5.5 Upgrade Tips

Here are some 5.5 upgrade tips and observations. Some of the points may also apply to other release upgrades.

When programming new D channel for ISDN trunks, ensure that you use Port 1 for the D channel port instead of Port 0 (CS1000 4.5 ISDN digital trunks use Port 0 for the D channel). If not, the D channel will never establish.
Before replacing MGC cards in Slot 0 of each Media Gateway, ensure that the ELAN and TLAN cables coming off the rear of each Media Gateway are plugged into the right VLAN on the Baystacks (NOTE: The existing SSC cards in 4.5 Media Gateway's only use the ELAN interface to talk to the Call Server and uses the VGMC cards to provide the TLAN voice path).
You can provide a phased cutover by backing up the existing NRS and using that data to run the new NRS of the CS-1000 5.5 Signaling Servers. That way the CS1000E 4.5 can send calls to the CS1000T and the CS1000E 5.5 (new system) can send calls to the CS1000T so as you replace the VGMC with the MGC cards, only each Media Gateway will drop out of the old CS1000 4.5 platform/Call Server and come up with the new CS1000 5.5 Call Server but both will continue to process outbound/inbound calls until the cutover is complete.
In order to install loadware patches you will need to associate ADMIN1 with PDT1 and ADMIN2 with PDT2 in element manager.
Use a spare Media Gateway chassis to configure/install all 5.5 hardware/software so that you can test the Call Servers/Signaling Servers and configure/load all updates to each MGC card so you won't waste time while the system updates when you plug the MGC cards into Slot 0 of each Media Gateway.
The CS1000E database will be migrated and become the CS1000 5.5 database so you will need to program all the necessary prompts to allow for direct trunk access (ACOD), coordinated dialing plans (CDP), BARS/NARS and SPN's. A lot of the programming exists from the legacy CS1000E 4.5 VoIP trunks, that sent the calls to the CS1000T, and can be updated.
Ensure that you use the SCSI terminator provided with the new Call Pilot server, on the rear SCSI connector - otherwise, the server will not boot. For a 600R, there is a USB dongle that needs to have a Nortel hardware security device (looks like a battery) installed in it. Plug the dongle into USB port 0 on the new Call Pilot server prior to powering it up.
You can transfer your backup files by putting the workstation with your OTM IP Call Pilot backups and the Call Pilot server to the TEST ELAN and transferring the files to the Call Pilot Server. That way you can run the migration tool on the Call Pilot server and point it to the files that are locally stored on the Call Pilot server so you won't have to go through the headache of trying to network everything together. The Call Pilot backup files will not burn to CD due to the large file size and the external tape drive is EXTREMELY slow in creating a backup and restoring from that backup.
You need to use the migration tool on both the legacy Call Pilot server and the new Call Pilot server to ensure a seamless migration of all your voice mail boxes and automated attendant trees.
The Call Pilot patches (PEPs) must be installed in a certain order that is described in the install documents. Failure to do so will result in the system not recognizing keycodes that were input during the initial configuration and/or people getting locked out of their voice mail boxes after they are administratively reset (the voice scripting to reset the voice mail PIN does not play). The only way to fix it is to remove all the patches and re-install in the proper order.
All Media Gateways support digital trunks with a couple of caveats: The digital trunk cards can only install in Slots 1, 2, or 3. The first digital trunk card to be installed must have a clock controller daughterboard. Otherwise you will encounter clock slips.
MGATE media gateway cards replace the existing 201i slot locations and use the existing ACD agents seamlessly.
If you have multiple Baystacks in a 'stacked' configuration, ensure you test to see which unit is 'Unit1/Unit2/Unit3/etc.' by using a open port and putting it into a new VLAN. That way you can configure the spare ports by creating a TEST ELAN and TEST TLAN so that you can bring up the 5.5 hardware/software you are installing in the spare Media Gateway chassis and use the TEST ELAN/TLAN to test core swaps/MGC connections to the Call Servers/Signaling Servers.
If you need to install a new digital trunk in a Media Gateway that currently has line cards in Slots 1/2/3, use the MOV command to move existing digital or analog stations to a higher slot number in the same Media Gateway (if it has spare card slots in the 4 and higher slot range) so that you can just roll the jumpers to the new slot location and save the hassle of having to run new cross connects
Some of the digital phones (2008/2016/2616) will not come up and will require the user to unplug/re-plug the rear RJ11 (line) connector to reboot the phone.
Ensure that PBX hardware resources are evenly distributed between racks with separate UPS systems, so that a UPS failure will still allow the system to process calls in the racks that are still operational (albeit service degraded). For example, if you have several E1/T1's, try to ensure that they are not all located in the same media gateway in the same media rack. High availability Call Server/Signaling servers should be installed in different racks.
Have at least one digital line card in the Media Gateway that houses the digital trunk/Call Server/Signaling Server and that one of the digital phones is a test phone in the frame room so if there is a problem with Media Gateways you can use the test phone to make an outbound call on the digital trunk to ensure that the Media Gateway TLAN is not the source of any talk path (TLAN) problems that might occur. This will make this Media Gateway a 'stand alone' telephone system but you can make test calls to other phone located in other Media Gateways to ensure proper ELAN/TLAN call setup between the Main Media Gateway and other Media Gateways.
After an upgrade, analogue phones might have trouble breaking dial-tone, or dial wrong numbers. The culprit might be in the digitone receiver parameters data block. Goto LD 97, and PRT DTR. If the minimum accept level (MINL) is at -3, CHG it to -42 (enter 42 with no minus sign). It often goes to -3 after an upgrade.