How to Merge PBXs

This article gives you the steps necessary to merge PBXs. This article is currently under construction...

Pre-Merge

  • Work with the customer to schedule a time to merge the PBXs. Phone service will be disrupted during the merge.
  • Find out from the customer which PBX they want to keep. This will be the New PBX (The one you merge the other(s) into).
  • Make sure all PBXs in the merge are on the same Server Group prior to starting the merge.
  • Verify that all phone numbers are pointed to the correct server group.

Note: The PBX(s) you're moving from is referred to as "Old PBX" in this document.

Migrate Users

  • In the user's current PBX:
    • Open the user
    • Rename to user so it's easily identifiable on the New PBX and update
    • Click the 'edit' button on the Assigned PBXs box and add the New PBX

  • Click "Update User PBXs"
  • Once that is done, use the red X on the right hand side of the screen to delete the user from the Old PBX.
    • Before you can delete the user from the old PBX, you'll need to reassign their PBX assets (Extensions, Devices, etc.)
    • Create a generic user on the Old PBX that you can re-assign user assets to after you add them to the New PBX 
  • Remember: Move First! Then Delete.

Create Extensions

Create extensions in the New PBX to match the users.

Keep the extensions ordered by site. For example:

  • Users at site A have extensions in the 100 range.
  • Users at site B have extensions in the 300 range.
  • Users at site C have extensions in the 400 range.

Note: If the extension range is already in use, go to the next available group. Please keep the extension together per-site as this make future configuration and administration easier.

Create Ring Group(s)

Following the numbering scheme you used in the previous step, create ring groups in the 200 range. For example:

  • Site A with extensions in the 100 range - Use 210 to 219 for Ring Groups
  • Site B with extensions in the 300 range - Use 230 to 239 for Ring Groups
  • Site C with extensions in the 400 range - Use 240 to 249 for Ring Groups

Note: If there are more than ten ring groups needed per site, use your best judgment on the numbering scheme but keep them together.

Create Virtual Fax

On the New PBX Create a new virtual fax for the location being moved. You can copy this from the Old PBX.

Each Old PBX that has a fax number should have a virtual fax set up on the New PBX with that fax number pointed to the new virtual fax. Using 500 as the base, follow the same numbering scheme as in Ring Groups.

For example:

  • Number New PBX ( Site A) Fax 999.998.8889 goes to Virtual Fax 500
  • Number Old PBX ( Site B) Fax 999.998.8888 goes to Virtual Fax 530
  • Number Old PBX ( Site C) Fax 999.998.8887 goes to Virtual Fax 540

Shared Voicemail

If there is a shared voicemail, create a new share voicemail on the New PBX following the numbering scheme we've been using.

Example:

  • Site A 610
  • Site B 630
  • Site C 640

Remember to apply the shared voicemail in the same places on the New PBX as it was on the Old PBX.

Sound Clips

Download and move (upload) sound clips from the Old PBX(s) to the New PBX. Make sure they are named appropriately.

If the sound clips for all locations are the same, skip this step.

Create Schedule

Create a new schedule in the New PBX for each Old PBX you are merging. Duplicate all Holiday and schedule settings from the Old PBX.

Create Switchboard

Use the same numbering scheme as in the previous steps. 

Create a new switchboard for each switchboard on the Old PBX(s) being moved. Duplicate the call flow and settings from the switchboard(s).

Example:

  • Site A switchboard numbering is 1000 to 1099
  • Site B switchboard is 1300 to 1399
  • Site C switchboard is 1400 to 1499

Move Devices

Use the Mass Edit option to Turn off Auto-provisioning and save the new config prior to moving the devices over to the NEW PBX. (This helps prevent blocked IP addresses that are cause when a device tries to check in when not configured on the Mango system.)

  • Take a screenshot of the devices page, with all the mac addresses, and save that screen shot. Make sure you have screen shots of all devices! (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT)
  • Take a screenshot of the presence buttons and the Advanced Settings on the device before deleting it. (You need this to copy to the New PBX)
  • Delete the device from the Old PBX
    • Make sure you have the MAC address of the device before you delete it from the Old PBX because you need it for the next step.
  • Create the device on the New PBX. Make sure you duplicate the presence button and Advanced Settings.
    • For each Site, use the next two Park options and label them P1 and P2.
    • Example:
      • Site A: P1 and P2 are show as P1 and P2
      • Site B: P3 and P4 are shown as P1 and P2
      • Site C: P5 and P6 are shown as P1 and P2
  • Create the phones one at a time until they all have been moved.

Move Phone and Fax Numbers

Locate the numbers in the main Mango Dashboard--not the customer PBX. Click edit and move them to the New PBX.

Once the numbers are moved, point them to the correct endpoints (switchboards, virtual fax, direct extensions, etc.) to reproduce the per-site call flow of the Old PBXs.

Update

On the New PBX:

  • Update the system settings
  • Rebuild and reboot all the devices
  • Make a test call to each site to make sure everything is working correctly

On the Old PBX:

  • Delete all Users
    *Note: If they have Faxes on the Old PBX, you'll need to make sure they still have an active user on that PBX so they can access historical Faxes.