Chapter 4: Server Administration

Introduction

When a 4600 Series IP Telephone is plugged in and powered, it automatically negotiates with its associated LAN to determine the Ethernet speed. From that point on, the telephone’s action s depend largely on network administration prior to phone installation, and on any actions the installer takes. This chapter details the parameters and other data the telephone needs to operate, and the alternatives to deliver that information to the telephone, where appropriate. Recommendations and specifications for alternatives to certain parameters are also provided.

The parameters under which the phone needs to operate are summarized as follows:

• Telephone Administration on the call server. The call server for H.323 is the Avaya Media Server, while the call server for SIP is the Registration Server.
• IP Address management for the telephone.
• Tagging Control and VLAN administration for the telephone, if appropriate.
• Quality of Service (QoS) administration for the telephone, if appropriate.
• Site-specific Option Number (SSON) setting of DHCP servers, if appropriate.
• Interface administration for the telephone, if appropriate.
• Application-specific telephone administration, if appropriate. For example, Directory- or Web-specific information required for these optional applications.

The delivery mechanisms are:

• Maintaining the information on the call server.
• Manually entering the information using the telephone dialpad.
• Administering the DHCP server.
• Editing the settings file on the applicable TFTP or HTTP file server.

These parameters can be administered in a variety of ways, as indicated in Table 1. Note that not all parameters can be administered on all delivery mechanisms.

General information about administering DHCP servers is covered in DHCP and File Servers, and more specifically, DHCP. General information about administering TFTP servers is covered in DHCP and File Servers, and more specifically, TFTP (H.323 Only). General information about administering HTTP servers is covered in DHCP and File Servers, and more specifically, HTTP. Once you are familiar with that material, you can administer telephone options as described in Administering Options for the 4600 Series IP Telephones.

NOTE: If a given parameter is administered in multiple places, the last server to provide the parameter has precedence. The precedence is:

• manual administration,
• DHCP,
• TFTP/HTTP,
• the call server (meaning the Avaya Media Server for H.323, and the Registration Server for SIP), and finally,
• FTP backup files (if administered and if permitted).

Any settings the IP telephone receives from FTP backup files, or in their absence, the media server, overwrite any previous settings, including manual settings. The only exception to this sequence is in the case of VLAN IDs. In the case of VLAN IDs, the usual sequence applies through TFTP or HTTP as appropriate. If the VLAN ID after TFTP or HTTP is not zero, any VLAN ID from the media server is ignored.