What's New in Manager
Users familiar with previous versions of IP Office Manager will find a large number of changes. This section summarizes the most major changes. Changes to the IP Office 3.2 core software are reflected in the settings displayed by Manager when it loads an IP Office 3.2 configuration.
Look and Feel
The IP Office Manager application has been significantly changed. The software used for Manager has been updated to use Microsoft's .NET2 framework. This allows greater flexibility and support for newer Windows platforms. The arrangement and display of information is more flexible to take advantage of large monitors while still being useable on small screens or when run less than full screen. Lists of entries can be sorted and the fields shown in the lists can be customized.
Wizard Features
Several features from the former IP Office Wizard application have been incorporated directly into Manager. These are:
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Create a New Configuration
This tool allows an IP Office configuration to be created and edited without requiring connection to the actual system. This can be used to prepare configurations before installation.
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CSV Import/Export.
The import/export as text options have been improved to allow import/export of specific sections of the IP Office configuration to files in .csv format.
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Configuration validation.
Manager now performs configuration validation similar to that previously performed by the IP Office Wizard. It validates a configuration when it is loaded and whenever a field is changed. Errors are listed in a separate panel and also against the fields when the appropriate tab is visible. Entries in the list can be selected to jump directly to the tab containing the error.
Backwards Compatibility
Manager 5.2 is able to load, edit and send configurations from IP Office systems with IP Office 2.1 software upwards. The tabs and settings shown within Manager are automatically adjusted to match the software level of the system from which the configuration was received.
Upgrading
From IP Office 3.2 onwards, the IP Office Admin suite of applications can be upgraded without having to first remove the previous installation.
Security Enhancements
Systems running IP Office 3.2 software employ a number of security changes:
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Operators configured and stored on the Manager PC have been replaced by Service Users configured and stored within the IP Office system. These security settings are separate from the IP Office's configuration settings.
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A valid Service User name and password is required for interactions between Manager and the IP Office. For example this applies to receiving a configuration, sending a configuration, defaulting the configuration, rebooting the system, etc.
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The default set of Service Users closely matches the default set of operators previously available. However they cannot adjust the IP Office's security settings. An additional security administrator exists who has access rights to adjust security settings.
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The system password, monitor password and voicemail system password settings are no longer stored in the configuration settings. They are now part of the system's security settings.
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Previously UDP and TFTP were used for communication between the Manager and the IP Office. Systems upgraded to IP Office 3.2 use TCP.
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Configuration access and security administration access use specific TCP ports. It may be necessary to enable those ports on any intervening firewalls and network equipment between the Manager PC and the IP Office system. The TCP port numbers are configurable.
Audit Trail
The last 16 user name and password accesses to an IP Office 3.2 system are recorded as part of the configuration. These can be viewed when the configuration from that system is loaded in Manager. The audit trail includes details of actions such as writing the configuration back to the system with a merge or reboot, upgrading the system, rebooting the system. It includes details of the PC from which the action was performed and the Service User account used.
Mobile Twinning
Twinning was introduced in IP Office 3.1 but restricted to internal destinations and not available within North American locales. The addition of Mobile Twinning in 3.2 enhances this by allowing the use of external twinning destinations and is available in all locales. The use and destination of Mobile Twinning can also be controlled through short codes and programmable buttons. Mobile twinning requires entry of a license key.
Phone Manager Options
Many of the Phone Manager functions available to a user can now be controlled. Manager can be used to preset the settings for the first time a user runs Phone Manager and if necessary to lock the settings from being subsequently changed by the user.
User Rights
User Restrictions have been replaced by User Rights which allow a much greater degree of control over user settings. Selected user settings can be locked to match the value in the User Rights with which the user is associated. A time profile can also be used to control when user rights are applied to a user at any time. Where user rights lock a setting that can also be changed using short codes or Phone Manager, the setting is locked from being changed using those methods.
Forwarding
Forwarding has been enhanced to allow selection of whether internal calls should be forwarded or not. This can be applied separately to Forward Unconditional and to Forward on Busy/Forward on No Answer. The controls for this are available to users as short codes and through Phone Manager and SoftConsole.
System Alarms
The System tab SNMP has been renamed System Alarms. This reflects the ability to have IP Office SNMP alarms and traps sent to an SMTP email destination instead of being sent to an SNMP server. This allows use of the SNMP features without needing an SNMP server application.
Appearance Button Ring Delay
The audible ring or alert used with appearance buttons can be switched off or delayed. The delay used is either a system value or an per user value. The use of ring delay or ring off is controllable on a button by button basis for each call appearance, bridged appearance, line appearance and call coverage button.
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