atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Vodavi Telephones & Systems Vertical Triad prib board replacement

Thanks Guys,

I'll probably get a maintenance window sometime next week (we'll see), I'll double check Derrick's advice and make sure the currently installed card is in fact syncing time off of the PRI, then I'll swap out the cards and see how that goes.. I'll report back what I find. Dave thanks for weighing in more info is never a bad thing

Just a note. Your system is either a Triad 1 or 2 not an XTS. The 4.16 software was the last release for the older Triad systems. The PRI combo card will not work in that box.

Actually 4.17. I don't know what the final change was.

Well I was close. 4.17 had the words "The End" embedded in it somewhere.

I was able to get a maintenance window to bring the system offline for a bit, but the outcome was not what I was hoping for.

First a note that I'd forgotten about. The PRIB card uses a daughter board. I know nothing about what this board is or does but here it is.
[img]https://vmej6q.dm2301.livefilestore...ORgsZ5B_Zp2df/20140113_173742.jpg?psid=1[/img]

Ok so I double checked the existing card which is RevA and it was set to sync time from the Network. Here is a picture of LEDs under normal operation.
[img]https://vcej6q.dm2301.livefilestore...rSP9iLyh0DXRySoG8/RevA-Corect.jpg?psid=1[/img]

Then I powered everything down, and swapped cards, and this is what the RevB card looks like. One other thing worth mentioning is that switching the time sync switch on/off doesn't change the LEDs that are displayed.
[img]https://usej6q.dm2302.livefilestore...rd2T6oFM1eGPl/20140113_174618.jpg?psid=1[/img]

I don't know if this info will jog any memories or fill in some missing blanks that might help identify what the issue is, but as always thanks much for the help.

I did check via serial connection to confirm that the system does see the RevB board as a PRIB

The PLLU is the Phase Loop Lock Unit. Without it, you get numerous frame slips. Boards operate for a brief time without one, but errors pile up quickly.

You can also test the lights with a loop back plug. The lamp status will change from your alarm node to the normal mode. When the board is operating correctly, you will have one green LED. My old brain is thinking that some boards may have a red one too but I think they really do all go out when it is working. At any rate, multiple red lamps means problems. Make a loop back plug and see which LEDs change.

LOL

dawda, your LEDs on the first card is correct. I've never had a PRI card that was intermittent. It seems they either work or they don't. If there's even a small amount of errors on a PRI it faults.

I have never had any luck with the Triad PRI and softswitches. Actually it sounds like yours is working better than any of mine ever did. We finally made it very simple, if the LEC wasn't using a #5ESS or DMS series CO switch we wouldn't guarantee operation, even if it was traditional CO switches by Alcatel or GTE.

The Triad is an old switch and the firmware/software was never designed to work with the new switches that don't precisely follow BellCore standards. I can't tell you the number of times one of our Triads that's been working for years suffered the exact same issues you describe when they switched from a traditional CO to a softswitch. In a very few cases we swapped the Triad out for an XTS with the newer cards but even those may have issues too. Usually the customer either switched back or we replaced the PRI with copper cards.

Deltron,

Thanks for stating the compatibility issues clearly for me. For now I'll go w/ that, they have had other issues w/ the system over the last year and it just seems like its about time to send the old horse to the glue factory.

MnDave, thanks for all your help on this. All the knowledge you guys here on the forum have on these older systems is indispensable. Thanks for sharing it with us.