Hi Everyone,
My first post so go easy. I've searched this forum and I think I may be close to an answer but I want see what others say.
We have RightFax licensed already so I'd like to stick with it. What we want to add is the Exchange piece so users can send and receive faxes from Outlook. Also want to give each user a DID fax number for inbound routing to their Outlook mailboxes. Volume will require 8 ports.
So - here's where I'm stuck. RightFax integrator is recommending a digital Brooktrout card, (I have a 4 port analog right now) and that all they need is the CTX670 to give them a, and I quote, "fractional (8 channel) T1 line (aka Tie Span, lineside truck, etc.) run from the CTX to the fax server board. This T1 line is often called Robbed Bit or a vanilla voice T1. In the Avaya world this would be a DS1 card"
So during a confrence call with them and my telco CTX vendor, the techs I dont think where on the same page.
Is this possible on the CTX670? What would my Toshiba vendor need to do to my 670 to do this?

In my reading it sounds like the 670 has to use analog ports setup as voice or voicemail.
Any help would be great as I'm an IT guys stuck between to vendors.
Thanks,
Dave

What type of voicemail do you have in your 670? The reason I ask is that the Toshiba ES or MAS voicemail will do all of what you are asking without any integration to any third party.

We have the iES32 with 8 VM ports licensed. I think that is where my Toshiba vendor is confused as we wanted to use many of the features that RightFax provides. Exhange integration, PDF converison (faxes show as PDF's in the users Inbox) etc. Plus we have another application that integrates with RightFax.
I'm not at all familiar with how the integrated fax capablities in the ES would work for us.
So there is no card for the CTX670 that would work to connect to a digital Brooktrout fax board?

I imagine that an RDTU or BPTU card set up as TIE line would do the trick. Your iES32 can do all of this as well with just a few licenses. With Unified Messaging, your voicemails would show up in your inbox as a .wav file, faxes would show up as .tif files. Faxing from the desktop can be setup easily with Toshibas fax client software. Now Im not at all familiar with RightFax so I dont know what other capabilities you are looking for but with what you stated in your original post, you are already pretty much capable of it all provided you have the licensing on the iES32.

Here's how it is done. This is a doc from Castelle who makes the Faxpress which is basically the same as what you've got. I've done this scenario personally and it works good. Don't mid the date, it all applies. Basically you hook it up to analog ports on the Toshiba set as vm ports(so they can receive dtmf integration strings)and route the did's using that...


HOWTO: Integrate Toshiba DK 424i Series PBX To FaxPress

Document ID: HT



This article applies to the following:

Product(s): SBE/2500/5000/7000

Last Revised: 03/14/2001

Last Reviewed:

DISCUSSION

FaxPress will connect to Toshiba analog ports that are to be programmed somewhat like analog voice mail ports.



First connect the FaxPress to analog station ports and program these ports into a distributed hunt group using program *40. Also program the class of service for each port using program 31. Make sure that the FaxPress ports are in their own “VM Group” in the class of service we suggest; group 2, which is LED 06. Enable “Receive VM ID code” LED 16, “End/End Signal Rev (VM) “ LED 17 and “Executive & Privacy Override Blocking” LED 18. Make sure all other Class of Service LED’s are off.



Second use program 17 to specify routing per programs 71 and 72. Light LED 05 for each DID line to activate this service.



Third using program 71create a DNIS digit conversion and routing table for each DID having a FaxPress Box. This program will allow you to assign a unique DTMF digit string to each DID number (7-14) and terminate directly to the FaxPress pilot (71-1, 71-2, 71-3).



Additional query words: PBX, Toshiba, dk, 280

Keywords :
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Platform :
Issue type : kbhowto

DISCLAIMER

The Origin of this information may be internal or external to Castelle. Castelle makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is for your information only. Castelle makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information. Castelle reserves the right to change, without notice, product offerings or specifications and the information in this document.



Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information.

RRino - my thinking is that users are already familiar with the fax client and we are licensed for the RightFax too. I'm interested in the RDTU configured as a TIE line idea though. Is it possible to configure one of these so the 670 would just send the configured DID lines we set for "faxes" out this card and is the interface such that it would connect to a RJ45 connector on the digital Brooktrout card?

P2ii - This is what some of my reading was leading me to also. But again, how does the interface occur between say an 8port analog card to a digital Brooktrout card that I think has a RJ45 connector...

Does the RightFax tech speak mean anything to any Toshiba people here?? I'll quote again "need to have a fractional (8 channel) T1 line (aka Tie Span, lineside trunk, etc.) run from the CTX to the fax server board. ((FYI: this fax server board would be installed in a Dell PE2950 server where the Rightfax software would run.)) This voice T1 line is often called Robbed Bit or a vanilla voice T1."
That's some tech speak if I've ever heard it. I guess the fractional (8 channel) doesn't have to be fractional as the digital fax server card allows for port licensing up from the 8 I need to 24 ports. So in review, does this sound like a RDTU card could do this?
Thanks,
Dave

RRino has it right. Use an RDTU, set it as a tie line and go at it with only 8 channels. The T1 card will support up to 24 channels but it can be set for 8 just as easily. However, if you already have a 4-port analog card, get an analog card(RSTU) for the phone system and test it out before going the expensive route. You don't have to purchase the card... just get your vendor to bring one out for test purposes.

