2008-01-15 Netwiz Technical Contacts

MONTEL 2.12.0 BETA

This Netwiz MonTel Technical Support Note has been sent to announce that MonTel 2.12.0 beta is up on the web site. The have been enough changes to warrant a minor version increment.

The important features are:

- XP Visual Styles have been added to both the client and administration programs, and some new splash screen as well. Screen shots can be found at < http://www.netwiz.com.au/montel_screen_shots.html >.

- Automatic update of the Master client database in the wizard now includes a backup and a shrink command.

- The MonTel server can now handle input from multiply PABX's with different drivers and different types of input at the same time.

- Consolidation of the old .INF file information into one PMA.INI file with and editor included (PMA32.EXE) that has the EdIni32 look and feel. The setup wizard will manage the consolidation automatically.

- New Australian costing tables based on Data from July 2007, but will be upgraded just before the full release version.

- All applications have a general increase in reliability Safer string handling to reduce the risk of buffer overruns, which should make the code even more robust that it already is (especially in the server).

- And many general bugs, defects and changes, details of which can be found in the change log < http://www.netwiz.com.au/appnotes/i4746.htm >.

This has been one of the longer gaps in the release cycle of MonTel. The most significant work has been in a general code review to increase code reliability and usability. Most of the changes made will not be visible to an end user. And, while manifestly unlikely to be an issue in the first place, the same changes also reduced the likelihood from almost nil to pretty much nil of MonTel applications being used as a security defeating vector. In addition some overzealous defensive coding may have been hiding errors which will mean slightly increased risk of GPFs, but at a reduced risk of damaging effects being apparent only much later. These errors should have been now found and fixed in regression testing, however since the changes even though not dramatic are wide, so this version should be tested thoroughly before deployment.

Downloads are available from < http://www.netwiz.com.au/customer.html >. Use the link in the aqua coloured box. When on the 2.11 download page click the button for the 2.12 downloads. You will need new costing table files.

Please send all bug reports and comments to support@netwiz.com.au. A report of 'this worked fine' is also very welcome as this will speed up the final release cycle!

The designation is BETA for the Australian market. There are some changes coming that will affect the way costing tables are used, but will not have any impact on the end users. To this extent the 2.12 is still alpha. However, all changes will be fully tested and managed by the setup wizard, and should not cause problems in the future.