2004-08-10 Netwiz Technical Contacts

NEW VERSION - MONTEL 2.10

This Netwiz Technical Support Note has been sent to announce that MonTel 2.10 pre-release (patch 11) is up on the web site. MonTel Version 2.10 is working on a number of sites around the country, and an announcement about Version 2.10 superseding 2.9 should be made fairly soon.

The biggest change to MonTel is the inclusion of the new costing tables (chg2004) which allow for great flexibility and accuracy in charging calls. Not only can various rate codes be supplied for various carriers, but there is an editor (EDCost) that can be used to modify these tables to make tables for unique situations or special deals, or even least cost routing using multiple carriers.

In addition to the costing tables it is now possible to export call records from the server on the fly to an SQL database, so that (in theory) web reports can be generated on all calls. A web reporting system, based either on PHP and Apache, or MS .NET will be made available in the next few months to a year, but in the mean time any system that can create reports from MS SQL or MSDE should work. Contact support@netwiz.com.au for the database schema.

Other important changes include: All support for a Master Client Database using Jet has been dropped. So sites must upgrade using 2.9 BEFORE updating to 2.10. New sites must use MS SQL or MSDE. (Other SQL drivers such as Oracle may be made available in the future). As well the PABX.INI file has been extensively modified, so you mush use the SETUPMT.EXE wizard to achieve a clean upgrade.

For more information see: Version 2.10.x: Changes, fixes and new features. ( http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3342.htm ).

HOW TO USE FILE IMPORT RATHER THAN SERIAL PORT DATA COLLECTION

As more PABXs become integrated with computer networks, some no longer export data via a conventional SMDR RS232 serial port, presumably because this is seen as redundant. Generally, these systems make the data available via a data file, often in CSV format. To accommodate this MonTel now offers a selection of either Serial or File input. (A future features may include direct TCP/IP or TAPI). For more information see: How to use a file instead of a serial port to input SMDR data ( http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i4121.htm ).

HOW TO MODIFY THE WAIT TIME TO DISPLAY WARNINGS IN SERMON AND SVCMAN

SERMON and SVCMAN monitor the Main Call Record Database to see if the Server is still running by popping up an error message if the server has not be updated after some time. This time period is configurable. See How to modify the time to display warnings in SERMON and SVCMAN ( http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3217.htm ).

COST TABLE FIX FOR 2.10.10 AND EARLIER PRE-RELEASES

Up till 2004-08-10 the rate code table entry for PRS calls was incorrectly named INFOCALL which resulted in PRS calls being the rate code used for ALL undefined calls, resulting in some unusual costs when dialling 12456 for example.

This has been fixed in the current tables, which if unmodified can simply be replaced with the latest version of 2.10 and the new tables. To fix modified tables manually perform the following steps:

1) Load XXXXX.MRC in EdCost, where XXXXX.MRC is the name of the rate table.
2) Change INFOCALL to PRS using the drop down box.
3) Save XXXXX as a "Raw Costing File" (as XXXXX.RCF) -- This bit is
important.
4) Open XXXXX as a "Raw Costing File" (as XXXXX.RCF). This will reset the
PRS to the value in the CALLTYPE.INI file.
5) Save TBCOMP as "MonTel rate code file".

At step 5 check that PRS has a call type of (5) PRS, and not (0) - which is the problem! Note that CALLTYPE.INI has some spurious PRS entries that will be deleted in the next release.

OLD SUPPORT NOTES

Some of these old notes have been collected together and placed on the web site at http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i3290.htm. More will be added later.

ADDING PEOPLE TO THIS LIST

Some clients have expressed an interest in being more up to date with what is happening with MonTel, especially updates and tips. I am keen to add any client or serious prospect who is interested to this list, and other to a more general list. A third list of Beta testers is also available.

REMOVING PEOPLE FROM THIS LIST

This list has been manually created, and is manually edited. If you don't want to receive these note please let me know by email: support@netwiz.com.au.

Please let me know if there are any topics you would like discussed.