller.

No, that was like a year and half ago... I fought with it for hours and couldn't get it to work so I just gave up and haven't tried it since...

I will try to fire one up in VirtualBox and see if I can duplicate it again when I get a chance.

[VinceWhirlwind]

Best practice in the IT world would be to serve up DHCP from the existing DHCP service rather than creating duplicate services.
 
Also, does the MiVB-X actually need to be on the Voice VLAN for some reason? Best network design practice would be to have it on a server VLAN in the HyperV environment so you aren't spanning VLANs around the place. VLANs should always be as localised as possible. You should not have endpoint devices on the same VLAN as any service devices.

[Tech Electronics]

VinceWhirlwind,

How do you support QoS between the phone system and the phones in that configuration?

Thanks,

TE

[VinceWhirlwind]

QoS markings are applied by the handsets as well as the phone system, and honoured by the switches. Sometimes the switches will apply the markings if the customer doesn't trust the voice system to do it properly.
 
I'm guessing you might be referring to the fact that one VLAN (per switch or wiring closet) has the "voice" command issued to it. Although that provides some QoS configuration shortcuts, the main purpose of that is so that LLDP can advertise it to the phones, saving you from having the phones do a double bootup to get on the correct VLAN.
 
In any case, QoS within the internal LAN shouldn't be doing anything - it's on the the way to the WAN/internet that you hit bottlenecks. Mind you, there are some amazingly rubbish LANs out there....