MerMail to Property Management System

[Disconnnn]

I have a problem with Mermail communicating to PMS. On the Link Status sceen it shows "Link to PMS is OK" "Link to M1 is OK" On the Universal Link Monitor screen I can see "IS TEST" go from M1 to MERMAIL to PMS and then it gets "ACK" back from PMS.
But when the PMS sends a check in command, the command shows "??" in the error column and stops at Mermail and does not get passed to the M1 to change the name or class of service in the hotel room phone.
Any help is appreciated as the customer does not want to upgrade to the latest supported software from Nortel.


Universal Link Monitor - View/Capture Link Data
30/07/08 TDiff M1 MM PMS Err Data
10:44:35.70 -00.05 <== ?? (SE CP )
10:44:36.50 -00.22 <== ?? ( 7335 "JANKOWSKI 1077, S">)
10:44:41.30 -00.13 <== ?? (SE CP 7335 " )
10:44:42.10 -00.06 <== ?? (" CH OU6)
10:44:59.69 -00.41 <== ?? (IS RE 7268&SE CP )
10:45:00.49 -00.31 <== ?? ( 7268 "BARTYZAL, 1077 A 06 30" CH IN`)
10:45:16.38 -00.06 --> (ST PO)
10:45:16.44 -00.05 ==> (ST PO)
10:45:16.46 -00.00 <== (<ACK>)
10:45:16.46 -00.00 <-- (<ACK>)
10:45:24.50 -00.12 <== ?? (SE CP 7268 ")
10:45:25.30 -00.17 <== ?? (BARTYZAL, S 1077, A"6)
10:45:30.90 -00.19 <== ?? (SE CP 7268 " " CH OU?)
10:46:11.57 -00.06 ==> (IS TEST)
10:46:11.59 -00.00 <== (<ACK>)
10:46:11.67 -00.07 <-- (IS TEST)
10:46:11.69 -00.00 --> (<ACK>)

 

[hhallett]

I had a similar issue at a customer site about 3 months ago. It was a few weeks after they installed a new PMS. All links showed as good and the link tests were always acknowledged. However, for reasons I still can't explain, no other data could pass between the systems.

I rebooted the MerMail and had the customer reboot the PMS and all was made to rights.

Have you tried this?

Regards,
Harry
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson

 

[Disconnnn]

I have rebooted mermail but not the PMS. I will ask customer to reboot PMS today. Sorry I failed to mention also a new PMS system.

 

[Disconnnn]

Rebooted PMS and Mermail today still no data getting to the M1. After reboot and during PMS resynch this is what I see on the Universal Link Monitor.

:21:29.44 -00.20 <== ?? (SE CP 7326 "ARNETT DAL)
17:21:30.24 -00.07 <== ?? (E" CH IN=)
17:21:31.04 -00.20 <== ?? (SE CP 7143 " " CH OU5)
17:21:32.64 -00.26 <== ?? (SE CP 7327 "NWA 298 A" CH IN")
17:21:34.24 -00.20 <== ?? (SE CP 7328 " " CH OU
17:21:35.84 -00.26 <== ?? (SE CP 7329 "NWA 298 A" CH IN,)
17:21:37.44 -00.32 <== ?? (SE CP 7330 "ABDELKAFI CHEDIA" CH INg)
17:21:39.04 -00.26 <== ?? (SE CP 7331 "NWA 298 A" CH IN%)
17:21:40.64 -00.19 <== ?? (SE CP 7332 " " CH OU1)
17:21:42.24 -00.29 <== ?? (SE CP 7333 "PENDLEY MIKE" CH INh)
17:21:43.04 -00.03 <== ?? (SE CP)
17:21:43.84 -00.15 <== ?? ( 7334 " " CH OU7)
17:21:44.64 -00.16 <== ?? (SE CP 7335 "PRIO)
17:21:45.44 -00.12 <== ?? (R GAVIN" CH IN*)
17:21:46.24 -00.19 <== ?? (SE CP 7336 " " CH OU5)
17:21:47.84 -00.19 <== ?? (SE CP 7144 " " CH OU2)
17:21:49.44 -00.27 <== ?? (SE CP 7337 "NWA 235 A" CH IN$)

 

[hhallett]

You note that none of the PMS data is being passed to the M-1. I also see that the data stream from the PMS doesn't look quite right. It looks like you have extraneous characters and spaces.

Ask the customer if their PMS vendor has upgraded the existing, or installed new, software. If so then the message format might be different and this can, in turn, cause an interface issue.

The MerMail Hospitality Voice Services Implementation Guide says, if that happens to be the case, to verify your installed hospitality parameters and make sure that they're configured to support the new PMS protocol.

Out of curiosity, what happens when you put the MerMail PMSI in bypass and send PMS data directly to the M-1?

Regards,
Harry
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson

 

[Disconnnn]

The PMS is now working. Seems the new PMS system data string was not compatible with the old (rel 19) meridian software. the PMS vendor made changes to get the two to communicate.

 

[hhallett]

Good to hear. Did the PMS vendor have an explanation of why proper communication wasn't verified before they blessed the job as done?

Regards,
Harry
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson

 

[Disconnnn]

Someone at the site said the switch was three years old so they assumed it was a new release. In fact the switch came from another hotel and had only been on this site three years. Thanks to all for your input.

 

[hhallett]

Assume, but don't verify, and cause much trouble for others. Yeesh!!

Regards,
Harry
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson