2003-03-14 Netwiz Techincal Contacts

MonTel Version 2.9.57 is available

MonTel Version 2.9.57 is now available on the web at http://www.netwiz.com.au/customer.html from the link Updates for Netwiz MonTel clients.

Details of Changes, fixes and new features can be found at can be found at http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3126.htm.

Note that, the more general Version 2.9.x: Changes, fixes and new features topic has been modified, with changes bugs and new features now recorded in separate topic for each update.

The most serious issue is that regression testing found an issue with the alignment of data, that may have caused recent versions of the client to insert incorrect values if CheckWIN32TimeZone = 1. There are probably other issues surrounding time zone settings as well, though probably only in the last few version. If you have updated recently this change is strongly recommended.

WHEN TO UPGRADE MONTEL

Which raises the question of when should you update MonTel. The Topic "When to update MonTel?" provides two answers at http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3157.htm.

But please take advantage of the faster updates and more robust database of MSDE or SQL and update to the SQL version of MonTel ASAP if you have not done so already. (Most sites now have).

DST PROBLEM BETWEEN WIN98 and WIN2K

One large site has reported a problem related to an unusual set of circumstances with Daylight savings times, and some problems with Win98 and Win2K compatibility. This problem and others are addressed in the topic: "The MonTel Server keeps re-starting (and/or Edini32 keeps re-loading)." http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3138.htm.

MONTEL SERVER AS A SERVICE

The latest version of ServerCN.zip (from the same location above) also includes a beta test version of a "Service" version of the MonTel Server, called ServerSV. This is working well, and like ServerCN has no problems reported at this stage. (There may be an issues with the Serial port code, or it may be Windows, a Windows driver or a hardware problem when the serial port is receiving data a pathological high rates for extended periods).

For more information of ServerSV see: "How to run MonTel Server as a Service on Windows 2000"at http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3158.htm.

SLAMMER

We seem to have made the advisory list at Cert. I suspect they picked up this information from http://www.sqlsecurity.com, where some one (not me) reported MonTel as being potential vulnerable through the use of MSDE (which it turns out it is not). Whether this report was from a client, a competitor or was a case of mistaken product identity (there are a few MonTel s out there) I don't know. Clues?

To clarify matters a statement about slammer vulnerability is available on the we site at http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3154.htm. Note that, for MSDE 1.0 we recommend that MonTel sites apply the Service Pack 4 patch for Microsoft SQL 7.0 which is used to also patch MSDE 1.0 and the SQL Server 7.0 Security Update for Service Pack 4. Details of how to get these are in the above link. (I acknowledge that a 44Mb patch for a 20 Mb product).

INF FILES

If you make changes to an INF file to allow (for example) a different export format (see at for details) please make sure that you rename the file to something other than a file included in the updates (and change the settings in the PABX.INI file), to prevent your changes being overwritten by the next update.