Using Templates in System Manager

[dempst]

I am new to using System Manager 6.3, having migrated to it as my primary administration tool from ASA when we upgraded our CM last year. We are vanilla in that we have 95% H.323 stations and MM R5.2 voice mail. We do not use SIP nor have Session Manager.

In ASA it is possible to use a Wizard which allows you to put in an H.323 station and a voice mailbox for a user. With System Manager they have attempted to provide that same functionality. System Manager allows you to create custom templates for both a CM H.323 station and a MM 5.2 mailbox. However, the only macro I can find that allows you to build both in one pass is via User Management -> Manage Users.

I am concerned that if I begin to use User Management to build both the station and mailbox when my entire user base is already there (not created that way), that I am making things **** ** myself in the future. I am afraid I will forget that if a user was created via User Management, they cannot be altered except via User Management. Or that changes made to a station via command line (by my boss, for example), will cause issues.

I know I can create both the station and mailbox separately, and even use custom templates - without having to go the User Management creation route. First I create a station (Elements -> Communication Manager -> Endpoints -> Manage Endpoints ->New) and then I create a voice mailbox (Elements -> Messaging -> Subscriber -> New). I know I can always Duplicate a station, but it seems like a step backwards to do so.

It seems like the User Management way of creating and deleting should be an all-or-nothing approach to be successful.

Does anyone have any wisdom to impart on gradually adding users via User Management? About whether you unwittingly created complexities for yourself going forward? Any pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Thom

[nelr]

Hi,

In my experience you are quite correct when you say it's an all or nothing approach to be successful. There are ways to import users into System Manager. The true value in having System Manager (in my opinion) without SIP lies in the User Management, and that end user administrators should never have to go into the "Elements -> Communication Manager -> ..." side of things. It should (in theory) be a simple as adding the user, and selecting what to add it to (for example, the person has an extension, so check the CM box and supply an extension, the person will have voicemail, so check the voicemail box etc.).

When set up correctly, changes made using Site Administrator or equivalent, will be synced back to System Manager, but will not be available immediately, which adds the risk that the two systems will go out of sync.

The idea behind System Manager is great, something Avaya really needs, but in my opinion, in practice System Manager still has a long way to go, and if there is no Session Manager in the mix, System Manager just adds unnecessary headaches which does not balance out the convenience of configuring two systems in one pass. The interface is slow, and I would say still a bit buggy. Making simple changes to stations takes twice as long as with ASA due to the multiple menu's you have to navigate and then wait for the page to respond. You will also find yourself going back to ASA to double check configurations suspecting that you last change didn't sync.

My 2 cents worth.

[batemj]

Hi Nelr,

I am thinking about migrating admin tasks from ASA to System manager. All I have been reading recently is that System Manager has taken great strides in the later releases to be more of the tool we would like and less of the one you mentioned. Have you not found this to be the case? Which version are you running?

Thank you for any input.