sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Toshiba Telephones & Systems CTX R5.20 software

Our old DK-424 was upgraded to CTX some time ago, and while we could manage the original system w/ DK-Admin and Strategy Admin, our installer refuses to give us a copy of winadmin or emanager or anything, saying that it is dealer-only and refusing to budge. He wants to charge us to even change the name on a station display. Is there some means of obtaining the proper software so that we can administer our own pbx again?

Thanks.

I would either reach out to Toshiba and mention this (assuming your installer is an authorized Toshiba dealer) or find a dealer that will work with you.

As a technician with an authorized dealer, I can assure you this is not a true statement nor Toshiba's intent. One of the major selling points of the CIX is customer administration.

If someone on our beat reported this to Toshiba, we would get a call asking what is going on.

Do you know if there is a particular objection to installing the software? These are some of the "problems" and solutions.

Installation of Network EManager (NEM) can be difficult - This can be true and we have had our share of difficult installs. Assure the installer you will have a PC that will meet or exceed the requirements of NEM. Make sure you also have a CD of your OS on hand in case it is needed. Make sure you know the password of an account with LOCAL admin rights. During installation, the PC will need to be removed from the domain but can be added back after install. Sometimes you do everything right and it still goes wrong. For us, that is a cost of doing business. 95% of the installs are smooth ones. Again, admittedly, my biggest objection to NEM is that it can be difficult to install and maintain.

Sometimes Windows or Java updates will break NEM - We run into this and, fortunately, the fixes are usually very simple. On occasion, we have had to uninstall and reinstall. Some customers will run this on a VM and make sure it doesn't update Windows or Java.

The customer is going to break something and I will have to fix it (speaking from the POV of a blunt technician) - NEM can be configured so a user only has access to certain programming. We always give the site administrator access to everything because that is the privilege of an admin. You likely have your company's best interests at heart and you are not going to mess with settings that haven't been explained to you.

I can't understand why the vendor is OK with not providing something that you had before. That is not logical at all. Local admins on the PBX are the norm now. ~ Mike

I think our guy is probably not authorized. He may be an offshoot from one of the original TAIS shops in our area. I've dealt with that shop years ago, and that wasn't pleasant either.

My history: I'm kindof a hybrid guy; I got the call up to a corp IT from engineering many, many [etc] years ago, and was attached to one of the best bell-heads in the business. While I was working on the S-390's and Novell & DEC stuff over Ungermann-Bass networks, I was being taught OSP, ISP and admin of an AT&T G3 w/ Audix (the Audix was a '386 box) by that old-timer. In the years since, I've had Isoetec, Toshiba, Inter-tel, Panasonic, Vodavi, Shoretel, Atlas, 3CX, and Asterisk systems to build and manage. I've built IVR rules for a Conversant, resistor-balanced trunk loops, and bypassed bad slots on an Adtran 850, but I still feel like the summer-help rookie when I think about my old corporate mentor. After all, I'm an IT guy.

Anyway, I originally spec'ed the purchase on this unit many years ago, built the MDF, did all the MACs and administation. When the company owner died years ago, the company and I kinda drifted apart. Now, we're a tidy team again, and I find this unit upgraded by a tech that evidently wants to be called for everything. I don't want to bust his chops, but I do want some software.

And as a long-time IT guy, I have no problem installing software. And I know the PBX is set to the default IP, and I know the community & passwords.

As for his "problem" with it, I kind of assume he either doesn't have legitimate access to TAIS or he still believes that customers don't realy BUY their equipment.

Update: This forum is awesome. Thanks to everyone for the assistance.