Partner Remote Access PC Card issue/question

[wdoc156]

Hi
I recently got an ACS R6 processor and had it working fine. Simple configuration but I need to backup the config and have no card.
I thought remote access, PC access would be a good thing too so I purchased a 108319963 12G1 Remote Access, Upgrade, Backup/restore card for $20. It was supposed to only be remote access and backup/restore..no upgrade.
I inserted into Processor, powered up and it 'upgraded' my R6 processor to R3.03..@#$%
Seller of card is supposed to send me his multi-use R6 card to recover but I have a question he said that he couldn't answer.

Is the Upgrade sofware in these Remote Access cards Always 'one time use' or will it continue to downgrade the processor?

If anyone knows this and any other 'gotchas' for this card, PLEASE let me know. Obviously never used one before and Avaya lit is pretty sparse.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Westi]

the "original" cards are a one time only card, you can do your own if you purchase the software from a company like smart technologies and make your multi use cards with their programmable PCMCIA cards but no worries the card is only good for one "upgrade". I am not sure if you can actually backup the programming into the 12G1 card becasue it is meant for the R3 and the R6 would need a 12G4 card but it might work. The admin software accesses the backup only not the actual programming in the processor and you can't make any life changes you read the config, change it upload it and make it life, which will reboot the system so make sure you don't do it while the boss is on the phone.
Let me know if you need more info and if you get the upgrade to R6 done let me know if you can backup the programming into it

 

[aarenot]

THERE GOES YOUR WARRANTY.

 

[wdoc156]

Thanks Westi. I will let you know if the backup with R6 works on the 12G1 card. I've discovered that I may have access to Avaya factory contact so that could help things work out OK.

aarenot..Great 'encouraging words' but warranty is not an issue. This was a used processor when I got it and works fine. If it had been a new one, I wouldn't have been purchasing a card on ebay anyway.

 

[Westi]

great stuff wdoc156, avaya factory contacts are worth their weight in gold some days, but you should be fine after the upgrade to the latest R6, make sure that it has the new daylight savings patch on it though then you won't have to worry about the new dates any more. And I will wait in suspense if the backup onto the 12G1 works.

Thanks

 

[jinxs]

So..If I am reading this right...we can downgrade a R6 Processor to any release? This would have been very helpful information 2 years ago.

A.J.

 

[wdoc156]

It will downgrade a R6 to R3, I can confirm that mine was running at R6.0 (it is R6 hardware also) and is now running at R3.03...much to my dismay...and the programming did not survive the downgrade but it appears migration of configurations is supported in upgrades.
The features specific to R6 are missing, F59 shows ACS R3.0.3 C01, etc. Looks like an R3 to me.
Other than that, it seems to work OK..just living life as an R3 until I get flashed back to R6.
It appears the RA card was one that came with an R3 processor and was never plugged in..even though it was advertised to be 'removed from a good working system'.
Couldn't say if this works with other versions. If I find out, I will post it.

 

[aarenot]

OUCH!

 

[ttech]

I had a copy of every version from 3.0.5 thru 6 with the DST update from the eflash site and would flash systems up or down to be able to restore the programming. It came in handy when the power supplies in R3's would die. I would downgrade - restore- then upgrade

 

[wdoc156]

Sorry it took so long to post, I got busy...
The backup and restore of ACS R6 works properly with the 12G1 card. I have tried it several times with no issue.

Avaya says the only real diff in the cards is the upgrade firmware supplied in them.
He said the intent was for the ACS processor R3-R6 to have a load of the FW ver at the time of processor mfg/packing and the Bkup/restore/upgrade card is shipped along with the processor (unless the processor without the card was ordered) containing the most current FW version and is intended to be used at install time so the proc will be up-to-date.

 

[Westi]

that's good to know, thanks we can finally use our old cards from all the dead processors for a new purpose

Joe W.

FHandw., ACA, ACS

If you can't be good, be good at it!