Some would call it overboard, but here is how I configure phone groups:
I create a universal group for all phones of the same brand so they can
share common settings. Then I create phone groups by department for easy
sorting, etc. Sometimes, if there are multiple departments assigned to a
building, I will create a "building" group so that managing
building-wide settings such as VLANs is easier. This is where I think
visually nested groups would be handy, but that's another story.
As an example of why #2 is essential is VLAN configuration. Until I can
use polycom firmware 3.2 with LLDP-MED (ProCurve switches), I have to
configure VLANs on a phone group basis. Also, perhaps you would want
different departments to have different web applications (microbrowser)
or to control certain phone features.
#2 would be great if I could add special feature keys in specific to
each group. A good example is this:
Migrating a 30+ user department off an old Norstar to sipX is difficult
because of the "line" mentality. The front desk operator receives a
call, places it on hold and pages(ewww!!) the desired party telling them
to "pick up line 1" at which point the party the call is destined for
presses the "Line 1" key and begins talking.
This is so heavily rooted in their mindsets that they absolutely detest
doing anything different. This can be alleviated by using call park but
the way it's currently implemented either requires an expensive phone
with several BLF keys monitoring parking slots or for users to remember
how to pick up parked calls(*4+park-extension). If using Polycom sets
this could be alleviated by adding an EFK button for park pickup
specific to the department so that when the front desk attendants park a
call in, say, slot 701, then announce "pick up on 1", the user presses
the "pickup" softkey and enters 1 then presses enter, at which point the
phone dials the entire pickup string (*4701). The EFK to do this is
pretty simple but since each deparment will have different parking slots
it can't be a "one size fits all" configuration.
Two examples:
A department that uses 70x parking slots:
<efk>
<version efk.version="2" />
<efklist
efk.efklist.1.mname="ParkPickup"
efk.efklist.1.label="Park Pickup"
efk.efklist.1.status="1"
*efk.efklist.1.action.string="*470$P1N1$$Trefer$"*
/>
<efkprompt
efk.efkprompt.1.status="1"
efk.efkprompt.1.label="Line: "
efk.efkprompt.1.userfeedback="visible"
efk.efkprompt.1.type="numeric"
/>
</efk>
<softkey
softkey.1.label="PrkPkup"
softkey.1.action="!ParkPickup"
softkey.1.enable="1"
softkey.1.precede="1"
softkey.1.use.idle="1"
softkey.1.use.active="0"
softkey.1.use.alerting="1"
softkey.1.use.dialtone="1"
softkey.1.use.proceeding=""
softkey.1.use.setup=""
softkey.1.use.hold="1"
softkey.feature.newcall="1"
softkey.feature.endcall="1"
softkey.feature.split="1"
softkey.feature.join="1"
softkey.feature.forward="1"
softkey.feature.directories=""
softkey.feature.callers=""
softkey.feature.mystatus="1"
softkey.feature.buddies="1"
softkey.feature.basicCallManagement.redundant="0"
/>
A department that uses 71x parking slots:
<efk>
<version efk.version="2" />
<efklist
efk.efklist.1.mname="ParkPickup"
efk.efklist.1.label="Park Pickup"
efk.efklist.1.status="1"
*efk.efklist.1.action.string="*471$P1N1$$Trefer$"*
/>
<efkprompt
efk.efkprompt.1.status="1"
efk.efkprompt.1.label="Line: "
efk.efkprompt.1.userfeedback="visible"
efk.efkprompt.1.type="numeric"
/>
</efk>
<softkey
softkey.1.label="PrkPkup"
softkey.1.action="!ParkPickup"
softkey.1.enable="1"
softkey.1.precede="1"
softkey.1.use.idle="1"
softkey.1.use.active="0"
softkey.1.use.alerting="1"
softkey.1.use.dialtone="1"
softkey.1.use.proceeding=""
softkey.1.use.setup=""
softkey.1.use.hold="1"
softkey.feature.newcall="1"
softkey.feature.endcall="1"
softkey.feature.split="1"
softkey.feature.join="1"
softkey.feature.forward="1"
softkey.feature.directories=""
softkey.feature.callers=""
softkey.feature.mystatus="1"
softkey.feature.buddies="1"
softkey.feature.basicCallManagement.redundant="0"
/>
Sorry for the long spiel but that was a pretty broad request.
Josh Patten
Assistant Network Administrator
Brazos County IT Dept.
(979) 361-4676
On 3/11/2010 1:20 PM, Paul Mossman wrote:
Hi all,
I'd like to better understand how Phone Groups are actually used. It
seems to me that Phone Groups can do two things:
1. "Filter by..." when listing Phones. i.e. If you frequently "Send
Profiles" or "Restart" certain sub-groups of phones, then you can group
them and save a little time.
2. Configuration. i.e. You want your Polycoms to display time in 24
hour format.
Can I have some real world examples of #2? Do you typically have phone
from different vendors in the same group?
Thanks.
-Paul
[email protected]
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