We've got an NEAXMAIL system that is approximately 6 years old on Dell hardware from NEC. We are considering upgrading just the hardware platform to a newer server, however we're unsure as to if it's possible. Our box has 3 PCI telephone cards installed + the dongle. Has this been done? Are there any things we should watch out for? Are we nuts for even considering it? We really want to avoid hardware failure, but spending $6K for an upgrade through NEC seems excessive when we can replace the hardware for a fraction of that and just reinstall the software & migrate the data. Any comments appreciated.

NEC is offering a trade up program for the older voice mail systems. Basically they give you licenses to match your old system. The only thing you have to do is buy new Line cards for in the Voicemail server, you can supply your own server to meet the NEC specs. Normally I have found that the Dialogic cards in the older voicemails go bad long before the actual server they are installed in. So just replacing the PC is not going to guarantee you do not have any issues.

Thanks for the information. I'll likely pursue the NEC route.

I strongly suggest not trying to upgrade the server by yourself.

First, there's no real payoff in doing it -- I assume that the voicemail's not answering too slowly or otherwise showing signs that the processor and/or memory is overloaded?

If there's a problem related to memory, replacing JUST the memory on a 1-for-1 basis is the best choice; if there's a problem with the processor performance, I recommend a good blow-out and cleaning, and a check of the heat sink and fans.

In the one case I know of where a SysAdmin "moved" the server onto one of their existing servers (I think he was trying to conserve floor space in the server room), it failed immediately because the AD-64 software could no longer find the dongle or the dialogic cards.

Also, there is a small amount of voodoo associated with which line cord plugs into which port on the dialogic cards (or there used to be; they might have resolved it by now). The cards are not fungible: Each one has an address set by jumpers on the card.

So, long and short of it is, if the AD-64 hardware works now, don't screw with it. If it's not working, fix the problem, but don't "upgrade" it just to upgrade it.

As for age of the machine, I currently have two AD-40s (the older brother of the AD-64, built on OS/2 Warp -- yes, the OS that IBM made for themselves in '94 because "Chicago" was not going to be released on time) and they both work fine. I just retired an Active-Voice Replay (which predates the AD-40, even), not because it failed, but because I upgraded the PBX to a PBX with embedded voicemail.

Active-voice/NEC VM that's 6-y-o? Pfft. You've comfortably got 14 years of likely service at 100% uptime. Keep it clean, keep it cool, and just in case, back it up now and then (see the Active-voice BRU utility).