Shawn,
Another question. What is the interface like for the RDTU? RJ45? I thought the RDTU was for PRI in not out. I guess I'm asking can you take a patch cable an link the RDTU to the input on the digital Brooktrout card (which I'm pretty sure is RJ45)?
Thanks,
Dave

You don't need the digital card to interface with the Right fax. Just analog. The calls come into the T-1/PRI of the CIX and get passed right to the fax server with dtmf integration digits. If my fax number is 864-555-1234 coming into the CIX then in my DID setup for that number I would use the DID/DNIS VMID CODE dialog box and input whatever number in rightfax I'm using for that fax.

Ive also done the integration to a fax server through analog ports off of a CIX. We did the same type of set-up, analog ports set up as vm ports and put into a hunt group, DID's pointed to the pilot number and the VM application digits would send it to the right fax. The application Dave is describing is basically using a P2P trunk. What is making me wonder is how the fax DID's are gonna get routed over this P2P connection and how are they gonna be distiguishable(what signaling) by the RightFax box?

Travis,
I'm not sure what you mean by P2P trunk. Our CTX is only being fed by a single PRI line. We currently have some type of analog card to feed the current Rightfax Setup. we have 4 analog phone lines that plug into an old 4 port analog card in a dell server running rightfax. I think what I'm hearing is there is no way to interface the ctx using some card that has a RJ45 output to an RJ45 input on a digital Brooktrout card. We would just have to go with an 8 port analog card in the CTX an have the ports set like others have said with dtmf integration digits, so when an incoming fax DID number is called the CTX would send it down one of these 8 ports. With this being said I guess we have no choice but to select a fax card for the server that can execept one of those multi line cords with 8 standard telco jacks on one end and a RJ45 on the other, pretty much like what I have now. The cable is a 4 line phone jacks to what looks like a RJ45 that is plugged into our current 4 port analog card. We just need a card for the server that has 8 ports and can handle DIDs. Is my thinking correct?
-Dave

Wow, I just looked up the Brooktrout card and it is super expensive. To get the brooktrout card and Toshiba T1 card would cost you close to $10k with minimal labor. Maybe they are right. Since you already have four ports, get another four port card for the server and call it a day. BTW, the Toshiba analog card (BSTU/RSTU) comes with eight ports. Unless you're using it for modems and other analog devices, you won't have to buy another card.

If you really want the digital card, you can still use a T1 card in the CTX as a tie-line and use a cross-over, I believe, from the card's 'rj-45' jack to the brooktrout's 'rj-45' jack.

I wasnt really calling it a P2P trunk, just describing it in that sense. I know its not an actual P2P circuit. I wouldnt say its impossible to do the way you want to with the Toshiba system, Im just having a hard time trying to visualize how to make it work that way. Going the analog route, I know how that works and how to make it work. If what Shawn says is correct about the pricing of the Brooktrout card, you would be way better off just going the analog route.

I dont know anything about Rightfax but can you answer a question for me can it support Sip ?

I have also set up a 424 with a Castille 8 (analog) port unit.

I'm thinking they want the CLEC to break out the PRI coming in so, for example, 16 channels (tk grp 1) go to the CTX and 8 channels (tk grp 2) go directly to the Brooktrout card. The DID's pointed to trunk group 2 would be routed by the Fax Device internally.

Am I close?

Moggey - I'm not sure if Rightfax can but the digital card I'm looking at can. Brooktrout TR1034+E4H-T1-1N-PCIe-R 4-pt T1/PRI Interface Fax Board - PCI Express Bus. 4-port T1/PRI V.34 or 4 port T.38 IV.17: SIP <--This last item I would guess is Sip. RightFax is just a massive software app for Fax handling. Needs hardware, and can handle many/multiple types of Fax cards. I just need to mate up the best pieces from the CTX670 and the Fax Server/card

Travis & Shawn. Thanks for you input. Yes, the Brooktrout card is not cheap, but does allow for expansion without anything but a port license fee. No card switchouts, etc. But the Analog way sounds like it may be the way we have to go, or at least is much more cost effect unless we are sure we will need more than 8 ports very soon.

Voyager - Hadn't thought of that. Can Paetec do that with a PRI? Send 8 of the channels one way and the rest the other? So they would have to do the DID routing? Route the 20 or however many fax numbers down the tk grp 2. Hmmm wonder if thats possible.

I'm getting a head ache.

It was just a thought because the Cix can support Sip on the latest release and we have linked a couple of fax servers in the Uk via this method so you can you route ddi to the fax server through the Cix

Yes, my customer had PaeTec in Florida. They did just that, sent 16 channels to the InterTel switch for regular voice traffic and sent 8 channels to my T-1 card in the Toshiba. They love it!